Philip Earis Ringing Page

Dixonoids (Rule-Based Constructions)

	I'm very interested in Dixonoids, where the work of a bell depends on the relative position of certain other bells. For a detailed explanation of dixonoids, see the article on Dixon's Bob Minor. This page contains details of dixonoids I've come across and invented, and some compositions for them.
	Dixon's Bob Minor This is the oldest dixonoid, having been rung in 1863 and for many years before. It is still rung widely, if very infrequently, today. It is perhaps the easiest dixonoid: Plain Hunt 14 made when bells two or four lead 12 made when treble leads. The plain course is 64 changes long.
	720 Dixon's Bob Minor P A B Saddleton 23456 s 46235 4 - 24635 5 - 24635 1 - 32456 5 - 43256 15 Repeat	720 Dixon's Bob Minor A E Holroyd 23456 -* 42356 5 - 34256 5 * 54263 5 - 26435 5 Three part, calling s for -* in part 1 and s at * in part 2.
	Dixon's is not restricted to six bells: Dixon's Bob Doubles can be rung in a similar way with 145 being made whenever bells two or four lead. The plain course is 84 changes, and an extent is easily obtained: 120 Dixon's Bob Doubles P J Earis 2345 - 5342 1 - 4235 2 - 4352 3 - 5432 2 - 3425 2 - 2345 2
	Reverse Dixon's Bob Minor A trivial variant of Dixon's is to ring plain hunt, but make 36 when bells three or five lie, and 56 when the treble lies. Compositions for Dixon's Bob Minor can be used, if 36 and 3456 calls are made when the treble lies. Reverse Dixon's is harder to ring, because the different notation has to be made before the event that triggers it (places are made under certain bells lieing)
	Simple Major Dixonoids The basic idea behind Dixon's Bob Minor can easily be extended to eight bells. Two simple possibilities are: Monster Major - 12 made when 1 leads, 16 made when 2, 4, 6 lead. The plain course is 240 changes long. "Ander's Monster" - 12 is made when 1 leads, 14 is made when 2,4 or 6 lead and 16 is made when 7 leads. The plain course is 5580 changes. There is a periodicty of 930 changes: Row Value 930 14563278 1860 16325478 2790 12543678 3720 14365278 4650 16523478 5580 12345678
	Grandsire-based dixonoids In Grandsire-based dixonoids on stage n, place 3n is made the handstroke after the treble leads, and 14 made whenever bells two or four lead. The plain course of Dixon's Grandsire Doubles comes round after 19 changes. An extent is not possible, although a 240 is. Dixon's Grandsire Minor has a plain course of 240 changes, and is actually false with one repeat change. However, a 720 is possible. Grandsire calls are traditionally used, and these along with places being made at successive strokes can cause some strange work. The extent of Dixon's Grandsire Minor is the hardest thing I've ever rung.
	240 Dixon's Grandsire Doubles A J W Tibbetts 2345 s 4325 1 s 3425 6 s 2354 1 s 3254 6 s 3524 3 s 5324 6 p 2345	720 Dixon's Grandsire Minor P A B Saddleton 23456 s 36245 - 34526 - 45632 - 62354 43526 - 62453 - 24653 65342 63254 25436 6-part. Call - for s except in parts 1,4
	Exotic Minor Dixonoids All the previous dixonoids have been based around plain-hunt, but it's possible to introduce more 'triggers' to change the place-notation and make a more exciting and difficult dixonoid: Pseudo-double Dixon's Bob Minor - At stage 4n+2, if places are made right then rows at hand and back have the same nature, followed by two of opposite nature. If at alternate backstrokes, Dixon's Bob minor rules and reverse Dixon's Bob Minor rules are applied, an extent can be obtained. This was invented by Philip Saddleton - I had initially tried to have a pseudo-double dixonoid by giving different bells a priority to determine whether places should be made from the front or back, but this could not produce an extent. 720 Pseudo-Double Dixon's Bob Minor P A B Saddleton 23456 - 35264 4 - 23564 1 - 54326 1 - 35426 1 - 25634 2 - 62534 3 - 56234 4 - 25346 4 - 54632 1 - 65432 4 - 43526 1 - 64523 3 p 23456 The figures shown refer ONLY to changes where the treble leads in the Dixon's section, not the reverse Dixon's section. All bobs are 14. Odd/Even Minor Dixonoid - I invented this dixonoid where all bells plain hunt, but where 12 is made over the treble, and at backstroke (when the treble is not leading) 14 is made if the algebraic 'sum' of the first three bells is odd. Finding a composition was quite tricky, and it has yet to be rung! 720 Odd/Even Dixonoid Minor P J Earis 23456 A 64235 1 B 42563 1 B 42635 2 A 54326 2 - 42356 1 A 34625 3 - 43265 9 A 52643 1 s 32456 10 B 42536 10 - 42365 2 B 42653 2 A 34526 2 A 64253 2 B - 34265 1 B s 23456 11 - is 14 made when treble leads s is 1234 made when treble leads A is 16 made at the backstroke after the previous lead-end (the first call is at the first backstroke) B is 16 made at the backstroke before the lead-end. Treble-bob dixonoid - In this, the treble does a treble-bob hunt, and places are made according to which position the treble is in. Between dodges, a place is made according to which bell is leading. For example, on six bells, an the plain course produces an extent if at alternate backstrokes: A: Places are made in 34 unless the treble is in 34, when places are made in 12. B: If treble is in 456 then places made in 14 if 5 or 6 is leading. If treble is in 123 places made in 36 if 6 is behind. Otherwise places made in 16. This, too, is yet to be rung.