[Bell Historians] Musical scales, bell register

[Mike Chester]

--- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "Bickerton, Roderic K \(SELEX\) 
\(UK\)" <roderic.bickerton at ...> wrote:
> Regarding the bell register, why have notes at all?
> Surely the frequencies (Hz) are all that is necessary, and preferably
> all 5.

No! This would take away the meaning of what the vast majority of 
ringers understand by the note of their tenor bell.  You would make the 
register more exclusive to people than inclusive.  It would also mean 
an exponentially higher amount of work has to be done on a voluntary 
basis with the rewards being understood by only a tiny fraction of the 
ringing population.


> Perhaps the register could eventually contain a small sound bite of 
the
> bell being struck, so that predominance decay and other analysis could
> be done if a researcher wished.
> 

There are currently 28,133 bells in the proto-NBR, equating to 58.7% of 
the total bells IN RINGS OF 3 OR MORE. On my calculations this would 
mean a total of around 48,000 bells needed to be recorded. The cost in 
time and money of adding these to the database would vastly outweigh 
the limited value that would be gained from it.  Perhaps a selection of 
bells that are noteable for being particularly good, or even bad, or a 
typical example of a given founder, perhaps, but every bell?  I doubt 
it.

Mike