Haptic Carillon: A Computationally Enhanced Mechanical Performing Instrument

This paper describes the development of a haptic device for emulating the sonic and haptic dynamics of a carillon, specifically the National Carillon in Canberra, Australia. The carillon is one of only a few instruments that elicit a sophisticated haptic response from the amateur and professional player alike. Force-feedback varies widely across the range of the instrument and developing an intuition for the heaviness of different bells is a critical part of carillon pedagogy. Unfortunately, rehearsal time available to individual carillonneurs is limited by competition from other carillonneurs and environmental factors like civic noise limits and carillon maintenance schedules. Rehearsal instruments do exist but they do not accurately display the haptic dynamics of the real carillon. Our device couples the notions of entertainment and cultural computing; while musical instruments are now regularly digitised for purposes of entertainment the haptic carillon is motivated by an awareness of the musicianship of carillonneurs and the public cultural space they inhabit with their instrument.