Method 1
Hunting to four and back...
Little methods are so called because the treble is limited to just a few places. This can vary from methods to methods… In this case it is up to 4th place only.
Just three bells for the treble to find in each lead… and different each time too!
The working bells plain hunt unless they meet the treble in 4th place… where it is similar to ringing a single… make 5ths and go back out.
All starts are plain hunt.
8th place bell is the pivot bell that meets the treble and turns.
Only 8 changes per lead...
Because the treble only hunts to 4ths back, the method is much shorter than normal plain methods.
With 8 working bells, the plain course is 64 changes. 8 per lead end.
The Treble...
For a beginner coping with rope-sight on 9 bells, this is an excellent ice breaker.
Only 3 bells to find in each lead… and it is a different 3 bells every lead.
No simple pattern to help, so rope-sight has to be used.
Bobs and Singles...
The calls are very simple and equate favourably to Plain Bob…
9th place bell and 3rds place bell run in and run out so are unaffected.
4ths place bell makes the bob and repeats that lead.
3rds place bell makes 4 blows behind.
All other bells dodge. (5-6 and 7-8).
The single is even simpler…
instead of running in 9th place bell will make 3rds and go back out as 3rd place bell.
6th place bell will make seconds and become 2nds place bell.
- All other bells are unaffected
Short touches...
A plain course is 64 changes.
A Bob course is 56 changes, as the 4th bell is always static.
A Single course is 120 changes (15 leads) with 3rd 8th and 9th making all the singles (5 times) and the other 5 bells making 2nds (3 times).
Changing Places...
Call alternate Bobs and the touch is 128 changes…. about 4 minutes ringing.
Calling the 9th to be long 9th repeatedly will produce a medium length piece at 336 changes.
If a single is added at any unaffected point in parts 1 and 4, the length will double to 672. and the addition of another similar single in parts 6 and 12 will produce 1344 changes and a quarter peal.
Method 2
The line...
The second Little Bob method only hunts to thirds and back…
There are only two significant things to remember…
If you pass the treble in 1-2 (i.e the treble takes you from lead), , then do the the 4 double dodges in 6-7. 8-9, 9-8, 7-6, then return to lead.
If you pass the treble in 2-1 (i.e. you take the treble off lead) then do the crank shaft places in 4-5 and return to lead.
Starts need to be noted…
Stedman/Grandsire starts for the back 4 bells…
Bob Doubles starts for the front 4 bells…
Place bell order is 2,5,4,3 then 7,9,8,6.
The Grid...
Because the treble only hunts to thirds and back the method is has only 6 changes per lead.
That is a grand total of 48 changes per course… so very short!
The place notation for this method is also very short.
5.1.349 , 1
The treble...
Although a slightly harder method for the working bells the treble line is remarkably simple and ideal for a beginner to 9 bell ringing.
The treble only has 2 bells to find in each lead which makes rope-sight very easy.
However, both bells change each lead.
There is no easy pattern to the way the bells cycle through, which will encourage rope-sight.
Two halves and decided by the treble...
There are only two significant things to remember…
If you pass the treble in 1-2 (i.e the treble takes you from lead), then do the the 4 double dodges in 6-7. 8-9, 9-8, 7-6, then return to lead.
If you pass the treble in 2-1 (i.e. you take the treble off lead) then do the crank shaft places in 4-5 and return to lead.
Bobs...
The Bobs we have chosen are simple…
If you pass the treble in 2-3, make the bob and go back to lead.
If you are completing the crankshafts… make 5ths and do the crankshafts again (i.e 4 blows in 5ths… so just like a bob in Bob doubles.
All other bells are unaffected.
Touches
A Bob course is 42 Changes… with the fifth bell being static.
Bobs alternate leads provides 16 lead ends and 96 changes with all bells doing all the plain leads and all the affected ones too.. so will make an excellent practice touch.
Touches
For a simple touch, two bobs at home will double the plain course length to 96 changes.
Calling middle, wrong, home, three times will produce 288 changes.