A gong is a percussion instrument. It comes from Southeast Asia and is used in Southeast Asian and East Asian music traditions. Gongs are made of metal and are shaped like flat circles or bowls. They can be different sizes and are usually hit with a mallet. They can be played alone, making a loud, sudden sound, or used in a set of tuned gongs that create musical tones.

The earliest known images of gongs appear on the Ngọc Lũ I bronze drum (about 3rd to 2nd century BC) from the Dong Son culture in northern Vietnam. This drum shows pictures of groups of seven gongs along with other instruments, such as cymbals, bells, and bronze drums. The first clear written record of gongs dates to the sixth century AD in Chinese texts. These records describe gongs as foreign instruments from a region between Tibet and Burma. The word "gong" (Javanese: ꦒꦺꦴꦁ) comes from Java, an island in Indonesia. Studies by scientists and archaeologists show that Annam, Java, Burma, and southern China were the main places where gongs were made in ancient times. Gongs became known in the Western world in the 18th century. They were later used in the percussion section of Western-style symphony orchestras. A type of bronze gong called a resting bell was used in ancient Greece and Rome. For example, disc-shaped gongs were used at the Oracle of Dodona.

Gongs are usually divided into three types: Suspended gongs are flat, circular metal discs hung vertically with a string through holes near the top edge. Bossed or nipple gongs have a raised center and are often hung and played horizontally. Bowl gongs are shaped like bowls and sit on cushions. These may be considered part of the bell family. Gongs are mostly made from bronze or brass, though other metal mixtures are also used.

Gongs create two kinds of sounds. A gong with a flat surface vibrates in many ways, making a loud, sudden crash instead of a musical note. This type is sometimes called a tam-tam to distinguish it from bossed gongs, which produce musical tones. In Indonesian gamelan ensembles, some bossed gongs are designed to create an extra low sound, between 1 and 5 Hz. The word "gong" is used for both types of instruments.

Types

Suspended gongs are played using hammers and come in two main types: flat, round discs that may have a rounded edge or not, and gongs with a raised center. Usually, larger gongs are struck with larger, softer hammers. In Western symphonic music, flat-faced gongs are often called tam-tams to differentiate them from gongs with a raised center. Here, the word "gong" refers only to the type with a raised center. The gong has been used in China for thousands of years. It may have originally been used to signal workers to return from the fields, as some gongs can be heard up to eight kilometers (five miles) away.

Large flat gongs may be "primed" by gently tapping them before the main strike, which improves the sound and makes the gong produce sound faster. Keeping this tapping quiet requires skill. The smallest suspended gongs are played with bamboo sticks or western-style drumsticks. In modern and experimental music, where unique sounds are desired, musicians may use friction mallets (which create squeals and harmonics), bass bows (which create long tones and high overtones), and various striking tools (wood, plastic, or metal) to make different sounds.

Rock gongs are large stones struck with smaller stones to create a metallic, ringing sound.

Traditional suspended gongs

The chau gong, also called the bullseye gong, is the most well-known gong to many people in the West. Large chau gongs, called tam-tams, are now part of symphony orchestras. Sometimes the chau gong is called a Chinese gong, but it is only one type of many suspended gongs connected to China. A chau gong is made from copper-based alloy, bronze, or brass. It is mostly flat, except for the rim, which is turned up to form a shallow cylinder. For example, on a 25-centimeter (10-inch) gong, the rim extends about 1 centimeter (½ inch) outward from the surface. The main surface curves slightly inward when viewed from the side of the rim. The center and rim of a chau gong are left coated with black copper oxide from manufacturing, while the rest is polished. Chau gongs can range in size from 20 to 200 centimeters (7 to 80 inches) in diameter.

The oldest known chau gong was found in a tomb at the Guixian site in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. It dates back to the early Western Han dynasty. Gongs appear in Chinese art from the 6th century CE and were used in rituals and meetings for spiritual drumming. Traditionally, chau gongs were used to clear paths for important officials and processions, similar to a police siren today. The number of strikes sometimes showed the rank of an official. This helped people know who should bow to whom if two officials met unexpectedly on the road.

The tam-tam was first used in orchestras by François-Joseph Gossec in 1790. Later, composers like Gaspare Spontini and Jean-François Le Sueur also used it. Hector Berlioz included the tam-tam in his music and recommended it for scenes of mourning or extreme horror. Other composers, such as Rossini, Bellini, and Wagner, used tam-tams in their operas. Within a few decades, the tam-tam became a key part of the percussion section in modern orchestras. It appears in the works of composers like Tchaikovsky, Mahler, Shostakovich, and Puccini. Igor Stravinsky expanded the tam-tam’s use in The Rite of Spring, adding techniques like quick, short notes and a triangle beater. Karlheinz Stockhausen used a 60-inch Paiste tam-tam in his piece Momente.

