The shimmering instrument known as bar chimes, or the Mark Tree, has become a familiar sound in meditation spaces, concerts, and recording studios around the world. Yet its origins are surprisingly recent. The instrument was created in Los Angeles in 1967 by studio percussionist Mark Stevens, who was experimenting with rows of suspended metal bars to produce a cascading sound effect for film and television. Fellow musicians began referring to it as the “Mark Tree,” and the name endured.

While the instrument itself is modern, the sounds it produces tap into a much older human tradition. For thousands of years, cultures across Asia and beyond have used bells, wind chimes, and resonant metal instruments in temples, gardens, ceremonies, and sacred spaces. Their shimmering tones have long been associated with transitions, reflection, and moments of heightened awareness.