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	Tones-Bells-BrassBell-Int_7.wav	Tones - Bells - Brass Bell - Int - CU - Small, Short Ring	i	2.0	0:03	Bell	Bell Brass
2	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC1004Bk.wav	Bell, Clock: Tompion And Banger Household Clock Striking Eleven O"clock.	i	2.0	0:34	Bell	Bell Clock
3	Bell,Church,1948,Large Two Meters,Old Iron,Light Bells Chimes,Clang Very Loud,Four Medium Bell Tolls,Close POV Below Bell,San Carlos,Uruguay,BG Light Town Traffic.wav	Bell, Church: Bell, Church, 1948, Large Two Meters, Old Iron, Light Bells Chimes, Clang Very Loud, Four Medium Bell Tolls, Close POV Below Bell, San Carlos, Uruguay, BG Light Town Traffic	i	2.0	0:38	Bell	Bell Church
4	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Gd.wav	Bell, Clock: Trinity College Clock Striking One O"clock.	i	2.0	0:16	Bell	Bell Clock
5	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC1004Ck.wav	Bell, Clock: Bracket Clock Striking Eleven O"clock.	i	2.0	0:18	Bell	Bell Clock
6	Tones-Bells-Doorbell-Int-_6.wav	Tones - Bells - Doorbell - Int - CU - Double Ring	i	2.0	0:02	Bell	Bell Door
7	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Pe.wav	Bell, Clock: Wadham College Clock Striking Two O"clock.	i	2.0	0:10	Bell	Bell Clock
8	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC1004Af.wav	Bell, Clock: Lincoln"s Inn Clock Striking Six O"clock.	i	2.0	0:19	Bell	Bell Clock
9	Bell,Small,Interior,Ring,Constant,Fast,Loose.wav	Bell: Bell, Small, Interior, Ring, Constant, Fast, Loose	i	2.0	0:09	Bell	Bell
10	ClocksStriking.BBC.ECD104k.wav	Bell, Clock: Carfax Tower, Oxford (interior Perspective) - 1/4 Hour	i	2.0	0:21	Bell	Bell Clock
11	Tones-BicycleBell-4High-P_1.wav	Tones - Bicycle Bell - 4 High-Pitched Tones Rung In Quick Succession, 2 Quick Rings @ Tail	i	2.0	0:07	Bell	Bell Bicycle
12	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC48Ug.wav	Bell, Clock: Cuckoo Clock Striking Seven O"clock. (Cuckoo Only.)	i	2.0	0:07	Bell	Bell Clock
13	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Cd.wav	Bell, Clock: Merton College Clock Striking Seven O"clock.	i	2.0	1:03	Bell	Bell Clock
14	Bell,Bicycle,Ring,5,Slow.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bell Bicycle Ring 5 Slow	i	2.0	0:06	Bell	Bell Bicycle
15	Bell,Hand,Ceramic,Pure,Lazy.wav	Bell, Hand: Bell Hand Ceramic Pure Lazy	i	1.0	0:02	Bell	Bell Hand
16	ClockWhitchurch.BBC.EC105Vj.wav	Bell, Clock: Church Clock Striking, 10 O"clock. (St. John The Evangelist)	i	2.0	0:23	Bell	Bell Clock
17	Tones-ChurchBells-PragueChu.wav	Tones - Church Bells - Prague Church During Holiday Mass - Medium Distant - Constant Bells From A Variety Of Different Sources, Almost Psychedelic In Sheer Number Of Bells	i	2.0	1:57	Bell	Bell Church
18	ClockBigBen.BBC.EC105Dg.wav	Bell, Clock: Gound Level With Traffic In 1969. Three-quarters	i	2.0	0:38	Bell	Bell Clock
19	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Ja.wav	Bell, Clock: Oriel College Clock Striking Ten O"clock.	i	2.0	0:22	Bell	Bell Clock
20	BellsDoor.BBC.EC3W2.wav	Bell, Door: Sirens And Bells: Electronic Chime	i	2.0	0:04	Bell	Bell Door
21	ChurchEvercreech.BBC.EC91Gd.wav	Bell, Church: Church Bells, Ringing Down In Peals, Ringing Ends. (Evercreech Church, Somerset.)	i	2.0	2:31	Bell	Bell Church
