Roger Hare

Later - edited to keep it simple - 'twas far too complicated for a secondary matter... When I first started, I used Mick Bramichs system (http://mickbramich.co.uk/beginners.html), I then moved briefly to Gary Coovers system (https://www.amazon.com/Anglo-Concertina-Harmonic-Style-Coover/dp/0615747353/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8), before finally settling on a modified form of the system on the Australian Bush Traditions site (http://www.bushtraditions.org/tutors/concertina.htm). In this system, your left-hand buttons 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are designated gL5, gL4, gL3, gL2, gL1 respectively? Your short sample now looks like this in a score: or this the 'R1' replaced with 'gL2^' if you use the G-row C. Try it, it might suit you? It's not for everybody, but it works for me. You can modify it to suit yourself, and just write the tabs in (or get fancy and use ABC like in my samples above).... Roger

There seems to be one for sale here: https://www.reddit.com/r/concertina/comments/84ifzt/trying_to_sell_mayfair_concertina_need_advice/ Looks as if it needs a complete restoration though. No vendor location or contact details given...

Brilliant! Thank you. Roger

Duplicate post - deleted.

A better film than most of the critics seemed to think. I can't replay it at the moment 'cos my DVD player is busted, so I cobbled together a simple ABC script to see what this sounded like. Pretty good (as far as the MIDI file allows). I have put that one on the 'to-learn' list.

I just stumbled across a reference to the LilyPond software (http://lilypond.org/), which I had not heard of before. I had a look, and I'm thinking of installing it for a trial run. However, looking at the documentation, I get the idea that it is more (a lot more?) 'verbose' than ABC (the syntax seems to be very TeX-like - I never really got on with TeX/LaTeX). I also get the impression that it has less functionality than (say) EasyABC. The few references to LilyPond on this forum refer to it as an aside in other threads. Are there any users in this forum who could comment on its functionality, ease-of-use and suitability for producing simple scores and sound files as compared to ABC? Are there any repositories of tunes on t'Internet in LilyPond format as there are for ABC? Pros and cons? Thank you in advance. Roger x-posted to melodeon.net

I agree - it also doesn't say much (anything?) about 'unusual' key signatures (eg: K:Hp), or comments (%), etc. There are probably other shortcomings, but I thought it seemed useful enough to draw it to the attention of the community. Once upon a time, a million years ago, I prepared a similar card for TOPS-10, the operating system for the DECSystem-10 computer - it was difficult getting all the stuff onto a card like this - and deciding what to leave out. I think the compiler has done a pretty fair job, bearing in mind the space restrictions... Roger

I just came across this ABC reference card. http://www.stephenmerrony.co.uk/uploads/ABCquickRefv0_6.pdf I can't see it flagged anywhere in this forum. It may be of use to some readers? Roger

Job done - thank you very much - I didn't look in the old standard! Roger.

I just came across an ABC file in which there are E: fields in the headers - eg: E:10. I had a look at the ABC specification, Guido Gonzatos manual and Steve Mansfields tutorials and could find no mention of an E: field. Any ideas as to what it might be for? Thank you. Roger.

I've not played one, but FWIW, Harry Geuns offers a 'deal' on the Rochelle (http://bandoneon-maker.com/rochelle/). From memory, the last time I looked, the Euro price, when converted to Sterling was significantly lower than the price being quoted by dealers in the U.K. I was tempted but never followed up. Worth looking at? The exchange rate may have changed though... Roger

Nice tune - I found a score on t'internet and ABC'd it. Thank you. Does it make 'sense' that the two tunes are played as a set? I tried this by concatenating ABC scripts for the two tunes and it sounds OK(-ish). 'Old Mrs Wilson' starts in D and ends in Dmix (which is scored with one sharp), and the 'Young Collins' I have is also scored with one sharp (ie: G).

Good thought. Thank you.Roger

It does indeed - a couple of useful ideas there! Thank you very much. Roger.

About 40 years ago, I remember either reading somewhere, or being told by a knowledgable person, that unlike WWI, WWII produced very few songs. How true that is, I don't know but it sounds like a pretty flaky argument to me. Instantly, I can think of my two all-time favourites, both of which I can mangle on the concertina: Banks of Sicily (a.k.a. 51st Division's Farewell to Sicily). Lili Marlene/D. Day Dodgers (same tune) plus, with a little reflection: As Time Goes By (from Casablanca) Der Fuhrer's Face (Spike Jones) Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree (Andrews Sisters) Imagine Me on the Maginot Line (George Formby, also I Did What I Could With My Gas Mask) In the Mood (Glen Miller, also String of Pearls, Moonlight Serenade etc.) Kiss Me Goodnight Sergeant Major (Arthur Askey) When the Lights go on Again White Cliffs of Dover (Vera Lynn, also We'll Meet Again) Some of the 2nd list are (arguably) just tunes which happened to become popular during WWII? There's a Wikipedia page 'Songs of World War II': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Songs_of_World_War_II which is a bit more interesting to may way of thinking. There's also a five-disc compilation '101 Songs That Won World War II': https://www.allmusic.com/album/101-songs-that-won-world-war-ii-mw0001313416. This also contains material which is not directly related to WWII but just happened to come along during WWII. R

A thought/query from the lower end of the 'ability spectrum'. Apart from the fact that it's clearly a bad habit to be too 'tense' when playing, I wonder if it might also have an adverse effect on health as well as on playing skill/ability. I say this because recently I have been suffering from a very painful right shoulder. This is a hangover from the days when I spent 4-5 hours a day at a computer keyboard, and it's getting to the point where I may have to consider cutting down on my playing time because while playing I feel that I am 'tense' - and it hurts! When I consciously try to 'relax' while playing, the problem is less significant, but I'm finding difficult to do this. It requires a conscious effort to relax, which takes my mind away from the music. How do I train myself to automatically relax while playing? Yoga? Meditation? Tai-Chi? Large shot of single malt? Is it reasonable to expect the ability to relax be beneficial in terms of improving the pain in the right shoulder? Roger PS: I missed DJ's post first time around, but let the question stand...