A dora is a Japanese percussion instrument and an idiophone. It is made of bronze, brass, or iron and hangs on a dora stand. It is used in Buddhist memorial services, hayashi performances, kabuki music, and ship departure signals.

A nipple gong has a raised center, called a boss, often made of different metals than the rest of the gong. It makes a sound with less shimmer than other gongs. Striking the boss or the edge creates two different sounds. Nipple gongs are usually tuned to specific pitches but can vary in size from 15 to 50 centimeters (6 to 20 inches) or larger. Sets of smaller, tuned nipple gongs can be used to play melodies. They are used in Chinese temples for worship and in Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia.

Nipple gongs are the main gong in traditional Philippine kulintang music.

In Indonesian gamelan ensembles, gongs come in different sizes and have different names and roles. For example, in central Javanese gamelan, the largest gong is called gong ageng, up to 1 meter in diameter, with the deepest pitch and used least often. The next smaller gong is gong suwukan or siyem, with a slightly higher pitch and used more frequently in pieces with close gong strokes. The kempul is smaller, higher-pitched, and played more often. Some gong ageng and gong suwukan have a beat note.

A pair of gongs is an essential part of Chinese opera orchestras. The larger gong has a descending tone and is used to announce the entrance of major characters or men and to highlight dramatic moments. The smaller gong has a rising tone and is used for lesser characters or women and to signal humor. Opera gongs range in size from 18 to 30 centimeters (7 to 12 inches), with the larger one 3 to 5 centimeters (1 to 2 inches) bigger than the smaller one.

A Pasi gong is a medium-sized gong, 30 to 40 centimeters (12 to 15 inches) in size, with a loud, crashing sound. It is used to announce the start of a performance, play, or magic. Some Pasi gongs have nipples, others do not. They are named more for their use than their structure or sound. Pasi gongs without nipples are popular with drummers who like adventurous sounds.

A tiger gong is slightly descending or, less often, ascending. It is larger than an opera gong and has a less noticeable pitch shift. It is most commonly 38 centimeters (15 inches) in size but can be as small as 20 centimeters (8 inches).

A Shueng Kwong gong is a medium to large

Other uses

In older Javanese traditions and in modern Balinese traditions, the word "gong" refers to a group of musical instruments. In current central Javanese traditions, the term "gamelan" is more commonly used, and the word "gong" is only used to describe the largest instrument in the group, called the gong ageng, or other instruments like the gong komodong or gong bumbung (blown gong), which serve the same musical role in groups that do not include the large gong. In Balinese traditions, the word "gong" specifically refers to the Gamelan Gong Kebyar.

Gong manufacturers

Gongs have been made by many traditional manufacturers in China, including Tibet, as well as in Burma, Java, and Annam for many years. Since the 20th century, gongs have also been produced in Europe and America.

Paiste is the largest gong maker outside of Asia. This Swiss company, which has Estonian roots, makes gongs in Germany. In Germany, another company called Oetken Gongs was started in 2011 by Broder Oetken, who was once a gong maker for Paiste. He now creates his own line of gongs and designed the first versions of Symphonic and Planetary gongs for Meinl. In Italy, a company named UFIP produces gongs at their factory in Pistoia. Michael Paiste, who is not part of the larger Paiste family business, makes gongs independently in Lucerne, Switzerland. Other independent gong makers in Europe include Steve Hubback from Wales, now living in the Netherlands; Matt Nolan and Michal Milas in the United Kingdom; Barry Mason in the United Kingdom; and Joao Pais-Filipe in Portugal.

In North America, Sabian makes a small number of gongs. Zildjian sells gongs with their brand. These gongs were once made by Zildjian, but current production is likely made in China. Ryan Shelledy is an independent gong maker in the Midwestern United States.

Some smaller Turkish companies that make cymbals have also started making gongs, but this is not their main business.

Materials and size

Gongs range in size from about 50 to 150 cm (20 to 60 in). They are made from a bronze alloy that contains up to 22 parts tin and 78 parts copper. However, in many cases, the amount of tin is much smaller. This alloy is very brittle when cast and cooled slowly, but it can be treated in a special way to make it more flexible. When the alloy is quickly cooled from a very hot state, it becomes soft enough to be shaped with tools like hammers and lathes. It is then hardened again by reheating. After this process, the gong has the same qualities and sound as Chinese instruments. The exact composition of the bronze used for gongs is 76.52% copper, 22.43% tin, 0.26% lead, 0.23% zinc, and 0.81% iron. In Turkish cymbal making, sulfur and silicon are also added to the alloy.

