No matter you’re a beginner or a profession in the sound exploring, you may be attracted by the aesthetic looks and healing sound of alchemy singing bowls.

Alchemy bowls are advanced crystal bowls infused with precious metals, gemstones, or minerals during the crafting process, resulting in bowls with unique colors, appearances, and energetic properties. It’s a great option for personal energy work. In an intimate space, the charming of alchemy bowls is incredibly outstanding especially when multi alchemy bowls are played together. The harmonics between the alchemy bowls will bring you to a deep sound healing world.

In this guide, we will share common things that people frequently ask about alchemy bowls. 

432Hz vs. 440Hz

To choose 432Hz or 440Hz tuning crystal bowl, it’s up to your needs. Many sound healers prefer 432Hz tuning since it’s thought to be healing. But some choose 440Hz tuning since common music instruments are tuned in 440Hz, so it will be more harmonious for the crystal singing bowls to be played with other instruments, such as a lyre harp.

There is no hard evidence to prove which is better. And here we will make a simple explanation about 432Hz and 440Hz so that you can have a better understanding of them.

First, we need to know that whether 432Hz or 440Hz it refers to a tuning standard not a specific frequency for one bowl. Naturally each note corresponds to a frequency, a crystal singing bowl can be tuned to one note with one specific frequency, making them ideal for sound healing and meditation. 

432Hz tuning standard is based on the note A4 = 432Hz while 440Hz tuning standard set A4 = 440Hz, then other notes' frequency changes according to a formula. Below is the note and frequency correspondence table respectively in 432Hz and 440Hz tuning standard for your reference.

                                                                       432Hz Note and Frequency Correspondence Table

                                                                      440Hz Note and Frequency Correspondence Table

Therefore, as you get a crystal singing bowl, you can test it against the above table. For example, if your 432Hz tuning bowl is A4 note, its frequency should be around 432Hz, but if it’s C4 note, its frequency will be around 256.87Hz.

There is one thing to note, as testing the alchemy singing bowl by a tuner APP, you need to rub around the bowl with the mallet, and then test the frequency as it is in a stable singing.

And about the tuning accuracy, ‘0' cents is absolute perfect pitch, but as the normal human ear does not hear the distinction below 10 cents of variation, in the crystal bowl industry the perfect pitch is determined within +10 to -10 cents.

At TOFOU Music, our team make a carefully selection to ensure each alchemy bowl has a perfect pitch and great sound.

Notes, Octaves and Sizes 

For alchemy crystal bowls notes in 3rd octave and 4th octave are common ones for choice. Below is the note and size correspondence table for your reference. 

The larger the size, the deeper the sound. 

Of course, we can also help custom alchemy bowls in 5th octave, the size will be around from 3.5 inch to 5 inch, the sound is relatively sharp and sustains shorter compared with bowls in 3rd and 4th octave .

If you want a big alchemy bowl above 9 inch, we recommend the Welding Flat Bottom Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowl, which has a thicker wall and can hold more vibration, producing deeper and richer sound, which people generally find more pleasing than bowls smaller than 9 inch, but the cons of it is that its note comes out at random, can not be set in the making. 

It means that if you custom a Welding Flat Bottom Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowl, we can make it in the size and color you want, but its note will be any one of the 12 notes. Therefore, if you have no need for a fixed note, it’s a great option.

How to Play an Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowl

Alchemy bowl is light, so it may be a little harder to play than frosted crystal bowls for beginners. But do not worry, after some practice, you will make it!

There're three major points:

Firstly, put the bowl in a stable status. If there is some shake, you can check if the o-ring is suitable. And we suggest putting a mat on the floor, which will reduce the move of the o-ring.

Secondly, use the mallet you like. There're various mallets for alchemy bowls, and at TOFOU Music we will offer two types of mallets for one alchemy bowl. You may have different feelings towards them in the usage. At the very beginning, you can choose the one that you like to practice.

Thirdly, be gentle as striking or rubbing around the bowl. Alchemy bowl is beautiful and healing but fragile, also as it starts faster than frosted bowls, we need to play it gently but firmly.

Hope this guide will help you in knowing about alchemy bowls. If need any assistance, please feel free to contact us. We're always glad to do a favor.