Percussion · Keyboard percussion
Tubular Bells
Brass tubes hung in a frame and struck near the top with rawhide hammers. They stand in for church bells in the orchestra. Also called chimes.
- Section
- Percussion
- Family
- Keyboard percussion
- Classification
- Idiophone · struck tubes
- Transposition
- None (concert pitch)
- Clefs
- Treble
- Sounding range
- C4 – F5
Parts of the tubular bells
Photo: Xylosmygame, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Labels added by Musicians Tools.
Range
C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8
Written C4 to F5. The perceived pitch is ambiguous and is often heard an octave lower. Playback uses a neutral tone, not the instrument's own sound.
Writing for the tubular bells
- Written in treble clef; many listeners hear the pitch an octave lower than written.
- A damper pedal stops the ringing; without it notes ring for a long time.
- Single strokes and slow chimes are the most effective; fast passages blur.
- Struck at the top cap for the clearest tone.
History
Tubular bells were developed in the late 19th century as a practical substitute for real church bells on stage. Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture and many operas use them.
Listen
Key works featuring the tubular bells. Each link opens a YouTube search, so you can pick the recording you like.
- Tchaikovsky – 1812 Overture (finale)
- Berlioz – Symphonie fantastique, Finale
- Mahler – Symphony No. 2, Finale
- Mike Oldfield – Tubular Bells
Useful tools
Keyboard percussion
Also in the family (pages coming):Crotales
Ancestors:Church bells