When I was in high school I had the pleasure of being at some band competition somewhere (it’s irrelevant), and I saw four young dudes whackin’ out some of the coolest keyboard bells music I’ve ever heard, thanks to their strong sense of harmonization and innovative timing.
Some songs have bells in them that envision the twinkling cold atop a freshly laid blanket of snow. It’s a very warm feeling, and I’d like to hear any recommendations you Dopers may have.
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy has it, the song “There Is a Number of Small Things” by Múm has a pretty little bit of it. Mogwai’s“tracy” is a lovely song that has the effect.
Assuming someone will know what I’m talking about…any suggestions? Classical music preferred.
Oh, I just saw that you said you prefer classical; 1812 Overture?
The instrument used in Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy is a keyboard instrument called Celeste. Bartok wrote Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta, but it’s been a long time since I’ve heard it, so I don’t even remember what the piece is like.
If you rent The Madness of King George, there is a nice scene in which the royal court is entertained by some bell-using muscians. I forget the tune; it might have been Greensleeves.
Van Morrison’s cover of Bob Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” has an excellent keyboard & bells line, which was so good that Beck stole-slash-sampled it for his song “Jack-Ass”.
There are no actual bells, but at the end of Kate Bush’s “The Ninth Wave,” the song cycle on Hounds of Love, Kate beautifully evokes the sound bells simply by singing.
What are keyboard bells? Do you mean something like a carillon? Or simply sampled bells played on a synth?
FWIW, my faves include: Carol of the Bells (Track 4 for the general idea) Futurama theme
Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells, aka the music from The Exorcist