Gong
A metal percussion instrument from Southeast Asia with diverse cultural uses.
A gong is a percussion instrument that comes from Southeast Asia and is common in both Southeast Asian and East Asian music. It is made of metal, circular, and either flat or bowl-shaped. Sizes vary. A mallet is usually used to strike it. Played alone, it makes a distinctive crashing sound; in a tuned set, it produces bell-like tones.
The earliest possible images of gongs appear on the Ngọc Lũ I bronze drum (from around the 3rd to 2nd century BC) of the Dong Son culture in northern Vietnam. That drum shows what seems to be a seven-gong ensemble alongside other instruments like cymbals, bells, and bronze drums. The oldest clear written mention of gongs comes from 6th-century AD Chinese records, which describe it as a foreign instrument from a country between Tibet and Burma. The word "gong" itself comes from the Indonesian island of Java (Javanese: ꦒꦺꦴꦁ). Research has identified Annam, Java, Burma, and southern China as the four main ancient centers for making gongs. The gong reached the Western world in the 18th century, when it was also used in the percussion section of a Western symphony orchestra.
Gongs generally fall into three types. Suspended gongs are nearly flat, circular metal discs hung vertically by a cord through holes near the top rim. Bossed or nipple gongs have a raised center knob and are often suspended and played horizontally. Bowl gongs are bowl-shaped and rest on cushions; these can be considered a type of bell. Gongs are mainly made from bronze or brass, though many other alloys are also used.
Gongs produce two distinct sound types. A gong with a mostly flat surface vibrates in many modes, creating a crash rather than a tuned note. This kind is sometimes called a tam-tam, to set it apart from bossed gongs that produce a tuned note. In Indonesian gamelan ensembles, some bossed gongs are deliberately made to generate an extra beat note of about 1 to 5 Hz. Using the term "gong" for both types is common.
Suspended gongs are played with hammers and come in two main types: flat-faced discs (with or without a turned edge) and gongs with a raised center boss. Generally, the larger the gong, the larger and softer the hammer.
Quick Facts
- Classification
- Metallophone
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The earliest possible depictions of gongs appear on the Ngọc Lũ I bronze drum (c. 3rd to 2nd century BC) from the Dong Son culture of northern Vietnam, showing what looks like seven-gong ensembles. The oldest undisputed historical mention is in sixth century AD Chinese records, which described it as a foreign instrument from a country between Tibet and Burma. The term 'gong' originated on the Indonesian island of Java. Scientific and archaeological research has established Annam, Java, Burma, and Southern China as the four main ancient gong manufacturing centres. The gong entered the Western world in the 18th century, used in symphony orchestras.
Reader's Guide
Gongs generally fall into three types: suspended gongs (flat discs suspended vertically), bossed or nipple gongs (with a raised centre boss, often played horizontally), and bowl gongs (bowl-shaped, resting on cushions). They produce two distinct sound types: flat gongs vibrate in multiple modes, giving a 'crash' (sometimes called a tam-tam), while bossed gongs give a tuned note. In Indonesian gamelan, some bossed gongs generate an additional beat note of about 1 to 5 Hz. The chau gong (or tam-tam) is the most familiar to Westerners, made of copper-based alloy, bronze, or brass, with a flat surface and turned-up rim. The earliest chau gong dates from the early Western Han dynasty, found in a tomb at Guixian, China. The tam-tam was introduced to the symphony orchestra by François-Joseph Gossec in 1790 and later used by composers such as Hector Berlioz, who recommended it for scenes of mourning or extreme horror. Other composers like Rossini, Bellini, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, Mahler, and Stravinsky expanded its use. Nipple gongs are used in Chinese and Southeast Asian temples, Philippine kulintang, and Indonesian gamelan. Opera gongs, essential to Chinese opera, come in pairs with descending and rising tones. Pasi gongs are medium-size gongs with a loud crashing sound, used to announce the start of a performance.
Did You Know?
- The earliest possible depiction of gongs is on the Ngọc Lũ I bronze drum from the Dong Son culture of northern Vietnam, dating to the 3rd to 2nd century BC.
- A form of bronze cauldron gong known as a resting bell was used in ancient Greece and Rome, including at the Oracle of Dodona.
- The tam-tam was first introduced as an orchestral instrument by François-Joseph Gossec in 1790.
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