These individual chime bars are an adaptation of metalophones. Metalophones are similar in appearance to xylophones but have metal bars instead of wood.

Metalophones have been played in Asia for over 1000 years. They have influenced the making of modern western instruments.

Play Sound

Play Song - Vibraphone

The Asian metalophones are usually made of a number of tuned bronze bars suspended over a resonator box as in the Saron used in Indonesian Gamalan. These boxes are usually decorated with carvings. The gamalan orchestras of Indonesia are a prime example of where these traditional instruments are still used. Individual resonators can be made for each bar as in the Gender. This is the prime difference between the saron and gender from these orchestras. The method of playing is that of hitting with a beater and stopping vibration with the other hand. This is done because of the long sustain of the notes.

The advantage of individual chime bars is their use in education. Different notes can be played by a number of individual children to enhance a song. The length of sustains adding a different quality than the wooden xylophone.

The chime bars pictured in the poster have individual wooden resonator boxes over which is suspended an aluminum bar. This allows the instrument to be hand held by the box or placed on the ground.