MODAL-ANALYSIS OF A KOREAN BELL

The vibrational modes of a small Korean bell have been studied, by using holographic interferometry and modal analysis with impact excitation. The asymmetry due to the dang jwa and the ornamentation gives rise to mode doublets and a slow beating, which is carefully controlled and considered to be an important characteristic of Korean bell sound. Mode doublet splittings range from 1 % to 9 %. The fundamental (2,0) mode, which decays much more slowly than the higher modes of vibration, determines the pitch of the bell.