# Notation question



## elizachris

Hi. I am a composer. I did some online research but found no answer to this: how do I notate for small and large chimes? 
Regular or slash note head?
Play as written or octave below/above? (I'm assuming they're not transposing)
Up and down gliss on small chimes?

Thank you!


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## Bagnew

By small chimes do you mean Glockenspiel? If so, write with regular noteheads on a treble staff, but it sounds two octaves higher. For a glissando, just write as you would on piano - notate the bottom and top notes, with a glissando line between them.

Large chimes (Tubular Bells?) are also notated with regular noteheads on a treble staff, but what you hear is the fundamental tone of the note and the overtone that is one octave higher. It is this higher tone that is prevalent, and you should notate therefore an octave lower than you wish it to sound - write between the F below the staff to the F on the top line

If you mean windchimes/mark tree, just use a regular notehead with a glissando line showing the general shape of the glissando that you want.


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## NightHawk

Book Description
ISBN-10: 0130771619 | ISBN-13: 978-0130771612 | Publication Date: May 3, 2002 | Edition: 6
Designed primarily as a text for beginning orchestration courses, but includes material for advanced study and may serve as a reference. As in the earlier editions, the emphasis is on the practical fundamentals of orchestration. The Sixth Edition has been expanded and revised to reflect new developments in instruments and orchestral practice, and a new listening compact disc has been added that contains selected examples of orchestration.



elizachris said:


> Hi. I am a composer. I did some online research but found no answer to this: how do I notate for small and large chimes?
> Regular or slash note head?
> Play as written or octave below/above? (I'm assuming they're not transposing)
> Up and down gliss on small chimes?
> 
> Thank you!


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## emiellucifuge

Bagnew's got it right.
Who are you and why have I never seen you before?


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## Bagnew

I'll just go make an introduction post then! You'll never have seen me before because I signed up to answer this question!


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## stephcp

The chimes notation description is not great, but this website is still a great resource, especially for composers:

http://www.vsl.co.at/en/70/149/150/46.vsl


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