Handbell Set Help

Selecting the right handbells for your needs is not as difficult as it may seem at first. Here are a few facts that may help.

The 8 Note Set (C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C) is for very basic music. It contains all the notes needed to play a complete C major scale in one octave. With it you could expect to be able to play simple children's songs such as Jesus Loves Me, Deep and Wide, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Row Row Row Your Boat, etc. On a keyboard, the notes available would look like this:

The 5 Bell Chromatic Set (C#,D#,F#G#,A#) allows you to widen your song selection to include songs with sharps and flats. (Hint: This set is not a good "stand alone" option. There are no popular songs played on just these five notes.) More complex songs like Jesus Loves The Little Children (in Ab), Away In A Manger, and Awesome God (in Em) become possible when you add this set to the 8 Note Set. The notes in the 5 Bell Chromatic Set look like this on the keyboard:

The Expanded Range Set (low A,A#,B - high C#,D,D#,E) gives you a little more room on each end of your basic scale to add different keys and more diverse melodies to your performance repertoire. With the 8 Note Set, The 5 Bell Chromatic Set, and the Expanded Range Set put together, you can play such songs as O Little Town of Bethlehem, Give Thanks, and White Christmas. The Expanded Range Set represents these notes on a keyboard:

All together, the three sets give you 20 notes - nearly 2 octaves (shown below) - of musical potential. When you combine them with the 8 books of songs (with CD accompaniment), you'll have a great addition to your creative ministry tool chest.