Work today
- Thread starterBillESC
- Start date
Does the carillon you service collect dead birds that fly in at night for shelter and freeze to death or are long, frigid, winters not a problem in your local? The only work I've ever done in a carillon was replacing a mic up with the bells which feeds a speaker far below so the gentleman who plays the bells can hear them in real time for accuracy in playing purposes. There are two or three levels of bells, with the largest filling the lower of those floors of course, and every bell floor is littered with rotting bird carcasses. Every few years a pest control agency is brought in to get suited up and shovel out the decaying bird bodies. It sure sounds pretty when it's being played but it does have its less than idyllic side. It's also fitted with a few electrically actuated mallets operated by an electronic system for routine, oft repeated, peals but, personally, I find it most magical when it's being played by its most skilled player. It's something to watch someone slamming the heck out of the paddles with his fists while producing beautiful, melodious, music about 60' over his head / roughly 100' AFG. (Above Finished Grade) I find the system of aircraft cables, counter-weights, springs and various mechanical linkages tying the performer's "keyboard" to his instrument quite intriguing as well. They have a heater installed at the playing floor to keep the performer' from freezing although, during the winter months, the performers play in their winter jackets and winter gloves. The practice keyboard's an interesting contraption as well. No one would want to hear inexperienced players wailing on the bells at 2:00 a.m. and disturbing the neighborhood so they have a second, identical looking, paddleboard / keyboard that's weighted so the action feels exactly like the real keyboard next to it but instead of it wailing on bells another 60' up, it plinks away on, essentially, vibraphone tone bars within it.
There you go. More than you ever wanted to know about carillons and right here on Control Booth where you'd never think to find it.
Edited to correct a spelling error.
Edited to add a few facts:
The carillon's tower stands 165' high and contains 23 bells weighing 64,000 pounds. The bells were forged in England and brought to Hamilton, Ontario by boat.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
Last edited:
BillESC
Well-Known Member
If you look at the bottom of the second picture you'll see an EV horn. There are three of them in the bell tower. The carillon is the Chime Master which is a digital unit located next to the mixer in the sanctuary. It is a really slick system that self adjusts for seasonal hymns, calls to worship, etc.
So, no real bells? No live bell players? What about winters and collections of dead birds?If you look at the bottom of the second picture you'll see an EV horn. There are three of them in the bell tower. The carillon is the Chime Master which is a digital unit located next to the mixer in the sanctuary. It is a really slick system that self adjusts for seasonal hymns, calls to worship, etc.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.
Moose Hatrack
Active Member
If you ever get a chance to visit with somebody who installs and maintains bells, take it! I had the chance at a monastery in Nebraska. The view from up there was spectacular an the repair work was fascinating.
We had a Carillon system for our campus "bell" tower. It was a system that ran on 8 track tapes. The system was installed in the audio dept. office for some reason.
Our head audio once discovered that "Pop Goes the Weasel" was in the tape collection, so he programmed it to run at :15 after the hour and we went to the campus quadrangle to watch.
Everybody crossing the campus stopped and looked up, many chuckled, we thought it was hysterical of course but never did it again.
Our head audio once discovered that "Pop Goes the Weasel" was in the tape collection, so he programmed it to run at :15 after the hour and we went to the campus quadrangle to watch.
Everybody crossing the campus stopped and looked up, many chuckled, we thought it was hysterical of course but never did it again.
Moose Hatrack
Active Member
Once I happened to be in front of the carillon controller at church when the Angelus played at noon. This was about 1970. Tiny dings from inside the rack were followed immediately (and convincingly) by the sound of ringings bells from the steeple. I pictured a music box type device in the controller with something like a guitar pickup attached. This controller would have been installed in 1964.
BillESC
Well-Known Member
Funny story about this particular job from the beginning.
I was brought in to see why it wasn't working and discovered the original tape driven system had been unplugged. Mine you it hadn't worked for a year or so.
The clock indicated 11:56 but it was only 11:35 so I set the correct time. I got a call the next morning asking why the chimes rang 12 times at midnight....
Sold them on the solid state system later that day.
I was brought in to see why it wasn't working and discovered the original tape driven system had been unplugged. Mine you it hadn't worked for a year or so.
The clock indicated 11:56 but it was only 11:35 so I set the correct time. I got a call the next morning asking why the chimes rang 12 times at midnight....
Sold them on the solid state system later that day.
I've been maintaining a Schulmerich bell system made in 1965. The clock is mechanical and the amplifier is 100 Watts from 6550 vacuum tubes. A motor turns a switch wheel which triggers solenoid strikers. The strikers hit tuned, metal rods that have magnetic pickups. They got their money's worth when they bought that system. Right now it has a problem with a worn wafer switch on the clock. Some hour strikes skip rings. I haven't had time to call and see if parts are still available.
Moose Hatrack
Active Member
Similar threads
