Bowed handchimes

[Derek H]

Hello, all;

I am working on a commission right now and am contemplating the usage of bowed handchimes. However, I have a few questions for those of you who have either composed/arranged using bowed handchimes or played a piece that uses bowed handchimes.

First, are there any pieces that use bowed handchimes that I can check as a reference? Second, what are the pros and cons? Last, if you had to choose between one or the other, would you choose bowed handchimes or singing bell? I know singing bell is probably more readily available, but then again, different is sometimes better.

I appreciate any feedback you can provide.

Respectfully,

--

Derek Hakes
("...people are beautiful.  Not in looks.  Not in what they say.  Just in what they are." - from "I Am the Messenger" by Markus Zusak)

[Michele Sharik]

Hi Derek — 

Alex Guebert’s piece “Impressions on Totality” uses bowed chimes. We did it at DBW a few years back. I believe some other composers have also experimented with them.

Also: Forté has used them & even built a nice rack to hold them while playing them. Meghan would know more about that specifically than I do.

Bob Avant’s group used them in concert at NatSem in TX a couple of years ago, too.

Bowed chimes are cool, so I hope you at least include them as an option!

-Michèle 

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[Jason Krug]

Derek,

My "Pale Blue Dot" uses some low bowed chimes.  The thing to realize about bowed chimes is it's really going to work best on short-duration things, just a couple of seconds.  There's no good way to get a sound going on a bowed chime and keep it sustained for 10, 15, 30, or more seconds like you can for singing bell.  In the case of "Pale Blue Dot", I wanted a bit more out-of-the-box sound to provide an otherworldly "accent", and in fact in the sections where it shows up, I use both SB (on the sustained chords) with some musical "punctuation" with the bowed chimes.  They're very different techniques yielding very different sounds, so which you use depends on the needs of the passage and the sound you're going for.

Jason

Jason Krug

Composer, Conductor, and Clinician

Connect with me online:

jasonwkrug.com

grassymeadowmusic.com

Jason W. Krug, Composer on Facebook

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From: handb...@googlegroups.com <handb...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Derek H <hakes...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2025 5:42 PM
To: handb...@googlegroups.com <handb...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [HB-L] Bowed handchimes

 

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[Brenda Austin]

Hi Derek, 

I used them in my Meditations on Of the Father’s Love Begotten. 

It is a really cool sound, but there are some limitations. As Jason said, you cannot sustain pitch long. The other thing to consider is how many bows. With 3 people holding 2 chimes in each hand you can use up to 6 pitches, and you only need 3 bows. I don’t think it is reasonable to ask a choir to come up with enough bows for everyone.

B

 

Brenda E. Austin

Composer, Conductor, Clinician 

www.brendaeaustin.com

brenda...@gmail.com

Hope Publishing

Editor

HopePublishing.com

Embellish and Campana 

Music Director

EmbellishHandbells.com

[Ann Frederking]

That's a good consideration. Obviously, to play a sound on a chime, you don't need a fine bow with the subtleties and nuances that I would want in my viola bows but rank beginner violin bows will start around $30 US (plus shipping) from places like Southwest strings and they will be little more than junk but might work OK to bow a chime.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/4310048A-17E4-49B5-9E06-FAA3DA1E9E09%40gmail.com.

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[Colleen and Sheena]

Derek,

I am not a composer/arranger - an analyst. I have heard bowed handchimes, but as someone mentioned purchasing the bows to "try" it might be restricting your sales.

 

Is it possible to make it an optional bowed handchimes section?

 

Being you are working on a commission piece, it makes sense to me to ask whomever commissioned you!

 

Best wishes.

Colleen

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[Jeannie Cushman]

Just a reminder for those not familiar with the bows used with stringed instruments. You'll need rosin on the hair of the bow to create enough friction to get the vibration - strings or chimes.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/handbell-l/248632611.10521.1742318040866%40connect.xfinity.com.