On 10/15/2016 10:47 AM, alan_m wrote:
On 15/10/2016 10:26, Ian Jackson wrote:

I don't mind peals of bells, but I've rarely been able to discern any
sort of tune. It wouldn't be too had if they put out a nice, steady
rhythm - but the clangs are usually all jerky.

Some sadist at BBC radio 4 has recorded peals of bells from various UK
churches and they are often played late at night just as one is dropping
off to sleep.

My observation is that either ALL bell ringers are failed musicians who
cannot hold a tune, the bells are only 'played' to drive off the devil
or they should not be considered as a musical instruments - or a
combination of all three. Its much the same with bagpipes. Considered by
the Scots as a weapon of war but some fool thought they could get a
pleasant tune from them.



The Science Museum used to have a nice display which demonstrated a wide
range of musical scales graphically. The one which stood out from all
the others was the traditional Scottish Highland Bagpipes, some of the
intervals in the scale are all over the place (more than a quarter of a
tone, iirc); explaining why they sound so odd.