Thomas A. Alspaugh
Some Call Changes Sequences

Here are some very simple sequences that may be helpful when learning to call changes.

Show calls
up
down

# Back and Forth

This is about as simple as possible, analogous by starting to learn to swim by dipping a toe in and taking it out. It is also good for a band whose ringers get nervous when they are not in rounds.

1. Call any two adjacent bells to exchange places. This is particularly easy with calling up.
2. Then make the reverse call, putting them back into rounds.
3. Pick another pair of bells and repeat.

Example:

 1234 Ⓡ 1324 1234 Ⓡ 1243 1234 Ⓡ

# To Queens and Back

Queens (odds up then evens up, like 1324, 135246, 13572468) is an easy destination because the treble and tenor are already in their places for Queens, and no bell has to move more than $\frac{N}{2}-1$ places. It is also handy that any sequence of calls that works for an even number $N$ of bells also works for $N-1$ bells.

The strategy is to move each even numbered bell out, but not past any other even numbered bell; and each odd numbered bell in, but again not past any other odd numbered bell.

 Three Four 123 Ⓡ 1234 Ⓡ 132 Ⓠ 1324 Ⓠ 123 Ⓡ 1234 Ⓡ

There are two ways to get to Queens for five or six bells:

 Five Six 12345 Ⓡ 123456 Ⓡ 13245 132456 13254 132546 13524 Ⓠ 135246 Ⓠ 13254 132546 13245 132456 12345 Ⓡ 123456 Ⓡ
 Five Six 12345 Ⓡ 123456 Ⓡ 12354 123546 13254 132546 13524 Ⓠ 135246 Ⓠ 13254 132546 12354 123546 12345 Ⓡ 123456 Ⓡ

There are several ways for seven or eight bells; here is one:

 Seven Eight 1234567 Ⓡ 12345678 Ⓡ 1324567 13245678 1325467 13254678 1325476 13254768 1325746 13257468 1352746 13527468 1357246 Ⓠ 13572468 Ⓠ 1352746 13527468 1325746 13257468 1325476 13254768 1325467 13254678 1324567 13245678 1234567 Ⓡ 12345678 Ⓡ

# Rotate to the Back

This strategy is conceptually simple, particularly if called up, but takes many calls. The conductor calls each bell in turn from the front to the back.

It is simplest if the conductor rings the treble and leaves the treble in leads; that is what is illustrated here.

 Four 1234 Ⓡ 1324 Ⓠ 1342 1432 1423 1243 1234 Ⓡ
 Five 12345 Ⓡ 13245 13425 13452 14352 14532 14523 15423 15243 15234 12534 12354 12345 Ⓡ