There are two main methods to listen to gongs, singing bowls, crystal bowls and music in general. One way is listen into the sound and the other is to listen for patterns, rhythms or musical phrases.

For gongs, singing bowls, crystal bowls, didgerdoos and other sound healing instruments listening into the sound is a fundamental method for listening. Listening into the sound is a different manner of listening than the way that we listen to most songs. Listening in to the sound becomes a meditative act when you are able to do so without disruption. This method helps you focus on the frequencies, pure tones and overtones of the gong or instrument. It also helps the listener to develop patience and leads to greater relaxation, energy and focus. Listening into the sounds will help you hear patterns which the instrument's frequencies naturally create. It will help you listen for depth and clarity of the frequencies and this makes it is a very important part of gong playing and sound baths.

In gong playing the frequency and overtones will make natural patterns because every frequence has it's own, signature, pattern. Listening into the sound will help you to hear the natural patterns found within the frequencies of the instrument. In addition to the patterns of the frequencies, you can make rhythms and musical phrases on your instrument. This is the second way of listening. Playing rhythms and musical phrases on gongs, bowls and other sound healing instruments is very stimulating and fun.

The below video encourages both listening methods. Give it try: practice listening into the sound and then practice listening for patterns or phrase, which the musicians create with their instruments. You may find that some parts of the music naturally encourage your ear to listen inward, while other parts naturally encourage your ear to hear musical phrases.

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