Being Helpful
For ringers, as for normal folk (I’m sure you follow my drift), there are two kinds of helpfulness. The first is when help is not actually asked for – this is also known as interfering. Ringing gives many excellent opportunities for this, as any practice night will confirm. Picture the scene – you have played through the piece you have been learning for the last few weeks, and yet again you have managed to play it quite well except for those four pesky bars right in the middle. So She Who Must Be Obeyed says “Let’s just go back to Bar 36 and get these few bars properly sorted.”
“I think I’m the one who’s making a mess of it,” says an honest soul.
“But the trouble is, I’ve got quite difficult bells just there, and the
rhythm’s very tricky – it’s so easy to lose the count while you’re
scrabbling around for bells. And I have to turn the page as well.”
The urge to help is now overwhelming, and everyone looks at the music.
“Ooh, yes, you have to be quick on the draw with that one, don’t you!
Do you play it with your arms crossed all the way through, or just at
the end?” “Well I sort of plait them, really.” “Don’t you need three
arms to do plaiting?” “I wish - three arms would be really, really
useful. But it’s more the rhythm that’s the problem. I just don’t
seem to be fitting in with everyone else.”
“Well the rhythm is two-and-a three – and four – and.” “What happened
to the one?” “The one’s silent, so it’s um - two-and-a three – and
four – and. But I’d count it as um – ta-da-de dum tee-da dee. Then
all you have to remember is that you’ve got the F on the da, the G on
the dum and the B on the dee. Simple!” “She can’t have the D, I’ve
got the D” “I didn’t say she had the D” “Yes you did, you said the B
and the D” “No, I said the B ON the dee. That’s the dee in tee-da
dee, not the note D.” “Well I think that’s very confusing, it’s easier
to count two-and-a three – and four – and”
And so it continues, until someone changes tack by saying “So how are
you going to turn over?” “Perhaps I can turn it for you” the offer
comes- unfortunately, from someone who’s at the other end of the
table. Once we’ve established that no-one else can, attention turns to
the possibility of re-arranging the pages. After many suggestions, the
solution is found - “You could have three pages stuck together, start
with Page 1 in the middle, Page 2 on the right and Page 3 on the left.
Then while you’re playing Page 3 you could turn Page 2 in and have Page
4 on the back of it. All you have to remember is to start in the
middle of the music ……. well, apart from that funny change and the
ta-da-de dum tee-da dee …….”
And the second kind of helpfulness? Well, it’s when you’re actually
asked to help – as we were at our last practice. “Anyone got a safety
pin in their handbag?” asked Anne. “No, but I’ve got an egg-whisk”
someone volunteered. “Why?” we had to ask. “Don’t know. Can’t
remember. I’ve had it there weeks, and I keep thinking that if I leave
it long enough it’ll come back to me why I put it there. But it hasn’t
yet.”
So if you want to be really helpful – just send in your suggestions!
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