Why should I buy a Paiste Gong?

Paiste has been making gongs and cymbals since 1901! They’re a trusted and recognizable brand for percussionists, yoga instructors, and sound bath therapists. They make amazing, high-quality gongs with a consistent, beautiful tonal experience. They use a proprietary alloy that creates a very focused, deep fundamental tone and a rich, but concentrated array of harmonics and overtones that build with increased volume.

Paiste’s Symphonic and Planetary Gongs became popular among Kundalini Yoga practitioners in the 1980’s for the range of sounds that could be created. Paiste’s complex harmonic builds and rich (but focused) crash are perfect for unleashing the Kundalini and exploring the subconscious.

Since then, Paiste’s immaculate, meditative sounds have become popular in sound bath and gong meditation, other forms of Yoga, and a range of mindfulness practices. People love their consistency, their high-quality, and the unique tonal qualities of this type of metal.

What material are Paiste Gongs made of?

Paiste gongs are made by hammering a small, round, metal disc to the desired thickness and diameter. For Paiste Planetary Gongs, once the gong is at the desired size and shape, they fine-tune each one to a specific note and frequency, to match the orbital frequencies of the planets (see more on this below in the section about Planetary Tuned Gongs). The metal disc used to create the gong is a Bronze alloy called Nickel Silver, which contains Nickel, Copper, and Zinc. This is a different alloy from Traditional Unlimited Chinese Gongs, which are typically made from a Bronze alloy of Copper and Tin.

Are Paiste Gongs better than Chinese Gongs?

This all depends on the taste of the player and the listener. We don’t think they’re better, we just think they’re very different – like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with bananas vs. a deli sandwich (both are delicious, it just depends on what you’re looking for). Paiste Gongs have a very refined, focused tonal experience, with a clear fundamental tone and rich, but contained harmonics and overtones building to a controlled crash. Chinese Gongs tend to have a slightly less-focused (but more complex) fundamental tone building to a huge, roaring crash, especially with larger-sized gongs.

Many sound therapists and gong meditation practitioners prefer the focused, controlled nature of a Paiste Symphonic Gong over a Chinese Gong, however the raw complexity of a Chinese Gong can also add a lot to a sound bath. If you’re lucky enough to buy multiple gongs, we often recommend having one of each because they can provide different functions for different meditative elements of a sound bath.

What makes Paiste Planetary Tuned Gongs special?

Planetary Tuned Gongs are Symphonic Gongs (which are untuned) that have had the fundamental note fine-tuned to match the resonant orbital frequencies of each of the planets, according to the calculations of French physicist and philosopher Hans Cousto and a method called the “Law of Octaves”. These gongs are the perfect sonic totem for approaching your sound baths with astrological intention. This allows experimentation with a sonic zodiac in your sound baths, meditations, and healing sessions.

What are the different Planetary Gongs and their tunings? What is the symbolic significance of each planet?

