Since 2004 — Jaap Kaur has been “Playing, Selling and Teaching” others around the planet how to play the Paiste Symphonic Gongs.
Playing & Selecting a Gong for use in Kundalini Yoga.
(Gong is a Meditation inside of Kundalini Yoga Practice)
Gong Playing:
Gong Playing Simplified (2-hr Workshop) $60
The basic techniques for playing the Symphonic Paiste Gong following Yogi Bhajan’s Guidelines and additional observations from 11 other gong teachers and my own experience. Optimized sequence for clearing chakras and 10 energy bodies. Handout provided and opportunity to play several gongs. Each gong is unique. Critique and corrections provided on technique elements.
Gong Playing and Technical Training (Lifetime Support) $250
Covers the basics and goes beyond the basics to describe many nuances and things you may encounter. How to maximize the gong’s overtone benefits to clear and balance the chakras and 1o energy bodies. How to observe the energy the gong is addressing and when it is sufficiently clear to move to next gong location. How to recognize the clearing cycles and to honor the nervous system of the people who came to the Gong Meditation. Practice playing and more details in techniques and their benefits.
Care of the gong, gong string, gong stand and different mallets. Issues with floor surfaces and room orientations. Transporting gong and setup options. Meditation with gong before playing publicly to get your vibration well established so you work with the gong as a better team. Yoga sets where gong is especially effective and techniques plus affirmations Yogi Bhajan used in varying kriyas.
Small font 8-page detailed Handout . Plus, Lifetime support, technical and playing so as you change your needs or locations, or audience size Jaap Kaur will always be there to support you in person, by text or email, or video or by phone or some combination of video and phone.
Choosing a Symphonic Paiste Gong for you
Considerations are budget, transportability, car trunk and back door size, size of space you will be playing in, storage space you have available, and your ability to perform the special attention of the outer limits.
Yogi Bhajan Gong Guidelines
Yogi Bhajan’s Gong playing style moves the energy in and around the body in the correct sequence to clear, stabilize, then neutralize energy. He said only the Paiste Symphonic Gongs sizes 28- inch diameter to 36-inch diameter clear all human frequencies. He used various striking rhythms and patterns for different yoga sets and recommended varying the strokes during sessions to keep the mind from establishing patterns.
Gong Selecting: (See Store on Menu Bar or Text Jaap Kaur @ 602 410 4782 for Pricing) (2015 — Mid 2023 the Paiste Gong Prices stayed the Same, Sorry went up mid 2023)
Jaap Kaur recommends and sells Symphonic Paiste Gongs sizes 28-inch to 36-inch because they cover all frequencies. Orchestra Upright Stands are VERY HIGHLY recommended as the gong sound goes out omni-directional. They also allow the player to stand easily to side and move around the gong with ease. Low or table mounting restricts or disrupts the sound and its ability to clear energy. Orchestra stands are also very stable. Some people are happy with other stands and can manage with a C stand or a square stand. Square stands are sometimes taller than the very low stands. Most important for a stand is that the gong can hang a half inch in front of the stand ring so the gong’s vibration has less interaction with the stand.
Paiste Symphonic Gongs
Jaap Kaur finds most 28-inch and 36-inch gongs require special attention and playing precision to properly clear the energy. The 30-inch size gong easily clears human frequencies, and the 32-inch gong usually clears effortlessly.
Paiste Orchestra Upright Stands
Paiste Orchestra stands are just over 5 feet tall. These stands are way more expensive however their sturdiness and ability for gong sounds to expand Omni-directional uninterrupted by table or flooring is a huge advantage. A player can also move free.
Other Available Stands
Paiste “C stand” and other clones of Orchestra stand are less stable and less convenient. They do save money if budget is a large concern. You may later wish you spent the money for a sturdy effective Paiste Orchestra stand.
Gong Mallet Options and their Usage:
Jaap Kaur recommends you try mallets to assess your own preferences. Players vary in mallet favorites.
Paiste M4, M5, & M6 Gong Mallets
Paiste has special gong mallets they recommend for different size gongs. M4 for 28-inch gong, M5 for 30-inch gong. M6 for 32-inch, 34 inch and 36-inch gongs. Jaap Kaur has used the different mallets for the different sizes and finds Paiste’s recommendations are very accurate.
Jaap Kaur and many gong players use the Paiste M-series mallets 80% of the time. Other mallets are more often used as Accent mallets for special support in specific zones.
Accent Special Use Mallets
Some people use the accent mallets more than others and a few prefer them over the M series Paiste mallets.
Paiste M9 Accent Mallet Set
Some People like this pair or single mallet for special effects.
Zildjan ZGM General Mallet
Zildjan recommends it for 20 to 40-inch gongs. Jaap Kaur finds them especially effective for neutralizing energy and very precise strokes. Most people like to use them.
Zildjan ZGRM Gong Roller Accent Mallet
This mallet is used for any size gong for special effects, in pairs or single usage.
VicFirth T1 Timpani Mallet
This mallet is used for special accents and occasionally people like to use them in pairs on gongs. Jaap Kaur uses a single one for special integration work, soothing variations.
