Linslade Good Striking Challenge!

You may already be aware of the new simulator in Linslade tower. We have been using it in the last few weeks to help teach new learners with their first few pulls.

It allows people to ring the bells without making any noise outside. The clappers are tied and the computer uses sensors on the wheel to know when the clapper would make a noise, and puts it though the speakers in the ringing chamber.

We introduced the simulator to the rest of the band for the first time this week. Lots of people found it strange ringing with a slightly different sound coming out from the bells. A visiting ringer who struggled with our light bells came. We were able to move the bells around using the computer. Even though it sounded like he was ringing the third, the bell he was ringing was actually one of the heavier bells. This confused everybody except the visitor, who didn’t know the order of the bells anyway and wasn’t bothered by the change. It made an interesting challenge for everyone else to look at a different bell when leading off of what sounded like the tenor, but looked like the third! It was a good demonstration on how a simulator can be used.

The good striking challenge uses the simulator to show exactly how good at listening you are. One person rings a bell of their choice, and the other bells are automatically filled in by the computer. The computer then says “Go, Plain hunt on eight”. This prompts the ringer to join in with the computer in ringing Plain Hunt Major once through, and then being called to stand two blows later.

The first person to demonstrate how the ringing challenge would work had practised a lot on simulators before, and many people were keen to have a go. It wasn’t until a few other people had their turn that it was revealed quite how difficult ringing without any visual clues could be. Even people who regularly ring surprise major were really struggling to keep in time with the computer. Once you get one blow out, it can seem impossible to get back in the method, leaving many people finding themselves ringing upside down to the computer by the end.

The computer will give you a percentage error for both handstroke and backstroke. Adding the two together gives you a score. The person with the best (i.e. lowest) score by Christmas will get their name on the good striking trophy! (and bragging rights too, probably)

Anyone can join in, and you can have as many goes as you like between now and Christmas. The best score so far has been Sammi, with 40. It takes a couple of goes to get used to the strange feel of the simulator, so many people have already improved their score greatly with just two or three turns.

Getting a good score doesn’t just mean you have good bell control, it also means you can hear your bell amongst others; hopefully this skill will be helpful in improving the open ringing as well. Good luck and happy Striking!