Yakshagana bells


The Yakshagana bells or Yakshagana cymbal are a pair of finger bells made of a special alloy used in Yakshagana. They are used by the singer to keep the tempo and rhythm of Yakshagana performance. The pitch of the bells are very high and do not match the tonic of the singer. Due to their high pitch usually singers use bells of any key. Professional singers maintain and treasure their personal finger bells.

Methods of use

Singer holds the thread tied to the bells and hits the edge of one bell to the face of the other bell. There are techniques to produce at least three different sounds. For fast rhythms less prominent hand is rolled to facilitate fast beating. A closed hit of the bells produces a sound without any overtone and with sudden decay. This stroke indicates a gap and is often used to indicate change in rhythm or tempo to other musicians.