Powder Coating Vs. Bare Aluminum

As most wind chime aficionados will tell you, there is nothing more pleasing than hearing a precisely tuned chime hanging in their lanai, but will also agree the look of a windchime is important too. With so many options available, choosing between a classic aluminum chime and a powder-coated one can be a tough decision to make. Popularity of the classic aluminum windchime because of its ease of care and durability is a no-brainer, but there are many options available for finishing aluminum, which is why it is such a popular construction material. What exactly is powder coating and why would you want to consider a windchime that has it? Powder coating allows color to be applied to finished surfaces without the use of liquid solutions like paint. This "solvent-less paint” is simply pigment encapsulated in a powdered resin. The colors bond to a surface of the metal tubing through the application of heat, giving a smooth finish that some say is superior to other metal, as it is highly resistant to chipping and rusting. This surfacing on items such as cars relies on powder coating to get a harder finish, smooth texture, and complete color adhesion.

The color of the powder coating determines the color of the wind chime. Music of the Spheres has chosen a black powder coat that is sure to compliment any decor. The powder-coated aluminum-alloy tubing will never rust, so it lends itself to areas that see a lot of variance in weather - making these optimal for use in humid coastal climates (such as here in Florida!), and always looks great. Better yet, they are low maintenance and highly durable. In spite of heat, rain and other inclement weather, these windchimes will continue to look, and more importantly sound the same as when you bought them for many years to come!

Windchime Tunings

Of everything we have discussed here, the most important part of a windchime is, of course, its sound! There is no right answer when it comes to what windchime is best for an individual – it all depends on what sounds pleasing to that particular person. Luckily for wind chime lovers, there are varieties of different tunings out there to cater to every taste. Out of all the comments we receive here, our most frequently asked question is in regards to the sounds of the tunings. Because of this, we’ve provided you with audio files on our web site that let you hear each tuning from both our metal wind chime manufacturers, Grace Notes and Music of the Spheres. We feel this is the best way to help you select your unique windchime sound.

When a chime’s tubing vibrates, it creates a note. As the striker hits each tubing; the tube’s entire length vibrates in one long wave. Factors that determine the makeup of these notes include the length, diameter, and metal of the tubing, as well as even the material that makes up the striker! Tunings are combined notes that have the same musical scale and range, and can be familiar tones to exotic melodies. Familiar tunings are typically in major scales and have close similarities to other tunings, such as Pentatonic, Chinese, Westminster, and Mongolian. The more exotic scales include Hawaiian, Japanese, and Gypsy (Gypsy typically has seven tubes as opposed to five or six). You can place wind chime ensembles in the same area that create a harmonized “voice” in the same scale in a different range, or you can combine tunings that are mixed in range and scales that will sound particularly melodic, such as Pentatonic and Hawaiian or Japanese and Gypsy. Grace Note's wind chimes are available in 9 sizes and 7 different tunings and Music of the Spheres offers five sizes and ten different musical scales. You are limited only by your imagination.

The Gift of Windchimes

Buying a windchime as a gift for that someone special or for yourself can be an overwhelming experience. There are so many construction choices (wood, metal, glass, bamboo, seashells, and stones) and such a wide variety of tunings and sounds (do you want chimes that sound like Westminster Abbey or something more exotic?), confusion can set in early on!

You might be surprised at the workmanship that this seemly simple instrument entails. In metal windchimes, there appears to be only a wood top piece with metal tubes of varying lengths underneath, a wind catcher and clapper that strikes the tubing to produce melodious sounds, however, it takes a tremendous amount of energy to produce the metal tubing, not to mention precision cutting is key in creating the correct tunings. Windchimes must also be able to withstand many years of pouring rain, the drying effects of the sun, and driving wind without corroding, decaying or breaking.

When looking at the construction of wind chimes, pay attention to the size and the material from which the wind chime is made. Most of our metal windchimes, such as Music of the Spheres and Grace Notes, are made of a high-grade aluminum with tempered alloy tubes, which are very popular because of their low maintenance and durability. Steel pipe creates a pleasant, bright ringing sound and copper is a softer metal that produces a more mellow sound than either steel or aluminum. The diameter of the tubing is what creates the frequency of the particular pipe you’re considering. Large diameter piping will produce lower tones, as can tubes with thicker sidewalls, while smaller diameters produce higher notes. A problem to be aware of when looking at windchimes that are longer than two or three feet is that the pipes can sometimes have overtones, especially in more cheaply made or softer metal pipes. Don’t let that stop you from buying though, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, the largest wind chime has its longest tube at 36 feet long which produces a low, sustained, bell-like sound!

Stress and blessing of a New Baby

I think that we can all agree that nothing can bring more happiness and more stress to a home than the addition of a new baby. Over this past weekend, we had some friends over who are expecting and the topic of the new nursery came up. We spoke of how windchimes, like our Goose Rock Designs glass windchimes, are becoming increasingly popular gifts for new parents to spruce up the nursery décor. These mobiles are handcrafted glass wind chimes and can bring sound and color into any décor, but they can be especially useful in the nursery because windchimes – both glass and metal - fascinate infants visually and stimulates their auditory system (not to mention the calming sounds of a classic metal windchime can calm a frazzled parents nerves!). Wind chimes make soft sounds that are pleasing to baby's ears and can help them drift off to sleep.

We’ve talked about Feng Shui previously and there is a growing segment of the new mom population that believes that strategically placed wind chimes can help calm babies, bring peace to the home, and promote learning. Placed in the western side of the home, the direction generally regarded as relating to children, windchimes are thought to promote health and well-being in children and bring creativity to all inhabitants of the home. Wind chimes are tuned to promote good energy and stimulate the imagination. The positive energy attracted by the windchime can help calm a baby and protect them from negativity. If you have older children, bringing more positive energy into the home can help ensure they grow up to be honorable individuals. Still trying? Placing a windchime in western-facing window is thought to help promote fertility. Windchimes are a perfect gift, especially for a new baby, for their aesthetic quality and their multi-sensory appeal!

High Quality Metal Winchimes

A lot of our friends and customers have remarked lately about the tone and resonance of our windchimes and how the chimes that they have been seeing at a lot of the garden centers and specialty shops just don’t compare. We couldn’t agree more! Once you hear (and in some cases, even feel!) the sounds of our hand-tuned windchimes, you’ll never bother with anything else. So what makes our windchimes so special? It’s all about the construction. Every metal windchime we carry is constructed with the finest materials and tuned more precisely than other wind chimes currently on the market. Our two metal construction windchimes are the top of the line companies of Music of the Spheres and Grace Notes.

Music of the Spheres handcrafted windchimes uses aluminum exclusively, and their windchimes have extra thick corrosion protected tempered alloy tubes that enhance the resonance. Aluminum is a popular wind chime material for construction because of it’s ease of care, durability, ease of tuning, and that it's tones stay true year after year. These chimes are available in a remarkable array of 11 different scales and 5 different pitch tones which are precision tuned to A440 (standard orchestra pitch). Music of the Spheres boasts high-density polyethylene or finished hardwood clappers that we have found can withstand sunlight, rain, and mildew for many years, the tubes are centrally suspended and their ends are finely polished to reduce wear on the synthetic cord.

Grace Notes windchimes uses thick-tempered tempered aluminum tubes with a soft brushed finish to produce the clearest tones, a unique pinned suspension device that places the pins inside the harmonically tuned tubes to eliminate string interference and produce clearer resonances, and recycled composite lumber strikers that require no maintenance makes the contact sound softer. Grace Note wind chimes come in 9 different sizes with 7 different tunings to suit all tastes. Each classic, handcrafted windchime is tuned in the key of C, with the corresponding notes and chords engraved on one side of each aluminum wind catcher!

These are absolutely the finest wind chimes available and they have the largest selection of tunings. The quality and attention to details is what sets these windchimes apart from the rest. Don’t forget to buy with pride! All of our chimes are made in the USA.

