The Influence of Additional Mass Elements on the Acoustic Spectrum of the Bell

Abstract

The paper presents a proposal to introduce additional mass elements in order to change the resonance frequencies of the bell. This innovative approach is intended to eliminate the need of fine tuning this type of instruments in a traditional method, i.e., through mechanical working, but only by adding appropriately selected elements of specific weight, quantity, and location. Another advantage of this method is that it does not interfere with the external appearance of the bell, because the components are assembled inside the object. The parameters of the added elements can be selected using heuristic algorithms that allow for precise removal and shifting of sound components. Preliminary results of numerical and experimental studies indicate that the presented approach should find practical application. It can be developed by replacing mass elements with mechanical resonators or elements made of metamaterials.