Hello,

I am brand new at this attempting to learn to play the English concertina. Being nearly 69 years old is not a great asset also.

The way I understand it, I am supposed to use the first and second finger on the rows. These are called the index and first finger, right? Doing it that way, it is so very easy to jump the rows and get on the accidental keys or get the first finger where the second should go or vice versa. So, I've started trying to put my 2nd finger and ring finger on the regular keys and putting the index finger and the pinky on the accidentals. As long as my first and pinky can feel the accidental keys under them, the only problem I have is trying to move up or down just the right amount to hit the note I am wanting.

If I can manage to conquer it this way do you think I will have some future problem(s) that may make me wish I had never tried such an approach?

Thanks much,
Regie
P.S. It's hard enough just to hit the right keys when I'm typing, much less trying to play a concertina.

my advice is start playing in the key of c,and use your index and middle fingers,then progress to g and just use your ring fingers for f#,then tackle d major and use your ring fingers for c#and f#.
later on you can think about more awkward cross fingering.

my advice is start playing in the key of c,and use your index and middle fingers,then progress to g and just use your ring fingers for f#,then tackle d major and use your ring fingers for c#and f#.
later on you can think about more awkward cross fingering.

IF:
you are sitting down, holding concertina on your knee and not using pinkey rests, you can use each finger on it's row pretty much all the time. No need to jump rows with the same finger.
IF:
you are standing and holding instrument, using pinkey rests - it's entirely different picture and I have no clue how people do it.

That's how I do it. I did try the suggestion of Dick Miles today but don't think I will master that method though I expect I will try it again. It seems at this point that I have to have a touch of the keys under my pinky and my first finger as a guide to keep everything in place otherwise I get off the 2 middle rows so easily.

Thanks to all who have replied. I am still open for suggestions if anyone still has any.

Regie

If I can manage to conquer it this way do you think I will have some future problem(s) that may make me wish I had never tried such an approach?

Thanks much,
Regie
P.S. It's hard enough just to hit the right keys when I'm typing, much less trying to play a concertina.
[/quote]


Hello Regie,

i play my 48 key tenor Wheatstone EC for over a year now. Mainly the Irish repertoire in the 2 highest octaves. I am always seated, I took off the pinky rests and installed 2 home-made rubber wrist straps. I use one finger per row and it works out well so far.

keep on squeezing

Dirk , Belgium
(where are you from?)

there are certain advantages of playing in a standing position.[the doppler effect]better projection when singing,pluspsychological advantage over a seated audience[folkclub situations]
the four finger system,which I believe is one of the systems mentioned in the salvation army tutor,is pretty difficult standing,unless you alter your concertina.
the little finger is also the weakest finger,but in the end you have to do what feels right for you,and if you like the four finger system then use it.

Hello,

I'm from Memphis, Tennessee, USA.

Thanks much,
Regie

Two-finger, three-finger and four-finger styles are all possible and all have advantages. Try everything and settle on what works best for you.

But, sooner rather than later, consider using a "wrong" finger to avoid problems. The most common challenge is to play two notes a fifth apart (and so using the same finger) either smoothly or very fast. The solution is to cross over a finger but which way to do it will depend on your hands and on the tune.

You need a map of which finger goes on which button to make any progress when starting but you also need to move beyond it to get past a certain level. Emily Ball got me to be more flexible about which finger I used on which button. I wish I had run into her much sooner.

Roger

For psychological advantage, I was planning to stand up, put my foot on a chair and the concertina on my knee, as does Piazzolla with his bandoneon: Piazzolla

(and use three fingers - pink only as a last result)

I've just re-read this thread and I believe (if I understand correctly) that I am doing it the way Dick said. I can now play in most keys with the exception of anything over 4 sharps or 5 flats. I'm not willing to rack my brain right now to state what those scales are. On second thought I guess I have played in c, f, b flat, e flat, a flat, d flat, g, d, a, e. Did that get them right for 4 sharps and 5 flats? It's fun!

Just a little before I got the concertina we got an accordion. The accordion is sitting almost all the time in it's case. After getting on to the concertina somewhat, IMO, it is far, far easier to play than an accordion and much easier on my poor old back.

Regie

IF: you are standing up, sit down

Basically meant as a joke, but there is no reason to make it too difficult in the beginning -
/Henrik