Stretching The Limits

[meph]

I'm another newcomer to the concertina (so new I haven't even got one yet!) I was playing through a tune book called "Whistle round the world" on my flute last night - this claims that virtually every country/culture in the world has unique types of flute or whistle and gives examples of lots of different styles of tunes. Some of these seem to work brilliantly on my wooden instrument (e.g. chinese and other far east music) whereas others were playable but pretty ordinary. I wonder how much of this can be applied to the concertina and what types of "world" music would sound good? My guess is that kletzmer music, for instance, would sound good on an English concertina (I've tried it on a chromatic harmonica and it appeals to my ears). On a slightly different tack has any one tried playing mandolin music on an English concertina? These have the same range and similar capabilities for fast runs, double stops etc. but I'm not sure how you'd approach the tremolo bits.

Brian J

[Mark Evans]

On a slightly different tack has any one tried playing mandolin music on an English concertina? These have the same range and similar capabilities for fast runs, double stops etc. but I'm not sure how you'd approach the tremolo bits.

Brian J

 

Well, I have tried not mandolin music per se, but been inspired by a particular mandolinist I admire, Claudine Langille. She employes a tremolo that is just sparkling. I listen to her rendition of a TIM tune and then process as regards my concertina. EC is very good for this with a double finger technique. Simon Thoumire is perhaps the clearest example: two fingers on a single note in quick succession. Works to nice effect in my opinion and a number of us here try our best at employing it.

Edited February 2, 2006 by Mark Evans

[JimLucas]

On a slightly different tack has any one tried playing mandolin music on an English concertina?

I haven't tried "mandolin" music, as I haven't collected any arrangements specifically for mandolin. (I haven't tried excessively hard, but if somebody has some written out....) But I do have a few old arrangments for "classical" banjo, and they work a charm.

 

...I'm not sure how you'd approach the tremolo bits.

Rapid alternation of fingers is one technique. Another is rapid bellows reversals. Neither really sounds quite the same as mandolin tremolo, but then it doesn't sound like them, either.

[m3838]

But keep in mind though, a mandolin's (and balalaika's, domra's, etc.) tremolo technique is a substitute for sustainnig note, something that a concertina does naturally. Emulating tremolo on concertina, just because it sounds nice on mandoline, is not the best approach to using the instrument's pecularities for the benefit of the music. Not, that it can't, or shouldn't be done, of course.

Just a thought.

[JimLucas]

But keep in mind though, a mandolin's (and balalaika's, domra's, etc.) tremolo technique is a substitute for sustainnig note, something that a concertina does naturally. Emulating tremolo on concertina, just because it sounds nice on mandoline, is not the best approach to using the instrument's pecularities for the benefit of the music.

Well said.

[meph]

Thanks for the comments about tremolo. Even on a mandolin it can sound smooth and seductive in the hands of a master but pretty ragged in the hands of we mere mortals. The main point I was trying to make is that although it is widely known that the range of an English concertina matches that of a violin, it is perhaps less well known that the range of a mandolin is the same. Quite a lot of music was composed for the mandolin by 18th and 19th century composers (incidentally tremolo was rarely used at this time) which I think would fit nicely on a concertina. More recently, there are many more folk-orientated pieces by the likes of Sam Bush and Simon Mayor that have been recorded / published. I'll try some of these out once I get my concertina and learn where to put my fingers!

 

I knew little about kletzmer music until recently but it is great fun to play and suits chromatic instruments that can cope with the structure (often based on a harmonic minor scale I think, but I am no expert), dance rhythms and flights of melody (traditionally played on a clarinet or violin). Makes a change from jigs and reels anyway.

 

Brian J

[nils]

Nice example: 30 Years, klezmer on concertina.

(free mp3 downloads.)

 

Nils

[Mark Evans]

But keep in mind though, a mandolin's (and balalaika's, domra's, etc.) tremolo technique is a substitute for sustainnig note, something that a concertina does naturally. Emulating tremolo on concertina, just because it sounds nice on mandoline, is not the best approach to using the instrument's pecularities for the benefit of the music. Not, that it can't, or shouldn't be done, of course.

