Ringing up and down in peal
Introduction
Assumption is that you can all raise and lower a bell under control in isolation but have difficulties doing this in peal.
The key point is that raising and lowering in peal is a collective effort, and it is dynamic.
Everyone should aim upwards (or downwards) together
Raising and lowering in peal is rounds with a variable speed rather than a constant speed:
-as the bells get higher so the interval between blows increases
-as the bells get lower so the interval between blows decreases
This is compounded when the bells are nearly down as the back bell swill not strike at both strokes so the handstroke change will contain fewer bells than the backstroke.
Everyone should continually move apart (or together).
Everyone should aim for continual change, not just drift until something doesn't fit.
To achieve this you need to be able to raise and lower a bell at an externally set speed rather than just the speed they find comfortable.
This includes no sudden changes of speed, for example when letting out or taking coils.
Mechanics
The time between blows is a function of the angle through which the bell swings.
Different bells have different periods (of swing) and so the only way to get them in time is for each to be at a different heights - most noticeable at the bottom when the trebles are swinging and the tenor is almost stationary.
Left to itself (and neglecting friction) a bell neither rises nor falls, at any stage of the raise or lower
-If the ringer is injecting net energy into the bell at every stroke, then however slowly, it will continue to progress upwards, and eventually get there
-If the ringer takes net energy from the bell at every stroke then it will progress downwards
For the bells to stay in time the change in arc for each bell needs to be the same between each blow.
The increase in potential energy in the bell for the same increase in arc of swing is much greater when the bell is just reaching the horizontal (at which point the movement is vertical) than when the bell is reaching the vertical (at which point the movement is horizontal).
If you want to raise the bell by the same increase in arc of swing at each pull then the amount of energy input to the bell by each pull will need to increase as the bell nears the horizontal (and then be reduced as it goes beyond this point).
The amount of energy input is governed by the equation:
Work = Force x Distance
Where Force is how hard you pull the rope and Distance is the length of the pull.
As the bell rises the length of pull available increases and so, with a good technique that uses the full length of pull available, the force of the pull does not need to increase. On the contrary I find that I pull hardest at the start to get the bell to chime.
Once the bell is past the horizontal then the ringer experiences the double benefit of needing less energy to achieve the same increase in arc (the Centre of Gravity is no longer moving vertically at the end of the swing) and having an even longer length of pull available.
It is the failure to ease off at this point results in the last bit of the raise being completed in two or three pulls and then hitting the stay.
Tips on Technique
It is common for inexperienced ringers to get stuck half way up.
The reason lies in their technique, and not any built in energy barrier to do with the way the bell swings.
One reason that some find the middle stage more difficult is that the faster rope movement aggravates the effects of poor technique.
The stronger you are, the more likely you will be able to do it with poor technique.
Admittedly, with a very heavy bell strength plays a role even with good technique.
Let us review some points on the technique required to enable ringers to raise and lower at the speed of the band.
Chiming
When chining at the bottom the clapper is being bounced off the side of the bell.
It is the clapper that is swinging rather than the bell.
The timing of the pull (check) should be such as to hold the bell firm at the point that the clapper strikes it thus causing the clapper to bounce off a firm surface.
Even speed of handstroke and backstroke
The heavier the bell the less of an impact a ringer can have on any one stroke
Hence the only way to achieve even ringing is for each bell to be allowed to swing to its highest point at both handstroke and backstroke.
The other thing to remember is that however hard the pull, the bell will go up only as fast as it is allowed to by letting out rope.
Avoid being so keen to get a good backstroke pull that you start the pull fractionally early which is counter-productive.
The balance between pulling too early and preventing the bell from rising, and pulling too late and missing the best bit when the bell is moving relatively slowly is a very fine one. Getting it right requires you to feel what the bell is doing.
Feeling what is happening is much easier with a relaxed grip.
Backstroke
Some ringers have a tendency to grip the end of the tail end too tightly and so check the bell at backstroke. Either by stopping the rope before the bell has reached the top of its swing or by the weight of their arms acting as a drag on the bell or both.
More experienced ringers use a more relaxed grip so that the bell is able to take as much rope as it needs when the arms are at full stretch.
The ringer can then feelaccurately when the 'rope slip' is about to finish and can tighten the grip and start the downward pull. This allows a smooth application of power.
If you keep hold of the same bit of rope, then the bell cannot rise, however hard you pull. All the energy you put in will be dissipated in the jerk at the top of each stroke.
Equally if you start to pull before the bell reaches the top of its stroke you will stop it rising. This is “checking” the bell rather than “pulling”.
This is all a matter of confidence, 'feel' and timing which usually only comes with practice.
Handstroke
At the start of the raise the timing of the handstroke is determined entirely by the degree of pull at the backstroke.
Even after you start using one hand on the sally it is not possible for most of us to check the bell significantly one handed.
Consequently the handstroke is the best guide to whether your bell is at the right height.
Length of pull
As with ringing a bell that is up the way to achieve a well behaved rope is through a long pull and the gradual application of power.
A short sharp pull, or snatch, will result in an errant rope on all but the most docile of bells.
This is achieved at the top of the stroke by having a relaxed grip that applies just enough tension to feel what the bell is doing. As you feel the bell reaching the top of its swing the power should be applied gradually.
The rate of application, and hence the speed of movement, will be different for different bells. It must not be so quick as to be a snatch but equally it must be quick enough that the tension in the rope rises even though the bell is now falling
At the bottom of the stroke the hands should follow through such that the wrists are turned down as if holding a golf club. This should be a routine at the end of every backstroke, both to impart a little more energy to the bell and to help keep the rope tidy.
