Spectacled Warbler
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Posts posted by Spectacled Warbler
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Does anybody have experience of soundproofing the wall(s), of a semi-detached / terraced house, which adjoin the neighbours to prevent them hearing concertina / melodeon playing and loud singing? What did you use and did it work?
I’ve read about building a false wall which doesn’t directly touch the adjoining wall, covered with acoustic plasterboard and soundbreaker bars, but all the information I’ve seen is from companies trying to sell their products. I just wondered anybody here might have tried these things and have any advice, including how they dealt with fireplaces?
All advice appreciated,
Thanks
Joy
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It was inspiring, wasn't it. It's even motivated me to start 'singing' again.
Joy
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Pippa, Thank you, and good to meet you and hear your playing as well.
Irene - Whoops! I hold up my hands, it was after midnight of a long day when I accidentally rechristened Paul. I did buy his book, if that's any consolation to him. Sorry Paul.
Cheers,
Joy
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Just got home from my first ever Bradfield weekend. I had a smashing time, someone described Saturday night's pub session as their 'idea of Heaven' and I agree. A well controlled mix of song and music, nice to hear some fine Boer style playing and some songs telling riveting stories that kept you on the edge of your seat. The Claque were pure class. An interesting talk by Richard Davenport concerning the little known Gatty collection of Yorkshire songs, and a fascinating discussion by Geoff Crabb and several others concerning all sorts of concertina related things. And someone who knows what they're doing was kind enough to take the end off my new concertina and show me the insides, and give me some advice about some small adjustments it needs. The atmosphere was of people being friendly and having fun.
Thanks to Mark and Joan for being so helpful, and for organising the event. It's definitely on next year's 'must go' list.
Joy
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Thank you Geoff!
Joy
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Ordered on 28th March, ready on 21st May. How's that for service? Arrived today, after the usual wait for payment, customs etc to be processed. Looks as perfect as in the website pictures, every reed plays despite the long journey between the US and UK. Light, responsive, feels like an extension of my arms and makes my hands feel as if they're dancing. Well balanced - the low notes don't drown out the high notes. Fabulous. If you're not sure - go for it. Worth every penny.
Joy
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I have been playing this tune at times for last 30 years, it still took about 30 takes but it was easier when I remembered to 1 A and 2 Bs.
Graham
Lovely version Graham, bags of rhythm, got my feet tapping and gave me lots of ideas to improve my own playing.. Thanks for posting!
Joy
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Those black and white buttons are VERY useful! Bit of a learning curve after I bought a concertina with all buttons the same...
Joy
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Enjoyed both of these! Thank you
Joy
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You're very welcome I'm sure! What did you use to go around the ends of the concertina to attach the harness to? Pictures would be good, perhaps we can come up with the perfect design by committee!
Pete
A bit Heath Robinson ish - a couple of those wire circles that are used for keyrings, attached to one side to neck strap attachments on the concertina, the other side attached to the harness. I've also added bits from the harness to the hand strap to turn the 'tina round a bit so the angle of the buttons is in line with my fingers when my hands / arms are straight. Not perfect but an awful lot better than a neck strap alone, or a single diagonal across the back strap. It means that I can practise while I'm 'running' on my cross trainer and convince myself that I'm getting my daily 30 minutes' exercise to give me a longer life to learn more tunes....
Joy
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I just wanted to thank Tallship for posting the harness idea on Cnet, I didn't know these harnesses existed. You've made my hours spent playing a large duet standing up much more comfortable!
Thanks again,
Joy
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Looks beautiful. What wood are the endplates made out of? I'm just about to give Wim the specifications for my Hayden, which should hopefully be started soon. I waited a little longer than you, I've been on the list since August 2008 and forsee at least another 2-3 months before it's finished.
Glad you're pleased with it, I'm looking forward to getting mine.
Cheers,
Joy
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What are the best places for music & singing sessions?
I guess there'll be something happening at the Black Horse - anywhere else?
Steve
Not sure about singing sessions, apart from the Station back room at lunch and evening times, mainly unaccompanied I think, with singing / playing in the 2 other rooms, which get noisy but still fun.
Good lunchtime music sessions in the Board, plenty of English / American depending who's there. The Elsinore has lots of mainly English music each evening, don't think there's much in the day time when you're likely to be there, except Thursday which sounds like fun. Not sure about Irish sessions - the Ship I think. The Fleece has good singing / playing in 2 rooms and the balcony. Endeavour each afternoon is nautical songs followed by singaround /session I think. I'm sure other people will add their favourites. Might be worth looking / asking on Mudcat - a few session leaders post regularly there.
http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=139202&messages=24#3195997
Have fun!
