Bell Sound Effects

In the Avosound Online Sound Archive you will find a great selection of bell sounds and ringing bells and bell sound effects. The choices include bicycle bells, door bells, cow bell sound effects and sleigh bells, tubular bells, bell plates, and, of course, church bells.

Bell sounds are an everyday sound around the world -- and we often don't even notice them anymore because they are so commonplace (unless you live next door to a church, that is).

But bells are not only found in churches, they traditionally have also been serving other purposes (e.g. signalling and alarms). Maybe bells have been popular throughout the centuries because they are incredibly practical and yet so simple to use.

Bell Sounds - A History

According to archeological discoveries in China, bells date back roughly 3,000 BCE. These ancient bells were made from ceramics and pre-date the cast bells and the ones made of brass. It is said that even the Egyptians used to make metal bells and hang them from ropes in the towers. The sound of these bell plates could be heard many miles away, which made them ideal as alarm signals.

Bells Sounds - Made In China

The high quality of the metal bells hints at considerable metallurgical know-how in the 15th century BCE during the Chinese bronze age. Even back then, bells were cast with a very specific pitch in mind. In China they were used for ceremonial purposes, rituals and ceremonies of state. These bells also found use in temples and shrines outside of China, where they can still be found in great abundance.

Bells in the Temple

Bell sounds find frequent use in buddhist temples. Buddhist temples and monasteries often feature quite a number of standing or hanging brass and metal bells of considerable size that are struck with a wooden bar. Depending on the size of the location, you can find lots of smaller bells or sleigh bells ringing in the wind in stupas or at the top of temples.

Even today these bell sounds and noises can be heard in Myanmar's monasteries.

Bell Sounds - Metal Bells

In the western world, bell sound have traditionally had a strong symbolic connection to the church. To make their sound heard across many miles, the bells were hung in high towers. The mightier the building, the bigger the size of the bells. And the bigger the bell, the deeper its sound. These bells - several feet high and weighing tons - would then be hung in gigantic cathedral spires where they remain to this day, making their unique sound heard across the lands.

Bells were also mounted to public buildings to announce the time. Bells will either ring the time every quarter of an hour or every hour.

Bell Sounds - Church Bells

The sound of church bells differs depending on the size and architecture of the church. Monasteries, for example, tend to use smaller bells, while churches are a little more ostentatious about their oversized bells. Bells can sound individually, in groups, or all together.

In this context, bells have a ceremonial character as well. For festivities, all bells will usually ring at the same time. Sombre occasions might just require the sound of the deepest bell.

Bell Sounds in the Middle Ages

Apart from their religious connotations, bells were used in the middle ages to alert the people and the authorities. The striking of the bell(s) is used to announce the time to this day (much to the annoyance of many neighbours). Some of the more impressive bell towers even featured a glockenspiel––which made them known around the country. Alarm bells would ring whenever there was an attack or a fire. Those banished from the city or village could count themselves lucky if the only thing chasing them was the sound of the shame bell. Because the blood bells would announce an unkindly verdict from the worldly court in town.

Alarm Bells

As bells became easier to manufacture, cities were equipped with bells announcing alarms and storms. Before the constant cacophony of the industrial age, you could still the night porter's bell throughout the city. Bells announcing alarms and storms were equally prominent and their sound would carry from one end of the city to the other. The great benefit of bells was the amount of people you could reach in a short time and without much effort.

Bicycle Bells

To this day, bells play a significant role in our society: bells and sleigh bells can be found on ships; they were used on trains and streetcars before the invention of electrical or pressurised air horns; and, of course, they can be found on almost every bicycle.

