Conrad D

Tried first two lessons. Need to work on hand coordination. But very informative

Had a quick look at the link. Seems pretty comprehensive. Now I need to try out the lessons. Thanks Conrad

I try to play 20 button Anglo but can't get the hang of left hand chords. Is there a simple tune with chords to practise the concept

I picked up a cheap 20 button anglo a few years ago without knowing anything about concertinas. I have learned a great deal, the main thing was that I should have bought 30 keys. However, I play in a folk club where we just go round the room and most people perform solo. I play whistle and play the melody then sing, sometimes playing the melody somewhere in the middle or at the end. I tried to play concertina and sing at the same time but just gave up playing and went back to the whistle. I would like to be ale to accompany myself. I am trying a simple slow one "She Moved Through The Fair", but it doesn't sound very inspiring. Any suggestions? Conrad

Also I play by ear, so if I can't hear myself, how do I know if t's right?

Have you heard someone who tries to sing whilst listening to the song through headphones? The singer thinks they are in tune but normally it's hideously out of tune. If they could hear themselves then I think they would adjust - may not be perfect, but better than the catterwaulling. I think this is the answer. I think you need to hear yourself sing or play and adjust as necessary. Folk singers used to put one hand behind their ear, I assume so they could hear themselves. PS Still struggling with practising chords. I hope it will get easier

Your responses interested me but I don't think they answered my question. Do you need to hear yourself to be able to play properly. This may sound a little insensitive, but can you be a deaf musician - plenty of blind ones - but do you need to hear what you are playing. As I said, I can play the tune without thinking about it but when I couldn't hear myself I just didn't know where my fingers should have been. I play a little jazz, sax and clarinet, and often don't have any idea of what I am going to play when I stand up to play an improvised solo. Yet, by listening to the rhythm section and having the melody line in my head, I can play, at least, to my own satisfaction. But last night I knew exactly what notes followed the other, I just lost the thread. Am I alone?

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I thought it was only me. I'll try to learn a less obvious tune next time. But the folk group in full cry was very exciting, it's just a pity they left me behind.

Do Fingers Need Ears? I find the suggestions very helpful and I am practising chords for tunes and chords for accompanying my singing but I'm not there yet. So last night I consciously decided to play a tune - melody only - knowing that every other instrument would join in and we would have a sound which would fill the room. Unfortunately it had an unexpected result. I played "Portsmouth", one of the first tunes I learned when I first bought the concertina a few yearsago on a whim. I can play it without thinking and it's such a jolly, simple AABA tune which everyone knows. The problem was, that with everybody joining in, I couldn't hear myself and my fingers went walk-about. I just couldn't control them. I lost my place so many times that it was embarrassing to accept the applause which is given often from politeness, but with some performers last night, from a real appreciation of their talent. Hence my question; do fingers need to hear what they are playing?

I am happy with the concept of chord progression, especially in jazz, but my difficulty was in turning theory into practice. My initial thoughts were left hand keyboard for chords and right hand for melody but my anglo playing used the simple scale from button three on left to the appropriate one on the right. I was becoming frustrated with the as the chords on the left clashed with the melody also on the left and I thought of buying a piano accordion with keys I understand.But having read the posts in the past few days I am now practicing the tunes an octave higher and the more I play the easier it becomes. The next stage is to get the chords to become second nature. so that I can make the playing more interesting and use them to accompany my singing. There are also lots of tunes - no singing needed - which will sound more interesting with a fuller sound. I am now beginning to appreciate the "magic" of the anglo and if I make progress then a 30 button may be on the cards Conrad

Thanks, John. This is a great help. I worked out some chords last night but this chart extends my range. I read somewhere that folk music doesn't use 7th chords -greatly favoured by jazz musicians - but now that you have told me where to find them I will see if they fit. So I need to learn some more of the chord shapes and where to use them. I really feel I am making progress. Conrad

I had a little practice last night, obviously not perfect, but I made a little progress and discovered some chords I hadn't thought about before. As a wind instrument player - whistles, clarinet sax - I'm not used to chords, but I am familiar with arpeggios (arrpeggia?). I also improvise with a little jazz so I am getting to grips with the concertina chord, but very slowly. Thanks again for all suggestions. Conrad

Thanks for all replies. I have looked and listened to some players of Youtube but I need to work at it painfully slowly just to know what notes the player is fingering, so, although I am impressed by their playing it leaves me standing at first base Next I see that most of the music I play is by ear or I have only the melody line printed so I need to get, or work out, the chords. I played "Leaving of Liverpool" with the chords I have and quickly ran out of air as most of the chords are push and I am probably holding them too long. I am also trying to use the full triad rather than 1 and 3 or 1 and 5. so I need to re-think. I have some time tonight so I will devote some of it to getting a better feeling for the first four bars (measures). My next meet is Thursday but I won't be trying anything new till I can do it without falling over. The whistle is so easy except I can't sing and accompany myself.

Thanks. I'll have a look this evening.

I play 20 button Anglo in folk group. I don't find it easy to sing and play melody but have never been used to chord accompaniment. So I mainly revert to playing tune on whistle then sing, playing the melody again at the end. Any tips for playing Anglo whilst singing.