View source for Gong

{{Short description|Percussion instrument}}
{{other uses}}
{{redirect|Tamtam}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox instrument
| name                  = Gong
| image                 = [[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gong hangend in een standaard onderdeel van gamelan Semar Pagulingan TMnr 1340-13.jpg|260px]]
| image_size            =
| alt                   =
| caption               = One of [[Java]]nese and [[Bali]]nese style gong for [[gamelan]] ensemble, hanging in an ornate frame
| background            =
| names                 =
| classification        = [[Metallophone]]
| hornbostel_sachs      =
| hornbostel_sachs_desc =
| inventors             =
| developed             =
| timbre                = 
| volume                = 
| attack                = 
| decay                 = 
| range                 =
| pitch                 = 
| related               = 
| musicians             =
| builders              =
| articles              =
}}
[[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Bas-reliëfs op de Candi Induk Panataran tempelcomplex TMnr 60037389.jpg|thumb|262px|Two men (right) are lifting the gong depicted on the 13th-century temple reliefs at the Candi Induk, [[Penataran|Panataran temple complex]] in [[East Java]], Indonesia]]
[[File:Traditional indonesian instruments04.jpg|thumb|262px|A gong collection in a [[gamelan]] ensemble of instruments – Indonesian Embassy [[Canberra]]]]

A '''gong'''<ref group=note>From [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] and {{langx|ms|gong}}; {{langx|jv|ꦒꦺꦴꦁ}} {{lang|jv-Latn|gong}}; {{lang-zh|c=鑼|p=luó}}; {{langx|ja|{{Ruby-ja|銅鑼|どら}}|dora}}; {{langx|km|គង}} {{lang|km-Latn|kong}}; {{langx|th|ฆ้อง}} {{lang|th-Latn|khong}}; {{langx|vi|cồng chiêng}}; {{langx|as|কাঁহ}} {{lang|as-Latn|kãh}}</ref> is a [[percussion]] instrument originating from [[Southeast Asia]], and used widely in Southeast Asian and [[East Asia]]n musical traditions. Gongs are made of metal and are circular and flat or bowl-like in shape, and can come in various sizes. They are typically struck with a mallet. They can be played alone, giving a characteristic "crashing" sound, or played as part of a tuned set that produce bell-like sounds.

The earliest possible depictions of gongs is from the details on the surface of the [[Ngọc Lũ I]] [[Dong son drum|bronze drum]] ({{circa|3rd to 2nd century BC}}) from the [[Dong Son culture]] of northern [[Vietnam]]. It depicts what looks like seven-gong ensembles along with other instruments (including cymbals/bells and the bronze drums themselves).<ref name="Tran">{{cite book |last1=Tran |first1=Hoai |title=Doing "Gong Culture" Heritage Politics and Performances in the Central Highlands of Vietnam |date=3 August 2022 |publisher=Lit Verlag |isbn=9783643914064 |page=63}}</ref> The oldest undisputed historical mention of gongs can be found in sixth century AD Chinese records, which mentioned it as a foreign instrument that came from a country between Tibet and Burma. The term ''gong'' ({{langx|jv|ꦒꦺꦴꦁ}}) originated in the [[Indonesian island]] of [[Java]]. Scientific and archaeological research has established that [[Names of Vietnam|Annam]], [[Java]], [[Burma]], and Southern China were the four main gong manufacturing centres of the ancient world.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Percussion Instruments and Their History |last=Blades |first=James |publisher=Bold Strummer |year=1992 |isbn=978-0933224612 |page=[https://archive.org/details/percussioninstru00jame/page/93 93] |url=https://archive.org/details/percussioninstru00jame/page/93 |quote=The origin of the gong is uncertain, but there seems little reason to doubt the claim of the Chinese whose tradition ascribes it to the country Hsi Yu between Tibet and Burma, where it is mentioned early in the sixth century in the time of Emperor Hsüan Wu (AD 500-515).}}</ref><ref name="Kunst2013">{{cite book | author = Jaap Kunst | date = 11 December 2013 | title = Music in Java: Its history, Its Theory and Its Technique | edition = 2 | publisher = Springer | pages = 146– | isbn = 9789401771306 | oclc = 1066191713 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=U1DvCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA146 | quote = the mountain tribes, now living in Southern China and Further India }}</ref> The gong found its way into the Western World in the 18th century, when it was also used in the percussion section of a Western-style [[symphony orchestra]].{{sfn|Schlesinger|1911}} A form of bronze cauldron gong known as a [[resting bell]] was widely used in ancient Greece and Rome: for instance in the famous Oracle of [[Dodona]], where disc gongs were also used.<ref>{{Cite book |oclc=123539614 |title=Origins and Development of Musical Instruments |last=Montagu |first=Jeremy |publisher=Scarecrow Press |year=2007 |isbn=9780810856578 |pages=16–17 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=The Gong at Dodona |last=Cook |first=Arthur Bernard |journal=The Journal of Hellenic Studies |year=1902 |volume=22 |pages=5–28|doi=10.2307/623918 |jstor=623918 |s2cid=163626553 }}</ref>

Gongs generally fall into three types: '''Suspended gongs''' are more or less flat, circular discs of metal suspended vertically by means of a cord passed through holes near to the top rim. '''Bossed''' or '''nipple gongs''' have a raised centre boss or knob and are often suspended and played horizontally. '''Bowl gongs''' are bowl-shaped and rest on cushions. The latter may be considered a member of the [[bell]] category. Gongs are made mainly from [[bronze]] or [[brass]], though there are many other [[cymbal alloys|alloys]] in use.

Gongs produce two distinct types of sound. A gong with a substantially flat surface vibrates in multiple modes, giving a "crash" rather than a tuned note. This category of gong is sometimes called a '''tam-tam''', to distinguish it from the bossed gongs that give a tuned note. In Indonesian gamelan ensembles, some bossed gongs are deliberately made to generate an additional [[beat (acoustics)|beat note]] in the range from about 1 to 5&nbsp;Hz. The use of the term "gong" for both these types of instrument is common.

==Types==
[[File:Relief at Sukuh Temple, 2016-10-13 02.jpg|thumb|262px|A Gong depicted on the 15th-century temple reliefs at the [[Candi Sukuh]] in [[Central Java]], [[Indonesia]]]]

'''Suspended gongs''' are played with hammers and are of two main types: flat faced discs, either with or without a turned edge and gongs with a raised centre boss. In general, the larger the gong, the larger and softer the hammer. In Western symphonic music, the flat faced gongs are generally referred to as tam-tams to distinguish them from their bossed counterparts. Here, the term "gong" is reserved for the bossed type only. The gong has been a Chinese instrument for millennia. Its first use may have been to signal peasant workers in from the fields, because some gongs are loud enough to be heard from up to {{convert|5|mi|km|0|abbr=off|order=flip|spell=on}} away.

Large flat gongs may be 'primed' by lightly hitting them before the main stroke, greatly enhancing the sound and causing the instrument to "speak" sooner, with a shorter delay for the sound to "bloom". Keeping this priming stroke inaudible calls for a great deal of skill. The smallest suspended gongs are played with bamboo sticks or even western-style drumsticks. Contemporary and avant-garde music, where different sounds are sought, will often use friction mallets (producing squeals and harmonics), bass bows (producing long tones and high overtones), and various striking implements (wood/plastic/metal) to produce the desired tones.

[[Rock gong]]s are large stones struck with smaller stones to create a metallic resonating sound.

