4Real Forums: Need help with Handbells

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Topic: Need help with Handbells

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SeaStar
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Posted: Nov 12 2007 at 11:41am \| IP Logged

My ds recently received an eight piece set of handbells for his birthday. I thought this would be great to start teaching the kids about music notes, pitch, etc. However.... any time the bells come out all the kids want to do is ring them madly. They listen to what I am trying to tell them (ex. each bell has a letter, which is a note)... and then start ringing the bells madly again.

The set came with a little songbook-- I was thinking maybe Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, but no, one of the "songs" is Beethoven's NInth! Now how can you play that on handbells with small children?

I need some directions or suggestions from those who have handbells at home. The set we have is the same one that Hearthsong used to sell. These are so cute and seem like they would have great teaching potential. I am going to make up some of my own "song sheets" with colored notes to match the bells (unless anyone knows where i could buy a set). Any ideas are welcome!

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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)

SQUILT Music Appreciation

Rachel May
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Joined: June 24 2005
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Posted: Nov 12 2007 at 2:36pm \| IP Logged

When I used to ring, we had a great book that was Christmas carols. Each book was just the words of the carol with a circle around the one note you played.

Now if you wanted to try something similar, you could easily use Finale Notepad (a free downloadable music writing program). Write just the melody of "Joy to the World" (since it's just one octave) with the lyrics and print out a few copies. Then assign each kid 2 bells and have them circle when their bells play using a seperate color for each hand. Then you sing and play the song at the same time. Just a way to get started. If you need help with the Finale program, pm me.

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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)

Rachel May
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Posted: Nov 12 2007 at 9:18pm \| IP Logged

Here is a link to Jeffers Handbell Supply where we used to buy our music and equiptment. I noticed that some of the books are specifically written for 8 bell sets, some are described as "sing and ring" (what I was trying to explain before except that the books we had ONLY had words with circles and no music) and some talked about different color coding methods. This is a book called Hymns for 8 Note Handbells.

Jeffers was always good to us, even letting us return music we had "test driven" and didn't like. I'd like to think they are just as friendly and helpful now...15+ years later.

Last thought. If you google to find a local handbell festival, they often have music for sale there like a homeschool curriculum fair.

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Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)

JenniferS
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Posted: Nov 13 2007 at 8:04am \| IP Logged

Glad you asked this question, Melinda. We received an eight bell handbell set last year, and I need to get more music for the kids.

Thank you, Rachel, for your suggestions.

Jen

SeaStar
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Posted: Nov 14 2007 at 5:21pm \| IP Logged

Thank you for all the suggestions, ladies. Now I have a trail to follow...

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Melinda, mom to ds ('02) and dd ('04)

SQUILT Music Appreciation

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