How to Learn Handbells

Handbell ringing is a musical experience used in churches and other solo groups worldwide. The origin of the handbell goes back to the large church bells used in cathedrals and steeples. There is a wide range of techniques used while ringing handbell music, most of which is fairly simple to learn. Though learning handbells can be easy, it does require patience and coordination.

Things You'll Need

• 2 handbells
• 1 cushioned bell yable
• 1 pair of ringing gloves

Instructions

Beginning Handbell Technique

1. 

   Lay your bell on the table. Find the bell insignia above the pitch marking on the handle. This side faces you while you hold the bell. Wrap your hand around the handle, not through its loop. Hold the bell upright with handle pointing down.

2. 

   Strike the bell away from your body in a circular motion. Move your bell slowly and smoothly away from you until it is at neck level, then return it, still in a circular motion, toward your body. The size of the circle depends on how long the note needs to sustain. While ringing long notes, such as whole notes and half notes, use large motions. Ringing short notes, such as quarter notes and eights notes, requires smaller motions.

3. 

   Softly press the bell against your chest as you return it. This is called "dampening." Remember, press softly. Dampening too harshly will result in an undesired sound. You may also dampen the bell on the table. While ringing multiple bells, you may need to dampen one bell while, simultaneously, striking another bell in the opposite hand.

4. Place your thumb on the bell itself, not the handle while holding the bell. Strike the bell as you did in Step 2. This produces a short, muffled sound called "thumb-dampening."

5. Return to holding the handle as you did in Step 1. Hold the bell 2 inches above the table. Strike the bell directly onto the table. This creates a short, unique sound called "martellato."

6. 

   Place a bell on the table. Place the second bell on top of the other on its side, with the insignia still facing you. Place your index finger between the two bells. Wrap your thumb around the bell on top and your remaining fingers around the bottom bell. Strike the bottom bell as described previously. Turn your wrist inward. The bell on top should have the insignia facing you. Strike the top bell. This is called "two in hand."

7. Add a third bell while holding two bells in your hand by wrapping your pinky finger around the bell's handle with the bell facing down This will make the third bell parallel to the first bell. When you strike the first bell, the third bell will ring along with it simultaneously. You may also hold the handle between your pinky and ring finger, making the bell face out to the side as does the second bell. In this method, the second and third bells will ring simultaneously. This is called "three in hand."

Tips & Warnings

• If you suffer from carpal tunnel or any other ailment that physically affects your hands, wrists or arms, consider using higher pitched bells, as they are lighter than low-pitched bells.

References

• American Guild of English Handbell Ringing
• The History of English Handbell Ringing