== Traditional suspended gongs ==

=== Chau gong (tam-tam) ===
{{Anchor|Chau gong}}
[[File:Chau gong.jpg|thumb|right|262px|The familiar "Chinese" gong (a {{convert|10|in|cm|adj=on|order=flip|abbr=on|disp=or}} chau gong)]]
[[File:Large gong at Ashikaga Banna-ji.jpg|thumb|250px|Large gong at Ashikaga [[Banna-ji]]]]
By far the most familiar to most Westerners is the ''chau gong'' or ''bullseye gong''. Large chau gongs, called ''tam-tams''<ref>Morris Goldberg in his ''Modern School... Guide for The Artist Percussionist'' (Chappell & Co., Inc., New York City, 1955), says that "in modern symphony orchestra names ''gong'' and ''tam-tam'' mean the same thing, that in scholarly circles, tam-tam is considered to be a slang expression taken from an African a word meaning drum", later associated with gongs of indefinite pitch, and as such was adopted by virtually all composers using the term and thus is used now interchangeably. There are exceptions: [[Benjamin Britten]], in his ''[[Cello Symphony (Britten)|Cello Symphony]]'', calls for both gong and tam-tam, distinguishing the domed instrument from the more usual orchestral instrument.[https://boosey.com/cr/perusals/score?id=10500]</ref> 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. A chau gong is made of copper-based alloy, bronze, or brass. It is almost flat except for the rim, which is turned up to make a shallow cylinder. On a {{convert|10|in|cm|order=flip|adj=on}} gong, for example, the rim extends about {{convert|1/2|in|cm|0|order=flip|abbr=on}} perpendicular to the surface. The main surface is slightly concave when viewed from the direction to which the rim is turned. The centre spot and rim of a chau gong are left coated on both sides with the black copper oxide that forms during manufacture; the rest is polished to remove this coating. Chau gongs range in size from {{convert|7|to|80|in|cm|-1|order=flip|abbr=on}} in diameter.
====History====

The earliest Chau gong is from a tomb discovered at the Guixian site in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. It dates from the early [[Han dynasty|Western Han dynasty]]. Gongs are depicted in Chinese visual art as of the 6th century CE,<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/art/gong-musical-instrument|title=Gong|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Britannica|access-date=4 June 2019}}</ref> and were known for their very intense and spiritual drumming in rituals and tribal meetings.<ref>Muller, Max. ''The [[Diamond Sutra]]'' (translation based on the Tang dynasty text, 蛇年的马年的第一天), sutra 1–4487, Oxford University Press, 1894.</ref> 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 was used to indicate the seniority of the official. In this way, two officials meeting unexpectedly on the road would know before the meeting which of them should bow down before the other.

==== Use in symphony orchestras ====
The tam-tam was first introduced as an orchestral instrument by [[François-Joseph Gossec]] in 1790, and it was also taken up by [[Gaspare Spontini]] and [[Jean-François Le Sueur]].<ref name=Berlioz-Treatise>{{cite book| last=Macdonald| first=Hugh |title=Berlioz's Orchestration Treatise: A Translation and Commentary| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0ZteQ_2uHZ8C&pg=PA286| series=Cambridge Musical Texts and Monographs| year=2002| publisher=Cambridge University Press| isbn=978-1-139-43300-6| page=286}}</ref> [[Hector Berlioz]] deployed the instrument throughout his compositional career, and in his ''[[Treatise on Instrumentation]]'' he recommended its use "for scenes of mourning or for the dramatic depiction of extreme horror."<ref name=Berlioz-Treatise/> Other composers who adopted the tam-tam in the opera house included [[Gioachino Rossini]], [[Vincenzo Bellini]], and [[Richard Wagner]]:<ref>Although in modern, 20th century and beyond, performances sometimes conductors were adapting tam-tam in orchestra for the performances of [[Gluck]]'s ''[[Alceste (Gluck)|Alceste]]'' and ''[[Orfeo ed Euridice]]'' (as ones used in the [[Metropolitan Opera]] historical productions), there is no trace of it in original scores of Gluck himself, so it must be considered an additional effect rather than the wish of the composer himself.</ref> Rossini in the final of act 3 of ''[[Armida (Rossini)|Armida]]'' (1817),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://humanities.uchicago.edu/orgs/ciao/Rossini%20operas/1armida.html |title=Instrumentation used in ''Armida'' by Rossini |publisher=Humanities.uchicago.edu |access-date=11 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926074751/http://humanities.uchicago.edu/orgs/ciao/Rossini%20operas/1armida.html |archive-date=26 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bellini in ''[[Norma (opera)|Norma]]'' (1831) and Wagner in ''[[Rienzi]]'' (1842). Within a few decades the tam-tam became an important member of the percussion section of a modern symphony orchestra. It figures prominently in the symphonies of [[Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky]],<ref>[[Symphony No. 2 (Tchaikovsky)|Symphony No.2]] and [[Symphony No. 6 (Tchaikovsky)|No.6]]</ref> [[Gustav Mahler]],<ref>[[Symphony No. 6 (Mahler)|Symphony No.6]] and ''[[Das Lied von der Erde]]''</ref> [[Dmitri Shostakovich]]<ref>[[Symphony No. 4 (Shostakovich)|Symphony No.4]], [[Symphony No. 8 (Shostakovich)|No.8]], [[Symphony No. 10 (Shostakovich)|No.10]]. [[Symphony No. 11 (Shostakovich)|No.11]], and [[Symphony No. 13 (Shostakovich)|No.13]]</ref> and, to a lesser extent, [[Sergei Rachmaninov]] and [[Sergei Prokofiev]]. [[Giacomo Puccini]] used gongs and tam-tams in his operas. [[Igor Stravinsky]] greatly expanded the playing techniques of the tam-tam in ''[[The Rite of Spring]]'' to include short, quickly damped notes, quick crescendos, and a triangle beater scraped across the front of the instrument. [[Karlheinz Stockhausen]] used a 60" [[Paiste]] tam-tam in his ''[[Momente]]''.

