Gong

A gong is a percussion instrument in the idiophone family consisting of a circular metal disc that is struck to produce sound. Gongs are typically made from bronze alloy or brass and vary in size from a few inches to several feet in diameter. They may be suspended from a frame or mounted on a stand and are played with padded mallets or wooden sticks. The instrument often yields a sustained, resonant tone, and many gongs do not have a definite musical pitch, though some can be tuned to a pitch.

Gongs appear in numerous musical traditions, especially in Southeast Asia and East Asia. In Indonesian gamelan ensembles, gongs mark cycles and cues, with the gong ageng as the largest member providing the structural beat, while smaller gongs such as gong siyem and gong kalih punctuate the rhythm within the cycle. In China and nearby regions, gongs are used in ceremonial music, court ensembles, and theatre. In Western classical music, gongs are employed as color instruments, often under the name tam-tam for unpitched discs or as tuned gong sets in certain works.

The term gong can refer to a wide family of instruments and there are many regional names and variations. Modern percussion literature distinguishes between unpitched gongs, used primarily for texture and effect, and pitched or tunable gongs, which can produce discrete notes. Gongs continue to be a versatile component of traditional ensembles and contemporary orchestras alike.