How the handbell makes its sound
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, which classifies instruments by how they produce sound, the handbell belongs to the struck idiophones: the body is struck directly – bells, gongs, xylophones and cymbals.
More broadly it is one of the idiophones, where the solid body of the instrument itself vibrates, without strings or a stretched membrane.
Its timbre – the colour that lets you tell it apart from other instruments playing the same note – comes from the mix of overtones its body and resonator emphasise.
From Wikipedia
A handbell is a bell designed to be rung by hand. To ring a handbell, a ringer grasps the bell by its slightly flexible handle – traditionally made of leather, but often now made of plastic – and moves the arm to make the hinged clapper strike the inside of the bell. An individual handbell can be used simply as a signal to catch people's attention or summon them together, but handbells are also often heard in tuned sets.
Other struck idiophones
Frequently asked questions
What does a handbell sound like?
As one of the struck idiophones, its sound comes from the way the body is struck directly.
What type of instrument is the handbell?
It is classified as struck idiophones (Hornbostel–Sachs 111.242.222).
Sources & credits
- Wikidata Q871633 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Handbell – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Image by Sancampa – Public domain