Noel Ways

My son is visiting Quebec and texted me a very short video clip of a fellow playing an English Concertina is some square. Does anyone know who he is? Thanks!! https://youtu.be/95vtkmQd12c

I found an impressive video by Simon Keegan-Phipps. I would like to view more of his playing, but cannot find any online. Does anyone know where I might find more examples of his playing? Thanks! https://ruslar.pro/video/YrM45PT9nRE

A question about the ledger. Just yesterday I had looked up my Wheatstone, likewise made in 1912. I see the Date, model number, description, and serial number, but could someone fill me in on what the number in parenthesis refers to? Thanks in advance!

Sounds like a humidity issue to me (the seasons are changing). Don't do anything until you know that this is not the issue. Also, your Ceili is still under warrantee (I think) so you may also want to contact them, but I would rule out humidity first. Perhaps this "Concertina Care" thread might help:

Celtic Sounds MIDI Module works great with musix pro. Thanks, Michael, for letting me know that it exists. I don't have an iPad, so the MIDIHayden will have to wait for the moment

The MIDI controller for iPhone and iPad has and wicki/hayden option. It is a beta version, and instrument sounds are limited. Options are numerous, and there are many key layouts available. • Can play in all key signatures • Keyboard can be "moved around" for key • Press harder on key the sound will be louder. --> Many more things to explore https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/musix-pro-epic-isomorphic/id585857087#?platform=ipad

I've attached a photo of how I attempt to tackle the winter humidity issue. I have a glass cabinet that fits my concertinas and on the second shelf, you will see a round hygrometer with which I can monitor the relative humidity. On the bottom shelf, not clearly shown, are some glass containers. When the RH gets less than 55% or so, I will fill the vessels with water. This jacks up the humidity. This works! I am also considering this winter to putting material in the cabinet that has a high MBR (Moisture Buffer Value [ 2 - 3.5 ] ). Interestingly Hempcrete Bircks have a very high MBR, they are very light and very inexpensive to buy (in Europe), or to make in the US . I have been enjoying Adrian's recent uploads. Today I noticed on "Jenny Pluck Pear" at 1:18 to his lower left a glass case that contained three concertinas. I actually enlarged the image to see if there were any signs of humidity control visible. I couldn't find any, but if not, that is the perfect type of cabinet to store concertinas in and help control environmental conditions. It is on my "to do list" to make a cabinet dedicated to concertina storage and controlling the RH, which is why his case caught my eye.

Hello, Hoping someone can help! I have looked high and low online for the music for "Sporting Paddy" (link below) and it is not there for me to find. I'm am in the time-consuming process of trying to put it together myself, but thought that by some remote chance someone might have a copy. I think "Sporting Paddy" will go well on a duet concertina. Many thanks.

So light and cheerful. A lovely piece.

Got it! Thank you, Alex and Dave !

Hi Dave, I'm trying to visualize how you would place the paper. Are you saying to attach a thin paper using gum arabic along only one side of the reed slot, and make sure that it does not intrude on any other surface? I have never heard of the term "reed clamp" before. Thanks

Don, it works great! Thanks for the tip. But it is actually a video recorder, so it records both sight and sound. My iPhone6 does have iOS 11 something.

Is it possible to have a record button? I do alot of hiking and will pull out my iPhone while on the trails and fiddle with melodic ideas. Occasionally, I come up with something I really like, but by the time I get home, it is gone. It would be great to have a record botton for this. For me, you wonderful app is serving me well in this capacity. PS when I got my first iPhone a few weeks ago (given to me by my son), your app was my FIRST download !!

Andy Western has uploaded several recordings in the last few days to SoundCloud that c.net folks might be interested in. Here is the most recent. There are several others over the last few days worth checking out: Nicely done, Andy!!

Brian, I have searched and searched over the years but have come up with no hits. I will keep trying. For those of us who play the Hayden system, to have some links would be a treasure! It would also give us a point on connectedness to the one who brought this system into use. Any chance that you know of someone who could do this for you ?? Please ?!?!

I have absolutely no idea, but what I do know is that IF it is lemon, you will have wasted $229, even though it looks like a great price. I would like to suggest that you extend your wait time from a few days to a few weeks. That concertina is not going anywhere. I started out by RENTING a concertina from Button Box for around $35 per month. That proved to be wise for me. Just a suggestion. https://www.buttonbox.com/ If the instrument is poor in quality, your experience may be poor, and you may give up. Having an instrument that responds and plays somewhat well, can help to propel you through the multiple learning curves that you are about to embark on.

Hello, I have some reed shoes that slowly creep out of their slots resulting in a bit of rattling or buzzing. Wally Carrol has a useful video that addresses this. I will put the link below. He suggests "Veneer Tape". But before I do this I wanted to ask if anyone else has had this issue and how they addressed it to keep the shoe snug and in place. Thanks in advance

Thank you, David!

This thread touching on a nagging issue for me that perhaps someone can help with. In "Advanced Ear Training and Sight Singing" by George A. Wedge he gives an example of how to use the second inversion in three ways, one of which is as a "suspended or appoggiatura chord". But I have never been able to reconcile his example with the article mentioned above nor the explanations given here. I have attached a screenshot of the page (which is in the public domain, by the way). Is there a difference in an appoggiatura and an appoggiatura chord? Did George just not give an example of grade note application? Glad this thread came up !! If interested, a link to the text is: https://books.google.com/books?id=Umc0AAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

After Alex Holden completed his first prototype of the Hayden (and had received Brian's stamp of approval); I have been very interested to know what direction Alex was planning to go with the Hayden, if indeed he goes into production mode. I bet someone in this conversation knows?!?! What is Alex thinking? Might he be willing to preserve the slant as well as provide a parallel option?

My first hayden had a slant, and playing fifths on the left side with one finger was standard My current hayden has a key layout that is parallel to the handrest, and playing fifths with one finger is no longer an option (how I wish it still was) on the left side. Playing forths with one finger works fine. Having played both configurations for years, I **think** I have come to the conclusion that for this and other reasons, the slant is superior.

Somebody on another thread brought up the name, Nick Robertshaw, who I had never heard of. I began polking around and found a site dedicated to remembering him and his music. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKncQPQYAQ_XtYHrv-hr4dA

Although I do not have a Beaumont, I am curious at what temperature accordion wax does melt. Does anyone know? This has always been an issue in the back of my mind when in times past I have considered the Beaumount as I do quite a bit of road travel, and wherever I go the concertina frequently goes.

Interesting Video.

Here are a few odd points. Keep fingernails trimmed - can damage finish around buttons. Protect from wild changes in environmental humidity - important if the soundboard is not plywood. If I recall from Edgley's web site he will make his concertinas with both "traditional soundboard" or a plywood soundboard, depending upon what the customer requests. Find out what your soundboard is made of. Give Frank Edgley a call with concertina number and ask him for his thoughts. If the finish is really nice, not a bad idea to wash and remove sweat, oil, etc from hands before playing it. Store in a place where is protected BUT readily accessible. If it is hidden away, practice time may go down or even stop as the months wane into years. Seek out all the concertina care threads on this site - there are MANY !! A good resource is https://www.amazon.com/Concertina-Maintenance-Manual-David-Elliott/dp/1899512675 If there is a particular surface where there is more potential for abrasion, such as the surface that is on the lap; rubbing a little bit of beeswax of that particular surface can reduce friction, or at least protect the finish somewhat. Keep away from sunlight and extreme heat as in a car in parking lot. Hope these random points help.