Instructions on How to Play a Singing Bowl
Learn to make your singing bowl sing!

How to Make Your Crystal Singing Bowl Sing!
One of the blessings and pleasures of working with a crystal singing bowl is that they are so easy to get singing. The sound in crystal singing bowls is usually ignited by a suede covered mallet or rubber gong type striker.

1. Most crystal singing bowls are larger in size and will not be sounded in your hand but will be resting on a flat stable surface, hopefully, with a rubber o-ring on the bottom to keep the singing bowl firmly in place.
2. Similar in technique to a traditional metal tibetan singing bowl, with a suede mallet create friction on the outside rim of the bowl in a circular motion (Many people tend to go in a clock-wise direction although you can experiment with the energetic and mechanical differences of trying both directions which will also depend on if you are right or left handed).
3. Try to keep an even pressure and constant contact with the outer rim of the bowl. Even lifting the mallet from the bowl for a second might stop the building vibrations in the bowl. Keep it nice and steady and you should quickly hear the bowl begin to sing. Sometimes it is easier to get the bowl to sing by first striking the bowl to get the vibrations going but be careful not strike the bowl too hard as it will make an intense sound and could also be harmful to a crystal bowl to strike it too hard. Also be aware of not touching the sides of the bowl once it begins singing as that is where the vibration comes from.
4. Once the bowl begins to sing and reach "resonance", you should slow down your circular movement around the rim of the bowl and seek a consistency in what speed will keep the bowl singing without making it get too intense. Crystal bowls have a danger of being over played and shattering just as everyone has heard of sound vibrations breaking crystal glasses.

Honoring your crystal bowl and truly embracing it as a peace creating sound healing musical instrument will both grow a wonderful "presence practice" for you and produce the many positive benefits that are possible in engaging in such a beautiful demonstration of Being Here Now.

How To Make Your Metal Singing Bowl Sing!

1. Hold the bowl in the palm of either hand gripping on the bottom of the bowl. If the bowl is larger you can set it down on a "sticky" surface or wedge it between your legs in a sitting position.  Be careful not to touch the sides of the bowl as that is where the vibration comes from.
2. Similar in technique to a crystal singing bowl, with a wooden mallet create friction on the outside rim of the bowl in a circular motion (Many people tend to go in a clock-wise direction although you can experiment with the energetic and mechanical differences of trying both directions which will also depend on if you are right or left handed).
3. Try to keep an even pressure and constant contact with the bowl. Even lifting the mallet from the bowl for a split-second might stop the building vibrations in the bowl. Keep it nice and steady and experiment with going faster or slower with your circular motion speed. Sometimes it is easier to get the bowl to sing by first gently striking the bowl to get the vibrations going.
4. Gently increase the speed as the bowl begins to vibrate, and as the sound grows. Sometimes this method can take practice.
5. Once the bowl begins to sing strongly, you usually can slow down your circular movement around the rim of the bowl and seek a consistency in circular motion that will keep the bowl singing without making it get too intense and cause the mallet to "kick off" from too much sound vibration.

Striking Your Bowl To Release Sound
Another method of creating sound on a singing bowl is by "gonging" or "striking" the bowl. This is a simple method that involves striking the bowl with a rubber or padded striker. Most wooden singing bowl sticks come with a felt or padded end for this purpose for metal bowls. Using a soft rubber mallet with a Crystal Singing Bowl is recommended. We also have additional padded tools available in our store.

All Singing Bowls at The Sound Healing Store include an appropriate mallet with your purchase.

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