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I Are a Ding-A-Ling

Our church has a handbell choir.  I have joined.  Last night was my first practice. I learned quite a bit:

I learned that I have forgotten quite a bit about reading music, and I cannot tell my left hand from my right hand — I kept ringing the B bell when I should have rang the C bell and vise versa — and I learned that I need new glasses!

I could not see the staff lines clearly, so I would play every note on my area of the staff, whether it was mine or not.  Teacher pointed out that I had no notes in the second measure.  I peered at the music and agreed with her.  We started over.  I played my 8 notes in the first measure — and the whole note in the second measure – the note only Bobby should have played.

Teacher said, “You have no notes in the second measure.”  I nodded my head.  We started over.  And I again played the whole note in the second measure.

Teacher said, “That is not your note.”  I told her, “Yes.  I know.  I am sorry.”  And we started over.

And we started over ….

And we started over.

Apparently, I cannot count, either.

Teacher took my music.  She marked the notes for my B bell in green. She marked the notes for my C bell in red.  She pointed to my music, “You play the green and red notes only, Okay?”  I agreed.  She said, “Look you have no notes in the second measure.”  I agreed.  We started over.

And I played the whole note in the second measure.  Argh!

Fortunately, I had signed up for the beginner’s class, and other people were making similar mistakes.  Teacher had us all stop, then she went around one-by-one and had us each play our own first 8 measures.  With no one to distract me, I did beautifully.  And, I’m proud to say, when we returned to playing as a group, I no longer played the whole note in the second measure.

Maybe next Monday we’ll work on telling my left hand from my right hand.

21 Comments

  1. LOL…I can’t wait to hear how you learn telling the left hand fromt he right hand. Good thing about your class is it proves, and this is no bearing on you personally, is that we can never get to old to learn something (or perhaps re-learn)

    Aloha

  4. I was laughing and crying the whole time. This is yet another reason I can’t be a Kindergarten teacher. Patience is a virtue…that I do not possess.

  5. thanks for a good laugh!
    not everybody can be on the receiving end and still make fun of it.
    but sound like you enjoyed the experience nonetheless.

  7. When I played the accordion the problem I had was getting my hands together. One always tended to get ahead of the other.
    Both my wife and my daughter played in the bell choir at United.

  8. oh boy how I can relate to that. Good for you for trying something new ….and being able to see the humor in it.

    And now that I see the answer to Punny Monday….it dawns on me. That is the way it always is. I never get it until I see the answer. Then it is SO easy.

  9. Oh goodness! Do I have to get out the m&m’s to teach you how to count??? See? You NEED to get back in the classroom!!! ROFL!

  12. I used to know someone who taught handbells to children..or maybe adults, too. She gave it up to become a police officer. 🙂 Maybe she had a student like you once too many times. You did better finally.

  13. many times we write “LOL” but really don’t mean it. Not here- I laughed the whole way through the story! 🙂
    now you know why I’m not quite “with it.” I do this with 500 little people!!
    At least your teacher can reason with you. 🙂

  14. Thom — at my age, learning the difference may be a lost cause …

    Bazza — indeed! Sometimes I fancy I see a little halo shining above her head.

    Lisa — white gloves — but I am thinking about making red and green ribbon bracelets for my wrists!

    Capsun — did you just imply that I am on par with a Kindergartener?

    Juliana — I prefer laughing at my mistakes. Crying turns my face all splotchy red and gives me headaches. 😉

    Minky — it was fun. Thanks!

    Dr. John — and with the handbells they want me to ring 8th notes with one hand and quarter notes with the other and that’s two different things with just one brain!

    Jules — are you in bell choir?

    Melli — you try counting in 8ths while counting measures while ringing two bells and trying to keep straight which one is in which hand, what color it corresponds to, and when to ring it all the while trying to read music you can barely see and remembering to watch the director — what the heck count is it?

    Carletta — you just feel free to come on over here and laugh at me anytime.

    Betty — you know that over which I stress!

    Amber — thank you for that ringing vote of confidence!

    Andrew — please explain that to Capsun. Thank you.

  16. You have more courage than I do Quilly, I doubt I’d be able to ring the bells correctly ever. I do like listening to the Bells.

    Blessings my friend

  17. Oh C,

    That sounds just like something I would do. I think we must have went to the same school of I know I am not suppose to do this, but my brain thinks otherwise.

  19. Jientje — you don’t know your right from your left either?

    Bill — you could learn this if you were willing to look a little silly along the way.

    Angela — yes. I think that was clearly demonstrated when you kept putting ice cream beverages in my shoes.

    JD — thanks. I’ll try to keep that in mind.

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