Hand Bell Ringing Techniques

To ring a handbell the ringer moves it in such a way that the clapper strikes the inside surface of the bell usually holding it against his or her shoulder bell upwards and then swinging the bell through an elliptical shape to cause the clapper to strike the casting.

Hand bell ringing techniques.

Bell matters is a series of videos developed by blanche marie lewis handbell specialist to demonstrate a variety of handbell techniques. The cd is executed after ringing a handbell particularly a large handbell slide a gloved hand or finger s up the outside of the handbell toward the rim of the casting. It is most familiar to the public as the sound of church bells. This video shows t.

The effect simulates a forte piano. Throw the clapper down using the hand while the thumb guides the clapper against the strike point. I suggest sitting in the middle of a bed because you ll drop the bells while learning. Because in addition to general music notation markings dynamics slurs articulation accidentals accents etc handbell music includes special technique specific markings things like thumb damp echo and martellato.

Change ringing can also be performed on handbells where it becomes a contrast to the melodic music of handbell choirs. This produces a crisp percussive sound. Demonstrate the ergonomic execution of each of the four in hand techniques for handbells parallel ring parallel push aka shelley ring and push british japanese style reverse stacked ring and push interlocked ring and push and interlocked british japanese style aka campanile including ringing together and separately damping articulations and changes to the primary and secondary instruments. Varying degrees of pressure will control the diminuendo.

This technique may be used when a soft ring follows a loud ring with the same handbell s. With bass bells lying on the foam pads grasp the clapper with the fingers keeping the thumb on top. Ring the primary bell. Plucking is a stopped sound technique used primarily in the bass clef c5 and lower.

Practice with two small bells in ring and knock configuration in your right or dominant hand. Handbells 101 the basic ringing stroke damping and understanding handbells as an instrument.