Wind Chimes Selection GuideThere's nothing like the harmonic calm induced by a high quality wind chime. They often stir up memories of childhood, family gatherings, and beautiful, breezy days of the past. These wonderful little chaotic instruments are a staple of the American backyard, but have their roots in the ancient far east. As far back as the second century, wind chimes were being hung on Japanese pagodas with the intent of scaring away evil spirits and birds. They are considered to be good luck charms, and are used often in Feng Shui.
Most wind chimes create an inharmonious sound, although higher quality wind chimes can be constructed to bring out loud pristine harmonic tones. Usually these high quality wind chimes are hung at roughly 1/5th of their length, and the center ball strikes the chimes in their dead center. Construction materials will vary, and directly affect the overall sound of the wind chime. They could be made of metal, wood, glass, bamboo, shell, stone, and even porcelain. Each will produce its own unique sound, and the various combinations of hanging method, materials, center ball, and chime thickness leads to a near snowflake effect, where no two wind chimes will sound exactly the same.
Tips after purchasing your wind chime:-
Don't lengthen the top string or chain of the chime.
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Avoid hanging wind chimes near walls, plants, screens, or anything else that might obstruct a soft breeze.
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Move the wind chime around with the seasons, as prevailing wind directions change.
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The more tubes a chime has, the more notes it is capable of producing.
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Most wind chimes are designed to work best in 8-10mph winds
Metal wind chimes will be the most durable, and will produce the best tones. They're weather resistant and won't rust, and can even be tuned to produce specific melodies. The longer the metal chime, the deeper the tone. Shorter metal wind chimes will produce higher pitched tones. Hard metals like steel and aluminum will produce sharp tones, whereas softer metals like copper will produce softer, mellow tones.
Ceramic or glass wind chimes will be the most aesthetically pleasing, but better suited for indoor or decorative use. Bamboo wind chimes aren't as durable, but will produce very soothing, deep, resonant tones reminiscent of rain or rolling thunder.
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