• Sun Gong (38”) | B1 (126.22 Hz) | The Sun represents your core identity, the self, the personality, and the things that make you “you”. It represents the Spirit. In astrology, when somebody says “I’m a Taurus” or “I’m an Aries” it means the Sun was in that sign during the time of their birth. One cycle for the Sun is equal to one year on Earth, or 365 days.
• Synodic Moon Gong (24”)| G#3 (210.42 Hz) | The Moon represents your emotional center. It rules over your emotions like the rising and falling tides of the ocean. It represents the Soul. Your Moon sign (where the moon is when you’re born) will describe the way you process and express emotions. A Synodic cycle for the Moon is equal to 29 days. “Synodic” means that the cycle is measured in relation to the Sun and Earth. This cycle is more aligned with the rhythms of the Earth and the Solar System.
• Sidereal Moon Gong (24”) | A#3 (227.43 Hz) | One Sidereal cycle for the Moon is equal to 27.3 days. “Sidereal” means that the cycle is measured in relation to the Earth and the background Stars. This cycle is more aligned with universal and cosmic rhythms.
• Mercury Gong (32”)| C#3 (141.27 Hz) | Mercury represents the way you communicate, your intellect, and your awareness. Seeing, hearing, thinking, perceiving, and expressing are all driven by Mercury’s astrological engine. Mercury moves through a new sign every 3-4 weeks. It takes 88 days to circle the Sun, but because of its relative position between the Sun and Earth, it often appears to “move backwards” (retrograde) through the signs from our point of view, taking about a year to move through all of the signs.
• Venus Gong (24”)| A3 (221.23 Hz) | Venus represents physical pleasure, love, and attachment. Venus is present in the way you interact with tastes, smells, touch, and other tactile sensations and the way you connect romantically with others. Venus takes 225 days to complete its orbit of the Sun, moving through a sign every 4 to 5 weeks.
• Earth Sidereal Day Gong (28”) | G3 (194.71 Hz) | In astrology, Earth represents the body. It is the stage, the arena, the place where everything happens. It represents the physical world we live in, the distillation of the eternal spirit into a physical body. One Sidereal Day on earth is equal to 24 hours and 56 minutes, marked by one full orbit of the Earth in relation to the background stars instead of the Sun. This represents aligning the body with the rhythms of the Universe.
• Earth Year Gong (38”)| C#2 (136.1 Hz) | This tuning is based on Earth’s solar year, the 365 days and 6 hours it takes for the Earth to complete one full trip around the Sun. This is one of the central periods of measurement for us as humans on Earth, marking events in history, measuring the age of a person, organizing memories, and making plans. Astrologically and spiritually, this frequency is about aligning body, mind, and spirit.
• Mars (32”) D3 (144.72 Hz) | Mars represents action, motivation, and ambition. It’s the thing that gets you moving towards a goal, a belief, a desire. Working with Mars is about bringing the power and confidence to take action towards the things you want. Mars takes 2 years to pass through the entire zodiac, spending about 2 months in each sign.
• Jupiter (28”) | F#3 (183.58 Hz) | Jupiter represents luck, philosophy, growth, and expansion. It is the primary driver behind your ideology and your desire to expand your awareness and knowledge. It takes about 12 years to pass through the entire zodiac, spending about one year in each sign.
• Saturn (32”) | D3 (147.85 Hz) | Saturn represents limitation, restriction, and karma. It describes the sacrifices you have to make and the work that you have to do to reach your goals. Saturn is the master of time, the main thing that separates the eternal spirit from the physical body, limited to each individual moment. Saturn takes about 28 to 30 years to complete its orbit, staying in each sign for 2 to 3 years.
• Uranus (24”) | G#3 (207.36 Hz) | Uranus represents innovation, revolution, and sudden change. New technology and utopian ideals are pushed forward by the astrological energy of Uranus. It takes 84 years for Uranus to complete a full cycle through the zodiac. It spends about 7 years in each sign. It is associated more with generational qualities rather than individual.
• Neptune (24”) | G#3 (211.44 Hz) | Neptune represents dreams, illusions, and intuition. Spirituality and meditation are heavily influenced by the energy of Neptune. It takes 165 years to complete a full cycle through the signs, spending about 14 years in each. It’s also considered a generational planet, with its placement coloring generational qualities and events more than those of the individual.
• Pluto (36”) | C#3 (140.25 Hz) | Pluto represents rebirth, transformation, and power. It can be intense and scary, but it points to the natural rhythms and processes of change, like a snake shedding its skin or the way a forest burns and then teems with new life. It takes 248 years to complete an orbit and can take 12 to 31 years to pass through a sign. It rules over huge societal and generational shifts.
• Chiron (32”) | D#3 (151.27 Hz) | Chiron is a small celestial planetoid or asteroid known as the “Wounded Healer,” representing your deepest wound. It shows how you can transform pain into power, and also shows where and how you can help others to heal from their deepest wounds. It takes approximately 50 years to make a full orbit through the signs, staying in each sign for approximately 4 years.
• Sedna (38”) | C3 (128.10 Hz) | Sedna is another small celestial body or dwarf planet and it represents deep emotional healing. It has an extremely eccentric and elongated orbit and it’s believed that it can take 11,000 years to orbit the Sun!
• Nibiru (32”) | E3 (161.26 Hz) | Nibiru is a theoretical planet that was believed to be on an extended, oblong orbit around the Sun, hidden from us here on Earth. It was believed by many that this planet would collide with Earth on 2012, but this never came to pass. Many believed the Comet Elenin, which appeared in 2011, was this secret, hidden planet in disguise. There is some evidence suggesting that there is a 9th (or 10th, depending on your view of Pluto) planet beyond Pluto’s orbit. Scientists have tentatively labeled it Planet Nine (or Planet X, depending). Nibiru’s symbolism represents the “crossing place” or the “place of transition”.
• Platonic Year Gong (30”) | F3 (172.06 Hz) | The Platonic Year or Great Year refers to the 26,000 year period marking the complete cycle of the equinoxes around the ecliptic. The position of the equinox compared to the fixed background stars shifts westward one degree every 72 years, moving into a new sign every 2000 years or so. We’re currently in the “Age of Aquarius” according to many astrologers, having entered it sometime in the 20th century. This tuning symbolizes alignment with cosmic rhythms.

