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By Stephen Betzen
Wind chimes have been around since prehistoric times, when strings of shells were strung from trees near dwellings. They were a crude form of home decorating that may very well have been man’s earliest attempt at beautifying his environment.
As we enter the spring season many people will be enhancing their environment with the addition of wind chimes. Yet many people are unfamiliar with versatile uses, interesting history, or symbolic significance that has made wind chimes such a popular and treasured addition to yard and home décor.
How much do you know about wind chimes? Test your chime savvy by taking the true or false test below.
(Answers provided below)
1. Although humans may like the sound made by wind chimes, birds for the most part are scared away.
2. In China, wind chimes are reserved for sacred temple purposes.
3. According to early folklore legends, a wind chime hung over the doorway to a home brought good luck to the first person of the day to pass under them.
4. Wind chimes purported to be “precision tuned,” are in fact, just regular chimes with tubular pipes instead of irregular shapes.
5. Both the diameter and the length of the pipe affect the tone of a wind chime.
6. The type metal that sounds best when the striker hits the pipe is copper.
7. Certain tones produced by a wind chime are believed to have a healing effect.
8. Wind chimes can usually be purchased in a department store for less money than anywhere else.
9. One of the reasons why wind chimes make perfect gifts for Mother’s Day and terrific anniversary gifts is because of their symbolic meaning.
10. Although a popular enhancement for garden yard décor, the use of chimes is prohibited in the Bible.
11. The secret to producing the sweetest sound possible has to do with the point of contact between striker and pipe.
12. The “Feng Shui” is the chromatic scale used to enhance the rich tones made by precision tuned pipes.
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Answers:
1. False: Birds and many other forms of wildlife enjoy listening to the soothing tones made by tuned chimes.
2. False: Many people in the Orient use wind chimes as part of their unique home décor, whether strictly for feng shui purposes or simply decorative art.
3. False: They were hung over the door way to keep out wicked spirits, and to ward off evil omens.
4. False: Precision tuned chimes are exactly what they say. Offering a soothing, relaxing medley of notes instead of the sometimes irritating bang and clang of ordinary kinds of chimes.
5. True: Smaller diameter pipes produce a higher tone than pipes longer and/or larger in diameter.
6. False: High grade aluminum produces a better sound in wind chimes; some aluminum pipes are treated to look like copper. But this is for decorative purposes only.
7. True: Some tones do have a healing effect; calming our minds, relieving stress, awakening our spirits, and improving our concentration level.
8. False: Many times you can purchase wind chimes online, where ease of shopping and selection is better. Some of the best buys for quality, precision tuned chimes can also be found online.
9. True: They are symbolic of harmony and peace.
10. False: The Bible does not address the matter, and there is no reason to avoid their use. Chimes are a lovely enhancement of nature, and their “song” a celebration of the creation that surrounds us.
11. True: The “anti-nodes,” or points of contact that vibrate the most to produce the sweetest sounds, are located in the middle and at both ends of the pipe.
12. False: Chime pipes sound best (in my opinion) when tuned to the pentatonic scale, the same scale used to tune a piano’s black keys. Feng shui has to do with harmony and balance.
Tuned Wind Chimes Stephen Betzen is a loving husband/supporter/and friend to his wife Rachel Betzen. Rachel and Stephen are dedicated to socially and ethically responsible business practices. Lovers of gardening and simple living. They own and operate an online wind chimes store.
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