Bell tree

A bell tree is a special musical instrument that is part of the percussion family. It is made from several metal bowls placed upside down on a rod. The bowls are arranged by pitch, and there are usually between 14 and 28 of them.

When a musician slides a beater, such as a triangle beater, a glockenspiel mallet, or a xylophone mallet, down the rod, it makes a smooth, shimmering sound called a glissando.

The bell tree is often used in music to add a bright, sparkling effect at the beginning or end of a piece. This makes the music more interesting. Because the bowls are not in an exact musical scale, the sound can sound full and rich when played together.

Many famous musicians and bands have used the bell tree in their music. For example, Chick Corea and his group Return To Forever used it on the album Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy. The group Santana has also used it. The rock band America even named a song “Bell Tree” after this instrument, which is on their 1975 album Hearts.

Other musicians like Neil Peart from the band Rush have used the bell tree in songs such as "The Trees" from the album Hemispheres released in 1978. You can hear the bell tree in the music video for that song as well as on the live album Exit... Stage Left.