lyndall Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Hi to everyone. I am a new member and also new to the concertina. I am an older person and have wanted to learn concertina for many many years, my husband gave me a Stagi 30 key Anglo for Xmas. I am just starting and moving along quite well but I cant seem to reach the air button/ wind valve with my thumb. I can reach it with my right index finger (that will ot help my playing I'm sure), what can I do? And how should I hold the concertina, the straps just don't feel comfortable. I can reach all the keys well but as I said I just can't reach the air valve.Any other tips for getting the concertina in a good playing position? Thanks for any help and looking forward to reading all the intersting information on this forum. I am Australian but living in Northern Bavaria and as yet have not found a teacher that could give me some one on one advice so I will probably be relying on all the players out there for help. Cheers Lyndall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Can you give us a little more information on "the straps are uncomfortable"? Are they too tight? Too loose? If you have really small hands (like I do), the straps may need to be adjusted. Here's how I hold my concertina: I always play sitting down, and I rest the right end in a little ways from my right knee. Some people rest the left end on their left knee. I have no idea why I do it the way I do. Either way, my hands are no longer responsible for the weight of the concertina. Do NOT rest the bellows on your knee! It wears them out. I'm sure other, more experienced players here will be better able to address the air button issue. All I can say is what I do. I play with my thumbs hooked over the top of the handstrap, where it attaches to the instrument, NOT with my thumbs in the handstrap with the rest of my fingers. Hope this helps some, and welcome to C-Net! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klaus guhl Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Hi to everyone. I am a new member and also new to the concertina. I am an older person and have wanted to learn concertina for many many years, my husband gave me a Stagi 30 key Anglo for Xmas. I am just starting and moving along quite well but I cant seem to reach the air button/ wind valve with my thumb. I can reach it with my right index finger (that will ot help my playing I'm sure), what can I do? And how should I hold the concertina, the straps just don't feel comfortable. I can reach all the keys well but as I said I just can't reach the air valve.Any other tips for getting the concertina in a good playing position? Thanks for any help and looking forward to reading all the intersting information on this forum. I am Australian but living in Northern Bavaria and as yet have not found a teacher that could give me some one on one advice so I will probably be relying on all the players out there for help. Cheers Lyndall How far is to Würzburg? Klaus Wenger Händelstraße 11 97074 Würzburg His homepage is http://home.allgaeu.org/kwenger/konzertina/index.html Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Morse Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I play with my thumbs hooked over the top of the handstrap, where it attaches to the instrument, NOT with my thumbs in the handstrap with the rest of my fingers.I would think that having your thumbs hooked over the top of the handstrap would be very restrictive (I've seen several beginners do this as it seemed to be the only way they could hold the instrument) as keeping them tensed will hinder movement of your other fingers. Certainly have the thumb outside the handstraps, but I (and most people I know) allow the thumbs to be relaxed which will allow them to play the air and drone keys easily. I also support my concertina on my thigh (but use right end frame on left thigh - not a very popular choice but far from unheard of) and like my handstraps fairly loose which I find more comfortable and allows me to get at the various buttons more easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Jowaisas Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 (edited) Hi Lyndall, Apparently you are not the only person who has had this problem with the Stagi. If you go to the cnet. Ergonomics Forum; first page; Post by Ruth Myers. She discusses her solution. This link "might" take you there: http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1906 Best of luck, Greg Edited for the usual spelling mishaps. The above link works by the way. Edited January 5, 2006 by Greg Jowaisas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anglogeezer Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 Hi to everyone. I am a new member and also new to the concertina. I am an older person and have wanted to learn concertina for many many years, my husband gave me a Stagi 30 key Anglo for Xmas. I am just starting and moving along quite well but I cant seem to reach the air button/ wind valve with my thumb. I can reach it with my right index finger (that will ot help my playing I'm sure), what can I do? And how should I hold the concertina, the straps just don't feel comfortable. I can reach all the keys well but as I said I just can't reach the air valve.Any other tips for getting the concertina in a good playing position? Thanks for any help and looking forward to reading all the intersting information on this forum. I am Australian but living in Northern Bavaria and as yet have not found a teacher that could give me some one on one advice so I will probably be relying on all the players out there for help. Cheers Lyndall Hi Lyndall My second concertina was a 30 button Stagi and I too had problems using the air button with my thumb. When I eventually compared my concertina with others I discovered that the straps were too close to the keys!! This meant that when my fingers rested comfortably on the keys the straps passed across my hand in front of my knuckles and my thumb was nowhere near the air button. If I had the straps behind my knuckles with my thumb over the air button then my fingers had to curl over too far to reach the keys. My solution was to buy another concertina. A Marcus. This, like other anglos has the straps one centimetre farther away from the buttons (than the Stagi) and I have no problems reaching the air button with my thumb. Jake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted January 5, 2006 Share Posted January 5, 2006 I play with my thumbs hooked over the top of the handstrap, where it attaches to the instrument, NOT with my thumbs in the handstrap with the rest of my fingers.I would think that having your thumbs hooked over the top of the handstrap would be very restrictive (I've seen several beginners do this as it seemed to be the only way they could hold the instrument) as keeping them tensed will hinder movement of your other fingers. Certainly have the thumb outside the handstraps, but I (and most people I know) allow the thumbs to be relaxed which will allow them to play the air and drone keys easily. Well, not tightly hooked, more like "semi-hooked, semi-resting." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyndall Posted January 6, 2006 Author Share Posted January 6, 2006 Hi to everyone. I am a new member and also new to the concertina. I am an older person and have wanted to learn concertina for many many years, my husband gave me a Stagi 30 key Anglo for Xmas. I am just starting and moving along quite well but I cant seem to reach the air button/ wind valve with my thumb. I can reach it with my right index finger (that will ot help my playing I'm sure), what can I do? And how should I hold the concertina, the straps just don't feel comfortable. I can reach all the keys well but as I said I just can't reach the air valve.Any other tips for getting the concertina in a good playing position? Thanks for any help and looking forward to reading all the intersting information on this forum. I am Australian but living in Northern Bavaria and as yet have not found a teacher that could give me some one on one advice so I will probably be relying on all the players out there for help. Cheers Lyndall How far is to Würzburg? Klaus Wenger Händelstraße 11 97074 Würzburg His homepage is http://home.allgaeu.org/kwenger/konzertina/index.html Good luck Hi Klaus, I am a 2 hours drive from Würzburg, but at last I have found someone in Germany that is VERY into the Concertina (your link was amazing , so much information. I was very impressed). Perhaps we could talk or you might even know someone within a reasonable distance from me that may be interested in teaching me (at least the basics). My town is small and in der nördliche Oberpfalz, the closest bigger town is either Bayreuth, Weiden, Amberg or then in your direction Nürnberg. I do speak German.I will spend some time reading your homepage and the links. Thankyou for interest,lyndall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyndall Posted January 6, 2006 Author Share Posted January 6, 2006 Hi to everyone. I am a new member and also new to the concertina. I am an older person and have wanted to learn concertina for many many years, my husband gave me a Stagi 30 key Anglo for Xmas. I am just starting and moving along quite well but I cant seem to reach the air button/ wind valve with my thumb. I can reach it with my right index finger (that will ot help my playing I'm sure), what can I do? And how should I hold the concertina, the straps just don't feel comfortable. I can reach all the keys well but as I said I just can't reach the air valve.Any other tips for getting the concertina in a good playing position? Thanks for any help and looking forward to reading all the intersting information on this forum. I am Australian but living in Northern Bavaria and as yet have not found a teacher that could give me some one on one advice so I will probably be relying on all the players out there for help. Cheers Lyndall Hi Lyndall My second concertina was a 30 button Stagi and I too had problems using the air button with my thumb. When I eventually compared my concertina with others I discovered that the straps were too close to the keys!! This meant that when my fingers rested comfortably on the keys the straps passed across my hand in front of my knuckles and my thumb was nowhere near the air button. If I had the straps behind my knuckles with my thumb over the air button then my fingers had to curl over too far to reach the keys. My solution was to buy another concertina. A Marcus. This, like other anglos has the straps one centimetre farther away from the buttons (than the Stagi) and I have no problems reaching the air button with my thumb. Jake Dear Jake, thanks for your reply. I have looked at my problem again and I think I had the straps too tight , I have now adjusted them and am resting the concertina ends on my knees, which has taken the weight off my hands, it is a little better but I am still struggling to reach the air button (maybe it is a matter of practice as it feels very strange), I think that if the air button was 1 cm closer to the strap it would be perfect. Can one have the air button repositioned ??( I have absolutely no idea how a concertina is built up, but repositioning seems about the only way at the moment that I think may help-or is this concertina not suitable for my hands, which are perhaps more on the long and slender side?).Lyndall Hi Lyndall, Apparently you are not the only person who has had this problem with the Stagi. If you go to the cnet. Ergonomics Forum; first page; Post by Ruth Myers. She discusses her solution. This link "might" take you there: http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=1906 Best of luck, Greg Edited for the usual spelling mishaps. The above link works by the way. Dear Greg, many thanks, what a great and simple idea! I will try it. (Some people are just so imaginative and inventive).Much appreciated, Lyndall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyndall Posted January 6, 2006 Author Share Posted January 6, 2006 Can you give us a little more information on "the straps are uncomfortable"? Are they too tight? Too loose? If you have really small hands (like I do), the straps may need to be adjusted. Here's how I hold my concertina: I always play sitting down, and I rest the right end in a little ways from my right knee. Some people rest the left end on their left knee. I have no idea why I do it the way I do. Either way, my hands are no longer responsible for the weight of the concertina. Do NOT rest the bellows on your knee! It wears them out. I'm sure other, more experienced players here will be better able to address the air button issue. All I can say is what I do. I play with my thumbs hooked over the top of the handstrap, where it attaches to the instrument, NOT with my thumbs in the handstrap with the rest of my fingers. Hope this helps some, and welcome to C-Net! Thanks for the help. I am now resting the concertina on my knees (both) and this is much better as the weight is off my hands and I have more control now. The straps were too tight and I have loosened them but the air button is just way out of reach. I will try the tip from the link Greg suggested and get a cat toothbrush!! to extend the length of my thumb. Sounds strange but then who cares! I just want to have some fun and learn to play a few tunes. Lyndall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henk van Aalten Posted January 6, 2006 Share Posted January 6, 2006 I am Australian but living in Northern Bavaria and as yet have not found a teacher that could give me some one on one advice so I will probably be relying on all the players out there for help.Cheers Lyndall Lyndall, In the Darmstad region I know two anglo players: Ritchie Kay and Joachim Delp. Recently Joachim gave lessons to a class of four beginners, so he might have some experience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyndall Posted January 6, 2006 Author Share Posted January 6, 2006 I am Australian but living in Northern Bavaria and as yet have not found a teacher that could give me some one on one advice so I will probably be relying on all the players out there for help. Cheers Lyndall Lyndall, In the Darmstad region I know two anglo players: Ritchie Kay and Joachim Delp. Recently Joachim gave lessons to a class of four beginners, so he might have some experience Dear Henk, thanks for the info. I have sent a messsage to Joachim, perhaps this will bring me closer to finding someone that can give me lessons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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