Singing Bowl Dictionary

Bowl The bowl is the resonant metal vessel whose body vibrates with its rim

Chatter A chaotic motion of the mallet where it bounces off the bowl randomly while the player attempts to thrum the bowl, producing the sound we call "chatter"

Choir A collection of singing bowls, many singers make a choir. Example: A musician has a choir of bowls laid out in front of them.

Climbing Imparting energy into a higher frequency (other than the fundamental note) by consistently using the mallet at an appropriate RPM and pressure. Example: Climbing the Overtone

Fundamental Note A fundamental note is the lowest and strongest tone a singing bowl produces, forming the base frequency from which all its higher overtones emerge.

Idiophone An idiophone is a type of musical instrument that creates sound through the vibration of its own material, which is exactly how a singing bowl produces its tones. Example: A Glass Harmonica is also a friction idiophone

Mallet (Puja) A mallet is the handheld tool used to strike or thrum a singing bowl, transferring motion and friction to create its characteristic tones.

Mode A mode in a singing bowl is a specific vibration pattern the bowl naturally adopts, each one producing its own distinct frequency or tone.

Overtone Overtones are the higher, secondary frequencies produced alongside the fundamental tone, created by more complex vibration patterns in the bowl’s rim and body.

Rotational Score The graphical notation system designed specifically for performance playing of singing bowls.

Rim The rim of a singing bowl is the upper circular edge that vibrates most strongly and produces the bowl’s primary tones when struck or thrummed.

Ringing Down The process of a vibrational wavelength losing energy over time naturally if no extra energy is imparted onto that wavelength. Example: All frequencies ring down after thrumming has ceased, each lower frequency taking longer to ring down until silence. Example 2: The fundamental note rings down slowly to silence when it's given no extra energy by the mallet when the bowl is being played at a high RPM

Singing Bowl Singing bowls are metal friction idiophones that produce sustained tones and rich overtones when struck or thrummed around the rim with a mallet

Stick-Slip Phenomenon The rapid cycle of a surface briefly gripping (“sticking”) and then suddenly releasing (“slipping”), creating repeated tiny jolts that generate vibration and sound.

Thrum The action of producing sound on a friction idiophone by utilising the stick-slip phenomenon along the objects rim, which generates continuous vibration and sustained tone. Expanded: Thrum refers specifically to the controlled motion used to make instruments like singing bowls “sing,” where a mallet alternately grips and releases the rim in rapid cycles rather than smoothly rubbing it. Example: “I thrum a singing bowl to make it produce a steady, resonant tone.”