wunks

It sounds to me like you have a good understanding of what a hornpipe should sound like. You just need more exposure, perhaps to the dancier renditions, to firm up your resolve. It's a good topic for friendly conversation but one that might not be easily nailed down.

Maybe you need a third opinion. What was the name of the tune? Most tunes can be found in the literature or on line with the designation of type, however there's an argument to be made that if it's played as a reel or polka then that's what it is at the time. If you're going by how the tune sounds in a particular setting it can be difficult to make a general determination. I'm curious as to why your friend (hopefully) thought the tune a polka. Many of us dance musicians get around this problem by dropping the designation from the name of the tune as I did above with "Fishers" (hornpipe).

Well, I'll try but it's a difficult issue because many of the dances that go with these tunes are rarely performed anymore. Perhaps the best way to parse it out is to find an example of the dance being done either live or on u-tube. On this side of the pond at least, everything is played way too fast for the original dances. When we play for a contra dance it could be jigs, reels, hornpipes, polkas and/or marches but all played up to speed and rather "ironed out". To my mind, a hornpipe played for it's dance has a very dotted rhythm that verges on jig time. The first and third notes drag out with the second and fourth clipped. It's like a jig in double time with the middle note left out. A hornpipe is also very "notey" compared to a polka with the embedded mini jig sometimes expressed as a run. To add to the confusion, some hornpipes are amenable to being sped up and some are not. "Fishers" doesn't seem to mind being played as a reel but "Boys Of Blue Hill" won't tolerate it.

I'm finding a somewhat similar but more flowing technique works well for accompanying songs that are usually or sometimes performed acapella. A nice slow version of "Rollin' Down to Old Maui" would be an example.

The big smile at the end reveals the truth. Beautifully played.

Sounds wonderful! I like the light and varied touch with the lower harmonies. Lets the melody shine!

That's very well put Mikefule. Simplicity and constraint yield expression and "soul".

Thanks for your supportive post Geoff. It encourages me to expand a bit on the idea. It has been expressed that the concertina was intended to emulate the violin, however on that instrument, the notes are selected with the fingers of the left hand. We agree that "handedness" makes a difference in feel and flow of a tune. It seems to me that the concertina as conventionally played is more suited to the range of the viola with the left hand lead. Because the instrument is roughly bilaterally symmetric and has an overlap of notes in the mid range, (duet), turning it over allows for a left hand lead in the range of the violin. I'm envisioning an instrument with a little more overlap in the middle, a new hand strap arrangement and perhaps some more thumb key low notes so I don't have to buy a Bass au Pieds☺️

I recently took my Jeffries duet from it's case without noticing it was reversed and upside down and after some absentminded noodling I noticed something was different. Although the finger patterns were much the same I was playing in the higher register. As I realized my "mistake" I played around with it a bit more and didn't flip it over because there was something pleasing to my ear going on. The same notes on the same keys which sounded thin, lifeless and rather harsh when played with the right hand suddenly came to life with the left. Additionally, I discovered that when playing tunes in the overlap zone, being an ear musician, switching hands produced an entirely different result. I realize that playing in this way may seem "over bold" to some but the duet and possibly the anglo don't seem particularly prejudiced as to orientation. EC's would seem limited by the thumb straps and pinky rests. I think this is a Left Brain/Right Brain phenomenon that could be of great value in expanding the range of expression for some players of these instruments. What say you?

Wolf, sounds like an opportunity for a new thread, I'll start it in the morning.

I'm suggesting turning the instrument end for end vertically to play the conventional right hand side with the left hand. The thumb loops and pinky rests would be inverted on an EC. Let's call it Brobdingnagion style if you will. ?

Same way I "discovered" this. I'm a beginner on concertina also but a long time musician (by ear) so I have the music in my head already, which may be why it works for me.

Maybe this is a good place to suggest a method of playing that can enhance and add interest, but may seem heretical to some. As I've progressed in my playing of the Jeffries duet, I've found that tunes sound different and some sound better (To me at least) when the instrument is swapped end for end and played upside down. The fingering patterns are basically the same with a few variations but my right brain (left hand) comes up with different harmonies, internal rhythms and tempos. This also seems to solve some of the problem (for me) of playing in the higher register. Additionally, some keys away from the center (C on my instrument) are easier to play. I don't see that this is doable on an EC without modification of the grip system but it may work for other duets and I'm thinking anglos as well, which is why I've posted it here. Forgive me if this has been covered in other threads.

