Before I drove myself and everyone at home slightly nuts playing twinkle little star and frere jaques over and over again....I tried another tune.


after 3 days practicing
http://www.soundlantern.com/UpdatedSoundPa...2&Path=null

Yay! You did it LDT! You've got the right idea, make sure you've got the right notes and the right time value for each note and play at a tempo you can manage; speed will come later.

no, you didnt murder the tune,once or twice a little hesitancyand inconsitency on tempo,but overall a reasonably good effort,Iwill try and pinpoint where you can improve.at 15 16 17 seconds check your timing,again at 25, 34 and 37,but overall well done

Hi LDT.

Well; it's coming along! All you need now is a bit more practice, which will give you more confidence, and there'll be no stopping you.

Once you are happy playing the tune in "C", one option could be to push it up into "G". This has the advantage of moving all of the melody onto the right hand (subject to the way you finger certain notes) and will free up the left hand for chords etc. Then you'll really be motoring. This is an "English style" way of playing.

Well done, so far.

Regards,
Peter.

Oops! That didn't come across how I intended it No you didn't murder the tune. Like Dick says, that was a good effort.

Well done LDT. 'The Sailors Hornpipe' is by no means the easiest tune to perform to perfection, at speed, on an Anglo.... but an excellent exercise. Master that one and you will certainly be well on the way.

how does moving to G make it all on one hand? I'm just following what's written down I don't know how to choose what buttons are best.

Hi LDT,

All I'd say is that I would view what is written down as a "starting point". Nothing wrong with playing a tune exactly as written, but there are other options like transposing it into another key, if you wish. This may be about three or four lessons down the line!

If you take another look at the video of me fingering scales in the key of "G", you'll see why one option (played in the higher octave) moves the melody almost exclusively onto the right hand. However, I note from another thread that you might not want to go this route.

Regards,
Peter.

I'm just finding it hard to get my left and right hand to do different stuff at the same time. *silly brain of mine* and its really fustrating me.

plus I'm not sure how it should sound a lot of the time. attempting and failing to read the music I came up with a completely different tune first off till I found the track on the tune-o-tron.

No, this is quite normal!!!

I believe the key to unlocking the potential of the Anglo is to get both hands working together. It means slow progress at the outset, but gives the "building blocks" which can then be used for more complex tunes in the future. I've had a pupil visiting over the last few months, and I've been using him as a "guinnea pig" on a few teaching ideas (I have to be careful, since I know he reads this Forum!). We are concentrating on using both hands on relatively simple, but nice, tunes.

Regards,
Peter.

I think I set too high a goals for myself. My mum keeps reminding me that I've only been playing for just over a week and I've only practiced that tune for 3 days. But it feels like much longer to me. I've got to be a bit more patient.

LTD - If you have not found it already have a listen to my tutor which explains the principle I used at the early stages of my Anglo playing to play tune right hand with accompaniment left.Even if you do not like my teaching methods there are some good tunes on there
http://www.etanbenami.com/Anglo%20Concertina%20Tutor/ Just click on the link under Etan's photo.
Al

Patience is also key to becoming a musician. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that by doubling the amount of practice time you will reach your "goals" faster. At the early stages, at least, this is not the case. Learning is about discovering the "keys" which open the doors to more, and more advanced, learning.

Too many potential musicians get frustrated by lack of progress, and lose heart. However, it seems like you are asking the right questions, which will enable you to follow the learning path which is best for yourself.

Regards,
Peter.

The same tune plus another one.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9hny7vCct0w
I chose to learn two coz then I can alternate and not drive everyone too nuts at home with the repetition. lol!


ah...so that's doesn't work then?

I think my ambition outstrips my ability and talent currently.

It all depends on the person, and how you are able to learn.

Yes; you obviously have to practice, but I believe it's about "smart" learning; knowing how/when to seek out a new technique which will stretch your ability just enough to make the next forward step.

I'd beg to differ, Peter, my theory is that there is no substitute for time spent handling your instrument; even if you aren't being very focussed that particular day it still helps to increase your familiarity with the thing.

I wouldn't argue that the way to move on fastest is to keep aiming for the almost unplayable, though.

Hi LDT

What Peter says works. Smart practice and building blocks pay, not necessarily quantity. In the beginning there are relatively few blocks to build on, and there may be a need when trying a new task, to digest the new information, (read take a break for a few minits), and then come back to the task.

Frequently an "AHAH!! I get it" will come faster after the break as the new information gets digested than working into a frustrating "Why isn't it coming?".

