About Gongs
Gong is a traditional Chinese percussion instrument. It is commonly used in folk instrumental ensembles, opera, song, and dance accompaniment, ethnic festivals, celebrations and gatherings, and other activities. It is one of the oldest and most widely used Chinese musical instruments in history.
The history of gongs can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn period over two thousand years ago. In 1978, a gong from the early Western Han Dynasty was unearthed in Guangxi province, which was the earliest archaeological excavation of the gong.
How is the gong made?
Chinese gongs are made from cast bronze, with a formula of copper&tin . They are cast in a fire, and then hammered and tuned to become beautiful instruments. All 100% hand made.
What are the factors that affect the sound of gongs?
- Size, generally speaking, the larger the size, the deeper and wider the sound, and the longer the duration.
- Surface, the sound of the unlathedsurface gong is lowand dark and the sound of the lathed gong is bright.
- The type of gong,like chau gong and wind gong have different sound.
How to choose the gong that suits you?
1.Decide for what purpose you want to use the gong predominantly.
2.Listen to different gong samples online to find out which tones and frequencies you like.
3.Pay attention to quality and check in particular the materials used and the manufacturing process.
4.Set a budget range that you want to invest in your new instrument.
5.If you are unsure, contact us and get advice.
How to maintain the gong?
We recommend not touching your gong with your fingers or hands. This will prevent fingerprints and skin oils from getting, and accumulating upon your gong – an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you want to soften or mute the sound of your gong, we recommend using a mallet rather than your hands.For light cleaning and dusting, gongs can be cleaned with a moist & dry rag. Simply whip the gong with the moist rag and dry it immediately with the dry rag. A little elbow grease often removes light fingerprints & possibly some oils if the gong is touched.For heavier cleaning can be easily cleaned with cymbal polish. Follow the cymbal polish directions.
