Exploring the
ORCHESTRA
Chimes
Musical Section:
Percussion (Instruments that produce sound by hitting, shaking or scraping. Other instruments in this family include: celesta, chimes, crotales, cymbals, glockenspiel, maracas, marimba, piano, snare drum, Tam Tam, triangle, tambourine, vibraphone, xylophone and lots of others!) . Other instruments in this family: Bass Drum, Celesta, Cymbals, Piano, Tambourine, Timpani, Triangle, Xylophone
About the Chimes
What it looks like
Chimes are long metal tubes that hang on a frame. They look like a giant set of wind chimes you might see in a garden. The shorter tubes make higher-pitched sounds, and the longer ones make lower-pitched sounds.
Chimes make a beautiful, bell-like sound when you hit them. They are often used in music to create a gentle, calming sound. They can be fun to play because they make pretty sounds that are easy to enjoy!
Did you know? Chimes are also called tubular bells because they look like long tubes and they sound like church bells!
How to Play
Both Maestros
Each tube is a different note. You strike near the top of the tube with a mallet covered in soft or medium yarn. The tube rings for several seconds, but if you want the note shorter, you can dampen the tube with your hand or mallet to stop it from sounding.
Hey, Where’d the Bells Go?
Composer Gustav Mahler wanted to do a musical magic trick. In his Symphony No. 2, he wanted the sound of chimes but he didn’t want the audience to know where the sound was coming from. So he asked for the chimes to be offstage, hidden from the audience’s view. This gives the music an other-worldly sound, like they are coming from heaven. Mahler thought if the audience saw tubular bells, the magic would be broken!
