CHIMES

Chime Tree

The Chime Tree (also known as Mark Tree, Bar Chimes or Wind Chimes) is a percussive instrument used primarily to add colour to musical arrangements. It consists of a number of small chimes (typically cylinders of solid metal approximately 6mm in diameter) of varying lengths hanging from a bar.

Chime Trees are played by sweeping a finger or stick through the length of the hanging chimes. They are mounted in pitch order to produce rising or falling glissandos. Unlike tubular bells, another form of chime, the chimes on a Chime Tree do not produce a definite pitch but instead produce an inharmonic (rather than harmonic) spectra. The chime trees that are availabe from Gandharva Loka have twenty-six chimes that hang from a wooden bar mounted on an adjustable / foldable tripod. The chime trees come with a metal striker.

Chime Tree Audio Sample

Emperor Gong

Emperor Gongs are wind chimes that are inspired by traditional Asian design to reflect balance, harmony, grace and beauty. Nothing has the ability to transport us to another time and place quite like the brilliant resonance of a gong. For over a thousand years, gongs of various types have played an important role in both the religious and secular music of many Asian cultures.

Handcrafted for superior musical performance and meticulously hand-tuned to a pentatonic scale, the Emperor Gong acts in concert with the wind to create random patterns of resonating, soothing and charming sound. The Emperor Gong wind chime features a 25cm bronze gong with a handcrafted wooden wind catcher, striker and top plates.

Emporer Gong Audio Sample

Koshi Chimes

Koshi chimes are high quality wind chimes that have a beautiful and unique sound. An authentic musical instrument of original creation, they are hand-made at the foot of the Pyrenees mountains in France and each chime is the result of meticulous craftsmanship. Eight fine metal rods are welded with silver into the metal plate at the base of a resonance tube. Precise tuning creates a spectrum of clear tones that are rich in overtones. The overtones of the shorter chords gradually dominate and become fundamentals, thus forming a circular tone range. The effect is meditative and delightful!

Koshi chimes come in four tunings – Terra, Aqua, Aria and Igris (hear sound samples below) – and each has a specific timbre and can be played harmoniously with the others. The resonance tube consists of bamboo veneer treated with natural oil. These beautifully finished chimes make lovely gifts. Koshi chimes are very similar in construction to the Zaphir chimes.

Koshi Chimes Audio Samples

TERRA (Earth)

ARIA (Air)

AQUA (Water)

IGNIS (Fire)

ALL FOUR TOGETHER

Wind Chimes (Various)

It is thought that modern wind chimes have their origins in Indian wind bells. By the second century CE, wind bells were being suspended on the corners of large pagodas. In time wind bells were introduced to China and were also hung in temples, palaces and homes. Japanese glass wind bells have been produced since the Edo period. Wind chimes are thought to be good luck in parts of Asia and are used in the art of Feng Shui. They are now commonly used all over the world in gardens, on balconies or terraces, and indoors.

Wind chimes are made from a variety of materials including metals, bamboo, wood and bone. (Some artisans make novel wind chimes from items such as old silverware and cutlery.) Gandharva Loka carries wind chimes in a wide variety of styles and sizes. Enjoy the sweet, charming, soothing and inspiring play of nature's breath moving through a set of wind chimes. They also make great gifts.

Zaphir Chimes

Zaphir chimes (which were originally known as Shanti Chimes) are at once chalming and enchanting – their delicate tones bring a subtle beauty in sound to any environment. Zaphir chimes are an authentic musical instrument hand-made by dedicated craftsmen and women in France. The construction and dimensions of this instrument match the natural principles relating to the laws of equilibrium (known as the Golden ratio) which gives these chimes the capacity to produce high quality sound waves that provide a deep sense of harmony, balance and beauty.

The five different tunings (hear sound samples below) and specific timbres of the Zaphir, combined with their wide variety of colorful designs, bring a lovely element of peace and relaxation to your surroundings and this also makes them excellent gifts. Zaphir chimes and their close relative, the Koshi chimes, are also very effective for use in sound therapy work for relaxation, well-being and healing. A video clip displaying the various colour designs and sounds of Zaphir chimes can be viewed here.

