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concave vs convex


griffinga

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Relatively new to the concertina 'scene' and this question has certainly been asked before - but I can't find an answer.

Is there a reason why the button ends are convex and not concave. Seems like concave button ends would 'grip' your finger

a bit and and prevent it from slipping (maybe I've just answered my own question?).

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Although many early concertinas did have flat ended buttons there is a reason for the adoption of convex (or domed) ends.

 

We can use four fingers of each hand to play a concertina but there are many more buttons than four. So our fingers have to move from button to button, not always by jumping about or making the next note by using a different finger to the previous. Sometimes we need to slide ,sideways, or forward, or back, or play two buttons with one finger, or more.

 

The domed buttons allow the finger to be 'rocked' or slid out of a central contact point so as to incorporate the sound available on an adjacent button.

 

And the highly polished finnish on these domed buttons... would that make the fingers slip off and not " grip your finger"?

 

Yes, exactly!! The domed polished ended buttons allow these more complex movements .

 

So, these buttons with the sharp edges (more than) removed and their surfaces polished are far more comfortable for complex finger movements. I find that if the buttons of a concertina are rough (due to wear ) or sticky ( due to cake eating or any other sticky business) it makes the playing difficult, like coming off the Ice on a pair of skates.

 

These observations relate to the keyboards that I play, EC and Macccann... perhaps on an Anglo the results may differ (?)

Edited by Geoff Wooff
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So, these buttons with the sharp edges (more than) removed and their surfaces polished are far more comfortable for complex finger movements.

I'd like to confirm this (as an EC player likewise), having felt comfortable with the domed keys immediately. You can simply hit them from (nearly) any angle that might occur...

Edited by blue eyed sailor
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Just adding to those comments: I've a very pretty little 26 button Lachenal anglo -- metal ends and metal buttons. The buttons are flat-topped however and they quite quickly become uncomfortable to play.

 

Chris

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Just adding to those comments: I've a very pretty little 26 button Lachenal anglo -- metal ends and metal buttons. The buttons are flat-topped however and they quite quickly become uncomfortable to play.

 

Chris

 

 

 

Hmmm, strange! Do you think this is due to the flat top buttons or are the return spring pressures too high perhaps ?

Geoff.

Edited by Geoff Wooff
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I agree with Geoff as to sliding off for faster playing. I am interested in what people think is the the optimum dome profile To counteract unwanted slipping I have spent a lot of time coming down precisely and visualisingthe accurate placing of the finger. Generally I find a more perpendicular approach has been worth working on, although sometimes a flatter finger pad is useful when reaching the accidentals on the 3 row Anglo or fo9r occasional covering of tw button with one finger or sliding off one note to an adjacent one.

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  • 2 years later...
Guest Zorro

Interesting stuff.

 

I reckon you could get the concave diffuser up to the DF levels of the convex one, with much lower drag

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