Learning to Ring Singles in Stedman Doubles
by Helen Beaufoy
If you have someone who is trying to learn the singles in Stedman Doubles, call it so that they only have to do one kind of single.
For instance, if they ring the treble, call a single when they get to the back, so that they make “cats ears” (the short single). (I hope you can see the resemblance between this cat and the diagram on the right!) Then they’ll go in and out quick, and you can call another single when they reach the back to make them do cat’s ears again. And so on until they have made a single with each of the other bells, and it cmes round. This way, they will know exactly what they have to do each time a single is called. You can do the same for the long single too. It will be false, but if it helps someone to learn, then who cares?
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Did you realise that there is no need for a touch of Stedman to have just two singles? To make it more interesting, you can put in singles anywhere you like, as long as you call an even number. It will come round somewhere, even if it’s not where you expect it!
Try agreeing that the 2,3,and 4 will make singles with each other every time they meet at the back, and ring it unconducted. You’ll need somebody good on the third!