22	Bell,Bicycle,Rings,Messy1.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bell Bicycle Rings Messy1	i	2.0	0:08	Bell	Bell Bicycle
23	BicyclesBells.BBC.EC1001Cd.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bicycle Bell Ringing.	i	2.0	0:19	Bell	Bell Bicycle
24	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Fg.wav	Bell, Clock: Clock Of The University Church Of St Mary The Virgin, Oxford Striking Ten O"clock.	i	2.0	0:53	Bell	Bell Clock
25	Tones-PhoneBell-CU-Sweetene.wav	Tones - Phone Bell - C U - Sweetener Bell For Phone Slam Down	i	1.0	0:04	Bell	Bell
26	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC209Dc.wav	Bell, Clock: Grandfather Clock With St Michael"s Chimes, Striking Six O"clock.	i	2.0	0:46	Bell	Bell Clock
27	ChurchesBells.BBC.ECD151a.wav	Bell, Church: Rounds - Firing, Ends With Rounds, English Village Church.	i	2.0	2:40	Bell	Bell Church
28	BellsSleigh.BBC.EC1010Ga.wav	Horse Trotting, With Sleigh Bells.	i	2.0	0:51	Bell	Bell
29	CathedralsBells.BBC.EC2B1.wav	Bell, Church: Church Bells: St Pauls, Bells Pealing Finishes.	i	2.0	0:45	Bell	Bell Church
30	Bell,Door,Ring,Ding,Dong,Fast.wav	Bell, Door: Bell Door Ring Ding Dong Fast	i	2.0	0:01	Bell	Bell Door
31	ChurchesBells.BBC.EC1003Ba.wav	Bell, Church: Bells Ringing At St Francis Church, Valetta.	i	2.0	1:50	Bell	Bell Church
32	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Qe.wav	Bell, Clock: Keble College Clock Striking Two O"clock.	i	2.0	0:47	Bell	Bell Clock
33	BellsChurches.BBC.ECD104.wav	Bell, Church: St.Michael"s Church, St.Albans - Bell Strikes 9	i	2.0	0:37	Bell	Bell Church
34	Bell,Bicycle,Jingle,1 4.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bell Bicycle Jingle 1 4	i	2.0	0:04	Bell	Bell Bicycle
35	CathedralsLondon.BBC.EC10_2.wav	Bell, Church: Great Tom Clock Striking Three-quarters	i	2.0	0:28	Bell	Bell Church
36	ClockHampton.BBC.EC105Rc.wav	Bell, Clock: Anne Boyleyn"s Clock Striking Three-quarters	i	2.0	0:18	Bell	Bell Clock
37	ClockBigBen.BBC.EC105Ba.wav	Bell, Clock: Big Ben Recorded Prior To Repair In 1956. 9 O"clock	i	2.0	1:09	Bell	Bell Clock
38	Bells,Fairy,Gliss,Appear.wav	Bell: Bells Fairy Gliss Appear	i	2.0	0:03	Bell	Bell
39	Bell,Church,St James,Hour,12.wav	Bell: Bell Church St James Hour 12	i	2.0	1:07	Bell	Bell Church
40	Bells,Small,Door,Jingle,High.wav	Bell: Bells Small Door Jingle High	i	1.0	0:01	Bell	Bell Jingle
41	EFX INT Door Bell 04.wav	Bell: House, Interior, Door Bell, Quick Press, D, Dong	i	2.0	0:06	Bell	Bell
42	BellDeskHand_S08FO.121.wav	Foley, Bell, Desk, Hand, Small	i	2.0	0:05	Bell	Bell
43	ClockBuckingham.BBC.EC105Qa.wav	Bell, Clock: Outdoor Clock Striking, Quarter-hour - SS. Peter And Paul	i	2.0	0:25	Bell	Bell Clock
44	EFX INT Broken Bell 01.wav	Bell: House, Interior, Broken Electric Doorbell, With Dead Sounding Ding Dong	i	2.0	0:04	Bell	Bell
45	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Qj.wav	Bell, Clock: Keble College Clock Striking Seven O"clock.	i	2.0	0:58	Bell	Bell Clock
46	BellsChurches.BBC.ECD91f.wav	Bell, Church: St. Sepulchre"s Church, High Holborn, Known As "bells Of Old Bailey", Exterior, Aborted Cambridge Surprise Maximus, Ends - 1985 (2B9, Reprocessed )	i	2.0	1:15	Bell	Bell Church
47	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
48	CathedralsLondon.BBC.EC10_9.wav	Bell, Church: Great Tom Clock Striking 7 O"clock	i	2.0	0:59	Bell	Bell Church
