If you want to embrace the power of crystal singing bowls with their stunning tones and resonating vibrations, you must start at the beginning. While crystal bowls are not difficult to sing, they require some practice to ensure their notes speak to you and your sound healing journey. To help you take the first step, we have created this simple guide built from our knowledge and experience on how to approach the art of crystal singing bowls.

Before you play

Before starting to play your crystal bowls, it's important to properly prep. Follow our guide on how to begin.

1. Set up carefully

Crystal singing bowls are delicate, so it's important to unpack them and set them up carefully. The act of being gentle and moving with purpose can also help with readying your mind for the session ahead. Ensure you are always using something beneath your bowls, such as rubber o-rings, to protect them from the surface underneath and stop them from slipping during play. Rubber o-rings also help create a more resonant sound by reducing the contact area, which creates better sustained vibrations that travel further.

2. Position your bowls

You want your bowls to be within easy reach but not too close. Playing multiple crystal singing bowls increases the chance of your elbows knocking one, so ensure you lay them out in a way that allows for comfortable playing while not so cramped that you bump one. Nothing ruins a sound healing session like an unintentional knock with an elbow or your mallet.

3. Find your mallet grip

One of the most important aspects of singing your bowls is the movement of your hand. Keep your wrist loose and relaxed, and hold your mallet or wand gently in the middle. This applies to all mallet types, including the most commonly used silicone, suede, and rubber. Grab the middle of the mallet in a way that feels comfortable yet secure, such as two fingers on top and your thumb underneath. Too tense a hold will affect the vibrations, so remember to keep it relaxed.

4. Learn the angle

Your crystal singing bowls will perform best when the correct angle is used. This angle will depend on the type of mallet you favour. If this is your first time singing a bowl, then we encourage you to read our helpful crystal singing bowl guide, where you'll find a section dedicated to the benefits and differences between suede, silicone, and rubber mallets.

If using a suede wand or silicone mallet, make sure it's angled inwards. This means your hand should be tilted towards the bowl, rather than away from it.

If using a rubber mallet, you'll need to angle it outwards. This means your hand should be tilted away from the bowl. This is because these wand types typically have a wooden handle with a ball of rubber on the end, and that handle could hit the crystal singing bowl. Knocking your bowl with wood could result in scratches or damage, so keep that handle facing away from the bowl.

Playing your crystal bowls

Once you have centred yourself and set your intentions for the practice, it's time to begin singing your bowls.

5. Start with a tap

While not a rule set in stone, starting with a gentle tap to your bowl can be a very focusing first step to playing. Many choose to do so as a way to signal the start of their sound bath or meditative session, while others do it to activate the sound and feel its initial vibrations. No matter the purpose, it's a wonderful way to begin.

6. Play gently

When playing your crystal singing bowls, the most important advice we can offer is to do so gently. Not only are these bowls made of delicate crystal quartz, but they're also designed to carry a pure, sustained sound without needing to be too firm. Delicate strokes around the rim are more than enough to fill a space with its resonant tones and vibrations, so start off being as light as possible. Build up slowly until you find the perfect amount of pressure for the sound you are seeking.

The key is to keep your movements smooth and steady. It can take practice to reach a point where you're able to keep a consistent pressure and flow, especially when singing multiple crystal bowls at once, but experimenting is all part of the journey.

7. Control the volume dynamics

Adjusting the volume of your singing bowl's notes is down to the pressure and speed at which you play.

The faster you circle your bowl, the louder the sound. Striking the bowl increases the volume of your following rotations, as does slightly increasing the pressure of your mallet against the crystal. Quiet sounds can be achieved through lighter pressure and slower movements.

Sometimes, a crystal singing bowl can be overplayed. This is when the volume and vibrations are too intense, which can, in some extreme cases, lead to a shattered bowl if overplayed for too long. If you feel the crystal singing bowl begin to buzz, this is likely a sign of overplaying - slow down, loosen the pressure of the mallet, or gently touch the bowl with your fingers. This latter contact should quickly subdue loud sounds and vibrations that have gotten too strong.

Practising volume control is essential for a soothing, stress-free sound healing session, not only for the sake of your crystal singing bowls, but for the effectiveness and enjoyment of your practice.

Our crystal singing bowl advice

The team at Maya Shanti Yoga has been using crystal singing bowls for many years, and truly cannot recommend them enough. Their resonating tones and cleansing vibrations have helped soothe and heal, and are a beautiful instrument when properly played. For beginners, we recommend our set of three crystal singing bowls, or to fully embrace the power of sound healing, try our set of seven crystal singing bowls.

Our advice to crystal singing bowl beginners is to learn and experiment. Try different bowl sizes and mallet types to find the perfect sound that speaks to you. Spend some dedicated and intentional time learning the sounds and vibrations your personal bowls produce to avoid risking overplaying them. Practice makes perfect, and the more you sing your bowls, the more comfortable you'll become.

To discover more of our sound healing equipment, don't hesitate to look through our collection. For more advice, please get in touch, where we'll be happy to explore crystal singing bowls and their benefits with you personally.