The Sound Effects of Wind Chimes

Tuning Them

• Wind chimes can be tuned to play the specific notes and tones from a particular piece of music or so that they sound as if you are living in a particular era, such as medieval times, and produce sounds that are associated with that period in history. Wind chimes can be tuned to C, D, E flat, F, G, A, and B flat. Some sound baritone, others sound tenor. Wind chimes can even reproduce the sounds emanating from London's Big Ben.

Varieties

• Metal is a popular material for wind chimes because it is durable. Glass and ceramic wind chimes create agreeable wind chime sound effects. Wind chimes tinkle and chime or ring. Sometimes the sound comes in bursts, and at other times, it is continuous.

Solar

• Solar wind chimes run on solar cell technology, which means that the amount of direct light that the chimes are exposed to determines the sound the chimes emit. Although these chimes do not rely on wind as the others do, the wind will create sound effects in solar wind chimes but the sound levels will be determined by the amount of light that has been received. These chimes are good for indoor use in rooms that get a lot of sunlight.

What to Look For

• The features to look for when buying a wind chime include the overall length of the chime, measured from the top of the ring hook to the bottom of the sail, and the ring hook, which should be metal, because this isolates the chimes' suspension cord from the hanger. The chime should have a manmade synthetic cord if it is going to be used outdoors. The finish and tubes should be glass, aluminum, steel, wood or bamboo. The hard metals, such as aluminum and steel, produce a sharp tone, whereas the soft metals, like copper, produce a mellow sound. Wood and bamboo produce a hollow sound, explains Whimsicalwinds.com. The clapper or striker strikes the tubes, and this makes the sound. The sail catches the wind and moves the clapper to strike the tubes.