Strike tone

However, an analysis of the bell's frequency spectrum reveals that the fundamental only exists weakly and its dominance is a human perception of a note built up by the complex series of harmonics that are generated.

[1] The correct and accurate harmonic tuning is therefore important in creating a good strike tone.

Finally, as the sound of the bell ebbs, the slowly decaying hum tone (an octave below the prime, see subharmonic) lingers on.

The low sound heard after the strike note has lost its intensity is called the hum.

"[10] "The strike note is of great interest to psychoacousticians, because it is a subjective tone created by three strong nearly harmonic partials in the bell sound.

The ear assumes these to be partials of a missing fundamental, which it hears as the strike note.

The main partials sounded by the Erfurt bell (1497) [ 2 ] or any harmonically-tuned bell in musical notation. [ a ] The strike note/prime is E, with hum note, minor third, fifth, octave or nominal, and major third and perfect fifth in the second octave.
Spectrum of a Winchester Cathedral bell as analyzed by Jonathan Harvey using FFT . [ 12 ] "The bell produces a secondary pitch (f') which lies outside that 'inharmonic series though it is clearly audible when the bell is struck, 'to curiously thrilling and disturbing effect.'" [ 13 ] Play approximation ⓘ The strike tone is middle C , the hum tone an octave below.