Discover the Koshi & Zaphir Wind Chimes with Sound and Notes
May 22, 2026
Two families of handcrafted wind chimes, both made in France, both built around eight precisely tuned steel rods — and yet the Koshi and Zaphir are distinct instruments with their own construction, their own sound character, and their own framework for practice. This article introduces both families in full: every chime, its exact notes, a sound sample you can listen to right here, and guidance on choosing between them or combining them.
The Koshi Family
Koshi chimes are made in the Pyrénées Atlantiques in southwestern France. Each chime is a bamboo veneer tube containing eight steel rods of different lengths. A string runs through the tube with a pearl attached to it. When you move the chime by its ring, the pearl swings like a pendulum and strikes the rods — producing a combination of fundamental tones and harmonic overtones that makes the sound richer than a single pitch suggests.
The four Koshi chimes are named after the classical elements: Terra (earth), Aqua (water), Aria (air), and Ignis (fire). Each tuning was designed to evoke the quality of its element — settled and resolved for Terra, flowing and introspective for Aqua, open and bright for Aria, dynamic and restless for Ignis.
One feature shared by all four tunings is the circular structure: the lower four rods and the upper four rods mirror each other, so playing the chime from any position produces a musical phrase. There is no wrong entry point, and no dissonant combination.
Koshi Terra — Earth
Notes: G C E F G C E G
C major. Terra has a settled, grounded quality that feels immediately familiar to Western ears. Its tonal center is stable and warm, and every phrase on Terra feels anchored and resolved. It is the most earthed of the four tunings.
Koshi Aqua — Water
Notes: A D F G A D F A
D minor pentatonic. The lower four rods and the upper four rods carry a returning sequence — A D F G resolving back to A. The D–F minor third is the defining interval, giving Aqua a quieter, more inward quality than Terra. Because both halves of the chime return to the same phrase, the melody loops back on itself: it begins and ends in the same place. This self-referential, circular quality makes Aqua the most naturally meditative of the four tunings.
Koshi Aria — Air
Notes: A C E A B C E B
A minor. The lower rods outline A C E A; the upper rods introduce B in place of the second A, producing B C E B. That substitution lifts the upper register, giving Aria its characteristic brightness and openness. The span from the lowest A to the upper B covers nearly an octave and a half across the eight rods, making Aria the most registrally expansive of the four. Its sound is airy, delicate, and immediately uplifting.
Koshi Ignis — Fire
Notes: G B D G B D G A
G major pentatonic. Ignis shares the G–B–D structure with Terra across most of its rods, but the final rod introduces A rather than returning to G. That single note transforms the character entirely — the A doesn't resolve as cleanly, producing a more forward-moving, energised quality. Where Terra settles, Ignis moves. It is the most dynamically active of the four tunings — energising without being harsh.
Browse the full Koshi collection.
The Zaphir Family
Zaphir chimes are also handcrafted in France, by a different maker working in the same artisan tradition. The construction differs from Koshi in a fundamental way: while Koshi uses a bamboo tube, Zaphir uses a long-fibre celluloid resonance tube shaped according to the proportions of the Golden Ratio. This gives the Zaphir a slightly larger body, a marginally lower and warmer register, and a longer, more lingering decay than the Koshi.
Where Koshi organises its tunings around the four classical elements, Zaphir works with the five seasons. The five standard tunings correspond to spring, summer, late summer (an intermediary season between summer and autumn), autumn, and winter. For a full overview of the seasonal framework and which chime belongs to each season, visit the Zaphir Seasons guide.
Zaphir Crystalide — Spring
Notes: G A B D A G B D
Crystalide opens the seasonal cycle. Its tuning is light and airy with a gentle, rising character — the notes feel like they are moving forward and upward. Spring associations: emergence, new beginnings, the quality of something just starting to open. A wonderful companion for meditation, yoga, and any practice centred on renewal. Identified by its fresh green cap.
Zaphir Sunray — Summer
Notes: G# B C# E G# E A C#
Sunray is the brightest and most open of the five Zaphir tunings. The G# and C# notes give it a warm, lifted quality that sits comfortably in the higher register. Summer associations: light, fullness, radiance, and expansion. Ideal for dynamic yoga sessions, sound healing, and as a meaningful gift for anyone who radiates energy and vitality. Identified by its golden yellow cap.