49	ClockHampton.BBC.EC105Rd.wav	Bell, Clock: Anne Boyleyn"s Clock Chimes And 1 O"clock	i	2.0	0:20	Bell	Bell Clock
50	ClockBigBen.BBC.EC105Ag.wav	Bell, Clock: Big Ben Recorded Prior To Repair In 1956. 4 O"clock	i	2.0	0:49	Bell	Bell Clock
51	Bells,Carillon,Song,Sample.wav	Bell: Bells Carillon Song Sample	i	2.0	1:33	Bell	Bell
52	Bell,Church,Old,Hollow,Mid.wav	Bell: Bell Church Old Hollow Mid	i	2.0	0:09	Bell	Bell Church
53	Bells,Sleigh,Light,Jingley.wav	Bell: Bells Sleigh Light Jingley	i	1.0	0:18	Bell	Bell Jingle
54	EFX EXT Ice Cream Bells 02.wav	Bell: Bell, Exterior, Ice Cream Truck Bells Jingle, Ring And Sustain	i	2.0	0:05	Bell	Bell Jingle
55	Sleigh,Bells,Clunky,Long.wav	Bell: Sleigh Bells Clunky Long	i	2.0	0:12	Bell	Bell
56	ClockBuckingham.BBC.EC105Qh.wav	Bell, Clock: Outdoor Clock Striking, Chimes And 5 O"clock SS. Peter And Paul	i	2.0	0:52	Bell	Bell Clock
57	EFX EXT Old Bike Bell 60ft 01.wav	Bell: Bell, Exterior, Old Bike Bell Rings From 60 Feet	i	2.0	0:29	Bell	Bell Bicycle
58	Tones-Bells-BrassBell-Int_2.wav	Tones - Bells - Brass Bell - Int - CU - Small, Short Ring	i	2.0	0:03	Bell	Bell Brass
59	ClockChurchLond.BBC.EC105Jb.wav	Bell, Clock: St. Clement Danes Church Clock, Striking Half-hour	i	2.0	0:22	Bell	Bell Clock
60	Bell,Antique,1800s,Polar POV,Hit,Chaotic,Many.wav	Bell, Antique: Bell, Antique, 1800s, Polar POV, Hit, Chaotic, Many	i	2.0	0:29	Bell	Bell Antique
61	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Hc.wav	Bell, Clock: Trinity College Clock Striking Eleven O"clock.	i	2.0	0:36	Bell	Bell Clock
62	ClockBigBen.BBC.ECD14f.wav	Bell, Clock: Big Ben Ticking.	i	2.0	1:01	Bell	Bell Clock
63	Tones-Bells-Doorbell-Int-_1.wav	Tones - Bells - Doorbell - Int - CU - Single Ring	i	2.0	0:04	Bell	Bell Door
64	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Pj.wav	Bell, Clock: Wadham College Clock Striking Seven O"clock.	i	2.0	0:15	Bell	Bell Clock
65	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC1004Ae.wav	Bell, Clock: Lincoln"s Inn Clock Striking Five O"clock.	i	2.0	0:18	Bell	Bell Clock
66	Bell,Hand,Polar POV,Ring,Single,Some faint birds BG.wav	Bell, Hand: Bell, Hand, Polar POV, Ring, Single, Some Faint Birds BG	i	1.0	0:03	Bell	Bell Hand
67	ClockCaius.BBC.EC36Sg.wav	Bell, Clock: Caius College Clock Striking Ten O"clock.	i	2.0	0:45	Bell	Bell Clock
68	Tones-BicycleBell-2High-P_3.wav	Tones - Bicycle Bell - 2 High-Pitched Rings	i	2.0	0:06	Bell	Bell Bicycle
69	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC48Ti.wav	Bell, Clock: Cuckoo Clock Striking Nine O"clock. (Cuckoo And Chimes.)	i	2.0	0:10	Bell	Bell Clock
70	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Bf.wav	Bell, Clock: Merton College Clock Striking Half Past The Hour.	i	2.0	0:24	Bell	Bell Clock
71	Bell,Bicycle,Ring,4,Detune2.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bell Bicycle Ring 4 Detune2	i	2.0	0:07	Bell	Bell Bicycle
72	Bell,Hand,Ceramic,Joyful.wav	Bell, Hand: Bell Hand Ceramic Joyful	i	1.0	0:02	Bell	Bell Hand
73	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Xd.wav	Bell, Clock: Christchurch College Clock Striking Twelve O"clock.	i	2.0	1:04	Bell	Bell Clock
74	Tones-ChurchBells-KrumlovCh.wav	Tones - Church Bells - Krumlov Church Bells - Medium Distant - Pedestrian Movement And Walla Throughout, 3 Bells, All Bells Seem To Ring From Different Distances	i	2.0	2:05	Bell	Bell Church
