Hand Chime tuning problem

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John Staton

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Nov 9, 2017, 10:39:20 AM11/9/17
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We have a Suzuki handchime that is ever so close to the correct pitch but off just enough to bend your ear.    I did some google research and I see mention of a crack being a possible cause.  Simple examination doesn't seem to reveal a crack.    Are there other things to try or correct?  

Thanks, 

John Staton 
Quail Springs UMC 
Oklahoma City, OK  


Brianne

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Nov 9, 2017, 10:46:47 AM11/9/17
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Cracks won't necessarily be visible. 

Another question: how's it's sustain? 

Brianne
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John Staton

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Nov 9, 2017, 10:53:44 AM11/9/17
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It still sustains but is less than a resonant sound. 


On Thu, Nov 9, 2017 at 9:46 AM, Brianne <bri...@thegoldendance.com> wrote:
Cracks won't necessarily be visible. 

Another question: how's it's sustain? 

Brianne

-------- Original message --------
From: John Staton <john.f...@gmail.com>
Date: 11/9/17 7:38 AM (GMT-08:00)
Subject: [HB-L] Hand Chime tuning problem

We have a Suzuki handchime that is ever so close to the correct pitch but off just enough to bend your ear.    I did some google research and I see mention of a crack being a possible cause.  Simple examination doesn't seem to reveal a crack.    Are there other things to try or correct?  

Thanks, 

John Staton 
Quail Springs UMC 
Oklahoma City, OK  



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Brianne

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Nov 9, 2017, 11:28:18 AM11/9/17
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It sounds to me like it’s definitely cracked. The only resolution is to replace it. ☹

 

Brianne

 

From: John Staton
Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2017 7:53 AM
To: handb...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [HB-L] Hand Chime tuning problem

 

It still sustains but is less than a resonant sound. 

 

On Thu, Nov 9, 2017 at 9:46 AM, Brianne <bri...@thegoldendance.com> wrote:

Cracks won't necessarily be visible. 

 

Another question: how's it's sustain? 

 

Brianne

 

-------- Original message --------

From: John Staton <john.f...@gmail.com>

Date: 11/9/17 7:38 AM (GMT-08:00)

Subject: [HB-L] Hand Chime tuning problem

 

We have a Suzuki handchime that is ever so close to the correct pitch but off just enough to bend your ear.    I did some google research and I see mention of a crack being a possible cause.  Simple examination doesn't seem to reveal a crack.    Are there other things to try or correct?  

 

Thanks, 

 

John Staton 

Quail Springs UMC 

Oklahoma City, OK  

 

 


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Stephanie Wiltse

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Nov 9, 2017, 1:01:22 PM11/9/17
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Has this chime always sounded this way, or has the pitch changed recently? My experience with Suzuki chimes is that they are pretty clunky sounding in general.

Stephanie Wiltse
Grand Rapids MI

On Thu, Nov 9, 2017 at 11:28 AM, Brianne <Bri...@thegoldendance.com> wrote:

It sounds to me like it’s definitely cracked. The only resolution is to replace it. ☹

 

Brianne

 

From: John Staton
Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2017 7:53 AM
To: handb...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [HB-L] Hand Chime tuning problem

 

It still sustains but is less than a resonant sound. 

 

On Thu, Nov 9, 2017 at 9:46 AM, Brianne <bri...@thegoldendance.com> wrote:

Cracks won't necessarily be visible. 

 

Another question: how's it's sustain? 

 

Brianne

 

-------- Original message --------

From: John Staton <john.f...@gmail.com>

Date: 11/9/17 7:38 AM (GMT-08:00)

Subject: [HB-L] Hand Chime tuning problem

 

We have a Suzuki handchime that is ever so close to the correct pitch but off just enough to bend your ear.    I did some google research and I see mention of a crack being a possible cause.  Simple examination doesn't seem to reveal a crack.    Are there other things to try or correct?  

 

Thanks, 

 

John Staton 

Quail Springs UMC 

Oklahoma City, OK  

 

 


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Heitz Handbells

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Nov 9, 2017, 1:10:50 PM11/9/17
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At one church I played handbells in, we used Suzuki chimes and one ended up "off".  We couldn't see a crack, but with phone calls etc, we determined that there must be a crack.  The only solution was to replace it.

Carol
 
Carol Scheel, Norm Heitz
Heitz Handbells and Music



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John Staton

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Nov 9, 2017, 1:13:48 PM11/9/17
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Agree on the "clunk".   Actually this one has changed in the last few months and it more of a pitch problem than a quality of sound problem.   

TimR

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Nov 9, 2017, 2:08:45 PM11/9/17
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Hmm.  Too bad you don't have data from before.

It might be worth making a recording of each chime.  Use Audacity on a laptop, save the file.  You can run a spectrum analysis on each one any time you think it might have changed.  I can see that taking less than five minutes.  Set up the mike, say each note and ring, move to the next one.   

Silver Woodbury

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Nov 9, 2017, 5:59:22 PM11/9/17
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Hi, All!

 

Another tool you can use to check pitch issues (bells or chimes) is to use an electronic tuner.  I have a little Sabine pocket-sized tuner/tone generator/metronome that comes in handy from time-to-time.  Typically, a chime that sounds off-pitch, doesn’t resonate like it’s neighbors or has a definite buzz (with no loose parts or adjustment issues) is cracked and the only thing to do is replace it.  You can order individual Suzuki replacement chimes.  You have to search a bit on their website, but it is possible.

 

Happy Ringing!

Silver

 

Mrs. Silver Woodbury

Director of Handbells

First United Methodist Church, 1106 N. Main St., Garden City, KS  67846

Owner/Operator

Silverbell Enterprises, 2302 N. Main St., Garden City, KS  67846

405-519-0331. silve...@cox.net or sbesil...@gmail.com

 

 

From: handb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:handb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of John Staton
Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2017 9:39 AM
To: handb...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [HB-L] Hand Chime tuning problem

 

We have a Suzuki handchime that is ever so close to the correct pitch but off just enough to bend your ear.    I did some google research and I see mention of a crack being a possible cause.  Simple examination doesn't seem to reveal a crack.    Are there other things to try or correct?  

 

Thanks, 

 

John Staton 

Quail Springs UMC 

Oklahoma City, OK  

 

 


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BellB...@aol.com

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Nov 10, 2017, 2:36:04 PM11/10/17
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The plug inside drops out of place and the pitch  drops about 1/2 step.  Last I knew, you had to send the chime back to  San Diego for repair. If your warranty was up, they would expect you to purchase a new chime.
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