Method Toolboxes for ringers

2. Foundation Skills Toolbox

What are the foundation skills?

When learning to ring it is important to develop good, basic foundation skills before you progress onto change ringing. The five foundation skills are:

• Bell control
• Listening
• Rhythm and striking
• Ropesight
• Understanding the theory

The first four of these cannot be learnt from a book; they are learnt through practice and experience. The more time you spend ringing, the more these skills develop. The better the quality of the ringing you participate in, the more quickly these skills develop.

This chapter explains the theory behind the foundation skills and describes exercises that you might be asked to perform by your teacher. Knowing what you are aiming for and what you're being asked to do, will allow you to make the most of your practice.