G/d In Ireland

[fallonje]

Folks, I play a G/D Morse Anglo, mostly Irish tunes. I'll be in Ireland June 14-30 and was wondering if anyone knows of any Irish players who play G/D concertinas principally (or at least some) for Irish music. I like to set up a lesson or two if possible. Thanks in advance.

Joe Fallon

Edited May 8, 2017 by fallonje

[MatthewVanitas]

Really cool and different take on the tradition!

 

Have you checked out Tim Edey's YouTube clips or instructional DVD on playing Irish on the unconventional D/G melodeon?

 

http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php?topic=2813.0

[fallonje]

Hey Matthew, Yes I've seen the Tim Edey melodeon video. He does show that ITM can be played on a D/G button box. I doubt that playing Irish tunes on a G/D concertina is all that unusual, but maybe so.

[Jim Besser]

Folks, I play a G/D Morse Anglo, mostly Irish tunes. I'll be in Ireland June 14-30 and was wondering if anyone knows of any Irish players who play G/D concertinas principally (or at least some) for Irish music. I like to set up a lesson or two if possible. Thanks in advance.

Joe Fallon

 

Hey Joe - missed you in C'ville last month! We'll be in London / St. Albans/ Winchester in June, just a puddle jump away from you.

[wayman]

I play Manx tunes on a G/D anglo. The repertoire and style have similarities with Irish. I feel like the celtic tunes come out much dumpier than I want them to when I play them on a G/D. When I'm playing on my own, embellishing them with chords and harmonies and suspensions is fun and lovely; and particularly when I'm playing them solo for Manx dancing (as I often do) the added punch and volume I get from the G/D is a big positive. But when I'm playing in Manx sessions I feel like the G/D detracts and takes me away from what would fit better.

 

I used to play these tunes on a C/G, then several years ago when I got my G/D Jeffries I switched to using that most of the time because it's just such a better instrument to play in many ways. When I restore my recently-acquired C/G Jeffries to playing shape, I suspect I'll switch to that for Manx repertoire -- I feel like the tunes just fit better there, somehow, though I can't really say how; and it's easier to play ornamented melodies at speed, which is what fits in session playing. Also I want to take advantage of the greater variety of teachers and resources for C/G with that repertoire/style. But I'll enjoy being able to study the contrast more, as well -- how do I play a tune in D on the G/D versus how do I play the same tune in D on the C/G (where both concertinas are identically-laid-out 38-button Jeffries), and get a much better sense of what limitations / advantages are supplied by the instrument, and what are just in my head (and could be overcome with experimentation and practice!)....

[fallonje]

I came to concertina from a C#/D/G button accordion, playing English and Irish tunes. I knew that most (all?) Irish concertina players were playing C/G concertinas but I also knew I wanted a system familiar to me and a system where I was mostly playing on the right side of the instrument (I'm left handed but have been playing button accordions). I'm content with the D/G system as I only aspire to play at home solo or in the local Irish session as a player in the periphery. Ornamentation is not so important to me.