Gong Essentials

Join Mike Tamburo for an immersive, all-levels workshop exploring various dimensions and possibilities of gong playing. Whether you’re new to the gong or an experienced player, this session will guide you through essential techniques, creative approaches, and expressions in gong music.

Topics include:

• Pivot Grip and Mallet Movement – Refining control and fluidity in your playing.
• Whisper Drone – Exploring sustained play with dynamic control.
• Swells: Crescendo & Diminuendo – Developing sensitivity to gradual volume shifts.
• Drone with Variable Force, Tempo, and Location – Creating evolving textures through nuanced strikes.
• Single Toning Strokes – Enhancing articulation and phrasing.
• Subdividing Time – Exploring rhythm, pacing, and musical flow.
• Dampening & Muting (Front & Side) – Controlling resonance and shaping sonic textures.
• Friction Mallets – Producing ethereal, harmonic-rich sounds with rubber mallets.
• Drumming on a Muted Gong – Discovering rhythmic potential within controlled resonance.

This workshop emphasizes:

• Deepening your connection with the mallet.
• Expanding creative vocabulary through dynamic strokes, patterns, and transitions.
• Improvisation and composition techniques for crafting meaningful musical journeys.
• Playing with presence and responding intuitively in real time.

Participants will leave with a strong foundation in gong playing, along with new tools for creative exploration.

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Required equipment for the training:

• 1 gong (28” or larger is ideal; minimum size 22”)
• Gong stand
• A set of mallets

If you do not have any of the required equipment, please contact us in advance so we can arrange to provide it for you.

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What is included?

• Access to Har Loft 
• PDF Gong Essentials
• Certification upon completion
• Free access to “Sound Meditation by Mike Tamburo” on Saturday and Sunday at 20:00

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Dates:

Day 1: Saturday 22 August, 10:30 - 19:00

Day 2: Sunday 23 August, 10:30 - 19:00

Includes a 1-hour lunch break each day.