There is an old addage in learning that says "If you do something wrong enough, long enough, you get good at it."

Might I suggest playing for about 15 minits, and then take a 15 minit break, and then play for only about 30 minits. Repeat after about a half hour. The brain needs some time to digest.

I'll bet that's why in schools, the classes are only about an hour long.

By the way, you're doing fine. In the beginning, it was almost a week before my son said he recognised the tune. You've done it after only a few days. Good job! Keep up the good work.

Thanks
Leo

A nice little (or even nicer bigger) metronome, used sparingly, will do a world of difference. You'll notice peculiar behavior from it: it will change tempo at will, while you'll be keeping perfect rhythm. Follow the "wrong" one.
Are you learning from printed music? Make sure you count rhythm of each measure before you play it.
But better off, find the tunes on Youtube and listen to them. You can record Youtube video, then slow it down with Audacity or Amazing Slowdowner, and then play together with the slowed down recording.
Another little trick is to learn just one measure or phrase. Until you play it smoothly, at correct rhythm, without mistakes. Then go to next measure or phrase. You don't have to practice pieces that are easier for you. Start with difficult ones. Get them up to speed of easier, so your playing will have even tempo.
Out of curiosity, can you hear that your tempo is uneven, or simply some pieces are more difficult and you can't play them at the set speed?
Here's a good example at your speed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUYmXAhxrt4 - winster gallop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tsi5X5LuRM...feature=related - My love she's but a lassie yet. Lovely dancing.

That's what I started off doing.....then I thought I'd increase my practice time....but it hasn't work. I'll have to go back to a bit of practice before dinner a break to eat then an hour afterwards.

yeasterday I got so fustrated I nearly chucked the concertina across the room...but I have more self control than that. But it gets so fustrating when I see people find music so easy and I find it such a struggle.


I find it hard to judge if I'm progressing well or not as I don't have a mesuring stick to know if I'm doing well or not in comparison to other beginners.



There's a metronone on garageband on my mac..but I turn it off coz I find it distracting and it never goes the same speed as me.



Can't play them at speed...and coz I'm not familiar with the tune I can forget it (how it should sound) halfway through a lot.


I'll never get that fast.

Been there; almost done that too. It's normal! The first few months are the worst, but once you get past this stage, you'll look back and wonder what the problem was .

I've found the learning stages of concertina fascinating in all sorts of ways. Feeling parts of your brain actually straining to draw together sound memory, knowledge of the buttons, tempo, and tactile memory is something amazing. You can almost feel the plough in your brain making new mental furrows for the seeds of knowledge to be planted in.

Another thing that is strange for me is the feeling of "trust" that you have to put in yourself that the next note in the tune is going to be the right one. It is a kind of unfounded trust because for me this type of knowledge is so abstract, unlike learnt knowledge of any other type, I can't seem to identify the part of the brain it comes from so have little confidence or feeling of control when running through a tune. The moment I try to think too hard, it slips away from me. So tenuous.

I still find it hard to play in front of others and my worst moments are when I tell my wife I've learnt a new tune and try to play it ! I applaud you for playing through a tune on video, I've tried that a few times and always end up making mistakes.

I use a variety of teaching aids to make the process enjoyable, software (ABC, MIDI, slow downers etc.) Tutor books, scales, metronome, playing along to YouTube videos. I get weekly lessons too, and would really recommend that.

Whatever you do make sure you enjoy starting out on concertina. I suspect you do. It is easy to be discouraged.

Forget about Mac. It's too much for just a metronome. Get a metronome from piano store, it's easy to vary tempo and stop it, turn it on again. It's small, so it follows you, not you follow your Mac.
Set the tempo to the speed of your fastest notes, and play slo-owly a few times through. So you'll get the feel of the tune. And build from there. Because as it is now, it sounds as though you play a tune through slow part at fast tempo, then slow down fast part to your slow tempo, and it sounds as though you all of a sudden slow down 50%. This you need to avoid. And don't worry, the tune is very simple, you'll get it to full speed sooner than you think. Just don't dwell on it, and start learning a few more tunes. They will help each other. I'd say, good 5 tunes at once, and another 5 tunes a few weeks later. So in a year you'll play 10 tunes at full speed, but perhaps not so expressively. Speed of tunes comes from practice and expressiveness from talent, can't be practiced, except for very little bit.
Your main goal is to get the rhythm going.

It does take a lot of concentration from me. As soon as I stop concentrating and let me 'instinct' take over I make a mistake..or most commanly invert the notes. (is it possible i'm musicly dislexic?)



