Doing exercises will help you learn solo handbell choreography (sometimes called “blocking.”) That, in turn, will free you to explore works not specifically published for solo handbells. You can create your own exercises by writing out a 1 octave scale, both ascending and descending, in any key. Try several different approaches to choreographing the scale, document it with solo notation, then try another key. You can also do this with a phrase of any handbell solo, or any musical line within your bell range. Continue reading Choreography exercises
Tag Archives: blocking
Reverse grips
This article assumes you understand the basics of Shelley ringing and four-in-hand “ring and knock.” Sometimes you have the bells in a pair set for the right hand, and the next time you approach that pair, your left hand is free. Rather than choreograph around the problem, learn how to pick up the pair with the other hand. There are several ways to do this, in addition to the method already covered in Interlocked four-in-hand. Continue reading Reverse grips
Interlocked four-in-hand
There are situations where standard four-in-hand configurations don’t work well. You may have to pick up a preset pair of bells even faster than usual, or at an uncomfortably long reach. Sometimes you have a pair set up for one hand and the next time you pick it up, it’s in the other hand. A bell handle may be too wide to grip between your index and middle finger, especially on Malmark bells or older Schulmerichs. You may find it tiring to hold a pair of bells slightly too large for your hand. In all these examples, interlocked four-in-hand is one possible solution. Continue reading Interlocked four-in-hand
Exchanging primary and secondary bells
This article assumes you understand the basics of Shelley ringing and four-in-hand “ring and knock.” Today’s topic is moving the primary bell to the secondary position, or vice versa. You would generally do this to create new four-in-hand pairs (either Shelley or ring-and-knock), because you need the bells grouped differently the next time you ring them. Often the best time to set that up is when you’re already holding one of the bells in a different four-in-hand configuration. Rather than explain all the possible combinations, which would be confusing, I’m going to introduce four different techniques, along with a few principles to apply them to different situations. Continue reading Exchanging primary and secondary bells
Alternate Shelley and combo ring
This article assumes you understand the basics of Shelley ringing and four-in-hand “ring and knock.” You generally use Shelley to ring two bells together, and set the clappers parallel. You use ring and knock to ring two bells separately, and set the clappers perpendicular. However, sometimes you want to ring two bells separately when they’re set up for Shelley, or you want to ring two bells together when they’re set up for ring and knock. You’ll have more choreography options if you learn alternate Shelley, where you ring one bell in Shelley configuration, and combo ring, where you ring and knock at the same time. Continue reading Alternate Shelley and combo ring
Four-in-hand setups, Shelley plus and minus
In this article, I’m assuming you’re comfortable with the standard “ring and knock” method of four-in-hand. I may come back to four-in-hand fundamentals another time. Today, I’m going to focus on four-in-hand setup choices and one method of changing the setup in the air, called Shelley plus and minus. This could also be used for pairs of bells not in Shelley position, like “ring and knock.” Continue reading Four-in-hand setups, Shelley plus and minus
Traveling four-in-hand
In this article, I’m assuming you’re comfortable with the standard “ring and knock” method of four-in-hand. (I may come back to four-in-hand fundamentals another time.) Here, I’m going to focus on traveling four-in-hand. Remember that the first bell you pick up is the primary bell, the one held by your thumb and index finger. You may think of this as the bell you “ring” in “ring and knock.” The second bell you pick up is the secondary bell, between your index and middle fingers, or the “knock” bell. Continue reading Traveling four-in-hand
Basic principles of choreography, keyboard layout, and displacement
Over the next several weeks, I’ll talk about how I approach choreographing a piece. I’ll include the pros and cons of each approach, as well as when and how I’d use each. Throughout this discussion, I assume you’re ringing bells placed horizontally on the padded table. Some soloists place the bell handles upright, and they may use different methods to organize them. Continue reading Basic principles of choreography, keyboard layout, and displacement