	Filename	Description	info	Channels	Duration	ShortID	Category
1	BellsDoor.BBC.EC25Ag.wav	Bell, Door: Electric Door Chimes Rung At Intervals. (Ding-dong Note)	i	2.0	0:46	Bell	Bell Door
2	Bell,Hand,Ceramic,Firm.wav	Bell, Hand: Bell Hand Ceramic Firm	i	1.0	0:02	Bell	Bell Hand
3	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC48Yh.wav	Bell, Clock: Lantern Clock Striking Eight O"clock. (Domestic Lantern Clock, Manufactured 1615.)	i	2.0	0:30	Bell	Bell Clock
4	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC1004Al.wav	Bell, Clock: Lincoln"s Inn Clock Striking Twelve O"clock.	i	2.0	0:36	Bell	Bell Clock
5	ChurchesLondon.BBC.EC2B4b.wav	Bell, Church: Church Bells: Stedman Cinques Finish, Traffic And Birdsong, St. Mary Le Bow Church, London.	i	2.0	0:31	Bell	Bell Church
6	Bell,China,Light,Ring,Medium.wav	Bell: Bell China Light Ring Medium	i	1.0	0:10	Bell	Bell
7	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC1004Bj.wav	Bell, Clock: Tompion And Banger Household Clock Striking Ten O"clock.	i	2.0	0:34	Bell	Bell Clock
8	Tones-BellOnKitchenTimer-CU.wav	Tones - Bell On Kitchen Timer - C U - Old Fashioned Timer, Clanky Bing, Good Metal Bell, Some Not Isolated From Ticks	i	1.0	1:23	Bell	Bell
9	ClockBigBen.BBC.EC105Ae.wav	Bell, Clock: Big Ben Recorded Prior To Repair In 1956. 2 O"clock	i	2.0	0:41	Bell	Bell Clock
10	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC48Tb.wav	Bell, Clock: Cuckoo Clock Striking Two O"clock. (Cuckoo And Chimes.)	i	2.0	0:05	Bell	Bell Clock
11	EFX INT Apt. Door Bell 02.wav	Bell: Apt, Interior, Door Bell, Ding Dong, Inconsistent Rings, High Pitch, Very Metallic, Series	i	2.0	1:31	Bell	Bell
12	Tones-Bells-SleighBells-CU-.wav	Tones - Bells - Sleigh Bells - CU - Jingling	i	2.0	0:07	Bell	Bell Sleigh Bells
13	ClockCaius.BBC.EC36Sb.wav	Bell, Clock: Caius College Clock Striking Five O"clock.	i	2.0	0:33	Bell	Bell Clock
14	Bells,Elfs,Alarm,Double Time.wav	Bell: Bells Elfs Alarm Double Time	i	2.0	0:46	Bell	Bell
15	AustriaCathedrals.BBC.EC46B.wav	Bell, Church: Salzburg Cathedral Bells Ringing.	i	2.0	5:03	Bell	Bell Church
16	Copenhagen.BBC.ECD104b.wav	Copenhagen City Hall - 1/2 Hour	i	2.0	0:15	Bell	Bell
17	Bells,Sleigh,Loose,x1,Slow.wav	Bell, Sleigh: Bells Sleigh Loose X1 Slow	i	1.0	0:01	Bell	Bell Sleigh
18	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Bj.wav	Bell, Clock: Merton College Clock Striking Three O"clock.	i	2.0	0:51	Bell	Bell Clock
19	CathedralsLondon.BBC.EC1_15.wav	Bell, Church: Great Tom Clock With Street Atmosphere Striking Half-hour.	i	2.0	0:32	Bell	Bell Church
20	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Hd.wav	Bell, Clock: Trinity College Clock Striking Twelve O"clock.	i	2.0	0:38	Bell	Bell Clock
21	Bells,Carillon,Elfs,Alarm 2.wav	Bell: Bells Carillon Elfs Alarm 2	i	2.0	0:48	Bell	Bell
22	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC48Rb.wav	Bell, Clock: Grandfather Clock Striking Half Past The Hour. (Bell Type Grandfather Clock With Whittington Chimes, Manufactured In London 1845.)	i	2.0	0:14	Bell	Bell Clock
23	BellsCatholic.BBC.EC91Dd.wav	Bell, Church: Catholic Church Bells, Sanctus Bell.	i	2.0	0:52	Bell	Bell Church
24	Bell,Bicycle,Ring,6,Slow.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bell Bicycle Ring 6 Slow	i	2.0	0:06	Bell	Bell Bicycle
25	EFX INT Broken Bell 08.wav	Bell: House, Interior, Broken Door Bell, Ding, Electric Buzz, Dead Dong	i	2.0	0:03	Bell	Bell
