The Clever Stuff

Although we have a lot of fun our aim is that all our members will work together to produce the best possible music and use only the correct Handbell Playing techniques. Our bells are precision tuned musical instruments and we do treat them with respect.

Here is a more in depth look at what we do:

We play a three and a half octave set of bells, comprising 43 bronze tuned handbells manufactured by Schulmerich Carillons Inc. of the USA.

Our bells are arranged chromatically on 3”, fabric covered, medium density foam pads laid on 31” tall GOPAK banqueting tables. Our players stand to play the bells, but we may be able to cater for people with standing or walking difficulties. We play mainly using the “in hand” method with the higher notes often played “four in hand”. Each person's place is called a “Station” and there is usually one person per station. One person may cover 2 stations if those bells are not used very often or if the bells are small.

When ringing ‘in hand' the bells are kept in the hands all the time and damped, after ringing, on the shoulder.(Ladies may use a suitable alternative)

In our team the bells are assigned to these stations.

Higher bells are shared between Stations 8, 9 and 10.

Simplicity itself!

We will help all new ringers in any way we can, from showing the correct way to hold and ring a handbell to producing specially printed music with coloured notes and “counting” shown if needed.

“Beginner ringers” are given one bell and they follow one note. They can progress to 2 bells when they feel able. Newer team members are usually moved around to different stations to get the ‘feel' of the different bells and then settle in the Station most suitable to them.

Players follow a musical score (Sheet Music) i.e. lines of music with notes on.

If the player has little or no knowledge of music their notes can be highlighted and colour coded so the player only has to count to ring their notes in the correct place.

……… Dead Easy!