Probably not. I have never downloaded any NCH software - never heard of them till this 'incident'. I am not an 'expert' in the use of Windows machines (I come from the Unix culture), but I am pretty careful about what I download. I also have as many automatic downloads turned off as I can track down - including any and all Microsoft/Windows software. If I can find an alternative, I will also remove from my machine any non-essential software which ever prompts me about automatic updates. In fact, in the nicest possible way, you are completely wrong - your comment is highly relevant. I too use PortableApps for as many applications as I can, including applications to replace ubiquitous software such as Word and Adobe Reader. You are absolutely correct, the downloading and installing of updates to programs is carried out without any additional 'bonus' software being silently installed. Another advantage is that software updates download and install without the user having to go through a sometimes lengthy and tedious 'wizard' procedure. I would recommend anyone to use PortableApps for as much software as possible. Roger

Thank you folks, for the insights contained in the previous posts. I should probably have said, it's a W7 machine - I haven't had a problem quite like this before. I have downloaded a few bits of software recently (eg: up-to-date NET, Pale Moon browser), but as far as I can tell, none of the install dates correspond to the date on the Switch software. Of course, I can't check now, because I deleted it - I must remember that in future. Very irritating - the s/ware may be good at what it does, but I have never heard of Switch/NCH and as it happens, have no use for a program like this. It's a gross invasion of my privacy, whatever the mechanism used to install it on my machine. More importantly, it's a corruption of the machine which renders it less safe/secure for me to use. Just have to put it down as one of lifes' little mysteries, and remain vigilant Incidentally, it's also counter-productive - I will now never use NCH s/ware for anything. Thank you for those insights, they will help me keep an eye on this sort of stuff in the future, Roger

I put this here because I couldn't see a forum for dealing with stuff like this. I just found an (unwanted) audio file converter on my machine. Switch Converter, or some name like that. This was silently installed on my machine some time in January. There was also a separate list of 'shortcuts' to programs marketed by this outfit. I have deleted/uninstalled both. Just a warning that folks may have software from this outfit on their machines without their knowledge. Look for 'Switch' and/or 'NCH Software' to uninstall/delete. Roger

A good source of songs might be: 'When This Bloody War is Over: Soldiers' Songs of the First World War' by Max Arthur. I don't think there are any scores in the book though - just words. And, of course, the songs from 'Oh What A Lovely War': Row Row Row and The Circus Parade Twelfth Street Rag Your King and Country Want You Belgium put the Kaibosh on the Kaiser Are we Downhearted? Hold Your Hand Out, Naughty Boy! Make a Man of You! Hitchy Koo Gassed Last Night Hush! Here Comes a Whizzbang They Were Only Playing Leapfrog I Wore a Tunic Forward Joe Soap’s Army When This Lousy War is Over Whiter than the whitewash on the Wall I Want to go Home The Bells of Hell Adieu Le Vie I Don’t Want to be a Soldier And When they Ask Us Roger

I think that is a very extreme and very unfair generalisation. Not everyone can afford top-end hybrids or modern 'real' concertinas. Not everyone wants one. Some (like me) get real pleasure from owning and playing a 'genuine antique'. A moderately priced vintage instrument to get started on is a not unreasonable investment. It's quite likely that it will be a Lachenal on offer ? I have several Lachenals (since starting three years ago, I've become a bit of a collector, I'm afraid). Three in particular are extremely nice: 1) My original 20-button C/G - refurbished before purchase by an experienced fettler - restricted because of the 20 buttons, but not paralysingly so. In fact it's surprisingly versatile even in the hands of a musical klutz like me, and it sounds good. It's a vintage Lachenal... 2) 30-button Bb/F semi-miniature bought from a c.netter. I took a punt and got a lovely instrument - probably my favourite. It's a vintage Lachenal... 3) 26-button G/D for t'Morris - bought from an experienced fettler who restored it before selling it - it's good - it doesn't drown out t'Melodeon player like the Marcus hybrid. It's a vintage Lachenal... Sure, there are some turkeys, but that's not a good reason to stay away from Lachenal concertinas wholesale - just 'gae canny', as they say north of the border. I see the OP has bought a vintage - nice one - good luck! Roger

It's not very clear which issue contains what, is it? As it happens, I'm sitting in the Music Library in Manchester with my Lachenal semi-miniature Bb/F. It too has 6-fold bellows. No problems with a 'missing' C# equivalent - it's a full 30-button job - lovely - even the librarians like it! Roger

There is a lengthy article by Randall Merris about miniature and semi-miniature concertinas in Volume 9 of the Papers of the International Concertina Association: http://www.concertina.org/papers-of-the-international-concertina-association-pica/pica-volume-9-2012/ i have certainly seen an instrument of this size, though I can't remember the manufacturer or the key... Roger

<off-topic on> Hm! Is that the concertina equivalent of the much-loved(*) phrase 'yummy mummy'? Roger (*) Much-loved in this neck of the woods, anyway... <off-topic off>

This is hearsay, but I have been told that there is a small(ish) but constant 'flow' of vintage Anglos westwards across the Irish Sea to satisfy the demand in Ireland. Apparently, the instruments are sometimes re-tuned to accommodate the 'requirements' of ITM. This is fine, but it occurs to me that this effectively reduces the number of vintage Anglos available here in England. I have had one conversation with a dealer which would tend to support this story. Urban myth, or what? Roger