Taking and releasing coils
If your bell is to rise or fall in time with the band then the releasing or taking of coils should not of itself cause a change in the speed of your bell.
During the raise when a coil comes tight you need to ensure that you are ringing at full stretch before releasing it. When the coil is released the tail end is effectively lengthened by the length of rope round your hand, about 6” / 15 cm, so at the next stroke you will need to ring with bent arms to allow for this. No more rope should be let out until the bell has been raised enough to use up this extra length.
When releasing the last coil I find it easier to let the tail end out rather that to drop the coil, especially if the tail end of the rope is too long for me.
During the lower the coil should always be taken with the rope below the hand that is holding the tail end such that there is no sudden change in length of tai lend.
Troubleshooting
Sally is "misbehaving":
-A tell tale sign that the ringer is not pulling effectively. The primary causes being, in my experience:
-the start of the pull being snatched
-stopping the hands before the end of the stroke (not following through)
This also applies to ringing once the bell is up where, on good going bells, the backstroke need do little more than guide the rope.
Late handstroke and early backstroke:
-Not letting out enough tail end and so checking the bell at backstroke
-Often combined with over-pulling at backstroke
Bell sets at handstroke:
-An extreme case of late handstroke where when the bell is near the balance and the ringer cannot hold the handstroke one handed
Raising
- The rate of rise or fall is usually limited by the back bells – although the Tenor might not be the biggest constraint, considering both ringer and bell. The aim is for all the bells to go up together as a collaborative effort. No one bell is “right” with everyone else having to conform to them.
- Initial chiming: The bells must strike close enough to be within the compass of the tenor. The tenor should be swinging in a small arc for initial clappering. The other bells, except treble, have to strike very close to fit into this swing.
- Each bell should aim to stay in the middle of the gap between the bell in front and the bell after rather than maintaining a "standard" spacing as the required interval between bells increases as the raise progresses.
-If the front bells go up too quickly the change should compress rather than have bells overtaking each other.
-If a middle bell gets “stuck” then the bells below it will compress while those above it stretch. The back bells must wait otherwise the tenor will close the lead gap or even overtake the treble
- Throughout the raise all bells should listen for the bell after them as much as to the bell in front of them.
- The treble should INITIALLY leave a wide gap in the striking so that its ‘second strike’ will sound correctly after the tenor. This means that the treble (and other front bells) must pull up rapidly for the first few pulls; on eight bells this may be as much as halfway up in the first few pulls.
- Until a bell reaches the balance the only control of its timing is the height of its swing which, in turn, is controlled by the strength of pull. To strike wider, raise the bell more (pull harder) but take care not to ‘overshoot’ after correcting. If striking too wide, pull less once or twice then resume a normal pull
- For much of the raise the treble must be guided by listening, to keep striking after the tenor. Until the tenor rope has sally bounce, watching rope movement doesn’t make much sense.
- As each bell reaches the balance take care not to strike wide by over-balancing – because at this stage the heavier bells can’t hold up.
- As the tenor is the last bell to reach balance it seems sensible for the tenor ringer to call ‘Stand’ or to let the treble know they are ready.
Lowering
- As with raising, the aim is for all the bells to go move down together as a collaborative effort. No one bell is “right” with everyone else having to conform to them.
- The tenors need to close in first to make room for the treble to move without closing the lead gap.
- The treble ringer should concentrate on keeping position after the tenor. As the lower progresses listening becomes vital.
- Each bell should aim to stay in the middle of the gap between the bell in front and the bell after rather than maintaining a "standard" spacing as the required interval between bells decreases as the lower progresses. It is every bit as important to watch and listen to the bell following you as the one you are following.
-If the front bells go down too quickly the change should stretch rather than have the front bells break away
- During the lower always pull sufficiently. It is easier to check a bell from swinging too high than to pull it up if it is too low. Midway in a lower the middle bells have a tendency to ‘fall away’ from the tenor. Prevent this by pulling sufficiently. It is true that ‘The only way to ring a bell down is to keep it up’. (Think about it!)
- Lowering should continue until the back bells have minimal swing to keep chiming. The front bells will still have considerable swing to keep in time. Especially with heavier rings, if the back bells are not brought right down when chiming the front bells will have too much swing for an effective ‘catch’ at the end.
General Points
Look and listen all the time
-Try to see the overall pattern of ropes around you
-Listen to the spacing as this will often give the first clue that you are moving out of position
Stay right
-It is easier to stay right than to get back
-Make small adjustments in good time rather than waiting until it has gone wrong
Finding you way back
-If you get out of place the easiest way back is often to identify the bell that you are actually following and work your way back around the circle one bell at a time.
Get your bell at the right height
-It is more important to get your bell swinging at the right height than to get it in place for any one blow – if your bell is at the wrong height and you get it into the right place in one change it will be as far out the other way on the next change as it was on the one before
-Identify the bell you are actually following on a given blow.
- If the next blow is also after your marker bell then you are at the right height and can find your way back
- If the next blow is late after the marker bell then your bell is too high
- If the next blow is early compared with your marker bell then your bell is too low
To ring down - slow the bell on the rise at backstroke so stopping it lower
To ring up – let the bell rise fully at backstroke then pull long
FOR THE MORE EXPERT –
Some towers, especially in Devon, start a raise by swinging the bells without checking for two or three rounds then treble only sounds, then 1 and 2, then 1-2-3 and so on successively to full rounds, then continue the raise.
An alternative, more suited to lighter rings, is to swing silently in rounds then, on a signal from the treble ringer, everyone checks, giving immediate rounds.