Opera Gongs
Chinese Opera Gongs
Chinese Opera Gongs are used in the Peking Opera and are also called Bending Gongs or Bender Gongs because the pitch or tone of the gong either bends up or bends down when struck, creating an audible glissando affect either ascending or descending.
There are different kinds of Chinese Opera Gongs; some are called simply Opera Gongs and others are also called Jin Ban Gongs, Jing Bang Gongs or Hand Gongs.
- Opera Gongs: Descend in pitch
- Hand Gongs: Ascend in pitch
- Jin Ban: Ascend in pitch and are highest pitch of all the Opera Gongs
Most often Opera Gongs are played with a small fabric covered mallet or a thin wooden board.
Check out this Opera Gong tuning video from Wuhan, China