Impact SoundWorks Handbells

A particularly gorgeous set of vintage Schulmerich handbells with a full three-octave range, plus nearly two octaves of handchimes.

Rather than a stereotypical booming hall or church, these were recorded in an intimate studio space so you can add as much or as little reverb as you like.

The resulting sound is warm, articulate, and crystal-clear, with astonishing versatility.

About the Library

Artisans at the Philadelphia-based Schulmerich company have been building handbells for nearly 200 years.

The particular set that we sampled for this library is decades old, with tremendous character and beauty; we took great care to capture their distinctive fullness and warmth.

We also wanted to make sure that our virtual version was incredibly easy to use and customize to your taste without sacrificing the sound of the original bells.

With just a few clicks, you can manipulate the tone however you want: from a bright, soft shimmer to a more dynamic, percussive performance. Furthermore, a built-in toggle allows you to choose between two types of damping.

When you think of handbells, you likely imagine them ringing out in a grand church hall. Indeed, you could use Handbells straightforwardly, adding your favorite majestic reverb to a beautiful set of soft bells to evoke magic and wonder in your tracks.

You may notice that even when playing rapid passages, the bells sing out with crystal clarity.

But beyond the obvious, there is so much more you can do with them, thanks to the quality of these intimate recordings: synthy 80s vibey soundtracks, contemplative spacey soundscapes, unique aural textures, and endless other possible directions.

Handchimes are a traditional partner to handbells, with a tone reminiscent of a music box but more resonant. They sound absolutely lovely alone or played along with the handbells.

Features

• Two mic positions in a studio space
• 3 octaves of handbells (C4-C7) and 2 octaves of chimes (G#4-F#6)
• 2 damping styles - shoulder damping (immediate stop) & thumb damping (more gradual stop)
• Nearly 5000 samples
• Up to 10 round robins per key and articulation
• All key handbell playing techniques - Sustain, Martele (similar to a marimba tone), Martele Lift (more resonant), Mallet, Mallet Muted, Pluck
• Easy-to-use tonal shaping and tweaks
• Extra performance controls
• Easily create custom mappings
• CONSOLE FX rack and mixer