Mabel Ringing Simulator
What it runs on
Apple Mac computers with Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or 10.5 (Leopard). Both PowerPC and Intel i386 Macs are supported. Needs internet connection for a download, or a CD drive. Uses about 17MB of disk space.
What it does
Mabel lets you practise method ringing and call changes on your Apple Mac.
You can practise anything from call-changes on three, through plain hunt and bob doubles, to Surprise Maximus, and up to 100-Spliced 24-in.
You can ring any bell, or two if you’re a handbell ringer. You use the keyboard to ring your chosen bell(s) and Mabel rings the rest, letting you practise the blue line of any method or touch, or practise call changes, and get used to ringing in perfect rhythm.
You can ring a touch or changes from a library (including random touches, different each time you ring them), or call them yourself. When you go wrong in the middle of something, Mabel lets you go back a bit and try again.
You can print out (and preview) plain courses of methods, or touches, in similar style to the RW Diary or Diagrams, or various other styles.
Mabel has real tower and handbell sound, and shows sally/tail or handbells at back/hand, scrolling blue line, calls and method changes (spoken too), etc. You can use recordings of your own bells, or change the bell/sally/backstroke graphics. There are many options, including speed of the ringing, pitch and scale of the bells, cartwheeling, tenors behind, call changes up or down, half muffled, etc.
Even people new to ringing and/or computers find Mabel easy to use.
Library used
microSIRIL library of 15,000 methods and private library supplied with the software.
What it costs
Mabel costs £20 as a download from the www.abelsim.co.uk website, or £22 on CD. All profits go to charity, including Bell Restoration. Updates are free (download from website).
Where to get it and/or more information
Further information is on the website at http://www.abelsim.co.uk, from which you can also buy Mabel as a download, or order the CD.
You can also order the CD by sending a cheque for £22 made out to AbelSim to:
Chris Hughes, 8 Daisy Bank Crescent, Audlem, Crewe, CW3 0HD