It works, so that's the proof.

I'd be cautious and do some research first. It's not just a matter of keeping moisture out, but letting it escape, and /or keeping just enough in to prevent drying out. When you bring a sealed bag/box full of air outside, temperature and humidity will try to equalize. Warm air will hold more moisture than cold and if there is a moisture barrier (plastic liner) it will become the dew point for condensation and may sweat. You'll still have the same amount of H2O in the box but now it's water droplets or a wet film rubbing against your instrument. I'm not an expert on this; it's complicated . please comment.

Excellent. Be patient. I recently picked up a Lachenal English needing repairs for $250.

Frequent lawn sales, estate sales etc.. You need to get to the deals ahead of the speculators. Don't buy a plastic concertina that doesn't work perfectly for over $50. There are indeed good ones out there for under $100. Be patient and you'll get lucky. Good luck!

That combo begs for nakedness and a tuba or digerido!

Seems to me it's a triple (at least) problem with conflicting solutions. You want to dry the metal parts quickly to prevent rust, but dry the wooden and leather components slowly to prevent warping and/ or cracking. As a tennis player from the wooden racket, gut string era, we wiped and dried our strings and used a racket press ( having failed to obey Theo's cardinal rule). As d.elliot says above, I would first ( upon returning to your warm , dry and cozy flat, cottage or castle) play it dry. go through all the keys repeatedly. The surface moisture should dissipate before it soaks in to the valves and bellows and the valves should be held flat by air pressure when not being played. You could then fashion a stiff brace for each end that screwed or bolted to a hidden set of holes under the end plate rim (requiring it's removal. I'm reluctant to say that the end plate bolts themselves would be up to it). Alternatively, purchase an instrument made from moisture resistant materials for outdoor gigs.

Your instrument , whether Anglo, English or duet, has a pattern. Sit and play easy beautiful tunes that you like slowly and search for the notes that you need. Soon your neurons will make the desired connections.

The marriage of wood and metal, and a bit of hide. The flesh and blood of Humanity!

Any "turn" can be simplified to either a doublet or triplet a slide or a hold or skip and to throw these in rather than playing it the same every time through adds character. I play a five note turn in some jigs like Bloomin' Meadows but vary it with a simple lift and rest or a doublet (on Fiddle). I'm just learning it on duet, but it seems easy enough. All the notes in a turn don't need to (and probably shouldn't) have the same time value.

Frets and buttons have their advantages, but perhaps the Slide Whistle (modern version, English around 1840)is was more successful? ?

Two things I've noticed when playing the viola. First when I play a higher C the open low C sounds noticibly as well. Do you feel this is entirely from the common bridge plate connection? I'm curious because I recently acquired a Tromba Marina (medieval drone/harmonics instrument I'm guessing that as a luthier you know about) It has a main string about 5 feet long that is bowed as harmonic increments are touched with the thumb. It crosses a semi-floating small bridge (one end curves down like a witch's nose and hovers just a tad above the sound plate to create a buzz) well down at the bottom end. There are two shorter sympathetic drones adjacent to but below the plane of the main string where they cannot be reached by the bow. They sound as the main is bowed. Given the tiny and remote bridge contact of the main to the sound plate, it seems intuitive to me that they are picking up the main vibes through the air by virtue of their proximity to the main. Second, to play the higher notes of fiddle tunes on the viola I have to get up the neck into 2nd and 3d position. Even though the notes are the same as on the fiddle the tone quality is much richer. I attribute this to the slightly longer scale, slightly thicker string and slightly larger box. Is any of this applicable to the concertina to enhance tone? Thanx.

Before posting this I sat down with my boxes and worked on some G and D fiddle tunes. They landed nicely in the lower treble range and the overlap on duet is very useful. My preference for the tenor end of things is of course subjective, and I'll be coaxing my ear up the scale. It's interesting that you comment on "switching between the two types" because it really does feel like I'm holding two instruments; as if I have a viola in the left hand and a violin in the right. It dawned on me while playing the viola last night that it is indeed an entirely different beast than the violin. I just acquired it but can play fiddle tunes simply by reverse(?) transposing....playing in G by fingering as if in D on fiddle and stretching out a bit. one must go up the neck into 2nd or 3d position to complete the tune however. playing in C keeps one more in the center of the range. So when you're playing a fiddle tune what are you doing with the lower notes for harmony/rhythm?