I was a student in the Spring 2020 DeCal "Learn to Play the Sather Tower Bells" (a DeCal is a UC Berkeley class that is taught by other students). Unfortunately, the lessons ended halfway through the semester due to COVID-19. However, I'm really grateful that I was given the chance to learn, even if only for a few weeks.
The carillon is a unique instrument. Each "key" is thick and wooden, and the keys are separated from one another by about an inch and a half or so. As a result, each hand can only play one key at a time. To play a key, form your hand into a fist-like shape. It's important to not slam your fist down onto a key, but rather press it down in a more gradual motion. In order to play multiple notes in quick succession, it may be necessary to cross one hand over the other. The student who taught me used to say, "Play the bells as 'lazily' as possible. Don't think too much about whether to cross one hand over the other or to use the same hand. Just do whatever feels most natural to you." Another fascinating thing about the carillon is that the keys on the lower end of the keyboard take more force to push down than the keys on the higher end of the keyboard. That is because each key is attached to a string which controls a bell. The lower keys are tethered to heavier, larger bells; thus, it takes more force to ring those bells and play those keys. If I pushed down on two keys at the same time, and with the same amount of force, I would hear those notes in succession, not at the same time!
The carillon is a unique instrument. Each "key" is thick and wooden, and the keys are separated from one another by about an inch and a half or so. As a result, each hand can only play one key at a time. To play a key, form your hand into a fist-like shape. It's important to not slam your fist down onto a key, but rather press it down in a more gradual motion. In order to play multiple notes in quick succession, it may be necessary to cross one hand over the other. The student who taught me used to say, "Play the bells as 'lazily' as possible. Don't think too much about whether to cross one hand over the other or to use the same hand. Just do whatever feels most natural to you." Another fascinating thing about the carillon is that the keys on the lower end of the keyboard take more force to push down than the keys on the higher end of the keyboard. That is because each key is attached to a string which controls a bell. The lower keys are tethered to heavier, larger bells; thus, it takes more force to ring those bells and play those keys. If I pushed down on two keys at the same time, and with the same amount of force, I would hear those notes in succession, not at the same time!
