Group b

2nds Place Minor Methods
Lead End: 156342

Methods:

• Double Bob
• Single Oxford Bob

Further Group b methods, but not documented on this site:

• Fulbeck Bob Minor
• Cumberland Bob Minor
• Puff the Magic Dragon Bob Minor

Introduction

With pivot bell being place no 3, Double Bob has the same lead end as Cambridge Surprise.

Touches are often rung using the tenor bell as a reference point (a.k.a. an observation bell). It is perfectly ok to make calls that affect the tenor, but very often the tenor is unaffected. The calling positions are known by their impact on the tenor viz:

Tenor - Observation Bell Positions and Work

List of touches

For "xx Double Bob Minor" read "xx Group b Plain Minor".

• Short touches - Calling pattern basis
• 1: 60 Double Bob Minor BBBBB

• Short touches - Observation bell
• 2: 96 Double Bob Minor
• 3: 96 Double Bob Minor with added singles
• 4: 120 Double Bob Minor WHWH
• 5: 120 Double Bob Minor SWSW
• 6: 120 Double Bob Minor SHSH
• 7: 192 Double Bob Minor 4 short courses
• 8: 108 Double Bob Minor W 4ths H
• 9: 108 Double Bob Minor 4ths H W
• 10: 108 Double Bob Minor 3 Bobs In
• 11: 216 Double Bob Minor 3 Bobs In SH
• 12: 216 Double Bob Minor WHW B WHW
• 13: 144 Double Bob Minor 4ths In HH
• 14: 168 Double Bob Minor 4ths In 4ths In H
• 15: 252 Double Bob Minor 4ths In x 3

• Longer Touches - 240 to 720 - 3 part
• 16: 240 Double Bob Minor BSBSW
• 17: 720 Double Bob Minor BSBSW BH Repeat twice
• 18: 540 Double Bob Minor BSBSW BH Shortened

• Longer Touches - 360 to 720 several variations on WHW
• 19: 360 Double Bob Minor WHW Repeat twice
• 20: 576 Double Bob Minor WHW B WHW SH (WHW x 3) SH
• 21: 720 Double Bob Minor WHW x 5, plus 2 singles
• 22: 720 Double Bob Minor WHW with multiple singles
• 23: 360 to 720 Double Bob Minor WHW with omitted singles

• Longer Touches - 540 to 720
• 24: 540 Double Bob Minor SBSBW HHH
• 25: 720 Double Bob Minor SBSBW SH Repeat
• 26: 540 Double Bob Minor SBSBW BSBH Repeat

• Useful Touches - 288 to 576
• 27: 288 Double Bob Minor (F F H) x 3
• 28: 576 Double Bob Minor (F F H F F H F F SH ) x 2
• 29: 540 Double Bob Minor (F F H F F H F F SH ) x 2 reduced

• Warning

Short Touches of Double Bob Minor

Notes Only the ringer of 3-4 is affected.

Note: Bell no 5 makes 4ths at each bob, and 3rds at each single.

Hints and tips

This popular 720 has almost the minimum number of calls.

The backbone of the composition is the set of three bobs Home; an aspiring conductor should study and practice that as a three course touch.

The course end of each of the three courses in the touch become the part end of the 720, the extension to 720 comes from the insertion of BSBS wrong between each of the calls Home.

Then, one bell is unaffected by the calls at Wrong in each part, viz:
Part 1: 532 affected by calls, 4, unaffected by calls, dodges 5-6 down with Tenor
Part 2: 524 affected by calls, 3, unaffected by calls, dodges 5-6 down with Tenor
Part 3: 543 affected by calls, 2, unaffected by calls, dodges 5-6 down with Tenor

Conducting Tip (for calling from 5-6) (See Blue Line on Complib 83996):
Making the calls with confidence inspires the band, and confidence is increased by seeing when the calls are going to be made
Bob Wrong always follows dodging together in 1-2 at the half lead
Single Wrong is called at the lead after dodging together in 3-4.

Some pitfalls for the ringer of 3-4 to avoid:
1^st part: After the first bob and single, 3-4 are coursing, 3 down before 4.
2^nd part: The halfway point is at the end of the course, coursing order 54236, and at the home, the change is 124356.
Bob Wrong Single Wrong completes the block and brings back coursing order 52436 until the part end.
3^rd part: In this last part, 3-4 are coursing throughout. In the first and last course of the last part, the order is 4 down before 3; in the 2^nd and 3^rd courses, the order is 3 down before 4.
So for the last 5 courses of the extent, 3-4 are coursing, 2 courses 4 down first, 2 courses 3 down first, and 1 last course, 4 down first.

Are you short of mental capacity to transpose coursing orders whilst ringing and calling at handbell speeds? - You bet!
So, just learn the coursing orders, viz:
At Wrong: B 325, S 523, B 235, S 532 plain course, Home B 524 part end;
At Wrong: B 245, S 542 half way, B 425, S 524, Home B 543 part end;
At Wrong: B 435, S 534, B 345, S 543, Home B 532 720 end.

Call composition 17 above omitting any one block of 4 calls (BSBS) at Wrong.

In this touch a bob is called every time the tenor dodges in 5-6 except when it dodges with 5.

This is simply touch 12 with a 360 added.

Call composition 19 above, as a 6-part, with Single instead of the first bob wrong in parts 1 & 4, or in parts 2 & 5 or in parts 3 & 6.
Or, call composition 19 above, as a 6-part, with Single Home in the second course in parts 1 & 4, or in parts 2 & 5 or in parts 3 & 6.

Ring touch 22 omitting pairs of singles as necessary.

At first sight touches 16 and 23 are very similar each having a round block of 4 calls at wrong.

This is deceptive.

Touches 15 & 16 contain BSBSW which creates a repeated structure with 5-6 alternately ringing parted pattern and coursing pattern.
Touches 23 & 24 contains SBSBW which has 5-6 coursing for 1 course and parted for 3.
The extensions to 720 are then fundamentally different with touch 15 becoming a 3 part calling at touch 16, and touch 23 requiring 2 extra courses including a single to produce a 2 part 720.

The temptation to confuse the two approaches and call either BSBS Wrong BSB Home or SBSBW BH should be avoided as both of the touches are false.