=== Dora ===
A '''dora'''  is one of the Japanese Percussion instruments and an [[idiophone]]. It is made of bronze, brass or iron, and is suspended onto a dora stand. It is widely used in Buddhist memorial services, [[Hayashi (music)|hayashi]] performances, [[kabuki]] music, and ship departure signals.<ref>{{Cite web|title=教材として活用し得る民俗資料 どら（銅ら）|url=https://www.edu.city.yokosuka.kanagawa.jp/0kyo/1kyo/a39.html|access-date=12 May 2021|website=www.edu.city.yokosuka.kanagawa.jp}}</ref>

=== Nipple gong ===
[[File:Thai Gongs at Wat Chulabhornvararam Nakhon Nayok.jpg|thumb|right|262px|Nipple gongs at Wat Chulaphonwararam, a [[Wat]] (Buddhist temple) in [[Nakhon Nayok Province|Nakhon Nayok]]]]
[[File:Mindanao Bangsamoro Islamic Musical Instruments.jpg|262px|thumb|An intricately carved and painted [[Maranao people|Maranao]] [[kulintang]] ensemble from the [[National Museum of Anthropology (Manila)|National Museum of Anthropology]], [[Philippines]], with nipple gongs of various names and pitches]]
A nipple gong has a central raised boss or nipple, often made of different metals than other gongs with varying degrees of quality and resonance. They have a tone with less shimmer than other gongs, and two distinct sounds depending on whether they are struck on the boss or next to it. They are most often but not always tuned to various pitches.

Nipple gongs range in size from {{convert|6|to|20|in|cm|round=5|order=flip|abbr=on}} or larger. Sets of smaller, tuned nipple gongs can be used to play a [[melody]].

Nipple gongs are used in Chinese temples for worship and Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia.

These are the primary gong in the traditional Philippine music of [[kulintang]].

In Indonesian gamelan ensembles, instruments that are [[organology|organologically]] gongs come in various sizes with different functions and different names. For example, in the central Javanese gamelan, the largest gong is called ''[[gong ageng]]'', ranges in size up to 1 meter in diameter, has the deepest pitch and is played least often; the next smaller gong is the ''gong suwukan'' or ''siyem'', has a slightly higher pitch and replaces the ''gong ageng'' in pieces where gong strokes are close together; the ''[[kempul]]'' is smaller still, has a higher pitch, and is played more frequently. The ''gong ageng'' and some ''gong suwukan'' have a beat note.

=== Opera gongs ===
<!--"Opera gong" redirects to this section heading. If the section heading changes, please change the redirect to match. TIA!-->
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 or men and to identify points of drama and consequence. The smaller gong is used to announce the entry of lesser players or women and to [[Sting (percussion)|identify points of humour]].

Opera gongs range in size from {{convert|7|to|12|in|cm|order=flip|abbr=on}}, with the larger of a pair {{convert|1|or|2|in|cm|0|order=flip|abbr=on}} larger than the smaller.

=== Pasi gongs ===
[[File:Agung (Philippine hanging gong).jpg|thumb|262px|An [[agung]], a type of [[Philippines|Philippine]] hanging gong used as part of the [[Kulintang]] ensemble]]

A '''Pasi gong''' is a medium-size gong {{convert|12|to|15|in|cm|order=flip|abbr=on|round=5}} in size, with a loud crashing sound. It is used traditionally to announce the start of a performance, play or magic. Construction varies, some having nipples and some not, so this type is named more for its function than for its structure or even its sound.

