Handbell Toolbox

8.3. Foundation skills

Whether you are teaching a non-ringer or a proficient tower bell peal ringer they need to develop: good handling, an appropriate action and good rhythm.

Good handling

Consists of good handbell positioning:

• Rivets can be either up or down – but consistency is required to preserve handles.
• Lie the bell down on their side, not mouth down, to protect the spring.
• Don’t clash the bells together – they go out of tune.
• Inter-lock handles with a 90^o turn.
• Posture – feet flat, back straight and rest knuckles on knees after the down stroke.

And appropriate action:

• Don’t double clapper – the hand or (up)stroke to be flipped right over so that the mouth of the bell is facing your chest (clapper on downward lip of bell).
• Flick of the wrist – not a town crier. Compact style aids precision.
• Open handstrokes at the lead.
• Count the sounds of the bells and anticipate your place

Good rhythm

Exploring rhythm using rounds and variations.

• Write out rounds and then ring rounds rhythmically.
• Swap two bells, write it out and then ring it rhythmically.
• If your student is not an experienced tower bell ringer discuss the place each of the swapped bells is ringing in.
• Listen to some good handbell ringing.
• Hear the rhythm of even handstroke sounds then backstroke sounds then a (handstroke) gap. Repeat.
• Tap out 3-4 on the table following your 1-2 and before another teacher's 5-6.
• Encourage the practising of rhythm at home through clapping or using a ringing simulator package set to ring either rounds or with the tenor covering.

Call changes and jump changes are remarkably difficult to ring on handbells and although this might be the logical next step on tower bells, it's not on handbells. 

Exploring rhythm using tunes

Jingle Bells

4, 4, 4, - 4, 4, 4, - 4, 2, 6-, 5, 4,
3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 5, 5, 4, 5, 2,
4, 4, 4, - 4, 4, 4, - 4, 2, 6-, 5, 4,
3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 2, 2, 3, 5, 6.

Happy Birthday

8, 8, 7, 8, 5, 6, 8, 8, 7, 8, 4, 5,
8, 8, 1, 3, 5, 5, 6, 7,
(3, 6), (3, 6), 3, 5, 4, 5.

The First Noel

6, 7, 8, *, *, 7, 6, 5, 4, *, *, *, 3, 2, 1, *, 2, *, 3, *, 4, *, *, *,
3, 2, 1, *, 2, *, 3, *, 4, *, 3,*, 2, *, 1,*, 4, *, 5, *, 6, *, *, *, *,

Other ideas to reinforce rhythm

The methods toolboxes include further ideas for teaching the rhythm of rounds and leading. Encourage quicker ringing as it really is easier and more rhythmical. Demonstrate this by ringing slow rounds which become gradually faster then back slower again. It is harder to be rhythmical if ringing slowly.