''Tingsha'' (or ''ting-sha'') () are small

cymbal A cymbal is a common percussion instrument. Often used in pairs, cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various alloys. The majority of cymbals are of indefinite pitch, although small disc-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs soun ...

s used in prayer and rituals by Tibetan

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

practitioners. Two cymbals are joined together by a leather strap or chain. The cymbals are struck together producing a clear and high pitched tone. Typical sizes range from 2.5–4 inches in diameter. Tingsha are very thick and produce a unique long ringing tone. Antique tingsha were made from special

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...

alloy An alloy is a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal. Unlike chemical compounds with metallic bases, an alloy will retain all the properties of a metal in the resulting material, such as electrical conductivity, ductility, ...

s that produce harmonic overtones. In high quality tingsha, both cymbals will match—the tones are identical or nearly identical. Most tingsha, however, are not perfectly matched so each produces a distinctly different tone. This is due to modern manufacturing processes in which many tingsha are produced at the same time and then poorly matched. Fine quality examples of antiques or the rare pair of carefully matched new tingsha will sound identical. Antique tingsha are rare and quite expensive. Sometimes two cymbals that do not match are paired together. Single cymbals are often sold with a bone or piece of wood attached, so the instrument is still functional even though the mating cymbal has been lost. Tingsha are unique in form and function and distinctly different from Indian, Nepali, Chinese, Turkish or other cymbals. Today, tingsha are used along with

singing bowls A standing bell or resting bell is an inverted bell, supported from below with the rim uppermost. Such bells are normally bowl-shaped, and exist in a wide range of sizes, from a few centimetres to a metre in diameter. They are often played by st ...

and other instruments in meditation, music and sound healing. Artists such as Karma Moffett and Perteson Meneses, Joseph Feinstein use multiple pairs of antique tingsha together to create a sonic tapestry effect. Traditionally, however, tingsha are used as part of specific Tibetan rituals, such as offerings to "

hungry ghosts Hungry ghost is a concept in Buddhism, and Chinese traditional religion, representing beings who are driven by intense emotional needs in an animalistic way. The terms ' literally "hungry ghost", are the Chinese translation of the term ''pret ...

." While they are commonly found today in musical recordings and yoga classes, their real function is as a religious ritual tool.

References

External links

Link is broken.
Babel Audio has Tingsha sound samples for download
{{Tibetan-Buddhism-stub Buddhist ritual implements Cymbals Tibetan musical instruments

See also

References

External links