Gong Mallets

Gong mallet is the international term for a gong beater. With a mallet you strike a gong and set it vibrating, creating powerful, voluminous tones. Most mallets are covered with natural rubber or rubber and fabric. Different tones sound depending on the striking point and playing technique. Besides a mallet, you can also use a friction mallet to make your gong sing.

Size, weight, material and hardness shape the timbre. Soft and larger mallets tend to produce a warmer, fuller and deeper sound. Smaller or harder mallets address the gong more directly and bring out high frequencies and overtones more strongly. In many ollihess mallets, a natural rubber core sits under a wellness fleece cover that dampens striking noise and lets the gong vibrate freely.

The range extends from mallets for high, clear sounds to mallets for very deep, earthy resonances. An overview by sound character:

• High and clear tones: M70, S186 (high to almost low tones), lite 100 (gentle high to medium tones), Chakra Gong Mallet CH1 and CH2.
• Medium to low tones: M174, M305, Move Line Edition, lite 200 and Soft Line (down to very low).
• Clear and powerful: Direct Line for precise, energetic sounds.
• Low to very low tones: L355, L460 and L815 for large gongs, Chakra Gong Mallet CH3 and CH4, Terra.
• Several timbres in one mallet: Twin Sound with two different heads, Flex Line with a flexible handle and noticeable rebound, the Chakra Mallets with two-colored heads.

In addition, there are the Special Editions Candy, Galaxy and Ocean in special colors, the ollihess x Hess Sound Mallets one, two and three, as well as gong mallets with a plush head for Feng and TamTam Gongs.

The desired sound, the area of use as well as the size and type of your gong are decisive. As a rough guide: you play smaller gongs with lighter and smaller mallets, while larger and heavier mallets are used on larger gongs. A mallet that is too large overstimulates a small gong, while one that is too small quickly makes a gong sound metallic. The L815, for example, is intended for very large gongs from 90 cm to 2 m. You can find recommendations for the right gong size in the product descriptions.

With a mallet you strike the gong, after which it vibrates freely. A friction mallet, on the other hand, is guided over the surface with even pressure, creating long-lasting, singing sounds. Some mallets are suitable for rollings, the double-sided, rhythmic playing with two mallets, or for rolls.