26	Tones-ChurchBells-Ext-MCU_1.wav	Tones - Church Bells - Ext - MCU - 3 Different Size Bells For Small Rural Church, Variety Of Hits, Occasional Wind And Leaf Rustle, Occasional Light Bg Birds	i	2.0	0:37	Bell	Bell Church
27	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Wh.wav	Bell, Clock: Christchurch College Clock Striking Five O"clock.	i	2.0	0:38	Bell	Bell Clock
28	Bells,Sleighs,Moves,Slow,Jingle.wav	Bell: Bells Sleighs Moves Slow Jingle	i	1.0	0:12	Bell	Bell Jingle
29	BellsEvercreech.BBC.ECD151c.wav	Bell, Church: Stedman Triples Rung - Ringing , Starts And Ends (Evercreech, Somerset)	i	2.0	3:24	Bell	Bell Church
30	Bell,Church,Ring,x4,Int POV,Chain Pull,Wood Block Hits,2.wav	Bell, Church, Ring, X4, Int POV, Chain Pull, Wood Block Hits, 2	i	2.0	0:10	Bell	Bell Church
31	CathedralsBells.BBC.EC1003B.wav	Bell, Church: Bells Ringing At Bergen Cathedral.	i	2.0	0:47	Bell	Bell Church
32	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Je.wav	Bell, Clock: Oriel College Clock Striking Two O"clock.	i	2.0	0:10	Bell	Bell Clock
33	Bell,Small,Interior,Ring,Constant,Fast.wav	Bell: Bell, Small, Interior, Ring, Constant, Fast	i	2.0	0:25	Bell	Bell
34	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Mg.wav	Bell, Clock: Jesus College Clock Striking Four O"clock.	i	2.0	0:14	Bell	Bell Clock
35	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC48Yb.wav	Bell, Clock: Lantern Clock Striking Two O"clock. (Domestic Lantern Clock, Manufactured 1615.)	i	2.0	0:11	Bell	Bell Clock
36	ChurcheBellsCroy.BBC.EC91Ra.wav	Bell, Church: Church Bells, Start Into Ringing. (St. John The Baptist"s Church, Croydon.)	i	2.0	3:01	Bell	Bell Church
37	Bell,Bicycle,Rings,Messy2.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bell Bicycle Rings Messy2	i	2.0	0:09	Bell	Bell Bicycle
38	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Ed.wav	Bell, Clock: Queens College Clock Striking Twelve O"clock.	i	2.0	0:54	Bell	Bell Clock
39	Bell,Hand,Dull,Ring,Held Sideways,Medium,x4,Some faint birds BG.wav	Bell, Hand: Bell, Hand, Dull, Ring, Held Sideways, Medium, X4, Some Faint Birds BG	i	1.0	1:12	Bell	Bell Hand
40	Tones-DrawbridgeHandBell-_1.wav	Tones - Drawbridge Hand Bell - Medium Distant - Eleven Hits Of The Bell Begin @ 0 24, Some Medium C U Traffic, Os Truck Idle And Away @ Head	i	2.0	0:45	Bell	Bell
41	ClockChurchOvin.BBC.EC105Wi.wav	Bell, Clock: Church Clock Striking, 9 O"clock. (All Saints Church)	i	2.0	0:24	Bell	Bell Clock
42	Sleigh,Bells,Short,Shake.wav	Bell: Sleigh Bells Short Shake	i	2.0	0:05	Bell	Bell
43	ClockBigBen.BBC.ECD14e.wav	Bell, Clock: Big Ben Chiming And Striking 1 O"clock.	i	2.0	0:36	Bell	Bell Clock
44	Cowbell,Ring,Gentle,Irregular.wav	Bell, Cowbell: Cowbell Ring Gentle Tinkle	i	1.0	0:02	Bell	Bell Cowbell
45	Tones-Bells-Doorbell-Int-_5.wav	Tones - Bells - Doorbell - Int - CU - Single Ring	i	2.0	0:02	Bell	Bell Door
46	ClockBigBen.BBC.ECD14f.wav	Bell, Clock: Big Ben Ticking.	i	2.0	1:01	Bell	Bell Clock
47	BellsHandBells.BBC.EC25Ab.wav	Bell, Hand: Hand Bell Ringing. (Medium Note)	i	2.0	0:37	Bell	Bell Hand
48	Bell,Hand,Ceramic,Pure,Light.wav	Bell, Hand: Bell Hand Ceramic Pure Light	i	1.0	0:03	Bell	Bell Hand
49	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC48Yj.wav	Bell, Clock: Lantern Clock Striking Ten O"clock. (Domestic Lantern Clock, Manufactured 1615.)	i	2.0	0:38	Bell	Bell Clock
50	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Ad.wav	Bell, Clock: Magdalen College Clock Striking One O"clock.	i	2.0	0:30	Bell	Bell Clock