Pasi gongs without nipples have found favour with adventurous middle-of-the-road kit<!-- middle of the road is opinion not fact --> 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. Most commonly {{convert|15|in|cm|order=flip|abbr=on}} but available down to {{convert|8|in|cm|order=flip|abbr=on}}.

=== Shueng Kwong ===
A '''Shueng 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. They are most commonly made of B20 bronze, but can also be made of M63 brass or NS12 [[Nickel silver|nickel-silver]]. Traditionally, a wind gong is played with a large soft mallet, which gives it a roaring crash to match their namesake. They are lathed on both sides and are medium to large in size, typically {{convert|15|to|22|in|cm|round=5|order=flip|abbr=on}} but sizes from {{convert|7|to|60|in|cm|round=5|order=flip|abbr=on}} are available. The {{convert|22|in|cm|adj=on|round=5|order=flip|abbr=on}} size is most popular due to its portability and large sound.

They are commonly used by drummers in rock music. Played with a nylon tip [[Drum stick|drumstick]] they sound rather like the coil chimes in a mantle clock. Some have holes in the centre, but they are mounted like all suspended gongs by other holes near the rim. The smaller sizes, {{convert|7|to|12|in|cm|order=flip|abbr=on}}, have a more bell-like tone due to their thickness and small diameter.

=== Sculptural gongs ===
[[Image:HubbackSsGongSculpt.jpg|thumb|alt=Sculptural gong made by Steve Hubback.|Sculptural gong made by Steve Hubback]]
Sculptural gongs (also known as Gong Sculptures) are gongs which serve the dual purpose of being a musical instrument and a work of visual art. They are generally not disc shaped, but instead take more complex, even abstract forms. Sculptural gongs were pioneered in the early 1990s by [[Welsh people|Welsh]] percussionist and metal crafter, Steve Hubback, who was partially inspired by the work of the French Sound Sculptors, Francois and Bernard [[Baschet Brothers|Baschet]].

Hubback's works have been used by many musicians including solo percussionist [[Evelyn Glennie|Dame Evelyn Glennie]] and rock drummer [[Carl Palmer]].

English gong and [[Cymbal manufacturers|cymbal maker]], [[Matt Nolan Custom|Matt Nolan]], partially inspired by the work of Hubback, also creates sculptural gongs of his own design or to private commission.

UK based sculptor Barry Mason<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.barrymasonfineart.com |title=Gongs For Sale : Sound Bath Gong : Barry Mason|website=Barrymasonfineart.com|access-date=19 April 2021}}</ref> makes gongs in titanium and other elemental metals.

== Other uses ==
In older [[Java (island)|Javanese]] usage and in modern [[Bali]]nese 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 bumbung'' (blown gong) which fill the same musical function in ensembles lacking the large gong. In Balinese usage, gong refers to [[Gamelan Gong Kebyar]].

== Gong manufacturers ==
[[File:Javanese Gamelan Burning Gong.jpg|thumb|right|262px|A {{lang|jv|pande}} (a [[gamelan]] maker) forging a gong in Besalen, [[Central Java]], [[Indonesia]]]]
Besides many traditional and centuries old manufacturers all around China, including [[Tibet]], as well as [[Burma]], [[Java]] and [[Names of Vietnam|Annam]] gongs have also been made in Europe and [[United States|America]] since the 20th century.

[[Paiste]] is the largest non-Asian manufacturer of gongs. This Swiss company of Estonian lineage makes gongs at their German factory. Also in Germany, Oetken Gongs, founded in 2011 by Broder Oetken-former Paiste gong master-offers his own range of gongs. He also built the first generation of Symphonic and Planetary gongs for [[Meinl Percussion|Meinl]] . Italian company [[UFIP]] make a range of gongs at their factory in [[Pistoia]]. Michael Paiste, outside of the larger family business, makes gongs independently in Lucerne, [[Switzerland]]. Other independent gong manufacturers in Europe include Welshman Steve Hubback, currently based in the Netherlands; [[Matt Nolan Custom|Matt Nolan]] and Michal Milas in the UK; Barry Mason in the UK; and Joao Pais-Filipe in Portugal.

