Calling It Round #

Bryn Reimer

Welcome to Calling It Round, a publication focused on getting ringers involved in calling and conducting from any bell.

Calling It Round is aimed at an audience who is familiar with Plain Bob Minor and other common methods, but it doesn’t assume you’ve done any calling before. Examples are focused on various stages of Plain Bob as well as a few other common methods, with a few short touches of Grandsire included. It is my hope to add supplemental sections for Grandsire as well as Stedman and Erin in the coming months.

Overview #

Chapter 1, Calling, covers the basics required to call one’s first touch, and to learn simple compositions independently. It starts with basic terminology and moves through quarter-length compositions using common calling positions.

Chapter 2, Conducting, focuses on more complex compositions and gives a variety of strategies for the beginning conductor to learn how to check and sometimes correct the ringing, with and without the use of coursing orders. There is a section dedicated to conducting from round the circle (not just the tenor!). It concludes with a few compositions designed to give good practice for the learning conductor.

Chapter 3, Supplemental Skills, gives a few extra items of guidance that might be thought of as auxiliary to the conducting itself, but which I think are useful. For example, there is a section with advice on picking a good handbell composition, and another on thoughts about placing a band for a touch or quarter peal.

Chapter 4, Acknowledgements, is what it says on the tin!

While each section has its own unique focus, all of the sections will include content aimed at helping the aspiring caller or conductor to learn how to use their new skills round the circle; that is, not just from the tenor or heaviest working bell.

Although I tried to give as much information as I thought expedient (and not more!), doubtless personal tastes will vary. I hope everything I have included is correct; please let me know if it is not.

About the Author #

I am an early-career conductor in the Boston, Massachusetts area. I learned to ring in late 2017 and called my first quarter a year later; and that was that! Since then, I’ve conducted a modest complement of quarters and peals, and a good number of practice night touches. Many of those have been called from a lighter bell, and through Calling It Round I hope to encourage those who prefer to ring lighter bells to give calling a try!