Cymbals and Gongs

Cymbals and gongs are made of metal. They are not pitched and their contribution is in the form of a splash of bright sound that accents or draws attention to specific rhythms in music.

Both of these instruments are designed to continue to vibrate after they have been struck. Cymbals and gongs are available in a variety of sizes. The larger the cymbal or gong, the lower the sound.

Since gongs are much larger than cymbals they are harder to start vibrating and their sound fades away much slower than that of a cymbal. Cymbals can be played with sticks, mallets, or brushes, while gongs are usually struck with a large mallet.

Study the image of the cymbals and listen to the sound samples of the cymbals and a gong to gain an understanding of these instruments.

Listen to a sample of the cymbals:

Listen to a sample of a gong: