Geometrical effects on the tuning of Chinese and Korean stone chimes

The vibrational mode frequencies and mode shapes of ancient stone chimes are analyzed and their dependence on stone shapes are discussed. Mode shapes and frequencies of several chime models are determined by using finite element methods, and these show good agreement with mode shapes and frequencies observed in Korean pyeongyeong chime stones using holographic interferometry and experimental modal testing. The dependence of mode shapes and frequencies on vertex angle and base curvature suggests that the geometries used in late Chinese bianqing and Korean pyeongyeong may have been selected to give the best sound.