GENERAL POINTS ABOUT CONDUCTING

 

Conductor's Responsibilities:

 

1. Calling the composition correctly.

2. Checking the correctness of the ringing and correcting errors as soon as possible.

3. Ensuring that the standard of ringing is compatible with the capabilities of the band, correcting consistent striking errors (leading, dodging etc..) when a learner is in need of such advice.

4. Be tactful with less experienced ringers.

 

In one sense number 1 is the conductor's only real responsibility but in the real world people make mistakes and it falls to the conductor to correct these. The Central Council, in its "Decisions", requires that mistakes be corrected immediately. This is obviously impossible but it is the responsibility of the conductor to ensure that periods of bad ringing are kept as short and few as possible. The corollary to this is that if the ringing is generally bad, especially when visiting another tower, the conductor must call "stand".

 

Sometimes the ringing is of insufficient quality. Some causes might be: too many mistakes; bad striking; methods not learned well enough; bells too difficult; weather too hot or too cold; ringers can't be bothered. Whatever the reason and especially on someone else's bells the best course of action is to stop the ringing. There are two ways to do this: call the bells round early or just call "stand". Sometimes if the low quality is caused by a learner who, although doing their best, isn't ready for it it can be best to "miscall" the composition and then "realise" once it's too late.

 

Ringers' Responsibilities:

 

1. Concentrate on the ringing and accept responsibility for mistakes.

2. Listen to the conductor and act promptly when corrected.

3. Learn methods properly.

4. Don't expect too much from the conductor and don't blame him if you go wrong and he gives you incorrect information.

 

Some ringers expect the conductor to tell them what to do all the way through a piece of ringing and become agitated if that doesn't happen. It is not the conductor's responsibility to tell ringers what to do (except when correcting mistakes). Nevertheless it is often the case that a learner is being guided through a first quarter peal and in that case the conductor should be prepared to offer as much help as needed, but at the same time trying to get learners to do as much as possible for themselves.

 

 

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