It is a metal percussion instrument.
The gong is smelted from copper and has a relatively simple structure. The gong body is in the shape of a circular arc and is fixed with a frame around the gong body. The player uses a wooden hammer to strike the front of the gong body. The central part produces vibrations to produce sounds. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, gongs were widely used in opera music, dance music and traditional wind and percussion music.
The size of the gong body comes in various specifications. When playing a small gong, the gong body is carried with the left hand and the gong is struck with a mallet in the right hand. Large gongs must be hung on a gong stand for playing. The musical instrument is characterized by a metal body sounding instrument with no fixed pitch. Its sound is deep, loud and strong, with a long and lasting reverberation. Usually, the sound of gongs is used to express a tense atmosphere and ominous omen, and has a very unique artistic effect.
Extended information
Historical development:
Gongs have a history of more than two thousand years in our country. In ancient times, gongs were often used in rituals and wars, and were once called "gold". Therefore, there are sayings of "beating the gong to clear the way" and "beating the gold to withdraw the troops". By the Song Dynasty, gongs were used in the folk music form "guban".
In the Yuan Dynasty, it was also the main accompaniment instrument for Zaju. There is a sentence in "Lancaihe Zaju": "Holding some... gongs, boards and drums...". Yun (today's Yun gong) began to be recorded in "History of Yuan Dynasty: Rites and Music", and its shape and playing methods were described. After the Yuan Dynasty, with the development of opera art, a broad world was opened up for the use of gongs. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, gongs of various shapes have been widely used in opera music, dance music and traditional percussion music, percussion music, and gong and drum music.
Since the 20th century, gongs have been widely used by all ethnic groups in folk entertainment, festivals, local operas and folk music, and participated in various band performances.
Baidu Encyclopedia-Gong
Baidu Encyclopedia-Gong