51	Bells16thCentury.BBC.ECD91b.wav	Bell, Church: Exterior, 5 Bells Rung In The Style Used From The Reformation Until About The 17th Century - Rounds And Call Changes Recorded Outside Church (St. Mary And St. Andrew"s Church, Whittlesford, Cambs.) - 1982 (2B8, Reprocessed )	i	2.0	5:31	Bell	Bell Church
52	Bell,Door,Ring,Ding,Dong.wav	Bell, Door: Bell Door Ring Ding Dong	i	2.0	0:02	Bell	Bell Door
53	ClockTrinity.BBC.EC36Sb.wav	Bell, Clock: Trinity And St John"s College Clock Striking Half Past The Hour. (Trinity Clock Strikes A Second Time For St. John"s College.)	i	2.0	0:19	Bell	Bell Clock
54	Tones-Bells-BrassBell-Int_6.wav	Tones - Bells - Brass Bell - Int - CU - Small, Short Ring	i	2.0	0:02	Bell	Bell Brass
55	ClockBigBen.BBC.EC105Ab.wav	Bell, Clock: Big Ben Recorded Prior To Repair In 1956. Half-hour	i	2.0	0:27	Bell	Bell Clock
56	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC212Aa.wav	Bell, Clock: Emmanuel College Clock Striking One O"clock.	i	2.0	0:19	Bell	Bell Clock
57	Bell,Bicycle,Jingle,Med2.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bell Bicycle Jingle Med2	i	2.0	0:04	Bell	Bell Bicycle
58	EFX EXT Bicycle By 02.wav	Bell: Bell, Exterior, Old Bike Bell Rings Moving Away Around Corner Of House	i	2.0	0:34	Bell	Bell Bicycle
59	Tones-BicycleBell-2High-Pit.wav	Tones - Bicycle Bell - 2 High-Pitched Rings, 1st One Is Slightly Muted	i	2.0	0:06	Bell	Bell Bicycle
60	ClockCaius.BBC.EC36Sg.wav	Bell, Clock: Caius College Clock Striking Ten O"clock.	i	2.0	0:45	Bell	Bell Clock
61	Bells,Fairy,Tinkle,Med,Hover.wav	Bell: Bells Fairy Tinkle Med Hover	i	2.0	0:05	Bell	Bell
62	Abbeys.BBC.EC91Ma.wav	Bell, Church: St. Albans Abbey Bells, Rounds On Twelve Bells With Start And Stop.	i	2.0	3:32	Bell	Bell Church
63	LeicesterSquare.BBC.ECD104.wav	Swiss Centre, Leicester Square - Bell Strikes 6 Into Carrillion Of Traditional Tunes (some Voices In Background)	i	2.0	5:16	Bell	Bell
64	BicyclesBells.BBC.EC1001Ce.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bicycle Bell Ringing.	i	2.0	0:15	Bell	Bell Bicycle
65	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Vh.wav	Bell, Clock: New College Clock Striking Five O"clock.	i	2.0	0:44	Bell	Bell Clock
66	CathedralsLondon.BBC.EC2C9d.wav	Bell, Church: Large Crowd: Outside St. Paul"s Cathedral, Cheering And Whistling Builds Up.	i	2.0	1:04	Bell	Bell Church
67	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Kj.wav	Bell, Clock: University College, Oxford Clock Striking Seven O"clock.	i	2.0	0:22	Bell	Bell Clock
68	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC48Ri.wav	Bell, Clock: Grandfather Clock Striking Three O"clock. (Bell Type Grandfather Clock With Whittington Chimes, Manufactured In London 1845.)	i	2.0	0:28	Bell	Bell Clock
69	BellsPembroke.BBC.EC91P.wav	Bell, Church: Church Bells Ringing. (St. Mary The Virgin"s Church, Pembroke, Pembrokeshire.)	i	2.0	3:03	Bell	Bell Church
70	Bell,Bicycle,Ring,High,1.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bell Bicycle Ring High 1	i	2.0	0:06	Bell	Bell Bicycle
71	ClockBuckingham.BBC.EC105Qd.wav	Bell, Clock: Outdoor Clock Striking, Chimes And 1 O"clock SS. Peter And Paul	i	2.0	0:37	Bell	Bell Clock
72	EFX INT Chinese Balls 04.wav	Bell: Chinese Balls, Interior, Single Meditation Ball Shaking And Rolling For Bell Effect	i	2.0	0:54	Bell	Bell
73	Tones-ChurchBells-MoscowRed.wav	Tones - Church Bells - Moscow Red Square Kremlin Multiple Church Bells - Medium Distant - Big And Slow Bells, Some O S Walla And Movement	i	2.0	2:01	Bell	Bell Church
74	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Xd.wav	Bell, Clock: Christchurch College Clock Striking Twelve O"clock.	i	2.0	1:04	Bell	Bell Clock
