Jim2010

Thank you very much. The more I ask questions and look around the more I am amazed how much expertise, experience, generosity, and love for the instrument is floating around this forum.

Thank you Didie. I liked your sound before, and I like your sound even better now. Prior to hearing you play I never gave much thought to the Duet, but you have certainly changed that. You make beautiful music with it.

Thanks Jody. There seems to be an endless supply of different concertinas. I have seen a recording of you accompanying yourself singing (North-East Squeeze-In). You are a good ambassador for the instrument. In your travels, have you ever heard an anglo used in for music outside of the Irish/English/Scottish/American/Canadian/etc. traditions? For example, tango, klezmer, gypsy, and maybe types of music I've never even heard of.

Thank you. You have really addressed the essence of my original enquiry, both the mechanical aspects (Richter, 20 button plus extras) and the musical aspects (yes, plenty of good music can be made with it, especially if put in the time/effort necessary). I have studied other instruments (including the accordina) in a formal way, so my approach to an instrument will always be to try to master as much as possible the skills necessary to play well prior to playing tunes.

Thank you Dan. You just opened up a world of new exploration for me. I really appreciate it. I also read some of your recent posts and hope to someday attend a concertina workshop like you described in Texas. I'm sorry that one needed to be cancelled.

Thank you. I enjoyed your playing. You make it seem easy to play, which I am sure it is not.

Thank you. That is terrific. It's great to hear what the 20-button can do.

Your playing is so inspiring. Thank you so much. Have you wrtten about your concertina and, especially, your bellows? They look almost like a bandoneon bellows.

Thank you, Gary. Very nice. That's a perfect example of what I am trying to find out. What types of music are possible on a 20-button anglo?

I am wondering what a 20-button anglo concertina can sound like in very capable hands. I am especially interested in what styles of music are possible. If anyone could direct me to they consider exceptionally good 20-button anglo recordings I would greatly appreciate it.

The instrument is a B system accordina that Edward Jay has ingeniously constructed so as to be able to play with two hands. Here are two links to performances on "traditionally" built accordinas (C system). Julien Labro playing Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsCqgJ5-VsY Richard Galliano playing Menuet & Badinerie by J. S. Bach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKGiDYlIQ6k

Thank you Don. Your points are well taken. I realize the practical problems if I were to go that route. Best, JIm

I am not currently a Hayden duet player, so my interest in this topic is based on the question of which keyboard I would want if I were to buy one. I am a classical guitarist who also has played the lute, treble and tenor viols, and treble and tenor recorders. As a music major in college, I had to pass a proficiency exam in piano. I can read various clefs and tablatures. I imagine I could learn to play using either of the duet Hayden fingerings (I haven't looked at other duet systems). There has been mention of considering how the keyboards relate to the piano keyboard, but I think it better to think of them in relation to the harp. The harp strings are in the middle of the two hands and the movement of hands is mirrored. The concertina reeds are in the middle of the two hands, too. Similarly, we (our thinking apparatus) are in the middle of our arms and legs, which can be thought of as "naturally" mirroring. I think mirroring has a lot going for it. From a purely musical perspective (i.e. ignoring availability of instruments, teachers and tutors, ease of resale, etc.), I would go with the mirrored keyboard. As a beginner, I have the luxury to choose either keyboard, but only if the concertina that I want to play for musical reasons (sonority, range, playability) and cost comes with both options. I don't know if I would reject an otherwise ideal instrument simply because it didn't have a mirrored option.

If I understand correctly, some writers have alluded to some special playability of CG vs GD. Wouldn't the playability be the same. For example, what one does with the fingers to produce a tune or scale in C on a CG would be the exact same thing one would done to produce the same tune or scale in D on a DG? If I am correct about this, wouldn't it make sense to have one of each tuning (and possibly others), playing whichever suited the tune being played? Much the same as a guitarist has the option to use a capo? Or a CBA accordionist moves the same finger patterns for various scales around the available rows to play in different keys? I am not knowledgeable enough to have an opinion about this. These are genuine questions of a newcomer.

Here are a couple of links to a Concertina Connection Elise duet. https://buttonbox.com/concertinas-in-stock.html#duet http://www.concertinaconnection.com/elise.htm I'm not the right person to ask about quality, but it is only $425 US and can be exchanged for a full purchase price trade in if you want to move up.

Thank you. I have someone locally to ask about that. I am also curious if the size of the box, its construction (materials, thickness, placement of the reeds), type of reeds, etc. I have a friend who plays cba accordion and bandoneon. Even though he is better as an accordion player, when he plays the bandoneon it's distinctive voice is quite striking.

Thank you. I may look in that, but for now I am curious to know If a cba accordion and be constructed/modified to sound more like a bandoneon.

To my ears, the bandoneon sound is "livelier," more "raw" sounding than a cba accordeon, which sounds "smoother," more "homogeneous" to me. Could someone who is knowledgeable about how construction/materials affects sound point me in the direction of how to explore if an accordeon could be constructed/modified to sound "lively/raw" as possible. I am aware of the hybrid c system bandoneons, but I am more interested to learn if a cba accordion can achieve a "bandoneon-like" sound (beyond simply using LM reeds). Thank you for any help. Jim

Terrific! And if I had to guess, he plays the classical guitar, too. [Fingernails]

Thank you very much for that information. I really appreciate it. I wish I was able to go on Saturday, but I'm about 1200 miles away.

Great music. Do you know the maker of the guitars? Are they nylon string?

This is a C system chromatic button instrument. If anyone has one for sale or knows of one for sale I would appreciate hearing about it. I am currently playing accordina and think (based on youtube recordings) that the vibrandoneon can sound similar to bandoneon.

I am trying to find a Victoria VM400BM CBA vibrandoneon. Any suggestions about where to look for one? I have posted messages on accordionists.co.uk and melodicaworld.com, too. Thank you. Jim

Dear Dan, Thank you very much. Yes. It certainly is somewhere to start. It doesn't sound boring to me because I play other instruments and recognize that what you are recommending is very good advice. Best, Jim