Tibetan Singing Bowl Basics: Hand Hammered And Machine Made

How many types of metal singing bowls are there to choose from?

Singing bowls come in many shapes and sizes. 

Thadobati, Jambati, Naga, Mani, Ultabati, Manipuri, Lingam, Remuna, are just some of the types of metal sining bowls that are produced. They can also vary in tone and sound quality. Some singing bowls are more than 500 years old, others are new, and machine made to your specifications.

Did you know that the process of making your bowl effects how it sounds?

Metal singing bowls are produced in one of two ways. Typically they are either machine made or hand hammered. These two processes produce very different sounds.

Machine made bowls

Hot metal is poured into a cast, allowed to cool, broken out then finished by removing metal with abrasive tools and materials. These bowls have a smooth polished finish. They are generally easy to play and their sound is clear.

Hand hammered bowls

Metal that is either very hot or room temperature cold is beaten into shape by 2-3 people. This process creates a more complex sound with rich overtones.