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Purely by chance, I stumbled across this a couple of days ago (before the count-in feature was added). The count-in is cool!

After that video, I added an optional click track count-in feature.

A fun little web-based tool I put together this morning using the samples from my Bodhrán backing tracks custom instrument for the ABC Transcription Tools: “The Thumpatron” - Bodhrán Backing Tracks for Tune Practice https://michaeleskin.com/tools/thumpatron.html Demo video:

Doug, I have sent you a PM regarding the bass anglo. Thanks!

I have now moved to live permanently in Multyfarnham,Westmeath so the instrument can be see there or in Clare where I also have a house.

I spoke to him at the opening of Concairtin in Ennis,County Clare on Thursday.He appeared to be alive!

Thanks for making this video! I have been listening to it over and over again.

Yes, I agree. It's about deliberately choosing one stable position or another. Just like we Crane players choose the 'outer' or 'inner' positions.

Thank you very much for your reply! Just curious has anyone out there had the chance to play both of them, to compare?

Miss Maule's Strathspey. . An 18th century Scottish Strathspey composed by Robert ‘Red Rob’ Mackintosh & first published in 1795. Played on Hammered Dulcimer, Mandolin, English Concertina, Fiddle, Tenor Banjo & Bodhran. Lockdown Video ~ 951 Cheers, Dick

I much prefer the first recording. To me, the melody sounds well articulated. The best analogy I can think of is that recording 1 sounds like a speech delivered with inflection and intention for the emotional effect of each word & pause. Comparably, recording 2 sounds like a sentence delivered with less consideration for the emotional power of its components... but what do I know? I'm not a rhetorician. On the comfort bit, you may find it easier to imitate the bowing pattern not by changing bellows direction, but instead, when indicated, accenting by drawing/pressing more forcefully (with no change in direction). You can even slow bellows movement on the note before the "pseudochange" to separate the notes, and accentuate the accent. I find intentional bellows movement to be one of our most powerful articulation tools to shape phrases. One piece of advice I read is that, generally, one should prefer to change the bellows on the strong beats (1 & 3 in 4/4). I enjoy breaking rules, but I do find that, if I need to change directions, it's nearly always musically better to change on a strong beat. Fun discussion, thanks.

Hi, in principle yes. However, we haven’t done this before, so let’s first check the best way to organise it and decide which delivery service would be most suitable. Do you have any experience with it?

I typically play the low A major with ring, index, middle, so I can keep my hand stable and save the movement. I try to keep my hands in stable positions where the notes fall naturally on the fingers. Still, they do move frequently during play. Thinking it over now, perhaps moving the hand isn't about moving from note to note, rather moving from one stable position to another, and always allowing the fingers to comfortably find the notes. 🤔

I am interested. Will you ship to New York?

You can play a lot of tunes on a 20 key, and some people do it spectactularly, but the 30 key offers a lot more flexibility in the long run, in terms of keys, chording, and fingering options. If you are confident that the 20 key offers what you want then get one. If you think you may want to play in other keys etc. then, according to cost, you might be better off going straight to the 30 key, so that you start to incopororate the extra possibilitities from day one. Alternatively, should you start on a 20 key then everything you learn will be playable in exactly the same way on the 30 key, and you can start toplay around with the additional options as you go on. If you're not sure that you will take to the anglo concertina then the 20 key is obviously a cheaper way to find out. However I suspect that most people here would say to avoid the really cheap stuff (Tat) as it could put you off for life. I started on a 20 Key due to financial contraints.

More photos

Selling a Lachenal piccolo, one octave higher than normal. Rosewood with steel reeds. It is 5 7/8 across flats 30B C/G. Buttons are bushed. Serial #122941 puts it around 1892. Comes with solid case. Check photos for details. $2600 shipped with insurance to Cont. US only and a donation to CNet if sold here. PayPal, Cash, or cleared check before shipping.

Hi all I am thinning out my collection mainly because I haven't been playing all of these and they should be moved along. I will be selling a Lachenal Bass anglo C/G 30B very rare...2 octaves lower than normal (with a few exceptions) Try to find another! I will be selling a Lachenal amboyna ended C/G 32B with beautiful bellows papers and other details. This one is for the serious collector. I am not set on price yet for these 2 When I do I will post more photos and video. You can always PM me with offers or questions Sales will be Cont. US only. Paypal, cash or check cleared before shipping. If you are in the NYC area you are welcome to come by and check them out. First up will be a Lachenal Piccolo anglo C/G 30B one octave higher than normal Details in a separate posting. Thanks for looking. Doug

Just an update, I will be down in the Daventry Area over the 27, 28, and 29th April. I am happy to bring the concertina if anyone is interested in checking it out. Cheers Mike

Often you may find when you buy an instrument for first time, you will possibly intend on a narrower aim in scope, until eventually you will advance and find a wider choice in music to play. Regarding 20 buttons; I started on 20 button years ago, before going up to 30.. and even by that stage had found well over 300 plus tunes could play with it.🌝 And I learned to transpose if needed to fit the range, which is a good learning process as well.

One sacrifice with D is that you'd lose the low G.

Nice. For anyone who doesn't know, Carl Wark is a rocky outcrop and prehistoric fortification in the moors just to the west of Sheffield. http://www.stone-circles.org.uk/stone/carlwark.htm. It and the adjacent Padley Gorge were an adventure playground of my childhood.

In general, I use all 4 fingers, one finger per row. This system breaks down if I’m adding bass notes and harmony but I try to stick to the one finger per row of keys method. I find this method allows quicker playing and is much more intuitive.

I am not sure that would be a good idea. Over the last few years of playing in Balfolk ensembles where the most common key is C I crave to be able to spread the work over three fingers and sometimes use an EC tuned a whole tone flat.

If you are intending to accompany singing an want an anglo, I'd say 30 buttons, because the correct tonality of songs is the one fitting YOUR voice range, and that means that, based do the song extension, one song might be suitable to be sung in C, one in G, one in F etc. With a 20 buttons you have 2 tonalities, full stop. So if you have a C/G you can sing in C or G. With a 30 button you have, theoretically, all 12 tonalities, although the "comfortable ones" are maybe 6 or 7... Still much more than 2. This means you're much more likely to find a tonality that suit your voice range for a given song. Also, if you want to use the concertina mostly to accompany singing and for general folk repertoire (meaning not specifically Irish or English) well, there's the English concertina. I play Anglo, but a lot of players with similar repertoires (singing and "wide" or general repertoire) play English.