Playing different sized handbells

 One of the things that I look forward to when I start playing handbells again, whenever that may be, is to not play the big bells.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with the big bells and I have definitely enjoyed playing them but the next time I just need something different.  Part of that reason is because I like the variety of the bells.  You can use different techniques better the higher up you go. The difference between shaking a high c and shaking a low c bell is quite different.  Another reason, and here's a sign of age, is that those huge bells wreak havoc on my shoulders.  And I don't have good shoulders anymore.  Not that I ever really did LOL But it simply hurts too much to try and ring those bells, especially with an up-tempo piece.

When I was in high school and played in the adult handbell choir, I loved it.  At that time, you could have put me anywhere in the choir and I would have loved it.  But I was always in the bass section of the choir, which was fine.  I stood in between Jan and Cam.  We had a blast!! I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world. We were more than just a handbell choir, we were all friends and I have remained close with many of the members of that choir.  When I played in a choir several years ago, I enjoyed it but it was not quite the same experience as far as camaraderie goes.  I know that part of the reason is because this was during the pandemic.  We were separated, socially distanced, in the rehearsal room so getting to know people was not that easy.  I was actually ringing in the same position as I had in high school.  I was ringing the next to lowest bells.  And the guy who rang the lowest bells, to be honest, was a complete snobbish asshole towards me.  He spoke to me once and that was only because Doug, our minister of music, forced him to introduce himself to me.  That was our lone communication for the entire season.  Luckily, everyone else was very friendly.  

Anyways, the next time I get the opportunity to ring, I'm going higher.  Now I just need to seek out that opportunity.  That is all.