Distribution of chimes in North America

The six grids on this page display graphically the distribution of chimes in North America according to the weight/pitch of either the heaviest or the lightest bell and the number of bells in each instrument. The first pair of grids is for baton-keyboard chimes, while the second pair of grids is for all other chimes (excluding zvons and rings); both of these pairs were prepared in 2007. The third pair of grids is for all chimes (excluding rings), and was prepared from current data. All grids are laid out as follows:

Each column (except the last two to four) represents the weight/pitch of either the bass bell or the treble bell; a code number for each pitch is in the label row across the tops of the columns. A more detailed explanation of pitch/weight codes can be found here.
If there is a column headed "99", it represents an unknown pitch.
If there is a column headed "HI", it represents all higher pitches which could not be accomodated within the maximum width of the grid.
The column headed "TOT" gives a count of the number of instruments on each row, i.e., of a given size.
Each row represents all instruments having a particular number of bells; that number is found in the rightmost column, under the heading "NR".
To aid visual alignment, there are horizontal and vertical lines of dots, generally spaced one octave apart.
At the intersection of each column and row, there is a number representing how many instruments have that particular combination of bass/treble pitch and number of bells. If that number is zero, it is blanked out unless it lies between two non-zero numbers in the same row.
Immediately after each grid, there is a line which gives the average number of bells for all the instruments plotted, as well as the average weight/pitch; the location of this average is plotted on the grid as a plus sign (+). Also shown are the minimum (min) and maximum (max) pitch codes, which sometimes lie outside the visible grid.

Chimes with baton keyboards (as of 9-May-07)

Plot of site counts:  Bourdon Weight Code (across) versus Number of Bells (up)
C0                                 C1                                  C2                                  C3             F3
1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 TOT NR
 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  0 23
 .                                   .       1                           .                                   .                 1 20
 .                                   . 1                                 .                                   .                 1 19
 .                                   .    1  0  0  0  0  0  2            .                                   .                 3 18
 .                                   .                                   .                                   .                 0 17
 .                                   .    1                              .                                   .                 1 16
 .                               1  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1.                                   .                 2 15
 .                                  1. 0  0  0  3  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1         .                 6 14
 .                                   .              +                    .                                   .                 0 13
 .                                  1. 0  0  1  0  2                     .                                   .                 4 12
 .                                   .    1  0  1  1  1  0  1            .                                   .                 5 11
 .                                   .                                   .                                   .                 0 10
 .                                   .                                   .                                   .                 0  9
 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 1. 0. 0. 1. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1. 0. 1.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  4  8
 + Average chime: 13 bells, bourdon code 18 (min 12, max 34), based on 27 instruments with 0 unknowns

Plot of site counts:  Treble Weight Code (across) versus Number of Bells (up)
C1                                 C2                                  C3                                  C4             ??
L 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 99 TOT NR
 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     0 23
 .                                   .                                  1.                                   .                 1 20
 .                                   .                                   .                                   .             1   1 19
 .                                   .                   1  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  2                           .                 3 18
 .                                   .                                   .                                   .                 0 17
 .                                   .                      1            .                                   .                 1 16
 .                                   .       1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  1                  .                 2 15
 .                                   .          1  0  0  0  0  0  3  1  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1.                 6 14
 .                                   .                          +        .                                   .                 0 13
 .                                   .          1  0  1  0  1  1         .                                   .                 4 12
 .                                   .             2  0  0  1            .                                   .             2   5 11
 .                                   .                                   .                                   .                 0 10
 .                                   .                                   .                                   .                 0  9
 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 1. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1. 0. 1.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 1   4  8
 + Average chime: 13 bells, treble code 34 (min 27, max 49), based on 27 instruments with 4 unknowns

NOTE: For each pair of plots on this page, the two plots can be expected to have the following similarities and differences:

Similarities:
1. The number of rows should be identical, and they should be identically numbered.
2. The TOT counts on matching rows should be identical.
3. The general "shape" of the plotted data should be roughly similar.
Differences:
1. The range of column headings will start and end at a much higher point for the trebles--at least 12 higher, and probably more.
2. The counts of unknown trebles (column 99) will sometimes be higher than the counts of unknown basses, because of an unknown number of semitones added (to a diatonic sequence) or missing (from a chromatic sequence) above a known bass note.
3. On a given row, the distributions of known trebles and known basses will probably differ because of variations in the number of added/missing semitones.

