Bell Trees
Session 1 of 3: Where Do I Start?
Saturday, January 29, 2022 • 2:30 PM EST
Instructor: Karen Van Wert
Start with a single strand of bells and inexpensive equipment. String a tree, discover the $5 BT pole, and ring. You will be given simple melodies to play that sound great on the bell tree. From solo to ensemble, we will talk about ways you can be creative with bell trees in your situation. Bell trees are handy to have in your toolbox to add a new element to worship, challenge a ringer, and are visually appealing.
00:13:16 Marla Moore: How does the Dowel look with bells set up on it?
00:16:10 Eileen Raycroft: Do you need to stop sharing your presentation?
00:21:44 Richard Dinwiddie: Does the little T cross-piece ever break from the weight of the bells?
00:22:21 Janis Jang: Do you secure the top bell on the t bar?
00:23:01 Frances Newell: How do you keep the bells from banging into each other? When you standt it up, they mash down on each other!
00:25:23 Frances Newell: On the larger set ups, like Barb Brocker’s, can you still use that dowel?
00:26:44 Leah Wilson: I bought a custom-made bell tree. The bells have a “stick” quality. That is, they don’t “ring” as well, but sound a bit dull. How can I fix this?
00:27:53 Kim Vitray: If she will set “original sound” to on it will help with Zoom damping.
00:28:16 Marcia Payne Wooten: Should the top C be on your left or your right, or does it depend on if you are left or right handed?
00:29:13 Eileen Raycroft: Lost the camera?
00:29:45 Kim Braswell: make sure you are in speaker view
00:30:05 Eileen Raycroft: Yes, I’m in Speaker view. Is it just me?
00:30:53 Kim Braswell: I am able to see the screen share now. does that work for you?
00:31:06 Eileen Raycroft: I’ll drop and rejoin . . .
00:32:47 Amy Fugate: Is there wear and tear on the bells, specifically the handles, when using the bell tree over time?
00:33:34 Sharon Dinwiddie: It appears you inter-lace the bells with the bell-symbol on the handles facing away from you. That positioning means the mallet is striking on the same side of the casting as the one with the “strike mark” inside the casting — where the manufacturer considers the “sweet spot” to be.
00:40:42 linda: Please tell me what the “repository” is and is it accessible to all?
00:41:10 Kim Braswell: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/1XTaeYY-Ag53NvK-3tN4WrVYsnULd-vdE
00:48:11 dp: would love to be able to print this chart out. It is a great reminder of placement of bell octave to keyboard octave
00:48:16 Kim Vitray: Lost me, sorry
00:48:32 dell_i5: I’m with you
00:48:37 dp: yees
00:49:09 dell_i5: Where is the repository? I’m a new member
00:49:19 Kim Braswell: https://drive.google.com/drive/u/2/folders/1XTaeYY-Ag53NvK-3tN4WrVYsnULd-vdE
00:49:39 Brenda Mears: link is in resources area of notes as well
00:55:00 Leah Wilson: Sorry. I don’t have a mic on my computer. I’ll switch to my laptop for the next session and ask again. .
00:55:26 Kim Braswell: Sounds like a plan. Thank you!
00:56:45 Amy Fugate: I can’t wait till Palm Sunday!
00:56:46 Regi Wieland: Yes – this is very helpful! Plan to try it this spring!
00:56:51 Ruth Marquette: I would try it.
00:56:56 Yvonne DuVal (she/her): Do you by chance have a recording we could hear? An example would be useful 🙂
00:57:39 Marcia Payne Wooten: I am inspired also; I am going to try something with the 7 children in Chapel Chimes.
00:57:42 linda: This is an amazing amount of information!! I am so grateful that we can watch this over and over until March 4!!!
00:58:06 Denise Baustian: Definitely–I have never used the dowel bell tree, but I have strung the bells together and held them in my hand. I have also processed using bells 4-in-hand!
00:58:07 dp: DO white ‘keys’ need to be on one tree and ‘black’ keys on another if doing more solo type ringing
01:01:01 dp: Seems to me a sturdy pedestal stand could be created to set the dowel tree in and then place on an unpadded table. Especially if the bell number is limited to say 8 bells in the upper octave range. Has that ever been considered.
01:02:15 dell_i5: When you hand out the bells, would you let each person play a different rhythm or do they all play just one rhythm?
01:02:38 Denise Baustian: The Peace, Peace descant to Silent Night is beautiful.
01:04:49 Janis Jang: What about stringing a stray accidental where you only play it a few times but play the natural bell more times?
01:07:03 Janis Jang: yes
01:09:07 Eileen Raycroft: I’m going to have to go shopping at Handbell World during the break . . . 🙂
01:09:10 Mary Ryrholm: Thank you!
01:09:16 Ruth Marquette: Thank you. See you in a few minutes.
01:09:23 Marcia Payne Wooten: Thank you!
01:09:24 Denean Smith: Thanks so much!!!!!
01:09:24 Laura Blauch: Thank you!
01:09:24 Brenda Mears: thank you
01:09:24 dell_i5: Thank you!
01:09:30 Amy Fugate: INCREDIBLY helpful!
01:09:32 Susan Butler: Thanks for all the ideas and resources!
01:09:34 Denise Baustian: Thank you so much!
01:09:35 Eileen Raycroft: Wonderful!
01:09:36 Amy Fugate: thank you