Zen DoReMi "Dolphin Sound" Brass Himalayan Singing Bowl Set
• Bowl 1 (Do): ~5.5" diameter x 3.25" high, ~490 grams, ~1.7 mm average rim thickness
• Bowl 2 (Re): ~5.25" diameter x 3.25" high, ~445 grams, ~1.7 mm average rim thickness
• Bowl 3 (Mi): ~4.75" diameter x 3" high, ~390 grams, ~1.6 mm average rim thickness
This set brings together three dolphin bowls tuned to Do, Re, and Mi, giving you the first three steps of the major scale in a single, coordinated set. Add a small amount of water to any bowl, strike it, and gently move it, and the water modulates the sound into the fluid, breathing call of a dolphin bowl.
There's something special about a tuned set of metal bowls. Hammered metal sings with a rich blend of overtones, and bringing three bowls into harmony with each other is a careful art, one that lets the bowls speak together rather than over each other. The result is a set that holds its intervals when played in sequence and blends beautifully when bowls are sounded together. Move through simple melodies, layer the tones, or let the bowls call back and forth, the set opens up a range of musical play that a single bowl can't reach on its own.
Adding the dolphin sound to your daily practice introduces something most static instruments can't: dynamic, living movement. Where a struck bowl sustains a fixed tone, the dolphin bowl shifts and breathes, offering a focal point that engages both ear and hand. With three tuned bowls, you can move between notes, build short melodic phrases, and let the modulating water effect carry across the set.
These bowls are hammered from brass, a metal long valued in instrument making for its warm, resonant voice. The result is a bowl with a rich, sustained tone and the durability to handle the regular addition and removal of water without concern. Brass's natural resonance gives the bowl a deep, full-bodied character that provides an ideal foundation for the water modulation effect.
How to play
Water can be added to each bowl, and when combined with a slight motion, the water modulates the sound to produce a dolphin-like effect. The amount of water needed will vary based on the height and thickness of each bowl. Start with about 3/4" of water and add or remove to find your preferred sound. Play bowls individually for melodic sequences, or sound them together for layered tones.
A note on practice
The dolphin sound takes time to develop. Each bowl varies slightly in height, thickness, and resonance, and each player will find their own rhythm of motion. Expect to experiment with water levels and tilt across each bowl in the set before the sound feels natural. This is part of the instrument's character, not a limitation.
Accessories
This product includes Zen buckwheat cushions for each bowl as well as a Zen carrying bag and a pair of suede wrapped wood strikers.
Sound sample includes the bowls struck with the suede mallet. Sound 2 sample includes the "Do" bowl being struck then gently moving or tilting the bowl. Sound 3 sample includes the "Re" bowl being struck then gently moving or tilting the bowl. Sound 4 sample includes the "Mi" bowl being struck then gently moving or tilting the bowl.
The photos and sound samples are examples of this product and not specific to the set you receive. The set you receive will be similar in intervals and quality.