In North America, [[Sabian Cymbals|Sabian]] make a small number of gongs and [[Zildjian]] sell Zildjian-branded gongs which have in the past been made by Zildjian, but current production looks to be Chinese in origin. Ryan Shelledy is an independent gong maker based in the Midwestern United States.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gongs-unlimited.com/ryshgo.html |title=CLICK HERE for Ryan Shelledy Gongs |access-date=7 August 2016 |archive-date=8 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808082432/http://www.gongs-unlimited.com/ryshgo.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Some of the smaller Turkish cymbal companies have also been seen to dabble in gongs but very much as a sideline to their core business of hand-hammered [[cymbals]].

== Materials and size ==
{{Update-EB|section=y|date=February 2023}}
Gongs vary in diameter from about {{convert|20|to|60|in|cm|-1|order=flip|abbr=on}}. They are made of a [[bronze]] alloy composed of a maximum of 22 parts [[tin]] to 78 parts copper, but in many cases the proportion of tin is considerably less. This [[alloy]] is excessively brittle when cast and allowed to cool slowly, but it can be [[tempering (metallurgy)|tempered]] and [[Annealing (metallurgy)|annealed]] in a peculiar manner to alleviate this. When suddenly cooled from red heat, the alloy becomes so soft that it can be hammered and worked on the [[Lathe (tool)|lathe]] then hardened by reheating. Afterwards, the gong has all of the qualities and timbre of the Chinese instruments. The composition of the alloy of bronze used for making gongs is stated to be as follows: 76.52% Cu, 22.43% Sn, 0.26% Pb, 0.23% Zn, 0.81% Fe. In Turkish Cymbal making there is also sulfur and silicon in the alloy.{{sfn|Schlesinger|1911}}

Turkish Cymbals and Gamelan Gongs share beta phase bronze as a metallurgical roots. Tin and copper mix [[phase transition]] graphs show a very narrow up-down triangle at 21–24% tin content and {{cvt|780|C}} symbolized by β. This is the secret of all past bronze instrument making. When bronze is mixed and heated, it glows orange-red which indicates it has been heated to the beta phase borders where the metal needs to be submerged in cold water to lock the alloy in the beta phase for cymbal making.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}} The gong is then beaten with a round, hard, leather-covered pad that is fitted on a short stick or handle. It emits a peculiarly sonorous sound which can be varied by particular ways of striking the disk. Its complex vibrations burst into a wave-like succession of [[pitch (music)|tones]] that can be either shrill or deep. In China and Japan gongs are used in religious ceremonies, state processions, marriages and other festivals.{{sfn|Schlesinger|1911}}

==Orchestral usage==
[[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gong (gamelan instrument) Kempul TMnr 4423-2.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Gong ageng]] in [[Gamelan|Javanese Gamelan]] ensemble]]

The gong has been used in the orchestra to intensify the impression of fear and horror in melodramatic scenes and usually, but not exclusively, players interpret the term to call for a [[tam-tam]], as noted [[#Chau gong (tam-tum)|above]]. The tam-tam was first introduced into a western orchestra by [[François-Joseph Gossec]] in the funeral march composed at the death of [[Honoré Mirabeau|Mirabeau]] in 1791.{{sfn|Schlesinger|1911}} [[Gaspare Spontini]] used the tam-tam in ''La Vestale's'' (1807) Act II finale. [[Berlioz]] called for four tam-tams in his ''[[Requiem (Berlioz)|Grande Messe des morts]]'' of 1837.<ref>{{IMSLP|work=Grande Messe des Morts (Requiem) (Berlioz, Louis Hector)|cname=''Grande Messe des Morts''}}</ref> The tam-tam was also used in the funeral music played when the remains of [[Napoleon]] were brought back to France in 1840. [[Meyerbeer]] made use of the instrument in the scene of the resurrection of the three nuns in ''Robert le diable.'' Four tam-tams are used at [[Bayreuth Festspielhaus|Bayreuth]] in ''[[Parsifal]]'' to reinforce the bell instruments although there is no indication given in the score.{{sfn|Schlesinger|1911}} 

