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Jeff Stallard

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Posts posted by Jeff Stallard

  1. My daughter asked to try out my concertina yesterday (Geuns English), so I jumped at the opportunity. She's currently studying the violin, so I tried to explain, as much as you can to a five year old, how the instruments are completely different, and yet play the same notes. 

     

    Lydia and the Concertina.jpg

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  2. I've been away from music for a while. After my kids were born, there was just no time. Now they're a little older and I'm looking for a modern/new treble EC for ~$2,000. It seems that the market is a lot thinner now than when I was in it last. While I like the sound of older models, I had my fill of maintaining them back when I had my old 1870s Lachenal, and I don't want to go through that again. Anyone looking to offload one? 

  3. On 8/27/2016 at 7:45 AM, John Adey said:

    The straps allow the lateral stress of bellows movement, especially on the draw, to be borne by the back of your hand rather than the joints of your thumbs.

     

    I found that applying a little torque to the bellows as the first movement in a draw, similar to the motion you might make opening a book with both hands, helped my thumbs out a lot. If I drew the bellows in a linear fashion, then yeah, mine hurt as well. 

     

    EDIT: Ha, sorry about the necro! Didn't realize it was that old.

  4. I stepped away from music for a number of years (and sold my EC) when my kids were born. Now I'm in a position to start back up, so I'm doing my homework. I've always been intrigued by the instruments made by Concertina Connection, but are they still around? Their site is, but there are a lot of dead links. Naturally, I thought that you fine folks would have the skinny on their existence.

  5. I'm only 5'7", plus I have short little 'punkin fingers, and because of that the stretch getting to the upper rows was not comfortable. I probably could have gotten used to it, but I just decided to go back to the English.

  6. I just listed my Elise Hayden Duet on Ebay, then it dawned on me that I should have gone here first, seeing as this site was so helpful when I was first learning to play. If someone from here ends up getting it, let me know and I'll donate to the site. All the information is at this link: Auction Link

  7. [ How much do you want for you Lachenal?

     

    The link to the ad seems to suggest $1000. Sounds reasonable to me - but then the current dollar/GBP exchange rate would make it a lovely bargain over here.

     

    I already contacted Michael, but thanks. Yeah, the weakening dollar must look very nice right now.

  8. We used to get the same people asking which clan they belonged to. We would look it up in a large book, declare them to be a sept (branch) of the Campbells (largest lowland clan with lots of septs) and try to sell them a full dress kilt (very expensive). It worked sometimes too!

     

    A few years back, I did some research into kilts, and discovered not only that the kilt we think of today is English in origin, but that clan-specific tartans are a modern convention.

  9. Hilliard eh? Well shoot, that's only about 20 minutes from me (Gahanna). First Greg stopped by when he came through town, then you...Columbus is swiftly becoming a concertina MECCA!! :)

     

    Unfortunately, I can't really help you since I don't play the anglo at all.

     

    If you're interested in getting involved with a beginner session, one just started up toward Delaware. There are five of us so far. If you just want to get together and talk shop, let me know. I can try to convert you to English. :ph34r:

  10. I ask with the full understanding that it's not "traditional" - etc. etc. :blink:

     

    Yeah, but a lot of this stuff isn't traditional at all, but rather early 20th century Irish American music. But then you have to define what's "traditional" and what's not...

  11. 1. What makes a style? Can it be learned or one has to be born into tradition?

     

    Style comes from our inherent insecurity about standing alone. We're never confident in ourselves, so we mimic other people, thus a style is born.

     

    4. What's the most beatiful thing of all?

     

    Truth

     

    6. Where exactly lies a distinction between art and craft?

     

    Art is perfection of a craft. Craft is proficiency in, and dedication to, an activity, regardless of the activity.

     

    7. Have you ever wanted to quit music? Concertina?

     

    Of course

     

    8. Have you had formal training? Would you wish to have/not to have formal training?

     

    Yes, and no.

     

    9. In what way you'd like to improve a concertina?

     

    Make them cheaper.

     

    10. Was it ever that you liked a tune, wanted to learn it and it didn't work?

     

    Of course.

     

    11. Is there anything you don't like about concertinas?

     

    There aren't enough modern builders.

     

    14. What is the most influential book that you read?

     

    Thoreau's "Walden"

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