Tibetan Singing Bowl in B

A singing bowl tuned to B is marked “B” because that is the letter used for the note in the notation found on most tuners and sheet music. You may also see “H” on some models: in German notation, B is written as H. Instruments intended for German-speaking countries are therefore often labelled “H,” while those sold in English-speaking countries are labelled “B.” There is one catch. In German notation, “B” means B-flat, written “Bb” in English notation. Depending on where the label originated, “B” could therefore indicate either note. If you see “B” by itself, use a tuner to check the note displayed alongside its frequency.

There are two historical explanations for the use of “H.” One traces it to the G hexachord, a sequence of six notes (G A H C D E) that called for a new note between A and C. The other holds that copyists mistook the square-shaped b once used for B for an h.

An instrument tuned to B produces a clear, high-pitched sound because B is the highest of the seven notes in the scale. When its B sounds an octave above B4, at around 988 hertz, the instrument sounds light and almost ethereal. By contrast, a B in the third octave, at around 247 hertz, produces a heavier sound that you feel more deeply in your body.

According to tradition, B is associated with the crown chakra, known as Sahasrara.

Bowls tuned to E, G, and D sound best with B. E and B share a partial, one of the higher tones that blend with a note, giving them a soothing sound when played together.

If you want to play a chord, you can use these combinations:

• G-B-D for a G major chord
• E-G-B for an E minor chord

We recommend starting with E to enjoy its soothing sound alongside B.

The B note of your singing bowl leads naturally to C because B is the seventh and final note of the scale, just before it returns to C.

B also plays this role in chords. With G-B-D-F, it forms the G seventh chord, creating tension and anticipation. With C-E-G-B, it forms the C major seventh chord, in which B and C sound together.

For a singing bowl you want to play with the other notes of the C major scale, Instruments du Monde recommends B rather than B-flat. B-flat is a semitone lower, a difference of 100 cents. Cents measure how far a pitch falls above or below a note’s centre. When two instruments a semitone apart sound together, they produce beats, or pulses in the sound, which some practitioners use to create tension that is then released.