Jump to content

Geoff W.

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    122

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by Geoff W.

    Beginner dive into first "real" Concertina

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    I started on a Rochelle and have since moved to a Minstrel, and then a Clover. If you already know you like the instrument and want to keep playing it long term, I advise skipping the intro phase all together and going straight to the beginner-intermediate ones like the Swan or the Minstrel. It might take a bit more savings time but it's not such a huge difference between the two as to make it impossible. The playability difference from the intro concertinas to the beginner-intermediate ones is HUGE. You can't get dynamics out of the Rochelle - it's loud and louder. The Minstrel let me actually practice playing quietly and musically. Massive difference in action quality as well.

     

    I don't know that there's a big enough difference between the Swan or Minstrel to make a strong case for one or the other, so pick one that either fits the aesthetics you like, or has the upgrade program you want to commit to. If you get the Rochelle now, you could change it up to a Minstrel or Clover and receive the full price of the instrument back (if ordered via Concertina Connection). I think the Swan might have a similar thing.

     

    Here's a Rochelle video:

     

    Here's a Minstrel video:

     

     

    • Like 1

    Three tunes I've been working on

    in Concertina Videos & Music

    Posted

    Just now, Little John said:

    Great work, Geoffrey! I'd seen the first two on IG and unfortunately the third won't play - it tells me I haven't been granted access.

     

    LJ

     

    Thanks for listening!

     

    I should edit the post, I removed the third as I realized I goofed the audio recording and it sounded really blown out. I need to re-do it and re-upload.

    Digitizing [Concertina] International CDs?

    in Concertina Videos & Music

    Posted

    Well, I have a feeling a number of folks might buy second copies just so they can have something to play on their non-disc devices!

     

    www.bandcamp.com is popular with indie artists, and pays out about 80-85% to the artist, per their own literature. I'm sure there are relatively painless ways to get it on venues such as the Apple store, etc -- it's been 15 years since the CD came out and I'm sure there are plenty of newer players (like myself) that would love a go at listening to these great collections.

     

    I can go beat the drum if Graham needs to see that people would actually be interested in this. 

     

    I guess the question begs the answer of this forum, as well - would anyone here want to get a digital mp3/etc version of the International CDs?

     

    Two songs from "Harmonic Style" - Newcastle and St. James Infirmary

    in Concertina Videos & Music

    Posted · Edited by Geoff W.

    On 8/28/2020 at 7:23 PM, mothball said:

    Great playing! You say you're new, but that was impressive. How long have you been at it? I'm excited to get my hands on a clover in the near future myself. You convinced me that Coover's harmonic style book is the next for me.

     

    The harmonic style book is great! I've been playing maybe 2 years or so off and on, with a loose interest in it for 6 or so, but quarantine has really ramped up my practice time! Thanks for the nice words :)

    Digitizing [Concertina] International CDs?

    in Concertina Videos & Music

    Posted

    I just took delivery of my Anglo International 3-disc set from the UK and am excited about listening to it.... once I procure an external CD-drive and get it onto my computer :)

     

    Has there ever been any discussion of digitizing the various other "International" CDs? I know there's at least English International out there, right? It'd make the material much more accessible, and possibly there is a way to do it while still allowing the powers that be to get some money for it.

    Wakker Concertinas

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    39 minutes ago, Frosty said:

    I bought a Wakker W-A4 in 2013.

    It is a superb instrument and well worth the money.

     

    Workmanship is top-notch.  The reeds are particularly impressive. Highly responsive with rich tone. The Wakker is quite different from the Dipper C/G that I have. They are both excellent in their own waý.

     

    Could you elaborate on the differences?

    Wakker Concertinas

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    I'm on the waitlist to someday convert my Concertina Connection Clover to a Wakker A5 via their upgrade program.

     

    Like the OP, I'm keen to hear what modern users think - Wim doesn't seem to get as much air time as other famed makers, in my research. Perhaps it's because they're now a US-based shop and a lot of Anglo players at the $6-9k range of instrument are in the UK, and would go for a Dipper/Suttner/vintage Jeffries/Wheatstone etc first and foremost?

    The "Andy Cutting" of the Anglo!

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted · Edited by perspiration

    This is an old thread but I think it is both an important and interesting one. And I'm sitting here waiting for UPS to deliver my new Clover and since I cannot play concertina right now, I am trying to devour as much as I can about it.

     

    I got into concertina a while ago, conflating the "little octagonal monkey grinder accordion" with "french cafe music" and somehow ending up on a road I've enjoyed and don't want to get off, yet. I'm also choosing to specifically invest in trying to use the anglo as an "inefficient tool" or the "poor man's duet" but there's a charm to it that can't be replaced with unisonoric instruments, and admittedly the attitude of "the anglo isn't a good tool for that" makes me want to say, neener neener, we'll see about that.

     

    In 2020 I'd like to point to both Adrian Brown doing things like four-part polyphony:

     

    And Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne making this "poor man's duet" certainly sound like a rich man's duet:

     

    And as most of us have seen, his final university performance is something of a watershed moment for the Anglo's capabilities in this era of players:

    https://livestream.com/uol/final-recitals-17/videos/157705262

     

    Luke Hillman plays a nice klezmer on his Anglo:

     

    Anglo International was 10 years ago, and while my CD copy is coming from the UK, my hunt for anything else like it is more or less running dry. I don't even have a CD player anymore to put the compilation into when it finally arrives!

     

    John Kirkpatrick's famous Gigue is impossible to find online, being an LP from the 70s. Obviously we are still not catching up on digitizing and archiving all that we should, which seems to me a big issue.

×
×
  • Create New...