More than ever, people are turning their backyards or even balconies into spa-like retreats instead of splurging on one. How do you transform your outdoor space into a rejuvenating oasis of tranquility? A key ingredient is sound. Fountains, offering the soothing sound of moving water, have long been popular in gardens. Bamboo wind chimes, which evoke the sound of raindrops caressing a window pane, provide a nonelectric way to capture this same melody. Regardless of the type of wind chime, the result is the same: an irresistible invitation just to relax.
The Elements of Sound
The sounds of most wind chimes are meant to inspire tranquility, but nothing compares to the melody of a finely tuned wind chime. Three basic factors figure into the tuned-chime experience. The first is musical scale. Some definitions: A musical scale is a set of intervals. An interval is the difference in pitch between any two notes. Pitch is the “highness” or “lowness” of the note; for example, women generally have higher-pitched voices than men. A tuned chime is one consisting of a particular set of intervals. So a tuned chime is the opposite of a random set of notes or indeed a collection of random lengths of tubing. Once at a show, a customer proudly told me, “I made a chime once. I cut the first tube two inches long, the next one four inches long, and so on.” All I could say in response was, “Gee, I’ll bet that created a unique sound!”
Musical scales vary richly throughout the world. Every culture has at least one characteristic musical scale, just as it has its own language. We also tune our chimes to standard orchestral pitch, so that they would be in tune with the other instruments of an orchestra, once the members have tuned their instruments.
The second of the three factors is pitch. The larger any musical instrument is, the deeper the register in which it plays. One can produce musical scales in different pitches by making chimes in different sizes, which, of course, equates to different prices as well. The larger a chime is, the more material it must have, so the more it must cost. If it costs more but reproduces the same scale, why market it? Simple: Most people prefer the lowest pitch range they can afford. Why is that? There is something profoundly tranquil about the lower registers. Just try to imagine Barry White’s voice in Madonna’s pitch range — it just wouldn’t be the same.
The third factor is sustain. Sustain is that audible hum that you continue to hear after the initial attack. One of the main elements that dictate hum is mass. It’s simple physics. The greater the mass, the longer the vibration will continue after the strike. Chimes that are bigger obviously have more mass, and thus sustain longer. So chime size dictates not only pitch, but also sustain. Sustain is important to most listeners; they find an elongated sustain profoundly calming. (This effect is probably why meditation frequently involves a hum.)
A Finely Tuned Ensemble
Chimes come in a variety of musical scales and voices designed to complement each other. A group of compatible chimes hung in proximity are often called an “ensemble.” Music of the Spheres, Inc., makes five voices: soprano through bass, each a half octave apart. When you put two or more pitch ranges (sizes) in the same musical scale in the same area, they literally create a “singing in parts” effect. Proximity doesn’t mean next to each other. It only means that if they were both playing, one would be within range of the other. They can be on each side of a porch, different branches on the same tree, different trees in the same yard, one in the backyard, and one in the next-door neighbor’s backyard.
On several occasions, customers have shared stories about chimes gradually filling up their entire street with music, one yard at a time, like dominos falling in progression.
One of the most remarkable chime ensembles occurred on New Year’s Eve 2008 in Austin, Texas, at its “First Night” event: A local artist hung about 25 chimes in different sizes and scales in a concrete-roofed gazebo overlooking a lake in the center of town.
Sounding Off
Marketing tuned chimes is a snap when your staff is educated on the fundamentals of musical scale, pitch and sustain. Customers want to make informed decisions and are happier when they understand the basic concepts.
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