Why are musical triangles triangular?

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SUMMARY

Musical triangles are triangular primarily due to convenience in manufacturing and sound production. The triangular shape allows for a shorter distance between the sides, facilitating quicker strikes and producing distinct tones. The sharp angles of a triangle create varying lengths of metal, which contribute to the fundamental harmonics, resulting in a richer sound compared to a circular shape. A circular triangle would emit a singular deep tone rather than the three higher tones characteristic of traditional triangular designs.

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ascky
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Is there any physics reason why musical triangles are triangular, and not circles with gaps (or anything else)? Or is it just tradition.
 
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It's easier to bend a triangle out of a strait rod.

The sound would probably be a bit different but not different enough
to want to go to the trouble of bending a circle.
 
I think Antiphon is right about the actual reason why it's a triangle, out of convenience, but also it's a shorter distance between the three sides of a triangle than a square or a circle, using the same amount of material, so you can strike it faster.

but the sound would be a different tone for a circle than it would a triangle. I think the sharp angles in triangles effectively make it three different lengths of metal as far as fundamental harmonics is concerned (depending on the material and how it creased).

A circular triangle would be like a longer string, effectively emitting one deep tone instead of three higher tones.
 

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