Bianzhong: Lingering Bells

Drag, strike with force, or play a phrase on the keyboard

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How to play

Drag across a few bells for a glissando. Striking dead-center rings the "center tone" (正鼓音, zhènggǔyīn); off to the side rings the "edge tone" (侧鼓音, cègǔyīn) — a minor third apart, and strike speed sets loudness.

Keys Q W E R T Y U I O P A S D F G H J play each bell low to high. Pick a tune, then "Play" to hear its intro once, or "Follow Along" to have a ring mark the next bell to strike — the letter shown is the key to press.

About this instrument

A bianzhong (编钟) is a set of tuned bronze bells, one of China's oldest instruments — historical sets span dozens of bells across several tiers. This one plays fifteen bells tuned to a seven-tone scale rooted on D.

The smaller row above is a niuzhong (钮钟) tier, styled after a real set's upper register — it's there for the look of a fuller set, not to play; it doesn't sound.

Bell sound sourced from Wuhan Conservatory of Music's Zeng Hou Yi-replica bianzhong sample library (recorded by Nie Kaiwen, non-commercial use); some pitches are semitone-shifted from nearby recordings.