People are often confused by the term "Ring Faster after the XXX bell" or "Ring Slowly after the XXX bell" when they first start ringing plain hunt and methods, how fast is fast and how slow is slowly? The speed change is actually very little.
Rounds Speed
The actual speed the bells are rung varies from tower to tower and is related to a number of factors, one being the tenor bell weight. On this page we are going to assume for simplicity that in rounds each bell rings at 2 second intervals ringing in 'cartwheels' not leaving a gap at handstroke leads. This would equate to a Peal Speed of 2 hours 48 minutes for 5040 changes. Check the peal boards in your tower and calculate the speed by dividing the time in seconds by the number of changes.
The diagram shows the time between handstroke and backstroke is 2 seconds for each bell whatever its colour. In a 6 bell tower, the interval between each bell ringing is a quarter of a second. In a 8 bell tower, that interval is reduced to a third of a second.
Plain Hunting
The diagram illustrates how the overall speed remains at 2 seconds per change, measured here by the (Red) Tenor bell. The last row of rounds and the first four changes of plain hunt are shown. When ringing in rounds, you ring then five more bells ring before you ring again.
The (Blue) Treble bell hunts up / out to the back and must ring more slowly than in rounds to achieve it. It is a slower 2⅓ seconds as there are six bells before it rings again.
The (Silver) fifth bell hunts down / in to the lead / front and must ring slightly quicker as there are only four bells before it rings again, the interval being 1⅔ seconds.
In plain hunt doubles at some time each bell makes two blows in fifth place. This is illustrated by the (Green) third bell, it needs to ring slightly slower as it moves out to fourth place at the 1st Change, then at the same slower speed as it moves to fifths place, but as it remains in fifth place at the next change it rings at rounds speed before speeding up to ring in fourth place, the diagram shows how its speed changes. It remains ringing at the same quicker pace until it reaches the handstroke lead. Each bell makes two blows in the lead, again it rings at rounds speed for the backstroke before slowing down to move away from leading.
Bell Control
Only small speed adjustments are required to be able to ring plain hunt and methods. On six bells its approximately third of a second faster or slower than rounds, on eight bells a quarter of a second faster or slower, reducing to sixth of a second difference on twelve bells.
To slow down, pull slightly harder at the previous stroke. At a handstroke catch the sally a little lower or let you arm stretch higher at backstroke, allowing the bell to rise closer to the balance, slowing it down.
To speed up, don't pull the previous stroke quite as hard, catch the sally a little higher than in rounds or check the backstroke preventing the bell from rising to the balance, speeding it up.
