[r-t] 8 spliced atw 7com

[Mark Davies]

Ian F writes,

> I've just rung 8 changes of method, the band have just rung 8
 > changes of method - let's send it up as 9.

Ah. You are assuming that the term "changes of method" describes the 
peal, not the composition. But that's not actually very helpful. For 
instance, if I gave you this composition:

5,184 Spliced Surprise Major (2 methods)
Donald F Morrison (no. 3413)
23456  M   B   W   H
25634      -   s   3*  FJJ.JJ.J.F.F.
45632  -       2* [-] J.JJJJJ.F.J.
32654  2   -   s   2   J.F.FFF.FFF.FF.F.
Repeat five times, omitting [-]
from alternate parts.
3* = s - -; 2* = - s.

Then I ought to be able to describe how many COM it has, before you 
decide to ring it. This "COM" is a property of the composition, not the 
ringing of it. And that is very useful, because it allows us to compare 
one composition to another.

How many COM does this composition have? Well there looks to be 6 COM in 
each part, and it's a 6-part, so I guess that is 36 COM. Agreed?

But you could take it to the tower and decide you want to start it from 
the third course end (45632). You've rung the same composition, but only 
made 35 "calls of change of method". That doesn't affect the fact that, 
when you send up the peal report, you note that you rang a composition 
which had 36 com. Indeed, it would be confusing to send up "Comp. Don F 
Morrison (no.3413)" and claim a different number of com to the band who 
rang it last week, wouldn't it.

It all slots together if you stop thinking about "changes of method" as 
describing the *peal*, and instead realise that it is more useful to 
describe the *composition*.

No-one really wants to know how many calls you put in during the peal... 
for instance I don't know how many times you have to shout each method 
name before all the members of your band wake up. ;-) And how would I 
describe the peal I took part in at Gloucester Cathedral many years ago, 
where the treble reached the back during the Little Bob?! (Apart from 
scratching it out of my record books, if I had any...).

MBD