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Patrick Scannell

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Posts posted by Patrick Scannell

  1. Inspired by Jody's current thread but from a different angle, could experienced players give advice to a newbie on contributing to a band with a concertina.

     

    When practicing contradance tunes, I usually play an um-pa (1st-3rd&5th) chordal left hand to fill out the sound. But in a group that seems messy. A sharp block chord chop, perhaps on the up beat seems better.

    Does that seem right? Any other tips on how to make everyone happy that a concertina joined the group?

     

    I'm struggling, so I'd like to be practicing the same way I'm going to perform.

  2. And what's happening in measures 4 and 12 (or the latter halves of 2 and 6, depending on whether you hear it in 2 or in 4) of the B section?

     

    Well, in 4 and 12 there is a run from the 2nd down to the preceding 5th followed by a jump up to the 4th.

    The latter half of 2 also starts on a 2nd and ends on a 4th, but that does not echo in 6...

    I seem to be missing whatever you are trying to help me see. Enlightenment please?

  3.  

    You may not know which named notes your fingers are on at the moment, but I'll bet you know the pattern of intervals under your fingers. Whether that subset of the buttons is for the key of C, D, or G, you can feel where to go for the next button. No?

     

     

    Yes, exactly.

     

    So, is it better to control every detail of the imagined experience (pick a key and know exactly which buttons are pressed on a specific instrument), or is it ok to imagine an idealized Hayden layout, and just play the patterns?

  4.  

    you have some internal image-concept of where the notes/buttons are, even though you can't see them. Yes?

     

    I know where the notes are, but I play Hayden by ear, so most of the time while playing, I don't know where my fingers are.

    I can slow down, pay attention, figure that out and then imagine it. It does take some effort.

  5. In a recent thread, Tradewinds Ted linked to an interesting blog about the brain and learning.

    I'm particularly curious about "Episode 7. Visualization" http://clawhammerbanjo.net/laws-of-brainjo-visualization/

     

    I don't do this, don't really get it, and wonder what I'm missing.

     

    If you practice using this technique, could you explain what you do and how it helps?

    Do you move your fingers, like air concertina, or is it all mental? Does this practice help you play when you can't hear yourself?

     

    Thanks.

  6. Am I alone?

     

    Nope. I've heard numerous musicians say that they can play without hearing themselves, and it is normal for some. But it is beyond me.

     

    Perhaps the skill could be developed with practice, but why? When playing for fun, is it still fun when you can't hear yourself in the mix?

  7. And what happens, harmonically, in bars 7 and 8? Don't all answer at once...

     

    I'll bite. What happens?

     

    Here is my attempt. The month was too short. I look forward to the time when I can do more then desperately try not to mess up too much.

     

    My great grandfather played ivory clarinet in Sousa's band, and would have played this when it was a hot new number. Great tune.

  8. The missing button that I reach for most often is the rh low b on my Beaumont.

     

    I like to keep all the melody on the right hand while playing toward the low end of its range.

     

    I also moved from the Elise to the Beaumont without any feeling of having too many buttons. Bbs, and Ebs see plenty of use.

     

    After the low 'b', a low 'a' and a low 'g' would probably get lots of use.

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