Tubular bells
 | |
| Percussion instrument | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Chimes |
| Classification | Percussion |
| Hornbostel–Sachs classification | 111.232 (Sets of percussion tubes) |
| Playing range | |
| C4-F5 | |
Tubular bells (also known as chimes) are musical instruments in the percussion family. Each bell is a metal tube, 30–38 mm (1¼–1½ inches) in diameter, tuned by altering its length. Its standard range is from C4-F5, though many professional instruments reach G5 (see photo). Tubular bells are often replaced by studio chimes, which are a smaller and usually less expensive instrument. Studio chimes are similar in appearance to tubular bells, but each bell has a smaller diameter than the corresponding bell on tubular bells.
Tubular bells are sometimes struck on the top edge of the tube with a rawhide- or plastic-headed hammer. Often, a sustain pedal will be attached to allow extended ringing of the bells. They can also be bowed at the bottom of the tube to produce a very loud, very high-pitched overtone.
Tubular bells have been popularized in western culture by the song "Carol of the Bells",[citation needed] and the Mike Oldfield album Tubular Bells and its sequels, the latter best known as the opening theme from The Exorcist.[citation needed]
The tubes used provide a purer tone than solid cylindrical chimes, such as those on a mark tree.
Chimes are often used in concert band pieces (e.g. "Eiger" by James Swearingen[citation needed]). Most composers write Chimes under the category of Percussion > Mallet Percussion. It rarely plays melody, mostly a bass that brings out some color but sometimes has some solos or solis, often very simple.
In tubular bells, modes 4, 5, and 6 appear to determine the strike tone and have frequencies in the ratios 92:112:132, or 81:121:169, "which are close enough to the ratios 2:3:4 for the ear to consider them nearly harmonic and to use them as a basis for establishing a virtual pitch,"[1] presumably on 2.
In popular music
The Flaming Lips' 2002 track "Do You Realize??" features tubular bells.
The animated television series Futurama's theme is played on tubular bells.[citation needed]
The "funding for this program provided by ..." rider that followed the end credits of the children's television show Sesame Street also prominently featured tubular bells in the 1980s.[citation needed]
The Smashing Pumpkins' 1994 recording "Disarm" uses tubular bells to create a haunting mood.
Tracy Ullman's 1983 cover of Kirsty MacColl's "They Don't Know" features tubular bells in a celebratory manner, reminiscent of wedding bells.
As church bells
An example of tubular bells used as church bells is St. Alban's Anglican Church in Copenhagen.[2]
References
- ^ Rossing, Thomas D. (2000). Science of Percussion Instruments, p.68. ISBN 978-981-02-4158-2.
- ^ "About the Church". St. Alben's Church. Retrieved 2010-02-26.
External links
- Information about tubular bells – Vienna Symphonic Library
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