Handbell techniques

Symbol	Name of technique	Description
R	Ring	Ring the bell and damp at the end of the note
LV	Let Vibrate	Keep the bell sounding until otherwise instructed
	Damp symbol	Stop the bell sounding
RT	Ring touch	Ring the bell and damp as quickly as possible
TD	Thumb damp	Put a gloved thumb (or fingers too) against the bell and ring it, causing a deadened sound
PL	Pluck	With the bell on the table, use your hand to knock the clapper against the bell
SK or	Shake	Shake the handbell to keep the bell resounding
SW or	Tower swing	Ring the bell, move it down to your side and up again
	Echo or "wow wow"	Ring the bell then touch it lightly on the foam of the table
	Gyro	Ring the bell then rotate your wrist to cause a wave in the sound
	Mallet	With the bell on the table, gently hit with a handbell mallet to cause a percussive sound
	Suspended mallet	Gently hit the bell with a handbell mallet, holding it in the air with the other hand
	Mallet lift	Mallet the bell on the table then lift to keep it sounding
	Martellato	From about 4 inches above the table, land the bell horizontally in the foam
	Martellato lift	Perform a martellato but lift the bell to keep it sounding
vib.	Vibrato	Move your wrist to "wobble" the bell

Handbell names

For a 5-octave set of handbells

English	American	In music notation	English	American	In music notation
29 C	C 3		11 G	G 5
28 D	D 3		10 A	A 5
27 E	E 3		9 B	B 5
26 F	F 3		8 C	C 6
25 G	G 3		7 D	D 6
24 A	A 3		6 E	E 6
23 B	B 3		5 F	F 6
22 C	C 4		4 G	G 6
21 D	D 4		3 A	A 6
20 E	E 4		2 B	B 6
19 F	F 4		1 C	C 7
18 G	G 4		07 D	D 7
17 A	A 4		06 E	E 7
16 B	B 4		05 F	F 7
15 C	C 5		07 D	D 7
14 D	D 5		04 G	G 7
13 E	E 5		03 A	A 7
12 F	F 5		02 B	B 7
			01 C	C 8

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