19 Teaching Change Ringing - A Road to Ringing - Shadowing Exercises

The shadowing exercises teach the student ringer nothing at all about ropesight and listening skills, but teach a great deal about bell handling skills (steering) and rhythm. A simulator is essential. In the first exercise, two bells are used, and the student simply tries to clash with the tutor's bell. The tutor rings sometimes slowly, balance to balance, and sometimes quickly, simulating the speed variation essential for change ringing. In the second exercise, the student rings a "spare" bell which makes no sound, and tries to ring it in sync with the bell he/she is shadowing.