European Percussion Instruments: Batih, Bell (Instrument), Bodhran, Bones (Instrument), Bubon, Castanets, Clash Cymbals, Handbell, Monkey Stick, Pogo

Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 28. Chapters: Batih, Bell (instrument), Bodhran, Bones (instrument), Bubon, Castanets, Clash cymbals, Handbell, Monkey stick, Pogo cello, Ratchet (instrument), Semantron, Tonbak, Txalaparta, Wind chime, Zatula. Excerpt: A bell (old Saxon: bellan, to bawl or bellow is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped acoustic resonator, which vibrates upon being struck. The striking implement can be a tongue suspended within the bell, known as a clapper, a separate mallet or hammer, or in small bells a small loose sphere enclosed within the body of the bell. Bells are usually made of cast metal, but small bells can also be made from ceramic or glass. Bells range in size from tiny dress accessories to church bells 5 meters tall, weighing many tons. Historically, bells were associated with religious rituals, and before mass communication were widely used to call communities together for both religious and secular events. Later bells were made to commemorate important events or people and have been associated with the concepts of peace and freedom. The study of bells is called campanology. Church with belltowerIn the Western world, its most classical form is a church bell or town bell, which is hung within a tower and sounded by having the entire bell swung by ropes, whereupon an internal hinged clapper strikes the body of the bell (called a free-swinging bell). A set of bells, hung in a circle for change ringing, is known as a ring of bells or peal of bells. Occasionally the clappers would have leather pads (called muffles) strapped around them to quieten the bells when praticise ringing to avoid annoying the neighbourhood. Also at funerals, half-muffles are often used to give a full open sound on one round, and a muffled sound on the alternate round - a distinctive, mournful effect. "Bell house at Shimoda" in Japan (lithograph copy of daguerreotype image, 1856)In the Eastern world, the traditional forms of bells are temple and palace bells, small ones being rung by a sharp rap with a stick, and very large ones rung by a blow from the outside by a large swinging beam. (See images of the great bell of Mii-dera b"