Exploring Biomechanics: Part 1

This article series explores singing bowls not just as meditative objects, but as physical instruments shaped by human movement, material interaction, and acoustic response. By examining technique, biomechanics, and sound analysis together, the series aims to make visible the often-overlooked mechanics that influence how bowls speak, resonate, and change under the hands of different players. Each article builds on the last, offering a practical, research-informed framework for understanding and refining singing-bowl practice.

This research begins by asking how natural variations in human movement shape the sound of singing bowls. Factors such as the angle of the mallet, the orientation of the player’s hand, the micro movements and positioning of the bowl during play, and the precise point of contact between mallet and bowl all introduce subtle but meaningful differences in sound production I plan to analyse and explore.

Another central question concerns how rotational speed (RPM) influences frequency stability, overtone activation, and tonal character. This includes examining differences in how thrumming effects vary from one bowl to another. Together, these questions aim to bridge the gap between human biomechanics and acoustic outcomes in singing-bowl performance.

Research Questions

Here is a solid list of research questions I'm explicitly investigating and exploring in this series of articles surrounding biomechanics:

• How do natural variations in human movement shape the sound of singing bowls during play?

• How does the natural range mallet angle influence frequency stability and overtone activation?

• In what ways does hand orientation affect control and consistency?

• How do micro-movements of the bowl during play alter resonance and tonal behaviour?

• How does the precise point of contact between mallet and bowl influence sound production?

• How does rotational speed (RPM) affect frequency stability and overtone activation?

• In what ways do different bowls respond differently to the same biomechanical inputs?

Instrumentation Setup

To examine how subtle variations in human movement affect the sound of singing bowls, this research uses a small, accessible instrumentation setup. The tools described below are chosen to capture both the physical mechanics of playing and the resulting acoustic output, allowing technique and sound to be analysed together in real time.

Analysis Cameras

beginning creation of my instrumentation setup

A pair of video cameras will be used to record hand movement and mallet technique from opposite sides of the bowl. Together, these views capture how the hands move around the bowl throughout each full rotation, providing multiple reference points for analysing biomechanical changes as they occur during play.

Directional Microphone

A Movo X1 supercardioid shotgun microphone will be used to focus on the direct sound produced by the bowl and mallet, while minimising room reflections, echoes, and ambient noise.

Analog Audio Recorder Passthrough

Using a Zoom H1n recorder, this will capture the audio signal and provide a clean passthrough to several smartphone-based analysis tools used during the research as I reuse the source audio.

Oscilloscope and Spectral Analysis

Smartphone applications will be used for visual audio analysis, including Oscope as an oscilloscope and Spectroid for real-time spectrogram and frequency analysis. These tools allow observation of waveform behaviour, frequency stability, and overtone activity during natural bowl playing.

What's Comes In Part 2?

The research begins with a standard mallet, the same type typically supplied with a singing bowl; to establish a familiar and widely accessible baseline. Using this setup, I will collect raw data focused primarily on rotational speed (RPM) and frequency composition. This initial dataset will serve as a reference point from which further observations and analyses can be developed.

To begin, I will work with two bowls: a 5-inch Kopre and a 10-inch Ultabati. For each bowl, I will explore the range of RPMs associated with both the fundamental tone and overtone activation, while simultaneously recording video of hand and mallet technique across the full RPM range. The results of this initial investigation will be presented in a follow-up article.