The most important facts in brief
- To get started with sound massage, all you need is a high-quality therapeutic singing bowl and a suitable mallet.
- Practical sound massage beginner sets can be a good choice for beginners.
- With a universal bowl, heart bowl, pelvic bowl and a set of mallets, you can already offer professional sound massages for others.
- Expand your equipment with additional therapy singing bowls, accessories or positioning materials to make the sound massage even more individual.
Tips and inspiration for beginners and advanced users
No matter where you are right now - in this article, both beginners and advanced practitioners will find practical tips and help from experts. You will find out what equipment for a professional sound massage can look like, whether a beginner's set for sound massages is a good choice, how you can usefully expand your equipment and which aids can be used to support this special method.
Therapy singing bowl - the most important equipment for sound massage
The first step, of course, is to find a therapeutic singing bowl. There is a wide range on offer - and beginners in particular need to get an overview at the start. To make your decision easier, first think about what goals you are pursuing - because the equipment you need depends on this.
Questions that can help beginners choose the right equipment:
- Do I only want to use the sound massage for myself 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 particular target group that I would like to address/treat? What needs does this target group have?
- Is 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 your body and mind with different frequencies. The way you use and play the Singing Bowl also brings variation to the sound massage.
Good to know
The Peter Hess® universal bowl is a good choice for beginners. This therapeutic singing bowl offers you a particularly broad sound spectrum and - thanks to its thin walls - intense vibrations. This makes it possible to address all areas of the body with just one Singing Bowl .
If you strike the universal bowl with small, hard mallets, high overtones tend to be 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.
Our tip
The first therapeutic singing bowl is not always a universal bowl. Many sound therapists also start with a bowl that is specifically designed for a certain area of the body. For example, a heart bowl or a solar plexus bowl can also be a wonderful therapeutic singing bowl for beginners.
Expand your basic equipment: The 3 most important therapeutic singing bowls 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 added these two bowls to your equipment, you are already well equipped for professional work with sound.
These are the three most important therapeutic singing bowls for sound therapy:
- Universal tray
- Large heart-shaped bowl
- Large basin bowl
Important: Of course, you are always free to decide which therapy singing bowls you want to add to your set. We offer very different therapy singing bowls for every body region and special needs. However, it is important to us that many people are able to start working professionally with sound. Sound therapy and our therapy singing bowls are therefore designed in such a way that just these three bowls are enough to work professionally as a sound therapist.
You can find even more information and exciting details about the individual therapy singing bowls in our article Singing Bowls for sound therapy. You can also read about how much time and work goes into making a Peter Hess® therapy bowl Singing Bowl in our article "Making Peter Hess® therapy bowls Singing Bowls".
The right singing bowl mallet for your sound therapy equipment
A wide variety of sounds can be produced with different singing bowl mallets. 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 strike the Singing Bowl also varies the sound and therefore the vibrations.
Singing bowl mallets for high-pitched sounds
If you want to produce high-pitched sounds, then small and firm mallets are the right choice for you. With their compact shape, they sit comfortably in the hand and are particularly easy to use on smaller Singing Bowls . The high material density of small mallets produces a very versatile and intense sound that has an invigorating effect on the senses and the body.
Singing bowl mallets for deep sounds
If, on the other hand, you or your customers prefer lower pitches, we recommend larger and softer mallets. The soft and sometimes even 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 for private use, it is advisable to use a mallet set consisting of a large, medium and small mallet, each with a different degree of hardness. This opens up an extremely wide range of possible applications for the universal bowl, especially in the context of independent sound exercises.
Our tip
Singing Bowls can be played not only with a mallet, but also with a singing bowl mallet. This produces an even sound that is often reminiscent of whale song. To protect the Singing Bowl and avoid scratches, we recommend using a singing bowl mallet with a flexible surface, for example made of natural rubber.
Practical beginner sets for sound massage
If you are still unsure about the direction you would like to develop your sound practice in, you can also start with practical starter sets for sound massage. These sets already contain everything you need as initial equipment for your sound therapy.
You can choose from a variety of different beginner sets for sound massage. If you are looking for an all-rounder that offers the highest quality and versatility, then the Peter Hess® Therapy Singing Bowls set for beginners is the right choice. In addition to our universal bowl, the set includes a matching mallet and our book "Singing Bowls - My practical companion", which gives you lots of useful tips on how to use the Singing Bowls . Thanks to the practical singing bowl bag, you can transport and store your sound massage equipment safely at all times.
Useful accessories for sound massage
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 don't necessarily need any additional tools and can focus on the basics first. However, if you want to increase comfort or make chime even more varied, then additional accessories for sound massage can be useful.
Sound furniture, for example, is ideal for comfortable positioning during a sound massage. Practical seat and reclining cushions ensure that a comfortable position can be maintained even during longer sound massages. Of course, you can also embellish the ambience independently of special furniture so that you or sound recipients feel completely at ease during sound therapy:
- Flowers and plants create a calming, natural environment that invites you to relax.
- A minimalist furnishing style helps you to let go of your stressful everyday life and concentrate fully on the sound massage.
- Soft and calming colors also contribute to a greater sense of well-being - for example, delicate pastel shades, sandy and earthy nuances or slightly cooling colors such as blue and lavender.
- Create pleasant lighting conditions in the surroundings that invite you to calm down.
- Avoid possible background noise during the sound massage by switching off cell phones and closing windows if traffic noise could enter.
Scented oils, herbal teas and scented sprays also provide even more enjoyment and well-being, allowing you to adapt the ambience even more harmoniously to the sound massage. Natural aromas from herbs, fruits and flowers have been used by people for thousands of years to harness their effects. However, always use oils and fragrances sparingly so that they do not become a distraction.
Books on sound massage - a valuable addition to your equipment
The world of sounds seems to be infinite. Everyone perceives sounds differently and uniquely and sounds mean something different to everyone. Nevertheless, in many areas of life it makes sense to draw on the experience of other people - and this naturally also applies to sound massage. If you would like to delve deeper into the subject, you can start by reading books about sound massage.
Good to know
However, sound massage media are not only useful for further training. Audio downloads with guided sound massages or musical support that perfectly match the sound of Singing Bowl can help beginners in particular with their first attempts.
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.
More tips and tricks for your first sound massage
If you want to learn more about Singing Bowls and sound massages, 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 develop your sound massage further. For example, you will find exercises with Singing Bowls and gongs and tips for exploring sound with children.
Sound massage equipment - checklist
In our blog, we have put together a clear checklist of equipment for a professional sound massage - whether it's just for you or for others. It gives you a compact overview of therapeutic singing bowls, singing bowl mallets and other tools that you can use for a sound massage.