Electronic Bell Simulation

[Hare]

My PP has recently visited a parish with an electronic bell simulation system capable of tolling, change-ringing etc, and has asked me to look into the possibility of obtaining one for our parish.

Anyone had any experience of these and could offer any advice please?

[musicus]

Hmm. Here we go again: CD player territory. We may assume that all the usual (and extremely valid) authenticity arguments apply. In spades, actually, as simulated change ringing puts at least four people out of work. Perhaps the more expensive model makes six people redundant. Or not.

More scientifically, I wouldn't want to be the loudspeaker system that was asked to reproduce, however approximately, the sound of church bells. Battle of Britain pilots had a better life expectancy.

In short, save your money and spend it on a ten-foot barge pole.

On reflection, perhaps Hare only wants factual information - cost, suppliers, etc - and not a discussion of the issues. No doubt he will tell us.

[VML]

And they could go on to download podcasts of appropriate Thoughts for the Day to use for homilies..

[Hare]

Factual information please, or I shall be sorry I bothered to ask a serious question.

For the record, our church does not even have a bell turret, let alone a tower so no one is being put out of work. I am the last one to advocate use of CD's over live music in any circumstances.

I know nothing of the subject, other than that at least one reputable digital organ builder is currently developing such systems.

[oopsorganist]

What? Proper bells, like er, proper bells? Whatever would that be used for? Surely that would be the most annoying thing ever, a recording of bells being played across the area. I do quietly envy the nearby C of E that dings politely on Sunday morning from it's little C18th bell thingy. It is sweet. It doesn't work, because few people seem to be heading there.

All sorts of non pc jokes could gather arount such a gadget.

"The bells, the bells....."

[Nick Baty]

There's a church up here which has such bells and they sound absolutely superb.
I can put you in touch if you like.

[Nick Baty]

they could go on to download podcasts of appropriate Thoughts for the Day to use for homilies..

Now stop it! They'll be suggesting they use electric lights next!

[musicus]

Factual information please, or I shall be sorry I bothered to ask a serious question.

Thank you for the clarification, Hare. Fair enough.

[docmattc]

There's a church up here which has such bells and they sound absolutely superb.

Lesser quality certainly exists though. I know of a church which has (had?) a recorded bell which was very obviously out of tune!

[lesley wright]

We used to have a machine that gave us electronic chimes, in the days when our PP was a very enthusiastic, charismatic Irishman (two before the one we have now). I'd advise caution in its use. Fr T set it to play a cheerful peal as the bride came out of church after the 11.00 am wedding. Lovely, everyone thought. Unfortunately no one reset the machine before the 1.00 pm wedding, they just turned it on again and the second bride came out to a funereal muffled peal. I don't think anyone except me actually realised what was wrong, but the expressions on the guests' faces standing around after the afternoon wedding were much more subdued than those in the morning, though the sun shone equally on both.
We do have a tower, though it has no bells in it. Don't you think having the sound of bells without a tower is a bit odd?

[contrabordun]

St Agnes, Moseley, Birmingham have (or had, this is going back 15 years or so) such an arrangement.
http://www.achurchnearyou.com/moseley-st-agnes/

[Hare]

Don't you think having the sound of bells without a tower is a bit odd?

Indeed; the same thought occured to me - I am only the "middle man" here though. I will pass on your very sensible comment to our PP!

[Hare]

There's a church up here which has such bells and they sound absolutely superb.
I can put you in touch if you like.

Yes please - many thanks. PM me, but no rush as am off to France on Friday for 10 days.

[Reginald]

In my Bristol days the local C of E church had an electronic bells system which sounded quite convincing from inside the house at least. The biggest drawback was that somebody had worked out how to connect a microphone to the speakers in the bell tower and it wasn't unusual to wake up to Hi-de-hi style announcements on a Saturday morning! "Good morning everybody! This is Canon Christine just letting you know that we have a coffee morning today at 10.30...".

Perhaps not the information you were looking for, but if you're offered a version with microphone decline politely please.

[Hare]

In my Bristol days the local C of E church had an electronic bells system which sounded quite convincing from inside the house at least. The biggest drawback was that somebody had worked out how to connect a microphone to the speakers in the bell tower and it wasn't unusual to wake up to Hi-de-hi style announcements on a Saturday morning! "Good morning everybody! This is Canon Christine just letting you know that we have a coffee morning today at 10.30...".

Perhaps not the information you were looking for, but if you're offered a version with microphone decline politely please.

When were your Bristol days, and which church was that? Would our paths have crossed? I was in Bristol 1966-73 and again 1983-87.........