75	ClocksStriking.BBC.ECD104b.wav	Bell, Clock: French Clock (late 19th Century) - Strikes 12	i	2.0	0:21	Bell	Bell Clock
76	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Jg.wav	Bell, Clock: Oriel College Clock Striking Four O"clock.	i	2.0	0:12	Bell	Bell Clock
77	BellsDoor.BBC.EC25Ag.wav	Bell, Door: Electric Door Chimes Rung At Intervals. (Ding-dong Note)	i	2.0	0:46	Bell	Bell Door
78	Godmanchester.BBC.EC91Nb.wav	Bell, Church: Church Bells, Half-muffled Bells Pealing And Stopping. (St. Mary The Virgin"s Church, Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire.)	i	2.0	3:02	Bell	Bell Church
79	Bell,Bicycle,Rings,Loose,Fast.wav	Bell, Bicycle: Bell Bicycle Rings Loose Fast	i	2.0	0:04	Bell	Bell Bicycle
80	Bells,Sleigh,Loose,x4.wav	Bell, Sleigh: Bells Sleigh Loose X4	i	1.0	0:02	Bell	Bell Sleigh
81	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
82	Tones-FightBell-CU-FirstTwi.wav	Tones - Fight Bell - C U - First Twice Then Singles	i	2.0	0:59	Bell	Bell
83	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC209Df.wav	Bell, Clock: Grandfather Clock With St Michael"s Chimes, Striking Nine O"clock.	i	2.0	0:55	Bell	Bell Clock
84	ChurchesBells.BBC.ECD151c.wav	Bell, Church: Peal Of 6 Bells, English Village Church.	i	2.0	6:47	Bell	Bell Church
85	Copenhagen.BBC.ECD104b.wav	Copenhagen City Hall - 1/2 Hour	i	2.0	0:15	Bell	Bell
86	BellsMytholmroyd.BBC.EC2B6a.wav	Bell, Church: Church Bells: One Bell Rung. St. Michael"s Parish Church, Mytholmroyd.	i	2.0	2:15	Bell	Bell Church
87	Bell,Church,Toll,Ding-Ding.wav	Bell: Bell Church Toll Ding-Ding	i	1.0	1:36	Bell	Bell Church
88	CathedralsBells.BBC.EC100_1.wav	Bell, Church: Bells Ringing At Nidaros Cathedral.	i	2.0	1:02	Bell	Bell Church
89	Bells,Sleigh,Jingle,Constant2.wav	Bell: Bells Sleigh Jingle Constant2	i	1.0	2:22	Bell	Bell Jingle
90	Cowbell,Ring,Swing.wav	Bell, Cowbell: Cowbell Tongue Clasp Mute 1	i	1.0	0:01	Bell	Bell Cowbell
91	Dings,Bell,Tings,Bend Up,Fast.wav	Bell: Dings Bell Tings Bend Up Fast	i	2.0	0:01	Bell	Bell
92	NorthMarston.BBC.EC105Pi.wav	Bell, Clock: Outdoor Clock Striking, 9 O"clock St. Mary"s Church	i	2.0	0:36	Bell	Bell Clock
93	EFX EXT NYC Hot Dog Cart.wav	Bell: Bell, Exterior, Old Bike Bell Rings From 20 Feet	i	2.0	0:17	Bell	Bell Bicycle
94	Tones-BellOnKitchenTimer-_1.wav	Tones - Bell On Kitchen Timer - C U - Old Fashioned Timer, Clanky Bing, Good Metal Bell, Some Not Isolated From Ticks	i	1.0	1:30	Bell	Bell
95	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC1004Dc.wav	Bell, Clock: St Magnus" Cathedral, Kirkwall Clock Chiming Half Past The Hour.	i	2.0	0:16	Bell	Bell Clock
96	Bell,Antique,1800s,Hit,Light,Some faint BG birds,2.wav	Bell, Antique: Bell, Antique, 1800s, Hit, Light, Some Faint BG Birds, 2	i	2.0	0:15	Bell	Bell Antique
97	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Tj.wav	Bell, Clock: Trinity And St John"s College Clock Striking Ten O"clock. (Trinity Clock Strikes A Second Time For St. John"s College.)	i	2.0	0:54	Bell	Bell Clock
98	Tones-Bells-Doorbell-Int_18.wav	Tones - Bells - Doorbell - Int - O S - Double Ring	i	2.0	0:03	Bell	Bell Door
99	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Pb.wav	Bell, Clock: Wadham College Clock Striking Eleven O"clock.	i	2.0	0:18	Bell	Bell Clock
100	ClocksChiming.BBC.EC36Nf.wav	Bell, Clock: Lincoln College Clock Striking Three O"clock.	i	2.0	0:14	Bell	Bell Clock