Chimes without baton keyboards (as of 9-May-07)

Zvons and rings are excluded.

 
Plot of site counts:  Bourdon Weight Code (across) versus Number of Bells (up)
                       C1                                  C2                                  C3                   G3    ??
5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 99 TOT NR
 .                       .                                   .                                   .                         2   2 99
 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     0 23
 .                       .                                   .                                   .                         1   1 22
 .             1  0  0  0. 1  0  1                           .                                   .                             3 21
 .                      2. 0  1  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  1.                         2   9 20
 .                1  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  1. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1.                         2   6 19
 .                      1. 0  1  2  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  1. 0  0  0  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  1  1.                         5  15 18
 .                      1. 0  1  0  0  0  0  2  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0. 0  0  0  0  1           2   8 17
 .                      1. 2  5  1  0  3  0  1  0  0  0  0  2. 0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1.                         6  23 16
 .             2  1  1  3. 2  3  2  2  1  0  1  0  1  1  0  2. 0  0  0  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  1.                        10  35 15
 .                      4. 1  3  8  6  3  1  5  1  4  2  1  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  3.                        16  58 14
 .                1  0  2. 2 10  2  5  2  0  0  0  1         .                                   .                         1  26 13
 .                      8. 3 11  9  3 12+ 1  1  0  3  1  0  0. 0  1  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  1. 0  0  0  0  1           8  65 12
 .                   1  3. 2 32 24 31 22  3  3  0  1  0  1  1. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1         .                        13 138 11
 .                      3. 4 24 42 25 53 18  5  0  2  4  0  3. 1                                 .                        11 195 10
 .       1  0  0  0  0  1. 0  1  4 16 22  3  2  1  1  1  0  1. 0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  1             11  67  9
 .  .  .  .  . 1. 0. 0. 3. 0. 2. 1. 2. 5. 1. 1. 3. 1. 0. 0. 1. 1. 0. 1.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 7  30  8
 + Average chime: 12 bells, bourdon code 18 = F1 (min 8 = G0, max 42 = F3), based on 681 instruments with 98 unknowns

Plot of site counts:  Treble Weight Code (across) versus Number of Bells (up)
           C2                                  C3                                  C4                         A5       ??
L 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 HI 99 TOT NR
 .           .                                   .                                   .                                     2   2 99
 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     0 23
 .           .                                   .                                   .                                     1   1 22
 .       1  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  1   .                                   .                                         3 21
 .           .                   2  0  1  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  2                                4   9 20
 .           .                         1  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1            .                                     4   6 19
 .           .                      1  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  1  0  1                         12  15 18
 .           .                      1  0  0  0  0. 1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  5   8 17
 .           .             1  1  3  1  0  0  1  0. 1  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1       13  23 16
 .           .       2  1  1  2  0  1  1  0  1  1. 0  0  0  1  1                     .                                    23  35 15
 .           .          2  0  1  1  3  3  2  1  0. 1  0  2  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  1                   40  58 14
 .           .          1  1  1  2  1  1         .                                   .                                    19  26 13
 .           . 1  0  5  1  5  4+ 4  5  1  1  0  0. 0  0  0  0  1  1                  .                                    36  65 12
 .           . 3  2 17  7 14  9  4  1  1  1      .                                   .                                    79 138 11
 .           . 4  1  8 19  6 17  4  0  0  0  1  1.                                   .                                   134 195 10
1. 0  0  0  0. 0  1  8 12  1  0  0  0  1  0  0  0. 1                                 .                                    42  67  9
1. 0. 0. 2. 0. 2. 0. 1. 4. 0. 1. 0. 0. 0. 0. 1. 0. 0. 1.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .17  30  8
 + Average chime: 12 bells, treble code 31 = F#2 (min 21 = G#1, max 62 = C#5), based on 681 instruments with 431 unknowns

