Bell
Woodwind instruments
The bell , also called bell and bell , is the name given to the end of the tube of a woodwind instrument . It is mostly cylindrical (as in the modern transverse flute ) or conical (in the oboe or clarinet ). The bell has a significant influence on the timbre of an instrument. The oboe with its conical bell sounds open and bright, the oboe d'amore with its pear-shaped love foot more muted and more nasal. A very wide, conical bell is primarily used for sound shaping on some instruments ( shawm , zurna ), while on other instruments it is primarily used for decorative purposes (drone on the market bag pipe ).
Brass instruments
On brass instruments , the bell (bell) corresponds to the last end of the bell that widens in a strongly funnel shape. The opening angle of the bell has an influence on the overtone content of the sound in the respective instrument. Basically it can be said:
- The larger the opening angle, the more "radiant" the sound (for example with the trumpet ).
- The smaller the opening angle, the "softer" the sound (for example with the flugelhorn ).
The length of the actual bell depends on the manufacturing process. In the case of larger instruments, subsequent parts are often referred to as bumpers or stirrups or are designed directly as tuning slides .
The length of the bell also has a fundamental influence on the exact interval within the natural tone series , depending on its length as a percentage in the entire instrument:
- With a normal Bb trumpet this is about 50% (60 cm).
- With a B-flat trombone this is about 20% (50 cm).
- With a Bb tuba this is about 13% (70 cm).
The bell on the French horn is sometimes made unscrewable . This makes it easier to transport, as the instrument can be packed more compactly. Especially with horns, the bell is also called falls .