75	Bells,Small,Jingling,Rhythmic.wav	Bell: Bells Small Jingling Rhythmic	i	1.0	0:04	Bell	Bell
76	ChurchHorsmonden.BBC.EC91Cc.wav	Bell, Church: Village Church Bells, Single Bell Tolling With Sound Of Mechanism. (St. Margaret"s Church, Horsmonden, Kent.)	i	2.0	3:33	Bell	Bell Church
77	Bell,Bicycle,Jingle,2.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bell Bicycle Jingle 2	i	2.0	0:04	Bell	Bell Bicycle
78	ChurchesGermany.BBC.EC46C.wav	Bell, Church: Bells Ringing At St. Nicholas Church, Alsterdorf.	i	2.0	6:03	Bell	Bell Church
79	NorthMarston.BBC.EC105Pk.wav	Bell, Clock: Outdoor Clock Striking, 11 O"clock St. Mary"s Church	i	2.0	0:41	Bell	Bell Clock
80	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Lg.wav	Bell, Clock: Worcester College Clock Striking Four O"clock.	i	2.0	0:15	Bell	Bell Clock
81	Bell,Small,Ring,Single Hit,x6.wav	Bell: Bell, Small, Ring, Single Hit, X6	i	2.0	0:32	Bell	Bell
82	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Me.wav	Bell, Clock: Jesus College Clock Striking Two O"clock.	i	2.0	0:11	Bell	Bell Clock
83	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Nj.wav	Bell, Clock: Lincoln College Clock Striking Seven O"clock.	i	2.0	0:21	Bell	Bell Clock
84	BellsPre-Reform.BBC.EC2B7a.wav	Bell, Church: Church Bells: 5 Bells, At Random, Pre-Reformation Style, From Interior, St. Mary And St. Andrew"s, Whittlesford, Cambs.	i	2.0	3:29	Bell	Bell Church
85	Bell,Boxing,Hits,3,Ring.wav	Bell, Boxing: Bell Boxing Hits 3 Ring	i	1.0	0:12	Bell	Bell Boxing
86	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC1004Db.wav	Bell, Clock: St Magnus" Cathedral, Kirkwall Clock Chiming Quarter Past The Hour.	i	2.0	0:12	Bell	Bell Clock
87	Tones-ModernSchoolBell-Int-.wav	Tones - Modern School Bell - Int - MCU Hallway - Single Ring	i	2.0	0:08	Bell	Bell School
88	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Eh.wav	Bell, Clock: Clock Of The University Church Of St Mary The Virgin, Oxford Striking One O"clock.	i	2.0	0:28	Bell	Bell Clock
89	ChristmasFigurine_S08FO.581.wav	Foley, Christmas, Figurine, Ornament, Pick, Up, Bell, Holiday	i	2.0	0:01	Bell	Bell
90	ClockBigBen.BBC.EC105Dd.wav	Bell, Clock: Big Ben Recorded In 1969. 12	i	2.0	1:30	Bell	Bell Clock
91	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC48Td.wav	Bell, Clock: Cuckoo Clock Striking Four O"clock. (Cuckoo And Chimes.)	i	2.0	0:06	Bell	Bell Clock
92	Cowbell,Hit,Door,Simple.wav	Bell, Cowbell: Cowbell Tongue Clasp Mute 2	i	1.0	0:01	Bell	Bell Cowbell
93	Tones-Bells-GasStationBel_1.wav	Tones - Bells - Gas Station Bell - Ext - CU - Multiple Rings	i	2.0	0:04	Bell	Bell Gas Station
94	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC1004Ci.wav	Bell, Clock: Bracket Clock Striking Nine O"clock.	i	2.0	0:18	Bell	Bell Clock
95	CathedralsLichfld.BBC.EC91K.wav	Bell, Church: Lichfield Cathedral Bells, Ten Bells Ringing.	i	2.0	3:03	Bell	Bell Church
96	ShipsBells.BBC.EC121Db.wav	Bell, Ship: Telegraph Bell Signals. Ahead.	i	2.0	1:10	Bell	Bell Ship
97	Bell,Hand,Metal,Clear,Gentle.wav	Bell, Hand: Bell Hand Metal Clear Gentle	i	1.0	0:02	Bell	Bell Hand
98	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Ae.wav	Bell, Clock: Magdalen College Clock Striking Two O"clock.	i	2.0	0:32	Bell	Bell Clock
99	CathedralsLondon.BBC.EC1_11.wav	Bell, Church: Great Tom Clock Striking 10 O"clock	i	2.0	1:08	Bell	Bell Church
100	Bell,Gong,High,Reverb,Fast.wav	Bell: Bell Gong High Reverb Fast	i	1.0	0:01	Bell	Bell