🌀 Sounddive practical course: the art of playing crystal bowls and gongs
One full day of theory and hands-on practice with the instruments.
The course is for people who want to lead sound at a professional level, grounded in the physics of sound, precise technique and ergonomics, with no mysticism and no padding.
The day has two consecutive blocks. You can sign up for both, or for one instrument only: crystal bowls or gongs.
BLOCK I: Crystal bowls (12:00–15:00)
Focus: precision, resonance and composition.
• Producing the sound: ways to arrange the bowls, mallet types (rubber, silicone, suede) and how their density shapes the timbre
• Playing techniques: strike, rub and combined technique; the most common mistakes and how to fix them
• Working with frequencies: resonance of the fundamental and the overtones, harmonic intervals across several bowls (third, fifth, octave)
• Dynamics: building the vibration gradually, from silence to a full, saturated sound
• Composition: how to structure a session so it holds the listener's attention from start to finish
BLOCK II: Gongs (16:00–19:30)
Focus: acoustics, technique and physics.
Theory:
• Types of gongs and their acoustic properties
• Choosing mallets: density and weight for the frequency range you want
Practice:
• Fundamentals of producing the sound and variations of striking technique
• Controlling intensity and dynamics, from barely audible to a powerful wall of sound
• Building sequence and dramaturgy in a gong session
🕰 Schedule
12:00 — Arrival, introductions, materials
12:30–13:00 — Theory: crystal bowls
13:00–15:00 — Practice: crystal bowls
15:00–16:00 — Break
16:00–17:00 — Theory: sound and gongs
17:00–19:30 — Practice: gongs
19:30–20:00 — Certificates
Who it's for
Beginners starting from zero, and practitioners who want to organise and deepen what they already know. No musical training needed.
📍 Practical information
Venue: VYBRA studio, Old Riga, Jauniela 15. Enter through the building's main door, between the entrances to "Cuba Cafe", and ring the intercom.
Fee: see the ticket types.
Certificate: every participant receives a certificate of participation.
Instruments: all instruments are at the studio, no need to bring your own. Crystal bowls can be bought in instalments.
The group is small, so everyone gets enough time at the instruments. Your place is reserved once the deposit is paid.
VYBRA • Jauniela 15, 1050 Rīga, Latvia
