Ringing Forums

I don't think it makes that much difference. Calling up or down leaves at least one bell not given all the info they need to execute the change. Most towers call up so that is what I do. I try to explain that ringers may hear "follow" rather than "to", and some will call down; and some will, as you mention, just call the numbers affected i.e. "23". I try and explain that, as far as possible, you should understand the full order of the row, those behind you and those in front of you, and obviously the two bells in front of you if nothing else. I would also point out that some towers don't ever go there with call changes and just go straight into plain hunt, so there are some quite decent ringers who would potentially struggle to ring call changes if necessary... Homework is also a great option with this. Writing it out helps to get your head around what is going on :-)

When I was learning [decades ago] the local tower norm was to call out all the affected bells (2-3, 3-1, 4-2). Most places hereabouts now simply call a pair with several preferring calling UP, others preferring DOWN (I prefer UP). There is more likelihood on reaching agreement on which end to crack open an egg (or which order bits and bytes should be numbered) than get a "standard" for call changes.

In my book the Golden Rule is consistency in the calls used. Unfortunately (and probably due to a lack of experience or guidance) I have known some callers to be rather haphazard in their calling - a common fault being to change the calling when that would involve calling their own bell to move.

There are of course exceptions to a rule - and I don't mean telling a bell to lead when calling UP (this can be readily determined by the ringer themselves and spotting the approach to the lead is a useful skill to acquire IMO). The exceptions I apply are for those in the earliest stages of learning - trying to convert the theory into practice. Confirming the change that they need to make (in addition to the called change) can help build their confidence in their ropesight whilst maintaining a good standard of ringing. (Another useful exception is at District events when the band is a mixture of UPpers and DOWNers).

At the very start of learning it might be more suitable to discuss the change about to be called with them and what change they need to make as a result, then make the call; but once beyond that the basic skills still need to be honed and I find assisting them with an adjunct to the "formal" call to be helpful.

A tip when visiting a different tower is to listen carefully to the first called change to determine whether local convention is calling UP or DOWN (if you hear a smaller number to larger number the calls are UP; larger number to smaller number and the calls are DOWN).

Another tip (for the more experienced ringer) is that if you are asked to call call-changes for a different band check which style of call they normally use; it can help avoid confusion reigning.

I considered writing a letter about this but decided it could get interminable!

My thought is that calling up allows you to ring only by rythym and place, and moving one place up or down when you are called. Calling down forces you to follow the numbers.

Recently when asked to call some call changes for the specific benefit of one learner, as well as calling up, which for reasons rehearsed above I prefer, I also told the learner which place they were in. This seems to aid their striking, as one would expect. I also reinforced that they were still in the same place when I stretched them by swapping the bells immediately below them with out initially telling them which bell they were following. Saying something like "Keep ringing at rounds pace you are still in 4th place.

This emphasises the fact that we are changing the position of bells. From memory one of the ART Stage 2 techniques is to get a band at a practice night to ringing call changes by calling which place bells are to cross. Once again stressing the relationship between knowing what place you are in, listening and striking. All this helps learners understand the change of pace required to ring well, be it method or call changes. It also makes call changes a more valuable stepping stone to method ringing, the theme of subject of a previous forum topic.