Basic Equipment for a Sound Massage

No matter where you are on your journey, in this article both beginners and advanced users will find practical tips and expert help. You will learn what equipment for professional sound massage can look like, whether a starter set for sound massages is a good choice, how you can expand your equipment in a meaningful way and with which tools the special method can be further supported.

The first thing you need, of course, is a Therapy Singing Bowl. There's a wide range to choose from, and beginners especially need to get an overview first. To make your decision easier, first think about what goals you are pursuing – because that will determine what equipment you need.

Questions that can help beginners choose the right equipment:

• Do I want to perform the sound massage only for self-application or also for others?
• Which areas of the body do I want to address in particular?
• Are there sound qualities that are important to me?

Questions that can help advanced users in particular:

• Is there a specific target group that I would like to address/treat? What are the needs of this target group?
• Is a professional training as a sound therapist an option for me?
• Would I like to attend a special training course that requires additional equipment?

If you want to start with sound therapy for the first time, you really don't need much: you can get started with a high-quality Therapy Singing Bowl and a mallet. Depending on the type of Singing Bowl and the mallet used, either high or low tones are produced, allowing you to address body and mind with different frequencies. The way you use and play the Singing Bowl also brings variation to the sound massage.

If you strike the Universal Bowl with small, hard mallets, higher overtones are produced, while thick, soft mallets lead to deeper tonal nuances. It is precisely this flexibility that makes this Therapy Singing Bowl the perfect basic equipment for sound massage.

Once you have gained some experience with your first Therapy Singing Bowl, you can take the next step: In addition to the Universal Bowl, the Large Pelvic Bowl and the Large Heart Bowl are among the three most important Singing Bowls for sound therapy. Once you have expanded your equipment to include these two bowls, you are ideally equipped for professional work with sound.

These are the three most important Therapy Singing Bowls for sound therapy:

• Universal Bowl
• Large Heart Bowl
• Large Pelvic Bowl

Important: Of course, you are always free to expand your set with any Therapy Singing Bowls you choose. We offer a wide variety of Therapy Singing Bowls for every body region and special need. However, it is important to us that as many people as possible are able to start working professionally with sound. Sound therapy and our Therapy Singing Bowls are therefore designed so that these three bowls are sufficient to work professionally as a sound therapist.

You can also find more information and exciting details about the individual Therapy Singing Bowls in our article Singing Bowls for Sound Therapy. In addition, you can read about the time and effort that goes into manufacturing a Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowl in our article "Manufacturing Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls".

Different Singing Bowl mallets can be used to create a wide variety of sounds. The surface material of the mallet and the firmness of the mallet head have a significant influence on the sound. The force you use to play the Singing Bowl also varies the sound and thus the vibrations.

Singing Bowl mallets for high sounds

If you prefer to create high tones, then small and firm mallets are the right choice for you. Their compact shape makes them easy to hold and use, especially on smaller Singing Bowls. The high material density of small mallets creates a very versatile and intense sound that has an invigorating effect on the senses and the body.

Singing Bowl mallets for deep sounds

If you or your clients prefer deeper tones, we recommend larger and softer mallets. The soft and sometimes slightly fluffy surface allows the vibrations to spread more widely, creating deep sounds. These have a particularly calming and grounding effect.

In the context of professional sound work, but also in private use, it is recommended to use a mallet set consisting of a large, medium and small mallet, each with a different degree of hardness. This results in extremely diverse application possibilities for the Universal Bowl, especially in the context of independent sound exercises.

If you are still unsure in which direction you would like to develop your sound practice, you can also start with practical starter sets for sound massage. These sets already contain everything you need as basic equipment for your sound therapy.

Basically, there are many different starter sets available for sound massage. If you are looking for an all-rounder that offers the highest quality and versatile application options, then the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls Set for beginners is the right choice. In addition to our Universal Bowl, the set includes a suitable mallet and our book “Singing Bowls – My practical companion”, which gives you many useful tips on how to use Singing Bowls. Thanks to the practical Singing Bowl bag, you can safely transport and store your sound massage equipment at any time.

Of course, there are many other tools that can make it easier for you to perform a sound massage. If you are just starting to work with sound, you do not necessarily need additional tools, but can first focus on the basics. However, if you want to increase comfort or make the sound experience even more varied, additional accessories for sound massage can be quite useful.

For comfortable positioning during a sound massage, sound furniture is ideal. Practical seat and cushions ensure that a comfortable feel-good position can be maintained even during longer sound massages. Of course, regardless of special furniture, you can also beautify the ambience so that you or the recipients of the sound feel completely comfortable during the sound therapy:

• Flowers and plants create a calming, natural environment that invites you to relax.
• A minimalist interior style helps to let go of the stressful everyday life and concentrate fully on the sound massage.
• Gentle and calming colors also contribute to greater well-being - for example, delicate pastel shades, sandy and earthy nuances or slightly cooling colors such as blue and lavender.
• Ensure pleasant lighting conditions in the environment that invite you to come to rest.
• Avoid possible noise during the sound massage by switching off mobile phones and closing windows if traffic noise could penetrate.

Scented oils, herbal teas and fragrance sprays, which you can use to adapt the ambience even more harmoniously to the sound massage, also ensure even more enjoyment and well-being. Natural aromas from herbs, fruits and flowers have been used by people for thousands of years to take advantage of their effects. However, always use oils and fragrances sparingly so that they do not become a distraction.

The world of sounds seems to be endless. Every person perceives sounds differently and uniquely, and sounds mean something different for every person. Nevertheless, in many areas of life it makes sense to draw on the experience of other people - and this of course also applies to sound massage. If you would like to delve deeper into the subject, you can first study books about sound massage.

If you would like to find out more about sound massage or use audio files as an additional supplement to sound therapy, you will find what you are looking for in our Media section.

If you want to learn more about Singing Bowls and sound massage, you can of course also take a regular look at our Sound Guide. Here we provide you with knowledge directly from the team of experts and give you practical tips and tricks to help you further expand your sound massage. For example, you will find exercises with Singing Bowls and gongs and tips for exploring sound with children.

In our blog, we have put together a clear checklist for the equipment needed for a professional sound massage – whether just for yourself or for others. It gives you a compact overview of Therapy Singing Bowls, Singing Bowl mallets and other aids that you can use for a sound massage.