Rank Amatuer

[SLH]

Greetings, all!

 

I just got my first concertina yesterday as an early b-day present. I now have a brand new Stagi 20-button that came with a button map that was too blurry to read. This being the first time I've ever picked up a concertina, I'm left in a quandary as to how to play tunes that I know on the tinwhistle on my new instrument, seeing as I don't know which button does which note! Is there anywhere on the web where I can get a look at a button map so I can begin the process of learning this cool instrument?

 

Thanks!

 

-Joe

[Samantha]

Hello! And welcome to your new addiction ! The following link will be useful to you: http://www.concertina.net/ms_finger_layouts.html. The bottom two rows of buttons on the chart for a C/G thirty button instrument will correspondent to your 20 button anglo (assuming it is a C/G instrument).

Happy squeezing !

samantha

[JimLucas]

Two things, Joe:

 

1) If your 20-button is a C/G -- which is most lilkely -- the first thing you should notice is that there's no C#, so many of the tunes you play on the tin whistle will either miss out notes or have to be played in a different key.

 

2) Forget the button map! LISTEN to the instrument! Try each button, both pushing and pulling the bellows, and learn how their sounds relate to each other. If it takes you more than 10 minutes to figure out a scale, the instrument's not for you. (A hint: you can play a complete 2-octave scale in each of the two rows -- if you view a row as including both sides of the instrument, -- but you need to use both pushes and pulls.)

 

Then try to work out some simple tunes you already know on the whistle (in G or Em or Am; did somebody say "Kesh Jig"?). Do it by ear. You already know what they sound like. After a while, you migh try occasionally pushing more than one button at a time. There's something you can't do on the whistle!

 

Enjoy!

[SLH]

THanks for the tips, guys. I did get a scale within about five minutes of playing, then I figured out My Country Tis Of Thee by accident. Just now, I picked out I've Been Workin' On The Railroad. I'm a master now!!!

 

 

-Joe

[Samantha]

Forget the button map! LISTEN to the instrument! Try each button, both pushing and pulling the bellows, and learn how their sounds relate to each other. If it takes you more than 10 minutes to figure out a scale, the instrument's not for you. (A hint: you can play a complete 2-octave scale in each of the two rows -- if you view a row as including both sides of the instrument, -- but you need to use both pushes and pulls.)

 

Then try to work out some simple tunes you already know on the whistle (in G or Em or Am; did somebody say "Kesh Jig"?). Do it by ear. You already know what they sound like. After a while, you migh try occasionally pushing more than one button at a time. There's something you can't do on the whistle!

 

Enjoy!

This was my first reaction to Joe's post, too, Jim. Then I thought, Joe has asked for a map, so I'll post a link to one. Everyone learns in a different way ...

 

Samantha