A bell instrument for providing a true sound of cast bells, comprising a plurality of bell record modules, each such module being programmable by both automatic means and manual means and having a continuous tape, or other types of magnetic material (floppy disc or drum), encoding of bell music and control means for operating same, the control means for each tape comprising means for playing a predetermined programmed portion of such music and returning the tape to a start position. In a preferred embodiment, a tape module is employed having a multi-track continuous tape, each track having a respective predetermined portion thereof containing encoded signals representing bell music and a respective other portion thereof containing no encoded music, with accompanying means for selecting and playing the music from any one of said tracks and controlling the tape transport from sensed control information or the lack thereof on a given predetermined one of said tracks.