One way to get bell sounds for a MIDI carillon practice keyboard is to install a sample player on a Mac or PC and add a USB MIDI adapter to connect the keyboard.
Hardware requirements
- Keyboard, mouse, display if computer is not a laptop
- USB Midi interface
- Headphones or amplified monitor speaker
Sample player software
Plogue Sforzando
Download Sforzando for OS X or Windows from Plogue's download page
Sforzando requires either a Mac with OS X (10.6.8 & up) or Windows (XP and up)
Sample players for Linux
Linux Sampler supports the SFZ file format used below. Usage is beyond the scope of this article, but we have loaded the samples into it to check compatibility. The easiest way to make it work is using a graphical plug-in host such as Carla. If you have audio experience in Linux, you should be able to get it to work. If you are a beginner wanting to experiment with Linux audio, we suggest you start with a distribution called KXStudio. It works well on old PCs with good sound cards.
Bell samples
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan Bicentennial has sponsored recordings of the 60-bell Ann & Robert H. Lurie Carillon at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Anyone can download and use these recordings for free under the Creative Commons license.
Download Lurie samples
Download the Lurie tower samples from the GoBlueBells blog
- go to Lurie audio samples web page
- right click the link labeled zip file and save it
- open the Lurie_Carillon_samples_CC.zip file and copy the wav files from it to a new folder named lurie.
Create lurie.sfz sample map file
Open a text editor, then copy the code below and paste it into the editor.
//---------------------------------------------------------- // Programmed by Rick White, www.chimemaster.com May 23 2017 // CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE // Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) // // For use with MIDI practice keyboards // // Works with Garratin Sample programs using ARIA engine or // Plogue Sforzando - freeware can be found at // http://www.plogue.com/products/sforzando/ //---------------------------------------------------------- <group> polyphony=48 // reduce for slow cpu/low memory loop_mode=one_shot // force sample to play in entirety ampeg_attack=0.005 // 5 ms de-click may be excessive ampeg_hold=1 // 1 sec hold ampeg_decay=1 // 1 sec decay ampeg_sustain=100 // to 100% - play same staccato or legato ampeg_release=100 // 100 sec release long <region> sample=LT_10_10_0.wav lokey=036 key=043 // keyboard G0 First AnnArbor bell // <region> sample= key=044 // missing Ab0 semitone <region> sample=LT_10_10_01.wav key=045 lokey=044 // fill missing Ab0 <region> sample=LT_10_10_02.wav key=046 // Bb0 <region> sample=LT_10_10_03.wav key=047 <region> sample=LT_10_10_04.wav key=048 // key C1 <region> sample=LT_10_10_05.wav key=049 <region> sample=LT_10_10_06.wav key=050 <region> sample=LT_10_10_07.wav key=051 <region> sample=LT_10_10_08.wav key=052 <region> sample=LT_10_10_09.wav key=053 <region> sample=LT_10_10_10.wav key=054 // <region> sample=LT_10_10_11.wav key=055 // rings late <region> sample=LT_10_10_12.wav key=056 lokey=055 <region> sample=LT_10_10_13.wav key=057 <region> sample=LT_10_10_14.wav key=058 <region> sample=LT_10_10_15.wav key=059 <region> sample=LT_10_10_16.wav key=060 // key C2 <region> sample=LT_10_10_17.wav key=061 <region> sample=LT_10_10_18.wav key=062 <region> sample=LT_10_10_19.wav key=063 <region> sample=LT_10_10_20.wav key=064 // <region> sample=LT_10_10_21.wav key=065 // distorted recording <region> sample=LT_10_10_22.wav key=066 lokey=065 <region> sample=LT_10_10_23.wav key=067 <region> sample=LT_10_10_24.wav key=068 <region> sample=LT_10_10_25.wav key=069 <region> sample=LT_10_10_26.wav key=070 <region> sample=LT_10_10_27.wav key=071 <region> sample=LT_10_10_28.wav key=072 // key C3 <region> sample=LT_10_10_29.wav key=073 <region> sample=LT_10_10_30.wav key=074 <region> sample=LT_10_10_31.wav key=075 <region> sample=LT_10_10_32.wav key=076 <region> sample=LT_10_10_33.wav key=077 <region> sample=LT_10_10_34.wav key=078 <region> sample=LT_10_10_35.wav key=079 <region> sample=LT_10_10_36.wav key=080 <region> sample=LT_10_10_37.wav key=081 <region> sample=LT_10_10_38.wav key=082 <region> sample=LT_10_10_39.wav key=083 <region> sample=LT_10_10_40.wav key=084 // key C4 <region> sample=LT_10_10_41.wav key=085 <region> sample=LT_10_10_42.wav key=086 <region> sample=LT_10_10_43.wav key=087 <region> sample=LT_10_10_44.wav key=088 <region> sample=LT_10_10_45.wav key=089 <region> sample=LT_10_10_46.wav key=090 <region> sample=LT_10_10_47.wav key=091 <region> sample=LT_10_10_48.wav key=092 <region> sample=LT_10_10_49.wav key=093 <region> sample=LT_10_10_50.wav key=094 <region> sample=LT_10_10_51.wav key=095 <region> sample=LT_10_10_52.wav key=096 // key C5 <region> sample=LT_10_10_53.wav key=097 <region> sample=LT_10_10_54.wav key=098 <region> sample=LT_10_10_55.wav key=099 <region> sample=LT_10_10_56.wav key=100 <region> sample=LT_10_10_57.wav key=101 <region> sample=LT_10_10_58.wav key=102 <region> sample=LT_10_10_59.wav key=103 hikey=127 // key G5
Save the file as lurie.sfz in the samples folder
Load the file into sforzando
- Start sforzando
- At the top left of the app, click INSTRUMENT and then Import, navigate to luire.sfz and open it
- The bells should play when you click on the keys of the on screen keyboard
- If you have connected and configured your MIDI interface, Open sforzando preferences from the menu, select your MIDI input and audio output
- In sforzando's File menu, select save as and enter Practice Lurie
GCNA Members Only Samples
2012 Ronald Barnes Memorial Scholarship winner Ed Herrmann created high-quality recordings of the carillon bells at the University of Chicago's Rockefeller Memorial Chapel. These recordings are available to all GCNA members, and are useful to provide bell sounds for the carillon practice keyboard.
