Erland

Yes! Dalarna is the region in Sweden with percentage most tunes in the Minor keys, with a lot! in DM, and many of this tunes have C# here and there. I think the C# give the tune a sort of "Bluenote" sound in that key. Several melancholic, but at the same time very beautiful polskas come from that region, and from the north of Värmland (my homeregion). Other regions with a lot of tunes in Minor keys are Lappland, and quite many from Jämtland.

Hi And thank you for the answers, and the layout diagrams. Correct, I play of course a C/G ? My position on A1 & A2 RHS ( C#/C# & C#/Eb) is probably not the "most correct" layout if you read the books, but I am quite sure that there are several Irish players, who use that "system". And it was the system Jose Claro, the maker, who lives in Tralee Co. Kerry, suggested, when I ordered my Concertina some years ago. The reason for him to use that system is probably, that many players, wants several options for the C#, so they can keep up the speed (without changing the bellows direction, or have to change finger), in for example D Major tunes, which is a quite common Key for speedy, Irish reels for example. If i read, and interpret the diagram right, it is a matter of which note you want to prioritize, and how many options you will give some notes. The Jeffries system priority, seems to be many options for C# (B on an Bb/F) in both direction, and the Wheatstone spread out a little more, and dont give the same options on the C# (B). And that is of course a little problem, when you are use to have these options, and espescialy when the fingers are used to travel a special way. I Play quite many tunes in D Major, and A-Major, and there are lots of D Minor tunes in Swedish trad, many with C# in it. One example is "Trollpolska", who have been a Tune of the Month here, is an example of a very common key in Sweden, especially if you play tunes from Dalarna. Trollpolska have several C# , even though it is a D minor Tune. And there are hundreds, like that tune. So i am little concerned about the option to just have one option of B, when playing on a Bb/F.

I am a Swedish Anglo Concertina Player, and i usually play an 3 row G/C built by Jose Claro, (very good). I play Irish, but mostly Swedish traditional music on my instrument. Although i like my Claro very much, i am now intrested to buy a 3 row Bb/F from Marcus, because i like the more "mellow" sound of the Bb/F, which I am sure will suit many Swedish traditional tunes. I understand that the layout on a Bb/F are one step lower than on a G/C anglo. And that you can play the Bb/F with the same fingering as you would do on a G/C. The thing that confuse me a bit, and to which i would like an answer ( we are not that many Concertina players in Sweden, especially players with experience of Bb/F so it is not easy to ask other players around here) is the layout on A1 and A2 on the RHS. On my G/C I have C#/C# on A1 RHS, and C#/Eb on A2 RHS. When you buy a G/C, it seems that an important question are which layout system, Jeffries or Wheatstone, you choose. What I understand with my little experience, is that G/C players who often play tunes in keys who requires C#, like D-Major (Like in ITM) and A-Major wants several options of the C#, and because of that they go for a layout who have many C# ,options. On a Bb/F the question (which note you have on A1 & A2 RHS) do not seems that important, and i do not (yet) understand why.. I mean, if you play a tune in for example D major, (with the same fingering, as one should do on the G/C) on a Bb/F, the tune will come out in C major, right? And probably (because of the fingering) there will be some notes up in A1 or A2 RHS position, the C# who now on a Bb/F would be an B instead. Can someone experienced player explain to me how it works? Can I use the same fingering on the Bb/F as I do on the GC, even in the accidental Row, or must i relearn, a new fingering pattern? Do you think it is best to stick with my current system, but one step lower, or is it better to use for example a Wheatstone layout on the Bb/F? Best Regards /Erland ,