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Recently Jim Besser gave me the dots to Tra Veglia E Sonno, an Italian mazurka, to learn for our group The Squeezers.

I have played the tune for years in the key of G minor which evidently is not a very good key for Anglo. So the music he gave to me is in Dm/D. Now its not a difficult piece so much that for so many years I played it in one key that transposing to a different key turned out to be a challenge at first, causing a bit of a brain freeze.

Finally, after playing in the new key over and over, I began to structure my previous arrangement and even found some additional phrasing and chord structures.

Nice to know the kid's still learning.

just saying....

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A while back it dawned on me that most of us tend to learn a tune in a single key - and then remain wedded to that key forever. This is probably even more true for Anglo players, for whom one or two keys are vastly preferable to other keys.

 

I've found that my playing really improves when I learn tunes in multiple keys and explore how to make each new version sound good, even with the limits imposed by my diatonic instrument.

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A while back it dawned on me that most of us tend to learn a tune in a single key - and then remain wedded to that key forever. This is probably even more true for Anglo players, for whom one or two keys are vastly preferable to other keys.

 

I've found that my playing really improves when I learn tunes in multiple keys and explore how to make each new version sound good, even with the limits imposed by my diatonic instrument.

 

I believe it's similar to learning the same tune on different instruments (say, concertina, piano, recorder, fiddle). The combined conquering of different difficulties (and, yes John, taking advantage of different "easinesses") opens up the widest horizons.

 

It's all about spending that extra energy on this purpose (in which most of us will fail time after time) then. I'll take yours posts, Randy and Jim, as encouragement to take further steps (i.e.: different keys on the same instrument, treble EC) in this direction....!

Edited by blue eyed sailor
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I've found that sometimes changing keys makes a difficult tune a pleasant melody. I've always played across the rows but Bertram Levy's latest book has made a really big difference in my approach to my Anglo. Also, using a transposing software turns key changes into an adventure. Great fun!

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I've found that sometimes changing keys makes a difficult tune a pleasant melody. I've always played across the rows but Bertram Levy's latest book has made a really big difference in my approach to my Anglo. Also, using a transposing software turns key changes into an adventure. Great fun!

what is the software you use?

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A while back it dawned on me that most of us tend to learn a tune in a single key - and then remain wedded to that key forever. This is probably even more true for Anglo players, for whom one or two keys are vastly preferable to other keys.

 

I've found that my playing really improves when I learn tunes in multiple keys and explore how to make each new version sound good, even with the limits imposed by my diatonic instrument.

 

Jim's right, the real learning comes when you get past one row, and then past one particular key. It's not always easy, or even possible with most Anglos, but it's in the trying where you get out of your comfort zone and discover new ways to play.

 

That's the main reason I included "Burchard's Hornpipe" in four different keys in "Anglo Concertina in the Harmonic Style" - the original key of D that it was written in by Michael Springer, plus C, G, and even F. And, it sounds really nice in all four keys, too.

 

Also highly recommended listening: Brian Peters playing "Felton's Gavotte" ("Ring O' Bell's" for you Morris types) in four keys on his "Anglophilia" CD. Masterful arrangements, and a brilliant example of how to take one tune and really work it over with some excellent arrangements.

 

Gary

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Also highly recommended listening: Brian Peters playing "Felton's Gavotte" ("Ring O' Bell's" for you Morris types) in four keys on his "Anglophilia" CD. Masterful arrangements, and a brilliant example of how to take one tune and really work it over with some excellent arrangements.

 

Gary

 

 

I'm confused; I have the Anglophilia CD (which I love and continue to learn from). In fact, I think I have all his CDs; I don't see Felton's Gavotte in the track listings.

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Also highly recommended listening: Brian Peters playing "Felton's Gavotte" ("Ring O' Bell's" for you Morris types) in four keys on his "Anglophilia" CD. Masterful arrangements, and a brilliant example of how to take one tune and really work it over with some excellent arrangements.

 

Gary

 

 

I'm confused; I have the Anglophilia CD (which I love and continue to learn from). In fact, I think I have all his CDs; I don't see Felton's Gavotte in the track listings.

 

Sorry, Jim, he calls it "Farewell Manchester" in the track listings.

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Sorry, Jim, he calls it "Farewell Manchester" in the track listings.

 

 

 

Ah yes. Great tune, beautifully played.

 

Years after buying them, I still return to Brian's CDs and find things I want to learn. Forgot about this one, but it's on my list now. Thanks.

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