Bell-ringer

[1] Although in some places carillons are used to sound bells, they are "played" by carillonneurs, not by bell-ringers, and are associated with the ringing of tunes in the Western musical tradition.

[citation needed] This type of ringing cannot be automated because of the large rotating masses of the bells and the exact regulation in speed of striking that is required.

The high level of control exerted by ringers means the bells can be struck with both accurate and equal spacing, and can change their striking pattern at each stroke.

This style of ringing takes place every week in several thousand belfries in England, and to a lesser extent other English-speaking nations.

The heaviest bell used with this system is in Bologna Cathedral, and is called la Nonna ("the Granny") and weighs 3.3 tonnes.

For the Russian tradition a special complex system of ropes is used, designed individually for each belltower.

Training took place only at workshops until 2008, then the first permanent traditional bell-ringing school opened in Moscow, under the leadership of Drozdihin Ilya.

This a common method of ringing where full-circle bells do not exist, and requires little skill.

In France between the years 1753 and 1786, 103 bell-ringers were killed during thunderstorms as a result of holding on to wet bell ropes.