Tell you what a I did last night recorded myself playing then played it back and 3x speed...actually sounded ok...so I just need to speed up by 3x when I play. lol!

You're doing fine. As you know already that it's going to take a lot of time. (Years!)

My questions are

Are you reading the notes and playing?

Or

Have you got the tune in your head?

For me as I don't read.
I think that with the tune in your head comes the timing and the speed. (Er, and the mistakes, but they will go away).

Chas

I get the 'tune' from my head (I play the tune o tron version first to familiarise myself) but where my fingers should go from the page (R1, L3 etc. its from a tutor book). So what to play written down but how to play in my head...I think that makes sense.

So you don't read then.
It's a good idea to start reading as you start playing.
Reading with Anglo in home keys is piece of cake, worth investing time into.
It may feel overwhelming in the beginning, when all you want is simply play a tune, but after a very short time the fog will dissipate, as you'll find your routine. You don't have to do all at once.
It actually helps if you are natural with push/pull. If not, perhaps English will do better, but you may find it a bit later.
Still, never late to change and the time spent on learning is not lost.

You're doing fine. For my first few weeks (that's plural) I didn't even try playing anything, I just went through doing flashcards that I had drawn up with the note on one side and then the name of the note and the fingering on the other, just to nail down exactly what note was what button. I also did scales, over and over, which is even more boring sounding than Twinkle, Twinkle, Mary's Lamb. Or whatever.
I did work out the Marine Corps hymn at one point. But I would go back to doing the cards and scales. Weeks of that. Only then did I start with the tutors. I still stink in some ways, but I can play a couple of tunes with no or little ornamentation at speed now. The point where you get frustrated is when you should take a break, go back to it in five to ten minutes.
There's free tutors at www.concertina.com for the Anglo. And there's all the tunes here on the tune-o-tron.

managed to get a bit faster
http://www.soundlantern.com/UpdatedSoundPa...3&Path=null

Ah, now we're talking!
Now next challenge, make it sound continuously, without large gaps between notes, especially on push/pull. Kind of hold the note playing a little longer, than you feel necessary, it'll be just right.
And start working on other tunes, this one is almost done for now, I think.

another one I've been working on
http://www.soundlantern.com/UpdatedSoundPa...3&Path=null

Hey, that was good!

Thank you

It took me 8 days of about 30min-hours practice to learn that up to that point. (is that slow or fast learning wise?)

Brilliant! I'm glad you've posted that. I know that you've only been learning a month. You are really starting to improve now! Keep it up.

Fast...without a doubt.

Hi LDT

A fine tune done well! Pretty quick for me too.

Thanks
Leo

For me now the proof of if I've really learnt it will be if it stays in my head when I learn another tune...or disappears from my memory.

I wish I had made that much progress in so short a time, my first 6 months were painful for all concerned. Everything about your playing has improved enormously since your first post. Well done.

Simon

LDT Your instrument has very pleasing tone....to my ear. Don't be in a hurry to spend a fortune on another.

my latest attempt yesterday in fact
http://www.soundlantern.com/UpdatedSoundPa...3&Path=null

Sounding good. Now all you need is six Morris dancers.

What about six dancers called Morris?

I'm getting error messages trying to follow this link. Is it just me?

The piece plays automatically on the page, but it requieres an up to date Flash version. Maybe that causes your error messages? I don't get them.

Sebastian

You sound just fine, keep it up!

Oddly enough the link worked today.

LDT, nothing wrong with that at all.

One so young, taken for the Morris, how sad!

lol! Don't give up on me yet.

another tune
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=KEz-JW9FFZU

Hey. how do you play with such LOOOOOONG Finger Nails?

I am always trying to get my young Fiddle students to keep their finger nails short.

You just couldn't play the Fiddle with those yokes on the end of your fingers!

.... of course, you probably don't want to Fiddle!

But don't your nails mark the wooden end of your Concertina?

Cheers
Dick

I've always had long nails..it feels weird with short ones (I end up dropping things when they are short) , although they really should be half that size but I've got to get round to booking a manicure.
I probably couldn't play the fiddle (I'd love to but)...me and strings don't get along...they hurt my fingers.

I haven't noticed any marks. My fingers either bend (double jointed) or the nails seem to slip inbetween the button and the button hole. lol!

Such long nails & yet, didn't you say you work in construction ...... on a building site!!!!

nope..I work in graphic design on computers designing adverts for brochures.