All chimes (except rings), from current data

 
Plot of site counts:  Bourdon Weight Code (across) versus Number of Bells (up)
                       C1                                  C2                                  C3                   G3    ??
5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 99 TOT NR
 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     0 23
 .                       .                                   .                                   .                         1   1 22
 .             1  0  0  0. 1  0  1                           .                                   .                         1   4 21
 .                      2. 0  1  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  1.                         2  10 20
 .                1  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  1  1  0  0  0  1. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1.                         3   8 19
 .       1  0  0  0  0  0. 0  2  2  0  1  0  2  0  0  0  0  1. 0  0  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  1  1.                         6  18 18
 .       1  0  0  0  0  1. 1  0  0  0  0  1  2  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0. 0  0  0  0  1           2  10 17
 .                      1. 2  5  0  0  4  0  1  0  0  0  0  2. 0  0  0  1  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  1.                         5  23 16
 .             2  1  2  3. 3  2  2  3  3  0  1  1  1  1  0  2. 0  0  0  1  1  0  1  0  0  0  0  1.                        10  41 15
 .                      4. 1  4  9  9  5  1  6  1  4  2  1  1. 0  0  1  0  0  0  1  0  1  0  0  3. 0  0  0  0  1          19  74 14
 .                1  0  2. 3 11  2  5  2                     .                                   .                         1  27 13
 .                      6. 4 10 10  3 16+ 1  1  0  3  1  0  0. 0  1  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  1. 0  0  0  0  1           8  67 12
 .                   1  3. 2 27 19 29 19  4  3  2  1  0  1  2. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1         .                         4 118 11
 .                      3. 3 21 39 27 42 16  5  0  2  4  0  4. 1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1.                         9 177 10
 .       1  0  0  0  0  1. 0  2  5 14 23  2  2  3  1  1  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  1              3  59  9
 .  .  .  .  . 2. 0. 1. 4. 0. 2. 2. 2. 4. 1. 1. 3. 4. 0. 1. 1. 1. 0. 1.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 7  37  8
 + Average chime: 12 bells, bourdon code 18 = F1 (min 8 = G0, max 42 = F3), based on 674 instruments with 81 unknowns

Plot of site counts:  Treble Weight Code (across) versus Number of Bells (up)
           C2                                  C3                                  C4                         A5       ??
L 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 HI 99 TOT NR
 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     0 23
 .           .                                   .                                   .                                     1   1 22
 .       1  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  1   .                                   .                                     1   4 21
 .           .                   2  0  1  0  0  1. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  2                                4  10 20
 .           .                         1  0  0  0. 0  0  0  1  0  0  0  1            .                                     5   8 19
 .           .                   1  1  0  0  0  0. 1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  1                         14  18 18
 .           .                      1  1  0  0  1. 1  1  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  4  10 17
 .           .             1  0  3  3  0  0  1  0. 1  0  0  0  0  0  0  1  0  1  1  0. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  1       10  23 16
 .           .       3  1  2  2  1  1  1  1  2  2. 1  0  0  1  0  1                  .                                    22  41 15
 .           .          2  0  2  1  4  4  5  3  0. 2  0  2  1  0  1  0  0  1  0  0  1. 1  0  0  0  0  1                   43  74 14
 .           .          2  2  4  2  1  1         .                                   .                                    15  27 13
 .           . 1  0  3  3  5  5  5+ 9  3  1  0  1. 0  0  0  0  1                     .                                    30  67 12
 .           . 3  2 19  7 15 13  4  1  2  1  0  0. 1  0  1                           .                                    49 118 11
 .           . 2  0 13 26 13 22  6  0  0  1  2  1. 0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0. 1                                  90 177 10
1. 0  0  0  0. 1  3  8 14  2  1  0  0  1         .                                   .                                    28  59  9
1. 0. 0. 2. 0. 2. 1. 1. 3. 1. 1. 1. 3. 0. 1. 1. 0. 0. 1.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .18  37  8
 + Average chime: 12 bells, treble code 32 = G2 (min 21 = G#1, max 62 = C#5), based on 674 instruments with 334 unknowns

Return to Summaries for North America or Summaries for the world.

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This summary page was built from the database on 18-Jan-04 and last revised 9-Feb-23.

Please send comments or questions about this page to csz_stl@swbell.net.