Feng Shui

Something that we touched on in an earlier blog, is the balancing, harmonizing effect that Feng Shui can create in your home, but what exactly is it and how can you benefit from this ancient philosophy? Feng Shui literally translates as Wind (Feng) and Water (Shui). Chinese scholars many years ago discovered how wind and water affect our environment and well-being and how specific placement of objects can help focus the energy flow or “chi”. Sound is considered a powerful cure in Feng Shui. Wind chimes are popular with Feng Shui followers because they are harbingers of good luck. Not only can windchimes be decorative and relaxing to listen to, wind chimes historically have been used in conjunction with Feng Shui to clear negative energy out of the home and invite positive energy into it. Many Asian cultures believe windchimes can even loosen pent up energy buried under clutter! How exciting is that? Properly hung, believers think that windchimes can attract money and friends, as well as promoting health and harmony for your family. With that in mind, we’re providing some tips for inviting good spirits and positive energy into your home.

Try this: For good luck, hang hand-tuned wind chimes with six or eight round rods. If you have family troubles and need to break up bad chi, windchimes with five round rods are what you’re looking for. Do you have a long entranceway in your home? Try hanging a windchime by your front door. The sounds created by the windchime can slow down positive energy and keep it from dispersing too quickly. As a side benefit, it is also useful to alert you of anyone coming in that entranceway. Place a small wind chime in a corner to stir up and release chi in that area. North sides of homes are associated with oppressive chi; adding a windchime can make the atmosphere feel lighter.

The most important aspect of windchimes and Feng Shui is to ensure that the sound produced is pleasing and relaxing to the listener, whether that be from metal, powder-coat, glass or wood. Make sure the size of your windchimes is appropriate to the space it will be used in. Use large windchimes outside or in large living spaces, and smaller ones indoors, but keep in mind an important Feng Shui guideline, never place your windchime directly over any sitting, eating or working space.

Feng Shui is all about energy. Why not use it to create positive energy in your life? Feng Shui, while relatively new in western cultures, has a positive track record of over 5000 years. Can you really use Feng Shui? Absolutely!

Grace In Motion

We've had a lot of rain lately, but this morning the sun was shining. We saw the sun glistening on the Grace Note Wind Chime hanging on the Lanai. These classic wind chimes are handcrafted from thick-tempered aluminum tubing, with a soft brushed finish, so they look great hanging there. Oh, but when the breezes come, and you hear the chimes, well, it's Grace In Motion.

What we like most about the Grace Note Wind Chimes is the sound. These precision-tuned wind chimes have earned the reputation of being the most musical wind chimes on the market. Designed for ultimate clarity of tone and resonance, Grace Note's Classic tuned wind chimes feature a unique pinned suspension device combined with superior materials and craftsmanship. These wind chimes are available in nine sizes, from petite all the way up to deluxe chimes, which are a full 7 feet tall! Grace Note manufactures them with seven different tunings (songs). What I also like is where they are made, in California, USA. We love those homegrown products.

Grace Notes wind chimes has an interesting history. The designer of these chimes was a musician, Jeff Kile. In 1982 he was living in a rural Louisiana tree house, yes, TREE HOUSE, and playing music on the street for change! Jeff's love for music combined with his natural surroundings sparked an idea for creating the ultimate wind chime. This innovative design resulted in longer and clearer resonance. The original Grace Note wind chimes were tuned by ear to notes that Jeff played on his guitar. Encouraged by the sound quality of his wind chimes, Jeff returned to his home state of California and turned to his brother, Mark, for support. With Mark's $300.00 tax return check as a business start up, the partnership was born. They named the company Grace Note Chimes. In music, the term "grace note" refers to an unwritten musical note that falls between two existing notes, as in a bent note. A grace note is a musical adornment. It seemed a fitting name for such harmonic wind chimes.

We enjoy our chimes so much that we know Grace Notes wind chimes would make a great gift for any music lover. These chimes can be delivered gift wrapped with a personalized engraving! Sounds like a great wedding gift to me!