Two tone lifts

[Tim Lund]

Here's an idea which came to me by the lifts, half way up an office block. When a lift arrives there's a nice clear 'ping', but that doesn't tell me if it's going up or down. There's an illuminated arrow as well, but you don't always know which direction it came from. However, if there could be a 'ping' for going up say an octave higher than the 'ping for going down, then the information would be conveyed all the faster.

Or the notes could be a fifth apart, giving a nice Chinese effect if two lifts going in different directions arrive simultaneously.

You heard it here first, folks

[Rachael]

Would this work if you only heard one ping? What would your context be for knowing it was higher or lower? No, what you need is three notes, either rising or falling.

Or, you know, that lady that says 'Going down' or 'Going up.' She's been around since I was a nipper.

[marymck]

I wonder if she gets repeat fees.

[chrisj1948]

Would this work if you only heard one ping? What would your context be for knowing it was higher or lower? No, what you need is three notes, either rising or falling.

That was what occurred to me as I read Tim's suggestion. I thought of a two note sequence but your triple would be much better!

Regards
Chris

[Tim Lund]

Chris, Rachel - you are of course correct - it's what some colleagues also immediately suggested. The idea came to me when I was thinking about a friend who has perfect pitch, and I was wondering how well someone like me with only a vague ability to distinguish between differently pitched single notes would manage.

I reckon I and most other people would learn fairly easily to identify notes an octave apart.

[Rachael]

Chris, Rachel - you are of course correct - it's what some colleagues also immediately suggested. The idea came to me when I was thinking about a friend who has perfect pitch, and I was wondering how well someone like me with only a vague ability to distinguish between differently pitched single notes would manage.

I reckon I and most other people would learn fairly easily to identify notes an octave apart.

Only if a) this was a lift you used often or b) the same two notes were used for all lifts.

If it was a variable system and a strange lift...

On the other hand, my rising or falling notes out work in any context.

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[CaptainCarCrash]

Tim, lifts that go ping are out, speaking ones are in.

A lot of new lifts have voice recordings not just pings, Tim you need to tell those cheapskate bosses to spend some money and get voice added.

Ping, Lift Going Up

Ping, Lift Going Down

You also get a voice which tells you the floor you're on when it stops.

Why have pings when you can have a sexy voice telling you where to get off

[chrisj1948]

Tim, lifts that go ping are out, speaking ones are in.

I guess that means that lifts in local authority buildings will have to make the announcement in seventeen different languages, including Urdu and Punjabi. It would at least encourage people in a hurry to use the stairs

Regards
Chris