Just a thought.

 

 

Yes Michael, but it adds texture and is just another tool in my box which is used from time to time.

[Henk van Aalten]

Nice example: 30 Years, klezmer on concertina.

(free mp3 downloads.)

 

Nils

It took me some time but found the page here.

[m3838]

Finally I have recorded and submitted a tune. It's a Russian tune, which was called "Forgotten" by Henk, because it reminds him of his trip to Russia. Well, "Forgotten" that is then.

The instrument is brass reeded Lachenal C/g, 20 button.

I have converted it to semi-chromatic by replacing some reeds in the G row with accidentals.

For this tune I used G# on the push and D and B reversals from the G row.

Sorry for the flatted A. Probably a crack. I tuned it (hey, the first time) and it sounded fine, but in few minutes it went flat again.

Well, the tune is at:

http://www.anglo-concertina.net/guests/m3838/tune1.mp3

 

Hope you'll like it somewhat.

[Henk van Aalten]

Finally I have recorded and submitted a tune. It's a Russian tune, which was called "Forgotten" by Henk, because it reminds him of his trip to Russia. Well, "Forgotten" that is then.

Thanks Michael for your tune. It sounds so very Russian to my ears and yes.. when hearing this melody I remember my trips in a Russian car driving from Moscow to Wladimir.

I regards this tune as a special gift

Thank again and very well played on your customized Anglo!!

 

B.T.W.: this one is already on the tunes page.

[Boney]

I do like it! I don't tend to like bellows shakes much, but you keep them pretty smooth and subtle. I like the simple, moving harmonies. I need to hear more stuff like that to help develop my own harmonization. Thanks. The concertina seems to have a sweet sound, you should get a better microphone to take advantage of it. There's a lot of grit in the sound and a limited frequency response. And what are those various clicks and bump sounds in the recording?

[JimLucas]

Finally I have recorded and submitted a tune. It's a Russian tune, which was called "Forgotten" by Henk, because it reminds him of his trip to Russia. Well, "Forgotten" that is then.

...

Hope you'll like it somewhat.

More than "somewhat". It's lovely. Does it have words?

[m3838]

To Boney:

Um, I was surprized by the quality of recording. A few days earlier similar recording was much better. I guess I did't set mike correctly. It's iBook's internal mike into Audacity.

The clicks - have no idea. Need to experiment a bit.

To Jim:

I guess it does have words, let me research it.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll work on them. I guess, the bad quality recording hides my playing flaws.

I'll work on them.

[Mark Evans]

Bravo Michael! I enjoyed the bellows shakes and harmony.

[RatFace]

but I'm not sure how you'd approach the tremolo bits.

 

Maybe this is vaguely relevant (played by Wim Wakker).

 

PS I liked the "Forgotten" recording

Edited February 18, 2006 by RatFace

[Henk van Aalten]

iBook's internal mike into Audacity.

The clicks - have no idea. Need to experiment a bit.

Michael

As I saw that your original WMF file was at 20Kbps, so I wonder if your configuration of Audacity is optimal.

 

After opening Audacity, first click in the top menu bar on edit and from the pull down menu on preferences. The Audicity Preferences Menu will open. Click on the File Formats tab and set the Bit rate in the MP3 export section at an acceptable level 56 Kbps or higher. Then click the OK button to confirm your choice.

 

After recording (or importing an existing recoding) and editing you can Export as MP3 or Export selection as MP3. In that case you will end up with an sound file with reasonable to good quality in the right format (MP3).

 

I wish you success with these technical items and I look forward to your next tunes!!

 

edited to change file into edit

Edited February 19, 2006 by Henk van Aalten

[Henk van Aalten]

After the "stretching the limits" in the Russian direction by Michael in this message, I tried to stretch to the Croatian direction by recording Ajde Lepa Maro (a kolo) on my Geuns-Wakker 30b C/G. It's supposed to go faster and faster, but I did not take the time to do a lot of excercising .

 

Have fun and I'm looking forward to some more stretching!!