Concertina Support

[MUTT]

I spent a year or so messing around with a button accordion, so you might guess that's why I hold my concertina R on R. However, I held the BA right frame on left thigh! (More room for the bellows that way.) My current choice has more to do with the kind of concertina I'm playing and the music I like to play. I play a Lachenal Crane, and I mostly play Irish music. I don't do much chording (yet, anyway) so I'm left with the melody and on the Crane that is 98% or so on the right side. It makes sense to stabilize the side I'm using most. The fact I'm used to manipulating the bellows with my left hand because of my BA experience may be part of the deal, but really I find the two kinds of bellows work totally dissimilar. I think it mostly has to do with the melody work on the right side.

[Dave Weinstein]

In the air, elbows bent, for me. I started that way, and I've tried playing off my knee, and it just feels wrong.

[Chris Drinkwater]

I am wondering whether it makes any difference if you are left or right-handed. I am left-handed and play an English concertina. I find it more natural to balance the right end frame of the concertina on my right knee, keeping that end still and operating the bellows with my left hand. If I was right-handed, my inclination would be to do the opposite, i.e. balancing the left end on my left knee and opening and closing the bellows with my right hand. Any left-handed players care to state their preferred method of supporting the concertina while playing?

 

Chris

[Woody]

I am wondering whether it makes any difference if you are left or right-handed. I am left-handed and play an English concertina. I find it more natural to balance the right end frame of the concertina on my right knee, keeping that end still and operating the bellows with my left hand. If I was right-handed, my inclination would be to do the opposite, i.e. balancing the left end on my left knee and opening and closing the bellows with my right hand. Any left-handed players care to state their preferred method of supporting the concertina while playing?

 

Chris

Hi Chris,

 

well I'm left-handed and play the Anglo with the left end on my left knee. I think this is mainly because, playing "English" style, the right side of the instrument is generally doing far more than the left and all pushes and pulls are done on this side. I think that if the instrument was resting on the right-hand side it would inhibit the movement and slow me down (I'm slow enough already, don't want to get even more so ).

 

- W

[Chris Drinkwater]

Hi Chris,

Well I'm left-handed and play the Anglo with the left end on my left knee. I think this is mainly because, playing "English" style, the right side of the instrument is generally doing far more than the left and all pushes and pulls are done on this side. I think that if the instrument was resting on the right-hand side it would inhibit the movement and slow me down (I'm slow enough already, don't want to get even more so ).

 

- W

 

Hi Woody,

Interesting. I guess because you get the same note sounding in both directions on the English concertina, it doesn't matter whether it's the right hand or the left hand, if sitting, or perhaps both hands, standing up, that do the pushing and pulling.

 

Chris

[Woody]

Hi Woody,

Interesting. I guess because you get the same note sounding in both directions on the English concertina, it doesn't matter whether it's the right hand or the left hand, if sitting, or perhaps both hands, standing up, that do the pushing and pulling.

 

Chris

Hmmmm - I think if I were playing an English I might rest both ends.

[chris]

Hi

I play English. I have 2 concertinas ,a Joseph Scates which I play 'right frame' on right knee using a piece of 'non slip mat' ( to stop it escating). The other is a Lachenal 'Inimitable' which I am more comfortable playing using a neck strap. Probably doesn't make a lot of sense, but it works for me

chris

[Chris Drinkwater]

Hi Woody,

Interesting. I guess because you get the same note sounding in both directions on the English concertina, it doesn't matter whether it's the right hand or the left hand, if sitting, or perhaps both hands, standing up, that do the pushing and pulling.

 

Chris

Hmmmm - I think if I were playing an English I might rest both ends.

 

Well, if you did rest both ends, you'd get no movement at all and that would be the end of it! For a more abrasive style of playing, you could always try resting one end on a sheet of sandpaper.

 

Chris

[Woody]

Hi Woody,

Interesting. I guess because you get the same note sounding in both directions on the English concertina, it doesn't matter whether it's the right hand or the left hand, if sitting, or perhaps both hands, standing up, that do the pushing and pulling.

 

Chris

Hmmmm - I think if I were playing an English I might rest both ends.

 

Well, if you did rest both ends, you'd get no movement at all and that would be the end of it! For a more abrasive style of playing, you could always try resting one end on a sheet of sandpaper.

 

Chris

Is this not the norm?

[JimLucas]

Hmmmm - I think if I were playing an English I might rest both ends.

Well, if you did rest both ends, you'd get no movement at all...

What? Your legs become completely immobile when you're sitting?

... Then how do you ever stand up, again?