Handbell Choir!

Over the past few years, I’ve had the joy of discovering playing handbells! And I’d like to tell you a little bit about them, in the hopes that maybe others will take up ringing.

When I started at my church job, I knew absolutely nothing about handbells, and had never touched a handbell, let alone directed a group of handbell ringers! Luckily, I have a very experienced player in the group who coached me in technique, how to choose music, and how to play the things.

The church owns a beautiful set of 3-octave bells, which is C3-C6 (one octave below middle C, to two octaves above middle C). With 10 ringers, this works out to approximately 2 bells/person.

When you play in a handbell choir, you are only responsible for your own notes — usually two. You have to count and coordinate your ringing with that of your neighbours so that the line is smooth and flows in time. I’ll be perfectly honest that it is really cool to be part of a musical line, but only playing one or two notes of that line.

Handbell music usually has lush chords that use the whole range of the notes available. There are many extended techniques beyond simple ringing, including using mallets, swinging the bell, dampening it with your thumb, and on and on. There is so much to learn, and I find it really fun because it’s such a different experience of playing music than I’m used to.

If you have the opportunity to play in a handbell choir, take it! It really is something different and something beautiful.

Here is a video of our handbell choir playing in March. You’ll see various techniques, including handchimes, mallets, key changes (where everyone has to switch bells!), and swings.