Erin Doubles

About Erin Doubles

Like Stedman, Erin is based on ringing blocks of Plain Hunting on 3 bells with the pairs of bells in 4-5 dodging together.

Unlike Stedman, the blocks of 6 are all backwards hunting. This makes Erin much easier to ring than Stedman, and is a good introduction to the discomfort of leading back and hand, and dodging in 4-5 (Up = under at handstroke).

Familiarity with Ringing the Sixes using the Days of the Week memory technique is recommended as a pre-cursor to learning Erin.

Method Structure.

Place Notation:
5.3.1.3.1.3

Grid:

Diagram: Erin Doubles , plain lead, change-rows and grid.

Goals and learning approach

What you are trying to achieve needs to drive your approach.

Ringing by structure

Get going:.
Use whatever learning approach you like most to acquire enough knowledge to ring a plain course. If all of your experience on handbells is Plain Bob based, getting going is a non-trivial objective.

Performance Level

If you are wishing to achieve 120s, Quarters, or peals:
start with the "get going" as above, add in the bits that are natural to you.
Practice a lot.
Achieve some performances .

Method Mastery Level

It is unusual for a band to wish to achieve mastery in a method like Erin.

Learning Erin Doubles.

The Rules

This is not a rule based method.

The Structure

Ring by the sixes (using Days of the Week) generates the ability to see the bells making the places at lead and thirds.

Double Blue Lines

The Double Blue Lines give a useful overview of the method, adding context which is helpful for overcoming trips.

Diagram: Erin Doubles, all pairs.

Ringing Erin Doubles.

Approach

Using the "Days of the Week" memory technique, Erin front work comprises 3 sixes, experienced for any one bell as Monday - Wednesday - Friday.

Within each six the pattern of work at lead is consistent:
H: Wednesday: Point lead.
B: Friday: Lead wrong
H; Friday: finish leading wrong
B: Monday: Lead wrong
H; Monday: finish leading wrong
B: Wednesday: Point lead.

Positional Awareness

The 3-bell hunting of the six is repeated every six.

The direction of the dodging can be noted by numbering the dodges according to the work.
First dodging (Up) in 4-5 is Four - Five
Then dodging (Down) in 4-5 is Five - Four

The direction of the dodging can be noted by numbering the dodges according to the work.
It helps to ring these as Handstroke & Backstroke pairs

Place Notation Elements

The places made in the sixes each have the other two bells crossing with each other.
The key structural element is the bell in 5ths at the last backstroke in each six makes 5ths while the pairs in 1-2 and 3-4 cross over in preparation for the next six.

Place Bells, Pivot Leads, and Staging posts

To follow,

6ths place bell is the pivot bell, see notes above.