Zaphir Sufi — Late Summer
Notes: A G E D G E C A
The Sufi occupies the intermediary season between summer and autumn — a transitional moment in the year with its own distinct character. Its tuning is more contemplative and modal than the other four, with a quality that invites stillness and inward attention. Particularly well suited to deep meditation, sound therapy, and relaxation after a yoga session. Identified by its deep purple cap.
Zaphir Twilight — Autumn
Notes: E G B C E G B C
Twilight carries an autumnal warmth and depth. The E–G–B–C sequence has a rich, rounded quality — present and warm without being loud. Autumn associations: depth, the beauty of transition, the richness of things in their fullness before they change. Ideal for mindfulness practice, yoga closing sequences, and grounding work. Identified by its warm red-gold cap.
Zaphir Blue Moon — Winter
Notes: D F A B C E A# C
Blue Moon closes the seasonal cycle. Its tuning is the most expansive and resonant of the five, with a wide note spread that produces a particularly deep, lingering sound in the Zaphir's celluloid tube. Winter associations: stillness, interior quiet, the spacious silence that holds everything. The first choice for deep meditation, relaxation before sleep, and sound massage. Identified by its ice-blue and gold marbled cap.
Explore the full Zaphir seasonal guide or browse the complete Zaphir collection.
Koshi vs Zaphir: The Key Differences
Material and resonance. Koshi uses a bamboo veneer tube; Zaphir uses a long-fibre celluloid tube shaped to Golden Ratio proportions. The celluloid tube gives Zaphir a slightly warmer tone and a noticeably longer decay — notes hang in the air longer before fading.
Register and character. Koshi chimes are slightly brighter and more melodically active. Zaphir chimes have a marginally lower, warmer register. Neither is louder; the difference is in tonal colour rather than volume.
Framework. Koshi organises around the four elements — a framework suited to practices working with earth, water, air, and fire as principles. Zaphir organises around the five seasons — a framework suited to working with cycles, seasonal attunement, and natural rhythms. Both are equally valid; the question is which language fits your practice more naturally.
Using Koshi and Zaphir Together
Many practitioners work with both families. Koshi chimes tend to be more melodically active and brighter; Zaphir chimes move more slowly toward deeper, sustained resonance. Using a Koshi for more active passages and a Zaphir for slower, more meditative sections creates variety without losing harmonic coherence — the two families are designed to complement one another and will never clash.
A few cross-family pairings that work particularly well: Koshi Aqua with Zaphir Twilight creates a layered, introspective depth suited to emotional processing and grounding work. Koshi Aria with Zaphir Crystalide creates an open, brightening combination suited to meditation practices working with spaciousness and new beginnings.
The Complete Sets
Koshi Complete Set of 4
All four Koshi chimes — Terra, Aqua, Aria and Ignis — in one set. The complete elemental toolkit for sound therapy, meditation, and practice.
Zaphir 4 Seasons Set
Crystalide, Sunray, Twilight and Blue Moon together — the complete seasonal cycle in one collection. Delivered in the original Zaphir gift box, ideal for sound therapists, yoga studios, and meditation spaces.
Discover the Zaphir Set of 4 Seasons
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Koshi and Zaphir chimes?
Both are handcrafted in France with eight precisely tuned steel rods, but they are built differently and organised around different frameworks. Koshi uses a bamboo tube and four elemental tunings (earth, water, air, fire). Zaphir uses a celluloid tube shaped to Golden Ratio proportions and five seasonal tunings (spring, summer, late summer, autumn, winter). Zaphir chimes have a slightly warmer tone and a longer decay; Koshi chimes are a little brighter and more melodically active.
Which chime is best for a complete beginner?
Koshi Aqua is an excellent starting point. Its flowing, self-returning note structure produces a naturally meditative sound and is immediately rewarding to play — no musical experience needed. If you're drawn to the Zaphir family, Zaphir Crystalide is similarly accessible: light, open, and easy to work with intuitively.
Can you use Koshi and Zaphir chimes together in the same session?
Yes, and many practitioners do. All Koshi and Zaphir chimes are tuned to harmonious scales, so they will not clash — any Koshi chime can be played alongside any Zaphir chime without producing a dissonant result. The tonal contrast between them — Koshi's brightness against Zaphir's warmer, longer resonance — is part of what makes the combination effective in a sound bath or meditation session.
Browse the full Koshi collection and the full Zaphir collection, or read the Zaphir seasonal guide to go deeper into the seasonal framework.