Requires a GCNA Membership to access the download pages below.
Download Chicago samples
Download the Chicago samples from the GCNA members web page
- go to the Members area of the GCNA website
- enter your user name and password for access
- right click each bell note link to save link as
- copy the downloaded .wav files from your downloads folder to a new folder named samples
Create chicago.sfz sample map file
Open a text editor, then copy the code below and paste it into the editor.
//---------------------------------------------------------- // Programmed by Rick White, http://www.chimemaster.com // For GCNA membership use with MIDI practice keyboards // January, March 2016, May 2017 // Works with Garratin Sample programs using ARIA engine or // Plogue Sforzando - freeware can be found at // http://www.plogue.com/products/sforzando/ //---------------------------------------------------------- <group> // was <global> more compatible using group polyphony=64 // reduce for slow cpu/low memory loop_mode=one_shot // force sample to play in entirety ampeg_attack=0.005 // 5 ms de-click may be excessive ampeg_hold=1 // 1 sec hold ampeg_decay=1 // 1 sec decay ampeg_sustain=100 // to 100% - play same staccato or legato ampeg_release=100 // 100 sec release long // no keyboard transposition - full 6 octaves <region> sample=1-Csharp2.wav key=037 lokey=036 hikey=038 <region> sample=2-Eb2.wav key=039 <region> sample=3-E2.wav key=040 <region> sample=4-F2.wav key=041 <region> sample=5-Fsharp2.wav key=042 <region> sample=6-G2.wav key=043 <region> sample=7-Ab2.wav key=044 <region> sample=8-A2.wav key=045 <region> sample=9-Bb2.wav key=046 <region> sample=10-B2.wav key=047 <region> sample=11-C3.wav key=048 <region> sample=12-Csharp3.wav key=049 <region> sample=13-D3.wav key=050 <region> sample=14-Eb3.wav key=051 <region> sample=15-E3.8.wav key=052 <region> sample=16-F3.wav key=053 <region> sample=17-Fsharp3.wav key=054 <region> sample=18-G3.wav key=055 <region> sample=19-Ab3.wav key=056 <region> sample=20-A3.wav key=057 <region> sample=21-Bb3.wav key=058 <region> sample=22-B3.wav key=059 <region> sample=23-C4.wav key=060 <region> sample=24-Csharp4.wav key=061 <region> sample=25-D4.wav key=062 <region> sample=26-Eb4.wav key=063 <region> sample=27-E4.wav key=064 <region> sample=28-F4.wav key=065 <region> sample=29-Fsharp4.wav key=066 <region> sample=30-G4.wav key=067 <region> sample=31-Ab4.wav key=068 <region> sample=32-A4.wav key=069 <region> sample=33-Bb4.wav key=070 <region> sample=34-B4.wav key=071 <region> sample=35-C5.wav key=072 <region> sample=36-Csharp5.wav key=073 <region> sample=37-D5.wav key=074 <region> sample=38-Eb5.wav key=075 <region> sample=39-E5.wav key=076 <region> sample=40-F5.wav key=077 <region> sample=41-Fsharp5.wav key=078 <region> sample=42-G5.wav key=079 <region> sample=43-Ab5.wav key=080 <region> sample=44-A5.wav key=081 <region> sample=45-Bb5.wav key=082 <region> sample=46-B5.wav key=083 <region> sample=47-C6.wav key=084 <region> sample=48-Csharp6.wav key=085 <region> sample=49-D6.wav key=086 <region> sample=50-Eb6.wav key=087 <region> sample=51-E6.wav key=088 <region> sample=52-F6.wav key=089 <region> sample=53-Fsharp6.wav key=090 <region> sample=54-G6.wav key=091 <region> sample=55-Ab6.wav key=092 <region> sample=56-A6.wav key=093 <region> sample=57-Bb6.wav key=094 <region> sample=58-B6.wav key=095 <region> sample=59-C7.wav key=096 <region> sample=60-Csharp7.wav key=097 <region> sample=61-D7.wav key=098 <region> sample=62-Eb7.wav key=099 <region> sample=63-E7.wav key=100 <region> sample=64-F7.wav key=101 <region> sample=65-Fsharp7.wav key=102 <region> sample=66-G7.wav key=103 <region> sample=67-Ab7.3.wav key=104 <region> sample=68-A7.4.wav key=105 <region> sample=69-Bb7.wav key=106 <region> sample=70-B7.wav key=107 <region> sample=71-C8.wav key=108 <region> sample=72-Csharp8.wav key=109 hikey=127
Save the file as chicago.sfz in the samples folder
Load the file into sforzando
- Start sforzando
- At the top left of the app, click INSTRUMENT and then Import, navigate to chicago.sfz and open it
- The bells should play when you click on the keys of the on screen keyboard
- If you have connected and configured your MIDI interface, Open sforzando preferences from the menu, select your MIDI input and audio output
- In sforzando's File menu, select save as and enter Practice Chicago