Strike tone

The strike note is a subjective impression of pitch and renames the pitch of a bell. The strike note is not a physically measurable sound, but is formed by the human ear from the harmony of partials of the bell virtually corresponding to the overtone series ( Residualton ). Therefore, the newer name comes as nominal ( Nennton ).

In the Campanologie has the designation of partials after the bell today's standard, the so-called pure octave bell established. Starting from the lowest partial tone, the tone (normally, an octave below the strike note ), follow the higher partials, which are designated by the name of the interval, they form the strike note: Prime, third, fifth, octave, etc. In old bells remains this terminology receive, although some of the partials do not match they be designated interval. It may thus be deepened to fourth example, the fifth, or to vary the Prime to a whole tone from the strike note. Tolerance limits for these deviations of new bells are defined in the Limburg guidelines from 1951, an agreement between the Advisory Committee for the German bells beings and the Association of German bell-founder.

The typical bell deviations from the sounds of the so-called equal temperament are expressed in sixteenths of a semitone. Reference tone is a1 = 435 Hz

The sounds of Teiltongruppe undertone octave are referred to as principal, the overlying as Mixturtöne.

Not all partials of the bell contribute to the formation of Schlagtons, but only those which form their frequencies in about an overtone of integer multiples of a nonexistent fundamental. The strike note is created as a virtual, so just audibly detectable mood of these overtone series, consisting of the partial tones octave ( twice the frequency ), twelfth ( three times the frequency ), double octave ( four times the frequency ), and so on.

The frequency ratios of the harmonics need not be very accurate in order to form a clearly distinct strike note. If however, they are each other too much out of tune, as for example occurs in the hive and Sugar Loaf bells, no clear strike note is perceived.

For very small bells which otherwise schlagtonbildenden partials are in a frequency range for which the hearing is less sensitive, while the lowest partials are in a better area and are easier to hear. For small bells therefore a strike note is perceived, which is formed from undertone, prime and octave and is in the range of overtones, or about an octave lower than usual.

Besides percussive sounds are also Residualtöne, which are formed from other partial tones of the bell. The main one is the quart Nebenschlagton, which is about a fourth above the strike note, sometimes only about a major third. They comprise the eleventh partials ( dual frequency), double octave ( three times the frequency ), as well as other higher partials. This Nebenschlagton occurs especially with large and deep bells, because at such high partials that contribute to Residualtonbildung, are in a frequency range for which the hearing is particularly sensitive.

The impact Toner bill after JF Schouten is now considered obsolete, because it takes into account neither the Teiltonamplituden nor the physiology of the human ear. In a first approximation, but the strike note is almost always - except at very small bells - in the octave below the partial tone octave ( usually from Rayleigh ).