Wind chimes can be both relaxing to listen to and a decorative design piece. There are many different types of chimes and different ways to display them.
Modern day wind chimes are modeled after Indian wind bells. Historically, wind bells were hung on the corners of pagodas to scare off evil spirits and keep away birds. Later on, they spread to China and Japan. In many parts of Asia, these are considered to bring good luck. Those who follow Feng Shui often use them in a room's design.
Today these chimes are used both as a source of relaxation through their melodious sound and are incredibly artistic in design. Sound is created in these when a center piece, called a clapper, comes in contact with vertically hung pipes. Most commonly, they make sound when the wind moves the pipes and the clapper; however, many will move the clapper when the air is still in order to make the lovely sounds the chimes bring.
The frequency and tone created by the wind chime can vary, based on the material used to create the chimes and the length and thickness of the pipe. The vertical pipes used are modeled after an organ's pipes or vertical orchestral bells. The pipe helps determine the timbre, while the air vibrating through the pipe is what determines the pitch of the wind chime.
Wind chimes can be made using a variety of materials, including glass, bamboo, wood, metal, shell and porcelain, to name a few. They can vary in size to small ones that can be hung in a window frame to large ones that are study enough to stay outside for an extended period. Just as there are a variety of styles and sizes of wind chimes, there are just as many variances in price.
Ultimately,
wind chimes can be a way to help relax after a long day. They can also be lovely pieces of art placed both indoors and outdoors that expresses a person's individual style.
