Checking the bells

Pretty much all bellringing skills can be acquired in chucnks and practiced in small bits, buit by bit, until the whole skill comes together.

Checking the bells are correct is no different.

1: Specific rows

Part end change rows are often simple variations from rounds, eg: 12435678, or 132456. Knowing when these changes arise the conductor can observe the bells ringing the specific change, and thus confirm the bels are ringing correctly or not as the case may be.

This technique is somewhat unreliable, but better than nothing.

2: Continuous observation of coursing order

Repeat the exercise (slower speed), ring your pair, make the calls, articulate the new coursing order each time it changes.
Gradually speed up to handbell speeds.

Goldilocks speed.
Going too fast is to actively court disaster.
Going too slow is also a mistake that can lead to failure.

The Goldilocks speed is fast enough so the you have to trust your "muscle memory" or sub-conscious mind (whatever you want to call it) to do the ringing whilst you think about and make the calls.

Observation exerises

Ring 5-6 to a Plain Course of Plain Bob Minor.
Note how bell no. 3 leads after the 5, check that you can see all instances.
Now call 3 homes, following the coursing orders: 53246 / 52436 / 54326.
See 3 leading after 5 in the plain course, 2 following 5 in the middle course, 4 following 5 in the last course.

Ring 5-6 to a Plain Course of Plain Bob Minor.
Note when 5 makes 2nds, 3 dodges 3-4 down.
Now call 3 homes, following the coursing orders: 53246 / 52436 / 54326.
See the bells in 3-4 down when 5 makes 2nds as: 3 in the plain course, 2 in the middle course, 4 in the last course.

Extend the exercise to follow two bells at lead after 5 has finished leading, then 3 bells, and build up to being able to ring a pair of bells, follow the coursing orders and see all of the other working bells leading in coursing order.

NB. Don't waste mental "bandwidth" by transposing the coursing orders, memorise them.

3: Checking harder methods

Where a method essentially preserves the natural coursing order (eg. St Clement's), the observation technique can be used once the method has been studied.

Where a method disrupts the natural coursing order (eg. Single Oxford Bob), the observation technique can be used but the inter-relationship of the method structure and the expression of the coursing order needs to be studied.

One technique that can be learned usin g Plain Bob, and then applied to many harder methods is to analyse the composition part-ends.
In the 3 bobs home example, bells 5 and 6 dodge home at the part ends, the coursing orders and rows being:
53246 23456
52436 42356
54326 34256
53246 23456

3: Zen and the Art of Handbell Conducting

It is possible to develop a state of intense concentration that allows ringing, calling and checking to be applied, watching all of the bells work together in a grid like dance. Such moments are rare, they seem to occur more often in towerbell ringing, and when "That's all" is called, it's a true disappointment to have to stop.