What size of gong or which Planetary Tuning is best for me?

When choosing your first gong for sound bath meditation, sound bath therapy, sound healing, meditation, or yoga, we typically recommend looking at Paiste Gongs that are 26” and above. Gongs smaller than a 26” diameter tend to be less complex and they crash much faster. Above 26”, they gain a lot of depth, complexity, and range that you are looking for in a meditative sound.

Larger gongs start much deeper, they have a much longer build before they reach full volume, and the overtones and harmonics are much more complex. There’s a lot more room for exploration and play with a larger gong. If you’re just getting started and you have limited space, a 26” Symphonic Gong is a good start. We believe 32” is the sweet spot for sound bath meditation and sonic therapy. Smaller gongs are great when you’re adding a 2nd gong to your collection.

Do your Paiste Gongs come with everything I need to get started?

Paiste Gongs ONLY come with a hanging rope, called a “Gong Gut,” which is already tied to the gong for you. If you’re interested in one of these gongs but you need guidance on which stands and mallets are right for your gong playing needs, we recommend you Contact Us. Depending on your budget, as well as how and where you plan to use and play your gong, we can give you some recommendations tailored to your individual needs – whether you’re a sound healer, yoga instructor, ambient musician, percussionist, or just somebody who wants to confuse your neighbors with the gift of neighborly sounds.

I want a gong for sound therapy and meditation and I want to work on a specific chakra – which gong is right for that chakra?

We love chakras. We believe in them. We believe in the connection between the physical and the spiritual, the nervous system and the chakra system. But we don’t believe that one gong or one note or frequency has a monopoly on one chakra. The body is physical, but the spirit is eternal. Sonic frequencies are physical, but the act of creating and playing with sound and inspired intention is infinite.

Until there’s more research done on the effects of specific frequencies on specific chakras, we believe Chakra Healing is more about the energy and intention of the gong player, the vibe of the gong, and the relationship between the player and their experience of the sounds they’re creating.

One way to help guide your intention when it comes to working on “healing” specific spiritual karmic issues with sound is by working with one of these Planetary Gongs. For example, the spiritual energy of the planet Mercury is often associated (in spiritual philosophy) with the 5th chakra. But that doesn’t mean that it will only solve 5th chakra issues or that it’s going to “cure” ailments related to the throat (please, for the love of the Buddha, see a trusted doctor if you have physical ailments). But working with Mercury’s symbolism and energy is a great way to focus your intention on that specific chakra if that’s what you’re looking for.

On our YouTube channel, our Unlimited SuperBlog, and throughout our store, we have a massive video and audio library of gong and bowl samples, as well as instructional videos from Gongs Unlimited owner and trained clairvoyant Andrew exploring different spiritual techniques for working with sound. We recommend that you take some time to listen to different sizes and styles of gongs and see what type of sound you connect with. We can also make video samples of specific inventory if you’re not finding what you like.

I’ve never used a gong before – how do I play it correctly?

It’s easy to be intimidated by the gong! What if I hit it too hard? Or too soft?! It’s okay. I remember my first time with a gong! Who knew it could be so stressful? Sometimes it’s good to do a little deep breathing beforehand.

I like to approach a new gong by tapping it gently, listening, letting the sound unfold, and gently building the sound from there. For me, it’s all about feeling and hearing what’s coming out of the gong and responding to it while gently exploring all of the different parts of the face. After a while, you start to get more and more familiar with all of its quirks and its unique characteristics.

As mentioned above, we have a massive video library with audio samples and instructional videos to get you started. Just pop over to our YouTube channel and start looking through our playlists for more information. And remember, it’s just gongs!

How do I take care of my Paiste Gong?

This depends on the type of gong and the level of care or clean-up that it needs. Some gongs get dirty, or they get exposed to moisture or fingerprints, other gongs get scuffs and unidentifiable marks on them. But you want your gong to look nice for this weekend’s sound bath meditation event, right?

We have a range of cleaning and care products, as well as some good instructional videos on how to clean and care for your gong. Check it out!

Cleaning and Care Collection

Video on How to Clean Paiste

How much does a Paiste Gong weigh?

As most gongs get larger in diameter, they get heavier. Gongs of a similar style will weigh the same at the same size. We have some great information on sizing and weight here on the Gongs Sizing Info Page. These weights will vary slightly depending on whether you’re looking at a Paiste Gong or a Chinese Gong, and depending on what style, but this should give a good estimate for you!

I didn’t see my question here – what if I have more questions?

For more information, please reach out to our customer service team using the form on our Contact Us page. Somebody will get back to you with information as soon as we can!