How Singing Bowls (Dwani Paatro) Work: The Science Behind Singing Bowls
1 Jan 2020 HYN Himalayan Yoga Academy
Overview: How Singing Bowls Work
There’s no doubt that if you hear a singing bowl of any note, it will surely calm you, It might come in your mind, “How exactly do they work?” Like all musical instruments, singing bowls rely on friction and vibration to create the sound we hear. So What makes singing bowls so special are the different sounds that can be created by them depending on their qualities and the various circumstances and conditions in which they may be played. So learn here How Singing Bowls Work: The Science Behind Singing Bowls
Scientists and musicians alike have recently become interested in the singing bowl and the manner in which it creates sound. The science behind the sounds of singing bowls is quite simple and can best be compared to playing with wine glasses filled with water. However, the science behind the healing properties of singing bowls is not quite as familiar or established.
How do singing bowls work?
To play a singing bowl, one must either strike the bowl or rub the rim with a mallet. The action taken with the mallet is the first step in creating sound with a singing bowl. As explained by Science Made Simple UK, the friction created either by rubbing or striking a singing bowl creates vibrations. These vibrations create the sound we hear and can feel when holding the singing bowl. As you continue to rub the rim of the bowl, the friction keeps the sound going. This is called resonance. Resonance is the note we hear even after the player ceases contact between the singing bowl and the mallet.
To make matters a bit more complicated, the note we hear can differ between singing bowls and mallets. Most singing bowls are made from a bronze alloy of either copper, tin, zinc, iron, silver, gold, or nickel. The material with which the singing bowl is made can change the sound, as can the mallet. Crystal bowls will not sound the same as bronze alloy bowls. Wooden mallets and padded mallets will produce different sounds as well. The size, shape and weight of the singing bowl can also affect what tones are produced. Adding water will change the note of the singing bowl as water is more difficult to vibrate than the air inside an empty singing bowl. Cushions, rings, or other accessories also alter the sound of singing bowls, often dampening or softening the sounds. Despite these differences, how singing bowls work can be boiled down to a simple idea: excitation of the rim causes the singing bowl to vibrate, creating a rich tone.