Handbells

  I started my handbell "career" at First Baptist Church, when I was in junior high.  They had a Junior Handbell Choir.  I wanted to be in it, because I loved music and could show off that I wasn't a failure in life, as I had been told in school by my classmates and teachers.  

 The director asked me if I knew how to read music.  I didn't, so he gave me the highest sounding bells in the choir.  They didn't appear much in the songs, but I was ready to play them.  The director showed me the lines on the clef where my notes were to be played, and there were usually four beats to a measure, so I could keep up with the other ringers.

 The problem with handbells is that if you miss ringing a note, everybody knows you missed it.  I had a problem with that, because some music was faster than others, and I couldn't count that fast.  The director decided that it might be better for me to play the lowest bells.  They were played less than the highest bells.  He was very patient with me.  At least, he portrayed patience.  I imagine that he screamed a lot away from us.  I could barely lift the low bells, which I think was his plan.  I might have played them once or twice during the song. My biceps hurt from the heavy lifting.  

 One thing to know about playing handbells is that it helps if you can play the piano.  I never learned to play the piano, but years later in seminary, I took a hymn conducting course, and I learned where middle C was.  Now, if you give me a sheet of music and about 30 minutes, I might be able to pick out the notes with one finger, and I can now sort of read music.  Something to put on my resume.