Joy
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Thank you for putting these posts together so regularly. They're really appreciated and enjoyed, even if nobody tells you so.
Joy.
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Enjoyed that a lot. Thanks
Joy
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I'm with Dirge on this, and applaud your wish to use all 4 fingers. I play Hayden, and I use my little fingers as much as I use any of the other ones - would be lost without them. There might, however, be a reason why Wim suggests that you don't use the little finger on that particular C in that particular bar of that particular tune - maybe to make fingering the next passage easier. If you're playing in C, it's often useful to have the little finger free to play the F on the row above. In another situation using the same E, D, C, you might need the little finger on that C so that your first finger's free for the next note, instead.
Good luck with the Elise.
Joy
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Thanks ever so much for posting these. Lovely stuff. Sounds like a good day!
Joy
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Good to hear that a Hayden model might be out next year. I'm with Mike wondering how many keys are tentatively planned, or if it's too soon even to be thinking about that yet? I'm interested in the 60+ sizes, and tend to prefer the accordion reeded sound to concertina reeds. This could be what I've been waiting for, for so very long.
Joy
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Just back from Whitby Folk Week and full of it!
Mostly a chance to catch up with old friends and make new aquaintances and play in a whole range of pub sessions and get a lot of new tunes and listen to a variety of styles with a wide range of instruments being played. A lot of youngsters around too.
and got enough to keep me busy for years.
Same here! Had a fantastic time, took part in some absolutely exhilarating pub sessions, made welcome everywhere despite being a novice.
The hills made me fitter, the weather blessed us, very little rain, plenty of sun and warm throughout.
Came back inspired and full of enthusiasm as usual, now have about 100 tunes to learn before next year.....
Joy
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Roy Clinging plays English and sings. Seeing him was the reason I took up concertina after many years of dissatisfaction with stringed instruments - I watched him with Neil Brookes on fiddle a few years ago, my long-held prejudice against concertinas dissolved and I decided that it was the instrument I'd been looking for to accompany songs. A month later I'd bought one, my partner saw it and decided that he wanted one, and now we have several between us.
Most expensive gig I ever attended! One of the best decisions I ever made. Thanks Roy.
Jim Mageean and Johnny Collins both play concertina and sing, not to their shanties though, I don't think.
Jim Eldon also plays fiddle and sings.
Joy
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When I first glanced at the email, thought it might be silly spam so nearly deleted it, but read more attentively to realise it concerned the mailing of my CD, and was a refreshing dose of daft inoffensive fun. I was surprised that CD Baby were brave / foolish to risk having their emails deleted and inviting accusations of unprofessionalism, but was glad they had.
Amused me for weeks.
The CD arrived quickly from the US to England, unopened, in good condition and makes good listening. I'd definitely buy from them again.
Joy
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.............this from another topic ( may even have been on M.net....can't remember). I now carry a clothes peg around with me and exercise both little fingers when nothing much is happening.
I always do it when I see people jogging...................reminds that I may look relaxed but I am working out !
Robin
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Working on the assumption that 50% of playing concerns pushing buttons down, the other 50% is accurately lifting fingers off again, hope that you're exercising the muscles that lift your fingers off the buttons also, and regularly stretching your fingers backwards away from your palm so that the muscles squeezing the clothes peg don't get shortened to compromise your finger lifting.
My pipe playing friend strengthened his fingers using one of those foam padded versions of a clothes peg that are available in keep fit shops, many times a day for a few months, ended up he couldn't lift his fingers off the chanter quickly enough to play tunes - has taken weeks of stretching and lifting exercises to return to his previous abilities.
If I'm teaching my granny to suck eggs, sorry, I just don't want other people who are obviously trying to improve their playing to find that they've actually created problems for themselves.
Regards,
Joy
Soundproofing To Protect Your Neighbours
in General Concertina Discussion
Posted
HI Lukasz, thanks for the advice. I could baffle my concertina and whisper, and have done that in the past when I lived in shared accommodation, but my playing is all in sessions, so I need to practise a a reasonable volume. Playing quietly at home doesn't prepare you for playing in a louder environment, bellows and breathing control are different.
Cheers,
Joy