Operating Abel (1)1

Trainer Training

Operating Abel (1)

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Operating Abel (1)

• Abel connections

• Footswitches

• Setting off in time

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Operating Abel (1)

• This tutorial assumes you are familiar with using Abel on it’s own i.e. without bells and sensors

• Slides 4, 5 and 6 are specific to the installation at St Nicolas, Guildford

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Abel Connections

Computer AComputer B Computer C(Headphones) (Headphones) (Loudspeakers)

Treble Bell 2 All ten bells

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Footswitches

• Need to be connected if required

• One per computer

• Footswitches connect to ‘Small White Boxes’ using the jack-plug leads

• One ‘Small White Box’ in each cupboard

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Footswitches

Computer A(Currently no connection

possible)

Computer B Computer C

SWB1 SWB2

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Footswitches

• Press to start into rounds (starts on the press, not the release)

• Press again to start the method

• And again to call a bob at the next calling position

• If you decide you didn't mean that, then press again before the call is made and it will be cancelled

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Setting Off in Time

• There are four ways of setting off:– joining-in – timed start – footswitch start – auto start

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Setting Off in Time

• Joining-in– press START to set Abel running in rounds

(all bells will sound)– pull-off at the right moment– Abel will sense that you have started

ringing, will stop sounding your bell automatically and will now take it’s cue from the sensor on your bell

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Setting Off in Time

• Joining-in– this is only suitable for experienced ringers– beginners will find it difficult to judge when

to pull-off

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Setting Off in Time

• Timed start– tutor sits by the computer, ready to press

START– tutor tells ringer to pull-off– tutor watches rope and judges when to

press START– Abel starts the treble immediately

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Setting Off in Time

• Timed start– works well– but the tutor needs to be quite well

‘calibrated’– tutor can’t stand with learner and press

START at same time

Note: the START works when the finger is lifted off the mouse button

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Setting Off in Time

• Footswitch start – operates as for the timed start, or for the

joining-in start– the ringer effectively presses START using

the footswitch

Note: the START works as soon as the footswitch is pressed

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Setting Off in Time

• Footswitch start – tutor is now able to stand with learner and

start Abel

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Setting Off in Time

• Auto start – the ‘Auto’ button is selected (on the Abel

toolbar)– the ringer sets-off at a steady ringing

speed– after two whole pulls, Abel will join in with

the other bells

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Setting Off in Time

• Auto start – the ringer is always in the right place– but the ringing speed may be too fast or

too slow– speed can be edged back to ‘normal’ by

the tutor– but this must be done at the computer

(trainer may have to move away from learner)

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Setting Off in Time

• The two favourite methods seem to be:

– The Auto start (when there’s a computer operator as well as the tutor)

– the timed start using the footswitch

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More tips….

Striking display….

• [View][Striking Display]• Use the striking display to help beginners see their place if they

can’t hear it. • The striking display works in “sound time” not “rope time”

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More tips….

Review striking….• [Ringing][Review Striking]• The "Hand Error" and "Back Error" percentages show the

average distance that the bell was from its correct position• The "Late" and "Early" percentages show if the bell has a

general tendency to be early or late at either stroke• If the "Hand Error" or "Back Error" percentage is much larger

than the corresponding Late/Early figure, it shows that the striking was rather unsteady

• Bell 3 Hand Error 23% (18% Late) Back Error 25% (20% Late)

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More tips….

Striking controls….

• You can mimic an odd struck bell• Right click over a rope icon

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More tips….

Software stuff….

• If you accidentally open Abel twice at the same time it will report COM port errors, as it will fight the previously opened version for access to the sensors!

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And finally….

When you exit Abel, please leave it as you found it

Just say… No