Ringing Forums

One of the things I say in my new book http://callchanges.cccbr.org.uk is that ringing bells on or slightly below the balance gets them into a natural rhythm of their swing speeds. So provided the bells are evenly struck they fall into place more easily. Method ringing's handstroke gap takes us out of the natural rhythm of the bell.

It is that driving rhythm that is so compelling. At a quick timing of the middle section they seem to be going at about 36 rows per minute; about 35 minutes for a qp. I have rung Triples that sort of speed but generally on the light-ish eights I usually ring on about 32 cpm seem to feel about right to me.
Press on, keep it tight, work hard at it and keep things under control. Too much method ringing is limp and sloppy, IMNVHO.

yes and no. Ringing below the balance certainly makes rhythm easier (which is one reason I like ringing round the back) and the closed handstroke certainly makes the sound flow more urgently, but the open handstroke effect is not so simple. A bell doesn't naturally ring evenly at both strokes. The weight of the rope makes the backstroke quicker than the handstroke. It probably isn't the exact one blow needed for open lead ringing but not is it the zero gap needed to ring cartwheel.

good point, hence how with closed handstroke lead ringing you need to push the handstrokes so positively to keep the backstrokes up and stop the ringing accelerating away.