gong - Types of gong, Traditional suspended gongs, Modern orchestral gongs, Other uses, Gongs - general, Signal gongs
A percussion instrument: a circular bronze plaque, usually with a turned-down rim, commonly suspended from a frame or bar and struck with a soft beater. The orchestral gong (or tam-tam) is of indefinite pitch; other, usually smaller, gongs are tuned to precise pitches.
Gongs are broadly of three types. Gongs are made mainly from bronze or brass but there are many other alloys in use.
Types of gong
Suspended gongs are played with beaters and are of two main types: flat faced discs either with or without a turned edge, and gongs with a raised center boss. In Western symphonic music the flat faced gongs are generally referred to as tam-tams to distinguish them from their bossed counterparts, although the term "gong" is correct to use for either type.
Large flat gongs may be 'primed' by lightly hitting them before the main stroke, greatly enhancing the sound and causing the instrument "speak" sooner, with a shorter delay for the sound to "bloom". The smallest suspended gongs are played with bamboo sticks, or even western-style drumsticks.
Western bossed gongs are available in tuned chromatic sets ranging from one, to four and a half octaves.
Pot gongs are small (6"-13") heavy gongs with a raised center boss (also known as a cup, knob, or nipple) that are suspended on cords within a wooden stand or framework. Bossed gong sets are tuned to various scales (pentatonic, 7 note, etc.) and are used as the melodic element in Gamelan music (Indonesia/Java), Kulintang (Philippines), or Piphat (Thailand).
Bowl gongs (also called cup gongs) are similar to Tibetan singing bowls and may be played in many different ways, not all of them strictly percussion. Bowl gongs are used in temple worship, especially in Buddhism.
Traditional suspended gongs
Chau gongs
A 10" Chau Gong
By far the most familiar to most Westerners is the chau gong or bullseye gong. Large chau gongs, called tam-tams (not to be confused with tom-tom drums), have become part of the symphony orchestra. Sometimes a chau gong is referred to as a Chinese gong, but in fact it is only one of many types of suspended gongs that are associated with China.
The chau gong is made of copper-based alloy, bronze or brass. On a 10" gong, for example, the rim extends about a half an inch perpendicular to the gong surface. The centre spot and the rim of a chau gong are left coated on both sides with the black copper oxide that forms during the manufacture of the gong, the rest of the gong is polished to remove this coating. Chau gongs range in size from 7" to 80" in diameter.
The earliest Chau gong is from a tomb discovered at the Guixian site in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China.
Traditionally, chau gongs were used to clear the way for important officials and processions, much like a police siren today. Sometimes the number of strokes on the gong was used to indicate the seniority of the official.
Uses of gongs in the symphony orchestra
Gustav Mahler was one of the first composers to use the tam-tam in his symphonic works.
Nipple gongs
Nipple gongs have a raised boss or nipple in the centre, often made of a different metal to the rest of the gong. They have a clear resonant tone with less shimmer than other gongs, and two distinct sounds depending on whether they are struck on the boss or next to it.
Nipple gongs range in size from 6" to 14" or larger. Sets of smaller, tuned nipple gongs can be used to play a tune.
A Bau gong is a type of nipple gong used in Chinese temples for worship.
Opera gongs
An essential part of the orchestra for Chinese opera is a pair of gongs, the larger with a descending tone, the smaller with a rising tone. The larger gong is used to announce the entrance of major players, of men, and to identify points of drama and consequence. The smaller gong is used to announce the entry of lesser players, of women, and to identify points of humour.
Opera gongs range in size from 7" to 12", with the larger of a pair one or two inches larger than the smaller.
Pasi gongs
A Pasi gong is a medium-size gong 12" to 15" in size, with a crashing sound.
Pasi gongs without nipples have found favour with adventurous middle-of-the-road kit drummers.
Tiger gong
A tiger gong is a slightly descending or less commonly ascending gong, larger than an opera gong and with a less pronounced pitch shift.
Shueng Kwong
A Sheng Kwong gong is a medium to large gong with a sharp staccato sound.
Wind gong
Wind gongs (also known as Feng or Lion Gongs) are flat bronze discs, with little fundamental pitch, heavy tuned overtones, and long sustain. Traditionally, a wind gong is played with a large soft mallet, which gives them a roaring crash to match their namesake. Some have holes in the centre, but they are mounted like all suspended gongs by other holes near the rim.
Modern orchestral gongs
As well as the tam-tam, there are a number of new gong types that were created during the 20th century specifically for orchestral use.
Planet gongs
A series of 14 tuned gongs by Paiste, ranging in size from 24" to 38". Planet Gongs are used extensively in therapy, as the different notes/frequencies affect different areas of the body/mind (example: the 38" Earth Gong vibrates at a frequency of 136.10 Hz/C# and affects the Heart Chakra.)
Sound Creation gongs
A series of 10 theme gongs by Paiste, ranging in size from 11" to 60".
Other uses
In older Javanese usage and in modern Balinese usage, gong is used to identify an ensemble of instruments. In contemporary central Javanese usage, the term gamelan is preferred and the term gong is reserved for the gong ageng, the largest instrument of the type, or for surrogate instruments such as the gong komodong or gong bumbu (blown gong) which fill the same musical function in ensembles lacking the large gong. In Balinese usage, gong refers to Gamelan Gong Kebyar.
Some primitive drums are known as Tam Tams, "slit gongs" or slit drums.
Gongs - general
A gong (鑼 pinyin luo2;
Gongs vary in diameter from about 20 to 40 in., and they are made of bronze containing a maximum of 22 parts of tin to 78 of copper; In these properties it will be observed, the alloy behaves in a manner exactly opposite to steel, and the Chinese avail themselves of the known peculiarities for preparing the thin sheets of which gongs are made. They cool their castings of bronze in water, and after hammering out the alloy in the soft state, harden the finished gongs by heating them to a cherry-red and allowing them to cool slowly. The composition of the alloy of bronze used for making gongs is stated to be as follows: Copper, 76.52; Gongs may have been used on towers in place of place.
The gong has been effectively used in the orchestra to intensify the impression of fear and horror in melodramatic scenes.
Signal gongs
Railcar mounted
The signal bell mounted on a tram, trolley, streetcar, cable car or light rail train is known as a gong. The "Clang" of the trolley refers to the sound made by the warning gong. A smaller gong with a bell pull is mounted by the rear door of these railcars.
Rail crossing
A railroad crossing with a flashing traffic signal or wigwag will also typically have a warning bell, also known as a gong. Many railroad crossing gongs are now being replaced by electronic sounding devices that have no moving parts to fail.
Boxing (sport)
A bowl-shaped center mounted gong is standard equipment in a boxing ring and is known as a boxing ring gong. The expression "saved by the bell" refers to the gong sounding the end of a boxing round.
Gongs in popular culture
Gongs have been used in upper class households as waking devices, or to summon domestic help.
A man hitting a gong twice starts all Rank films.
Queen's classic song Bohemian Rhapsody ends with the sound of a gong.
A gong is played in the song "What Is and What Should Never Be" by Led Zeppellin.
In The Addams Family television show, the sound of the gong (activated by a bell pull) would summon Lurch the family butler.
Gongs were used on the The Gong Show, a television variety show/game show spoof that was broadcast in the United States from 1976 until 1980.
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