150 Blog Posts!

Just a quick note to say that my previous blog post, Check Your Ego At Door, was my 150th post in this blog. This blog is also nearing its 3rd Anniversary (March 11). This blog is a continuation of sorts, with a slight change in direction, from a previous one called, VIBRATIONS (which had 66 entries from March 2008 to the end of December 2010). 


I'd like to thank everyone who has checked in, read posts, and commented. I'd especially like to thank those who have offered encouragement over the past 3 years. I look forward to continuing here for many years to come!

 ~ MB

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Tam Tam vs Gong

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I can't tell you how many times this argument of "A tam tam is not a Gong" comes up. It came my way no less than 3 different times this week. Actually, 'tam tam' (also tam-tam) was 1st used in symphonic music back in the 1800s to differentiate a flat faced Gong from a Gong with a raised center 'boss.' (There is no definitive answer as to where the term tam tam originated - some say it's Chinese, some say it's Hindi, still others say it's something else…) To add to the confusion, 'tam-tam' is a term often used for either an   African  djembe or talking drum. When a score calls for a 'tam tam' (like Messiaen’s 'Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum' or various works of Richard Wagner), then a flat faced Gong, like a Chinese Chau, is used. Flat Faced Chinese Chau Gong/Tam Tam When a score calls for a 'Gong' (like Puccini’s 'Madame Butterfly', or 'Turandot'), then a bossed Gon
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What to Look for When Buying a Gong

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