{"id":11112,"date":"2023-12-26T20:29:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T01:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/?p=11112"},"modified":"2025-03-20T13:36:25","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T17:36:25","slug":"record-and-process-bells","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/record-and-process-bells\/","title":{"rendered":"How to record and process bells"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Bells have been a part of musical and spiritual life for more than five thousand years.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Despite their rich history and beautiful sound, metallic bells are scarcely found in modern orchestrated and electronic music. This is somewhat surprising, as bells are capable of producing a broad range of appealing timbres that can be incorporated into music in a variety of ways. In this article, we\u2019ll be exploring the different ways bells can enhance a track, and the how you can record them in your home studio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Voice to verse\u2014anywhere. With the addition of Splice Mic, you can instantly test and record ideas, explore genres, and unlock new creative possibilities, all from <\/strong>the Splice mobile app.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The versatility of the bell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Bells and metallic percussion can vary greatly in size, shape, sound, and application. Larger bells like church bells produce deeper, more sonorous tones with a long decay, while smaller bells have a higher, \u201cting\u201d-ier quality. In orchestration, their utility is only limited to the composer\u2019s imagination. They can be used to carry melodies, provide hits and accents, or act as background elements to provide atmosphere and spaciousness. Given their extensive history in religious and spiritual ceremony, bells can also give a reverent and elevated tone to a piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sound of different types of bells<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Take a listen to the samples below for some examples of the different uses and sounds possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bells as melody:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download the sound here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bells as accompaniment and countermelody:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download the sound here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bells as hits and accents:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download the sound here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bells as ambience and atmosphere:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download the sound here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to their versatility, the other nice thing about bells is that they can be very accessible and affordable. This is a plus for any producers working out of a smaller studio with a limited budget. Cheaper bells can still have a very nice timbre and quality. Plus, they can be pitched down in the DAW to create the sound of a much lower and deeper bell with surprisingly good results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to record bells<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now, let\u2019s look at some of the best ways to record bells yourself. This article will focus on single mic setups in order to keep things simple and cater to producers who may not have access to extensive studios and gear. For these examples, we’ll be recording an antique Tibetan temple bell with a diameter of two inches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mic choice and placement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m a big fan of the ‘work with what you\u2019ve got’ approach to making music. The lack of fancy mics<\/a> and gear need not prohibit you from getting a good recording from your bells. Small diaphragm condensers<\/a> are the most popular choice for bells and other metallic instruments such as cymbals and vibraphones. This is because small diaphragm condensers tend to have a good transient response\u2014given the brightness of smaller bells and the sharpness of their transients, you can see how this would be a natural choice. However, large diaphragm condensers and dynamic microphones can also be used effectively if applied strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In regards to mic placement, close miking is good if you\u2019re looking to get a nice, clean sample. How close you want to be will depend on your microphone and the size and timbre of your bell. The potential danger of miking too close is that your transients can become too strong and punchy. If you\u2019re looking for a sound that\u2019s more open and atmospheric, that\u2019s where miking from a distance becomes the natural choice, as it’ll provide a natural reverb and spaciousness to the recording. That said, one concern with this is that if you\u2019re recording a quieter bell, far miking will increase your signal-to-noise ratio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can generally do well angling the mic parallel to the floor, towards the lower half of the bell\u2019s body. This is the configuration we’ll be using for most of the examples below. That said, angling the mic upwards towards the inside of the bell is also a good option if you\u2019re trying to highlight the lower frequencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a listen to examples of different mics and techniques below and see how they compare against each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a small diaphragm condenser microphone<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a small diaphragm condenser mic level with the floor, positioned two inches away:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a large diaphragm condenser microphone<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a large diaphragm condenser mic level with the floor, positioned two inches away:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using a dynamic microphone<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Here’s a dynamic mic level with the floor, positioned two inches away:<\/p>\n\n\n\n