cnrobinson

I wonder where they did the survey? My experience is that most people, in fact the vast majority of people, have no idea what a concertina is! My fiddle, guitar etc. playing freinds used to like me playing with them in pubs because I was always the one approached by strange men. The conversation usually went something like: Strange man "Can I have a go on that", Me "Alright", Strange man "What is it, I've never seen one like that before". On tube trains it was even more weird as this was all done with sign language as you can't hear youself think on the Northern Line. Chris

Just a quick thought. Often I read in the forum questions like 'where an I get....', but equally often there is no indication as to where the person lives! This makes it much more difficult to answer these sort of enquiries. There is a space provided for location, why not use it? It would be a great help to me, at the very least! Chris (from darkest sarff-east Lundun)

Yup, that's much more like the 'second chance' scams I have received! Well spotted. Chris

I never had a problem 'live'. Some days were better than others but in front of an audience it always flowed. In front of a microphone, however, I seemed to get into a mental state where I was waiting for my fingers to hit the wrong buttons! The anxiety got so bad that I gave up any idea of recording in a studio. The other curious thing is that when I listen to any of my recordings I can only hear my mistakes, never those of the other band members. They, on the other hand, could only hear their mistakes. Third parties not involved except as listeners rarely commented on any mistakes! Maybe your engineer is the best judge of whether you need retakes! Chris

I agree that the category is a bit odd, but the english is good (most chinese scams aren't!). If this proves to be a dodgy one it will certainly shake my faith in my ability to detect duff ebay entries! Chris

How do you identify 'scams'? This one looks genuine, you clearly recognise the 'tina in question! Recently I have been plagued with bogus 'second chance' offers, mostly from China I think. They seem to be targetting high priced instruments such as concertinas. I always contact the seller to try to make sure, but they are always scams! Chris

One of the things I found most useful when I was starting was to look at simple tunes in notation, as the notes on the line are in the left hand, those between the lines are in the right hand. I mostly play by ear (Irish sessions etc.) and my sight reading is poor, but when I first started it was a great help that the buttons on the English system are so logically laid out! So typical of Wheatstone as a physicist and mathematician! Chris

Why is it that only the girls are good? I certainly don't want Santa to bring me any 'good' girls, quite the opposite. Chris

So my wife informs me. Chris

Oh, and www.concertinaconnection.net do one. I have not seen it but it should be good given their expertise! Chris

There are a number of instruction manuals available, they turn up frequently on eBay. Chris

I remembe them both well! Anyone who doesn't know what we are going on about should really try Bellamy in the Young Tradition 'Galleries'(Transatlantic, still available I think). I always thought his anglo style to be good for song accompaniment, I was always enthralled! As for the Rev Ken..... As a youngish dancer I was 'in charge' of him at a Ring Meeting, cape, pipe, bargees cap, pewter tankard and all! Oh and of course 'the very concertina' that WK had been given by the Ding-Dong society (EFDSS for those of you in the States etc.) He and Maurice Sutherland. A daunting prospect for all but the stout hearted. Misserable pair, as I recall. Chris

No, we never could find a dance to Star Wars. We used quite a number of other tunes not collected by Cecil Sharp (Teddy Bears Picnic for instance) but Star Wars always eluded us. Chris

Morris originally (?) started with pipe and tabor, then fiddles took over, now it's mostly melodeons and accordions. I know of a few good anglo morris players, such as John Watcham, and even a few ec players, like myself (though I gave up the whole morris scene some years ago). The main point is rhythm. Keep the pulse and you can do anything you want! Listen to the vintage players (like William Kimber, he payed in octaves sometimes) or even fiddlers like Jinky Wells, and you will wee what I mean. The beat is all that matters for the dancing. If you play a few wrong 'uns just call it jazz! Chris

I was watching 'Moby Dick' last night (DVD free with The Times) and in the sequence in the tavern is Alf Edwards, I think, playing concertina! I don't know if this has come up before but his 'tina looks a bit more recent than 1841 (when it is set). On the ship the shantyman is A L Lloyd. I've never noticed them before. Did Alf or Bert star in many Hollywood blockbusters or is this their only celluloid appearance? Chris

Frogs and concertinas? Never! What do the French know of these things. (Though I did find one in a music shop in Paris once, but noone could play it except me). Chris

If this is an octagonal, 48 key, semi-professional English then it could be worth quite a lot. My one is quite the equal of any Lachenal or Wheatstone I have ever owned or even tried. I paid £90 for it in about 1970, a beautiful 'tina that would be very difficult to replace. Whilst they were making it for me I was impatient to get on so I bought a little 12 sided Edeophone with glass keys for £70, just to be going on with! I also traded in my Jeffries anglo (bought for £7 in Peckham, I never could master the pull push variety!) to offset the cost. Those were the days! Chris

I would not dream of going on holiday without my little Crabb, despite the protestations from the family. I was once filmed, in a Service Station in France, playing Dennis Murphy's Polka by Franch TV. It went out as part of a road safety campaign! Chris

There are plenty of recordings out there. Try any of Aistair Anderson/High Level Ranters recordings for a start. Alf Edwards appeared regularly on A L Lloyd's recordings. Two of my favourites are Lea Nicholson 'The Concertina Record' (and his 'Horsemusic' if you can find it) and Dave Townsend's 'Portrait of a Concertina' on Saydisc. I think Lea Nicholson has his own website (jamring.com). If you want something a bit more highbrow (?) try the two Bridge recordings of music by Regondi, the great 19th century virtuoso, played by Douglas Rogers. That's a start, though you may have to get some of them on vinyl and transfer them onto CD! Chris