Reviews of Kids Play 13-Note Chromatic Handbells

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List Price: $86.00
Sale Price: $65.48
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I recently ordered Kidsplay 13-note chromatic handbells as a way of getting the children in my Sunday School (K-3rd grade) class more interested in participating in the music ministry.

We used the sheet music that came free with the bells and within 10 minutes the children were playing songs.

The bells are perfect pitch and the children are excited about playing them. They have been practicing on their own and are now getting prepared for the Thanksgiving and Christmas programs at church.

Thanks for an affordable way to get kids interested in music.

Church Lady

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I am a music teacher, and I purchased this 13-note chromatic octave hand bell set for the upper elementary school students to play in our church's annual Christmas Cantata. Having only a month to prepare, I did not want to teach this particular group to read music. Rather, I wanted to be able to quickly put together something that sounds polished. Each bell in this set is color-coded and labeled clearly at the end of the handle with both its note name and its number (scale degree), meaning that you can use colors, letters, or numbers to chart/teach songs.

QUALITY

When I opened the box, I was pleasantly surprised by the tone quality and intonation. The sound is clear and even throughout the octave. Additionally, the design of the beaters goes a long way to prevent the dreaded "double-ring." The construction is sturdy, although I would have used a rougher material (or attached some sort of grip) for the handles. The handles are quite smooth, and I'm just waiting for a bell to fly out of someone's hand during a "forte" section.

COLORS

Unlike the photo shown above, the chromatic add-on set (sharps and flats) comes with black handles. This makes them much easier to distinguish from the 8-note diatonic set. The 8-note set (in the key of C) makes use of the same standard colors you will find on Boomwhackers and other elementary keyboard instruments, meaning you can easily use the same charts or sheet music for all of them. My only complaint here is that the G (teal) and the A#/Bb (slightly bluer teal??) are virtually indistinguishable, and the G#/Ab (slightly lighter teal??) is awfully darn close as well. Logically, it seems that the A#/Bb should be a variant of the purple used for the B. I've had to make very creative use of my Sharpie collection for all my songs in F Major.

EXTRAS

The diatonic set also comes with a tiny sample of sheet music for 6 simple songs in C (Festive Bells, Old MacDonald, Peace Like a River, Beethoven's Ninth/Joyful Joyful, Sarasponda, and Ring Joy). The bells come in a cardboard box that will suffice for storage, but I highly recommend purchasing a soft case for protection and desk-top playing. NOTE: THE SOFT CASE IS SOLD SEPARATELY.

Overall, this is a good set for kids at a very reasonable price.

Best Deals for Kids Play 13-Note Chromatic Handbells

These handbells are the greatest choice for a beginning group that wishes to bring joy with music. They ring true to pitch and are good to play in musicals in church or other places.

Honest reviews on Kids Play 13-Note Chromatic Handbells

I ordered these for our church primary. The kids LOVED them! The colors made it easy to learn new songs and the bells are sturdy enough to withstand some "eager" players. Teens and adults enjoy them, as well. We have had fun for all ages at church and in my own home. I would add that we have basically used the 8 bell kit, which would suffice for those that need to save money. But the 5 bell extension is an excellent buy and will allow us to have more musical options in our primary. Overall, great buy!

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Kids Play 13-Note Chromatic Handbells

The 3 year olds -6th graders got the hang quickly of ringing these bells. Less than an hour of rehearsal total and they were good to go. Use with the chord cards...makes your life much easier.