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Bass Handbells of Aluminum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2013

Thomas D. Rossing ,
Deepak Gangadharan ,
Edward R. Mansell  and
Jacob H. Malta
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Extract

Handbells have become very popular musical instruments, especially in schools and churches; about 40,000 hand-bell choirs have been reported in the United States alone. Tuned handbells are generally made of cast bronze, which has been the traditional bell material for many centuries.

Demand for handbells of lower and lower pitches has led to the development of bass bells as low as G0 (fundamental frequency of 24.5 Hz). Unfortunately, these large bass bells radiate inefficiently, especially the bells made of bronze. This is because the speed of bending waves in these bells is considerably lower than the speed of sound in air, a condition known as “being below the coincidence frequency.”

In order to obtain a higher radiation efficiency and thereby enhance the sound of bass bells, the Malmark Company has created a new bell design using aluminum rather than bronze. These bells are larger in diameter, and they have lower coincidence frequencies, both of which lead to more efficient radiation of bass notes. In addition, they are considerably lighter in weight, and thus are much more easily handled by bell ringers.

In this article, the acoustical properties of two G1 handbells, one of aluminum and one of bronze, are compared. The aluminum handbell has a diameter of 48.5 cm, a height of 34 cm, and a wall thickness from 4 to 5 mm. The bronze bell has a diameter of 38.5 cm, a height of 28.5 cm, and a wall thickness from 3 to 4 mm.

Type
Materials in Musical Instruments
Information
MRS Bulletin , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , March 1995 , pp. 40 - 43
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1995

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