Bell resonance pitch

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WeekendWailer
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Joined: Sun Sep 23, 2018 12:31 pm

Bell resonance pitch

Post by WeekendWailer »

I was playing around this past week with loud dynamics and noticed that for certain notes, my bells resonated more than others. For my TR-181, that bell seems to like frequencies around A and my 6h is somewhere between E and Eb but is a bit more even all around. There is a ton a physics going into converting material density and dimensions into a frequency but do manufacturers 'tune" bells to certain pitches? I have heard of resonance bars but does anyone try and tune their bell by moving the counterweight around or does that just change the quality of resonance but not the pitch? Just curious what other's experiences have been.
AndrewMeronek
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Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2018 6:09 pm
Location: Detroit area
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Re: Bell resonance pitch

Post by AndrewMeronek »

Some manufacturers do tune their bells, but I'm not convinced it makes that much of a difference to the sound of a horn. Remember that struck bells have a large amount of inharmonicity, so the perceived pitch may not have much to do with frequencies actually bouncing around when you strike it. And we're not just playing notes that the bell 'resonates' to - in some sense too much of an effect may be a bad thing if it makes tone color inconsistent from note to note.
“All musicians are subconsciously mathematicians.”

- Thelonious Monk
whitbey
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Location: Rochester Michigan North of Detroit.
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Re: Bell resonance pitch

Post by whitbey »

My current stash of horns does not have a real clear pitch by degree. I sometimes think of it as more gong like where there is less pitch center to more bell like that rings a pitch.

My Bach42 and a 36 seemed to have a definite pitch and seemed more bell like when thumped. They have been gone for decades.

My Bach 50 bass that seemed to have been built in the late 60's does not have a clear pitch but still has a bell like ring.

My sterling silver 547 Edwards has the least pitch and has long lasting gong like ring.

My brass 547 Edwards 261 bell with a soldered rim rings more like a gong.

My Conn alto rings more.

My Cervany oval euph has bell like pitches at different places on the bell but as a whole, rings more like a gong.
Edwards Sterling bell 525/547
Edwards brass bell 547/562
Edwards Jazz w/ Ab valve 500"/.508"
Markus Leuchter Alto Trombone
Bass Bach 50 Bb/F/C dependent.
Cerveny oval euphonium
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