A successful choice of bell sounds for a new church is a very delicate issue. At the risk of repeating a few evident truths, it would be useful to determine a method by indication the decisions to be taken, the criteria of choice and the precautions to be taken.

1 - CHOICE OF NOTE FOR EACH BELL :

This is, of course, the choice to be made and it is done in two steps.

1.1 - Choice of the basic chord

The musical interval between each note must be defined. For example, for 3 bells, DO RE MI or DO MI SOL are traditional choices, very popular but not very original. The final choice is based on the rules of harmony and the general tone of the desired ringing. Getting advice from a priest who is also a musician is good idea at this point.

1.2 - Choice of transposition

The same melody can played by moving all the notes towards the low or high notes the space of the same interval ; this is called transposition. The sets DO RE MI or FA SOL LA produce the same melodies.

The note of the largest bell must be chosen first and the others will follow suit.

1.3 - Choice of the construction profile

Bells making the same sound as bells twice as big can be constructed, with respect to the relationship between the thickness and the diameter.

The modern solution for bell profiles consists in choosing a heavier profile as the sound is from the higher end of the musical scale.

We were the first to develop this concept. It can produce superb peals of bells, well-balanced with powerful high chords which are not hidden by the low-note bells of the set.

This is even more important for chimes.

For our proposal, we have chosen the traditional progression of a half-board per tone.

2 - CRITERIA FOR CHOOSING THE SIZE OF THE BELLS

A bell’s note is largely conditioned by its weight : the heavier it is, the lower the note, therefore it costs more ; the more it " pushes " on its support, the more powerful it is, etc...This demonstrates the strategic importance of this choice.

2.1 - The price of bells and their installation.

First of all, the bell’s note varies in proportion to its diameter. By multiplying the diameter by two, we find the same note one octave lower but the weight is multiplied by eight and the price will be almost multiplied by eight.

On the other hand, the price of electrical ringing equipment is not affected by the size of the bell. Our offer includes a price list for a wide range of bells and an estimate for electrification and installation.

2.2 - The thrust of bells on the structure :

- The thrust is proportional to the weight of the bells. It depends on the amplitude of the swinging and of the type of installation.

- The horizontal component can reach up to 30% to 120% of the weight of the bell, depending on the case. A low-frequency vibration force can cause dangerous mechanical resonance.

- The vertical component can reach 200% to 400% of the bell’s weight. It is less dangerous for masonry.

tIt is important to be aware of all these efforts in order to consolidate the appropriate structures. Our services includes precise and complete calculations of the bell’s thrust.

2.3 - The sound level of bells

The sound level of bells is proportional to their weight and to their place of installation. This can be an advantage or a disadvantage.

2.4 - Available space in the bell tower

3 - RINGING QUALITY CRITERIA

The quality of a bell’s ringing depends as much as 60% on the quality of the bell and for 50% on the quality of the installation and the equipment, in particular the motors used for ringing.

3.1 - Sound quality of bells :

The sound quality of a bell is set by the Limbourg standards, which specifies the tolerances for partial notes of each bell, as well as for the precision of the musical intervals between the bells.

However, the quality of the perceived sound involves sensations that are not measurable.

The sound of a bell depends on its diameter and its " edge ". This element characterizes the relationship between the thickness and the diameter of the bell. The sonority of a bell with a thick edge is softer, better balanced. For the same note, it is heavier and therefore more powerful. This is why bells with good sound quality have progressive edges. The advice of an expert will confirm this point of view and would be very helpful in choosing bells and their reception.

3.2 - Installation and equipment quality

Very strict precautions must be taken in order to avoid transferring noise and vibrations in metallic structures and/or concrete structures. These are problems we have already solved in other installations.

Balancing the suspension and the clapper and the design and the adjustment of the ringing motors are very important for the swinging rhythm and the strike of the clapper.

We are the only company to have developed and commercialized a motor controlled by a microprocessor, which is reliable, easy to adjust and quiet (no snapping contacts). This is particularly important when the bells are not closed up in a tower that muffles all these parasite noises.

3.3 - Quality of the bell chamber

The bell chamber acts as the bells’ sound box and its openings diffuses the sound outwards. It must a maximum of wooden elements, belfry, stock, etc...

The openings must have wooden louvers that will protect the inside from bad weather, stop birds from coming into the belfry and ensure good sound distribution.