Wind Chimes
Objects such as metal, wood, bamboo, brass, rock salt, keys, shell. and glass hung from a string and agitated. They can be played in any key.
Etymology and Alternative Spellings
Glass Wind Chimes - Ger. Glas-Windglocken
Bamboo Wind Chimes - Ger. Bambusrohre; It. Bambu Sospeso; Fr. Bambou Suspendu
Construction
Mark Tree
Also known as: Bar Chimes
A series of small graduated brass tubes that are suspended from a length of wood. Consists of a high-pitch, micro-tonal sound. Names after its creator Mark Stevens. [1]
Metal Wind Chimes
This instrument consists of pieces of metal that are suspended from a frame and hung in such a way that they strike against each other when the wind blows or the frame is shaken. [2] Most often the metal pieces are tubular. Metal Wind Chimes are not to be confused with a Mark Tree(Bar Chimes). Metal Wind Chimes can consist of resonant metals or non-resonant metals as well as metals with definitive pitches and those without.
Glass Wind Chimes
Suspended pieces of thin glass activated by the wind or by being touched/agitated slightly. Can also be referred to as glass chimes.
Obsidian Wind Chimes
Natural obsidian rock wind chimes. These are very delicate and should be used in softer context. They are a little darker and a bit less resonant in sound than traditional glass chimes.
Bamboo Wind Chimes
They are also known as Japanese, Indonesian or Wooden Wind Chimes. Varying lengths of bamboo suspended in the air. Some bamboo wind chimes consist of bamboo tubes cut in half (from top to bottom) while others consist of whole, tubular pieces of bamboo.
Water Chimes
Four mounted brass clock disks on a pipe frame, suspended above a container of water, with a foot pedal for operation. This particular device was invented by Emil Richards. Another type of water chime consists of dipping a single chime/tubular bell into a container of water. A simple way to construct this is to use a 10 gallon bucket or a large cooler filled with water, a cymbal stand, and a bungee cord. Hanging the chime from the bungee cord allows you to strike the chime and lower it into the water without having to hold the chime in your hand.
Shell Wind Chimes
Suspended pieces of sea shells.
History
Sticks, Mallets, Beaters
Usually wind chimes of any sort are played by activating them with ones hands and fingers. You can also use a mallet or whatever you have in your hand to gently activate the wind chime as well. If the wind chime is delicate, be careful not to strike the chimes, but to activate them with a gentle sweeping motion. In some cases, bamboo wind chimes are asked to strike them with both hands to get an aggressive clacking sound. I have done this in a few pieces, including Reginald Smith Brindle - Orion M43 for Solo Percussion.
Technique
Often times the mark tree will be played in a descending or ascending fashion with ones fingers... giving the "turn the page" storybook sound. I often prefer gently activating the metal bars in various sections with all my fingers to give a more homogenous sound.