Zaphir Chime Audio Samples

BLUE MOON

CRYSTALIDE

SUFI

SUNRAY

TWILIGHT

Zenergy Chimes

Just a gentle tap with the mallet and Zenergy Chimes emit a powerful and crystal clear tone of singular beauty with a lengthy sustain. The clear resonating tones can help to calm and refocus an individual or a group and are often used for hatha yoga, meditation and healing. Zenergy Chimes help to focus and redirect our attention to the sound within. Zenergy Chimes are an effective and charming way to start a class, meeting, yoga practice or call guests to dinner. They make lovely gifts.

Zenergy Chimes are available in one, two, three and five bar models, and also a seven bar Chakra Zenergy Chime with matching semi precious stones (click on the small image above to see the full range [not to scale] in the larger image). Each Zenergy Chime includes a mallet and a keyhole slot on the back of the wooden base that enables the Zenergy Chimes to be installed upright on a door or wall. The mallet handle slips in between the chime and the wooden base for safekeeping. An example of a Zenergy Chime being played can be viewd here.

SINGING BOWLS

Quartz Crystal Singing Bowls

The quartz crystal singing bowls that we offer at Gandharva Loka in Christchurch are sourced from America and are made of the highest quality materials. They range in size from 20 cm (8") to 50 cm (20") in diametre and are tuned to a variety of tones that correspond with the seven main chakras or spiritual energy centres. (These are Sahasrara: the crown chakra; Ajna: the brow chakra or 'Third Eye'; Vishuddha: the throat chakra; Anahata: the heart chakra; Manipura: the solar plexus chakra; Swadhisthana: the sacral chakra and Muladhara: the root chakra.)

These powerful quartz crystal singing bowls with their beautiful clear bell-like tones are often used for sound therapy and healing work, music production, meditation and general inspiration. Each bowl comes with its own rubber 'donut' cushion and rubber tipped striker. An example of two crystal singing bowls being demonstrated can be viewed here.

Quartz Crystal Singing Bowl Audio Sample

Tune: Inner Temple from GlobalHealing.com

Quartz Crystal Atlantean Wands

Like the free-standing frosted quartz crystal singing bowls above, Quartz Crystal Atlantean Wands offer the same beautiful crystal clear tones but are completely transparent and have a handle. The bowl is mounted on a stem giving the user the freedom to move about while playing the bowl and they are a powerful addition to any healing practitioner's tool box or energy worker's medicine bag. Double ended Atlantean wands (with a bowl mounted at each end of the handle) are also available.

Quartz Crystal Singing Pyramids

Quartz crystal singing pyramids bring together the transformative sound of resonating pure quartz crystal with the power of sacred geometry and the pythagorean pyramid. Beautiful to look at and to hear, these quartz crystal pyramids have substance and power.

All sizes of our quartz crystal singing pyramids have long sustaining tones and each pyramid is its own unique combination of notes and harmonics. Although the crystal pyramids are not sold by note, you will receive a card which tells you every note that the pyramid offers plus the astrological sign that it relates to and the chakra that it resonates with.

These quartz crystal singing pyramids are made using heavy duty quartz crystal rods that provide greater strength and protection from breakage. Their practicle uses include sound healing, energy clearing, sound meditation and simply for pure joy and peace. Hanging in the home, they refract light and look stunning.

Quartz Crystal Singing Pyramid Audio Sample

Metal Singing Bowls

Singing bowls (also known as Himalayan bowls, rin gongs, medicine bowls, Tibetan bowls or suzu gongs in Japan) are a type of bell, specifically classified as a standing bell. Rather than hanging inverted or attached to a handle, standing bells sit with the bottom surface resting. The sides and rim of singing bowls vibrate to produce sound. Singing bowls were traditionally used throughout Asia in the practices of various spiritual traditions. Today they are employed worldwide both within and without these spiritual traditions as well as being used for meditation, relaxation, healthcare, personal well-being and religious practice.

At Gandharva Loka we sell several types of singing bowls that are produced through different means and are carefully selected for quality. Many of our metal bowls are made in India by Tibetan communities using the highest grade metals. We stock a wide variety of padded cusions and strikers for the metal singing bowls. Singing bowls make excellent gifts and many that we stock are beautifully packaged.

Tibetan Hand Beaten Singing Bowls

The hand-beaten bowls we stock at Gandharva Loka are made from a blend of metals and, as a result, are rich in overtones. Below the image is a sound sample of five different tibetan singing bowls. Each bowl is only being struck once (they are not being played around the rim) but the rich overtones can clearly be heard.

Tibetan Singing Bowl Audio Sample

Cast Metal Singing Bowls

Gandharva Loka stocks cast metal singing bowls in a range of sizes and decorative finishes.