Turkish cymbals and Gamelan gongs both use a type of bronze called beta phase bronze. Graphs showing how tin and copper mix reveal a narrow range of temperatures and tin content (21–24% tin and 780 °C or 1,440 °F) that is marked as β. This is a key detail in making bronze instruments. When bronze is heated, it glows orange-red, indicating it has reached the beta phase. At this point, the metal must be quickly cooled in water to lock it into the beta phase for cymbal making. The gong is then struck with a round, hard pad covered in leather, attached to a short stick or handle. It produces a unique and rich sound that changes depending on how it is struck. The vibrations create a series of tones that can be high-pitched or deep. In China and Japan, gongs are used during religious ceremonies, state events, weddings, and festivals.

Orchestral usage

The gong is used in orchestras to create strong feelings of fear and horror in dramatic scenes. Usually, musicians interpret this term to use a tam-tam, as explained earlier. The tam-tam was first added to a Western orchestra by François-Joseph Gossec in a funeral march written after the death of Mirabeau in 1791. Later, Gaspare Spontini included the tam-tam in the finale of Act II of La Vestale (1807). In 1837, Berlioz included four tam-tams in his Grande Messe des morts. The tam-tam was also used in funeral music when Napoleon’s remains were returned to France in 1840. Meyerbeer used the instrument in the scene where three nuns are resurrected in Robert le diable. At Bayreuth, four tam-tams are played in Parsifal to support the bell instruments, even though the musical score does not specify this.

Composers like Gustav Mahler, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and Dimitri Shostakovich often used tam-tams in their symphonies. Igor Stravinsky included them in his ballets. In the 20th century, Karlheinz Stockhausen used tam-tams in Mikrophonie I (1964–65), and George Crumb expanded their sound in Makrokosmos III: Music For A Summer Evening (1974). Crumb gave instructions for using a "well-rosined contrabass bow" to play the tam-tam, creating a strange, harmonic sound. Stockhausen used hand-held microphones and unusual tools like plastic dishes, egg timers, and cardboard tubes to make new sounds by scraping, tapping, rubbing, or beating the tam-tam. Gongs can also be submerged in water after being struck. This technique, called "water gong," appears in some orchestral pieces.

Tuned gongs, which produce specific musical notes, have also been used in symphony orchestras. For example, Olivier Messiaen used sets of differently tuned gongs in works like Des canyons aux étoiles and Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum.

Signal gongs

Gongs are also used as signal devices in many situations.

A bowl-shaped, center-mounted, electrically controlled gong is standard equipment in a boxing ring. Often called the gong, it is struck with a hammer to signal the start and end of each round.

During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, it was common in hotels, on ships, and in large, wealthy homes to sound a dinner gong to announce that a meal was about to begin.

At railroad crossings with flashing traffic signals or wigwag systems, a warning bell is usually present. Mechanical bells, sometimes called gongs, are struck by an electric-powered hammer to warn drivers and pedestrians of an approaching train. Many railroad crossing gongs are now being replaced with electronic devices that have no moving parts.

Gongs are found on rail vehicles, such as trams, streetcars, trains, cable cars, or light rail trains. These gongs are typically bowl-shaped signal bells mounted on the front of the leading car. They are used to warn people in areas where whistles and horns are not allowed. The sound of the gong is sometimes called the "clang of the trolley." Traditionally, the gong was operated with a foot pedal, but it is now controlled by a button on the driver’s panel. Early trams had a smaller gong with a bell pull near the rear door of the railcar. The conductor used this to signal the driver that it was safe to move forward.

A ship longer than 100 meters (330 feet) must carry a gong in addition to a bell and whistle. The volume of the gong is set by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. When a ship is at anchor or aground, it sounds the gong at the back of the ship immediately after ringing a bell at the front to show its length.

Electromechanical, electromagnetic, or electronic devices that make the sound of gongs are used in theaters, especially in the Czech Republic, to gather the audience from the lounge to the auditorium before a show begins or after an intermission.

German radio stations use a gong sound for time signals.

In the Commonwealth, emergency vehicles were equipped with electric, manual, or vacuum-operated Winkworth bell gongs before Martin’s horns or rotary sirens became available.

List of gongs

• Agung
• Babendil
• Bonang
• Darkhuang
• Gandingan
• Gong ageng
• Gungsa
• Kempul
• Kempyang and ketuk
• Kenong
• Khong mon
• Kulintang
• Chau gong
• Rin gong
• Umpan
• Tagonggo
• Bor Kaah used in Assam and other parts of the NE India region