5. Singing Bowl Fountain

A fountain with singing bowls? Yes, you will like this one! Put water in your singing bowl, fill it a third or half way, and hit it with a padded striker, preferably a soft striker. As you strike softly you will notice nice patterns of ripples on the water. They are the sound waves traveling over the surface of the water from the wall of the bowl towards the middle, creating interference patterns. Quite nice to see. You will also notice that you can now see the four nodal points from which the sound emanates: the place where the striker hits (a) , the place opposite to it (b) and the two points half way between a and b on the wall of the bowl. As you continue with rhythmic striking, gradually increase the strength of the blow. The force of the sound waves will push the water upwards and a multitude of water drops jump up and down the bowl, a fountain of sound propelled water drops! Some bowls work better than others. Do not strike your bowl too hard trying to make it happen.
Also notice that as water is added the sound of the bowl gradually changes. As the different tones of the bowl are generated on different places of the bowl, the adding of water dampens the tones that are generated at the spots where water is filling the bowl. You also can hold the bowl and slosh the water around as you strike it. Do it where spills won’t matter. This produces a whirling sound that is really fun to hear. Try placing the water filled bowl on your body as you are lying down, then strike it, feel the watery sounds. Just more great ways of experimenting with the sounds of singing bowls

copyright 2001 by Dirk Gillabel

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