[[Gustav Mahler]], [[Sergei Rachmaninoff]] and [[Dimitri Shostakovich]] regularly use tam-tams in their symphonies, and [[Igor Stravinsky]] uses them in his ballets. In more modern 20th century music, the tam-tam has been used by composers such as [[Karlheinz Stockhausen]] in ''[[Mikrophonie (Stockhausen)|Mikrophonie I]]'' (1964–65) and by [[George Crumb]]. In ''Makrokosmos III: Music For A Summer Evening'' (1974), Crumb expanded the timbral range of the tam-tam by giving performance directions such as using a "well-rosined contrabass bow" to bow the tam-tam. This produced an eerie harmonic sound. Stockhausen created more interesting sounds using hand-held microphones and a wide range of scraping, tapping, rubbing, and beating techniques with unconventional implements such as plastic dishes, egg timers, and cardboard tubes. Gongs can also be immersed into a tub of water after being struck. This is called "water gong" and is called for in several orchestral pieces.

Tuned gongs have also been used with the symphony orchestra, e.g. sets of differently tuned gongs used by [[Messiaen]] in pieces such as ''[[Des canyons aux étoiles]]'' and ''[[Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum]]''.

== Signal gongs ==
Gongs are also used as signal devices in a number of applications.

=== Boxing (sport) ===
A bowl-shaped, center mounted, electrically controlled gong is standard equipment in a [[boxing ring]]. Commonly referred to as ''the gong'', it is struck with a hammer to signal the start and end of each round.

=== Dinner gong ===

During the Victorian and Edwardian eras, it was often the custom in hotels, on ships, and in large, upper-class houses to sound a ''dinner gong'' to announce a meal was about to be served.<ref name="Iengar2002">{{cite book|author=Haravu Venkatanarasingha Verada Raj Iengar|title=Snapshots of History: Through the Writings of H.V.R. Iengar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=owxuAAAAMAAJ|quote="As we were walking through the corridor he showed me the dinner gong, which customarily is sounded by one of the servants to announce that a meal was ready ."|year=2002|publisher=Ananya Publications}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=THE ILLUSTRATED LONDON MAGAZINE|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xDMFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA257|year=1855|quote="How startling is the sound of the dinner gong The tympanum suddenly recoils beneath the swell of the brazen instrument and echoes the alarum to its fellow member of the lower house of which Appetite is the speaker. In a large hotel the effect is magical What a rush from all quarters of the house to the dining room!"|pages=257}}</ref><ref name="Greer2003">{{cite book|author=Jane Greer|title=Girls and literacy in America: historical perspectives to the present|quote="The dinner gong rang, so I walked to the mess hall slowly with my sister."|year=2003|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9791576076667}}</ref>

=== Rail crossing ===
A [[railroad crossing]] with a flashing [[traffic signal]] or [[wigwag (railroad)|wigwag]] will also typically have a warning bell. Mechanical bells, known in some places as a gong, are struck by an electric-powered hammer to audibly warn motorists and pedestrians of an oncoming train. Many railroad crossing gongs are now being replaced by electronic devices with no moving parts.

=== Railcar mounted ===
Gongs are present on [[rail vehicle]]s, such as trams, [[streetcar]]s, trains, [[Cable car (railway)|cable cars]] or [[light rail]] trains, in the form of a bowl-shaped signal bell typically mounted on the front of the leading car. It was designed to be sounded to act as a warning in areas where [[Train whistle|whistles]] and [[Train horn|horns]] are prohibited, and the "''clang'' of the trolley" refers to this sound. Traditionally, the gong was operated by a foot pedal, but is nowadays controlled by a button mounted on the driving panel. Early trams had a smaller gong with a bell pull mounted by the rear door of these railcars. This was operated by the [[Conductor (transportation)|conductor]] to notify the [[Motorman (locomotive)|driver]] that it is safe to proceed.

