Join in a local practice if there is opportunity, otherwise your first chance to ring on higher numbers may be at a meeting or outing.

Don’t be intimidated – if you have good bell control then you will be fine. Don’t over-stretch yourself and stick to something which you can ring very well on lower numbers, that way you won’t be worried about the method. It doesn’t matter if it is rounds or call changes – any band will be happy to accommodate you.

Some things to note: bells ring closer together on higher numbers but the time between each pull is longer because of the extra bells to fit in. One of the best tips is to hold the backstrokes up a bit longer than you might do on lower numbers, especially since there will be a bigger weight difference between the tenor and the treble.

If you are ringing changes and using rope-sight, then you will find that you need to hold off the back bells a lot! Indeed, on some heavy rings of bells the big bells may have to pull off before the light bells in order to sound in the right place after them. At first it may all seem like a bit of a jumble, but don’t be afraid to ask if you can stand behind somebody experienced to “follow them through” a method as this is a good way to acquire rope-sight on higher numbers. If the ringing is good and you don’t know the method, then just listen to the overall rhythm to get used to how ringing on higher numbers sounds.

You will probably feel more comfortable ringing a bell whose weight is similar to the bells you are used to ringing.  Quite often the conductor will place the more experienced ringers on the front and back bells.

 

Read the tips on ringing heavy and light bells before you go

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