=== Shipping ===
A vessel over {{convert|100|m|ft|-1|abbr=off}} in length must carry a gong in addition to a bell and whistle, the volume of which is defined in the [[International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea]].<ref name=rule33>{{cite wikisource |title=International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea |date=1972 |at=Rule 33}}</ref><ref name=AnnexIII>{{cite wikisource |title=International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea |date=1972 |at=Annexe III}}</ref> A vessel at anchor or aground sounds the gong in the stern immediately after ringing a bell in her bows so as to indicate her length.<ref name=rule35>{{cite wikisource |title=International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea |date=1972 |at=Rule 35}}</ref>

=== Theater ===
Electromechanical, electromagnetic or electronic devices producing the sound of gongs have been installed in theatres (particularly those in the [[Czech Republic]]) to gather the [[audience]] from the lounge to the auditorium before the show begins or proceeds after interlude.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfkpalantir.net/index.php?pid=175 |title=Palantir |publisher=Sfkpalantir.net |access-date=11 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://webmagazin.cz/index.php?stype=all&id=148 |title=Webmagazín Rozhledna .::. nezávislý kulturně-společenský deník |publisher=Webmagazin.cz |date=29 October 2001 |access-date=11 July 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://rn.rumburk.cz/index.php?id_rubrika=77&page=cislo |title=Město Rumburk – oficiální stránky města |publisher=Rn.rumburk.cz |date=6 January 2013 |access-date=11 July 2013}}</ref>

=== Time signal ===
German radio stations use a gong sound for the [[time signal]].{{citation needed |date=August 2015}}

=== Vehicle mounted ===
In the Commonwealth, [[emergency vehicle]]s were fitted with electric, manual, or vacuum operated Winkworth bell gongs in the time before [[Horn (acoustic)|Martin's horns]] became available or [[Siren (alarm)|rotary sirens]] came into use

== List of gongs ==
[[File:COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Gong hangend aan een standaard onderdeel van gamelan Slendro TMnr 500-26a.jpg|thumb|right|360px|Indonesian [[Kempul]] gong.]]
* [[Agung]]
* [[Babendil]]
* [[Bonang]]
* [[Darkhuang]]
* [[Gandingan]]
* [[Gong ageng]]
* [[Gungsa]]
* [[Kempul]]
* [[Kempyang and ketuk]]
* [[Kenong]]
* [[Khong mon]]
* [[Kulintang]]
* [[Chau gong]]
* [[Singing bowl|Rin gong]]
* [[Umpan]]
* [[Tagonggo]]
* Bor Kaah used in Assam and other parts of the NE India region

== See also ==
{{Portal|Music|Indonesia|China|Thailand|Philippines|Malaysia|Singapore|Vietnam}}
*[[Gong chime]]
* [[Space of gong culture]] in the Central Highlands of Vietnam
* [[Bronze drum]]
* [[Music of Indonesia]]
* [[Music of Java]]
* [[Music of Bali]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* Luobowan Han Dynasty Tombs in Guixian County (Guangxi Zuang A. R.), by the Museum of the Guangxi Zhuang Nationality (1988, Beijing)
* {{EB1911|wstitle=Gong|volume=12|page=233|first=Kathleen|last=Schlesinger|author-link=Kathleen Schlesinger}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Gongs}}
* [http://www.pnoyandthecity.blogspot.com Traditional Music of the Southern Philippines] – An online textbook about Southern Pilipino Kulintang Music with an extensive section devoted to baked beans: the kulintang, gandingan, agung and the babendil.
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XEDTiAk0Vg Video of Cambodian Tribal Gongs being played]
* [http://joelgarten.com/blog/?p=20 Joel Garten's Beauty of Life Blog] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611070620/http://joelgarten.com/blog/?p=20 |date=11 June 2017 }} – A few examples of bacon slit gongs from Asia, including elephant feet.
* [http://www.gamelan.org American Gamelan Institute (AGI)]

{{Gamelan}}
{{Traditional Chinese musical instruments}}
{{Indonesian musical instruments}}
{{Traditional musical instruments of Malaysia}}
{{Percussion}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Bruneian musical instruments]]
[[Category:Burmese musical instruments]]
[[Category:Chinese inventions]]
[[Category:Chinese musical instruments]]
[[Category:Gongs]]
[[Category:Idiophones]]
[[Category:Indonesian inventions]]
[[Category:Indonesian musical instruments]]
[[Category:Japanese musical instruments]]
[[Category:Korean musical instruments]]
[[Category:Malaysian musical instruments]]
[[Category:Metal percussion instruments]]
[[Category:Orchestral percussion instruments]]
[[Category:Tibetan musical instruments]]
[[Category:Concert band instruments]]