michael sam wild

Hi pals someone asked me over the weekend if I'd given up on Conc Net.I'm Still playing and keen - just been doing up and selling two houses and buying one to 'downsize'. Anyone in UK recommend a self build shed firm or log cabin , in which to practice in the garden?! Thanks

Up for sale again currently on Buy and Sell Nice sound.

Nice sound and playing You can get a long way on a 20 button!

I enjoyed the CD Jim

PM me for his telephone and email

That's really neat I'll use it when teaching my grandkids, Thanks!

Neil gave us the presentation at the last meet of the Royal pub Concertinas group Dungworth, very stimulating, thanks Neill.for your dedication

Blast! I just sold my Jeffries and sent the money cash in an envelope.I am so gullible

I phoned too . She has had lots of phone calls today 'not what I want on a Monday morning'! Tracey is genuine but the scammer/hacker has listed loads of things on their eBay site. They were after people sending money to them .

Great to hear you have stuck at it . The key now is playing with others and making muisc together. The slow session is a real way to encourage each other. A lot of people play too fast anyway. I like playing along to Cds of older dance related musicians. You can always use the slowdowner facilities on the computer too. Nice work!

just sent PM

Sad news Dirge. Pete was a character and always very knowledgeable and helpful. We met up all over the place and he was always full of energy and interested in a whole range of things.His knowledge of portable recording devices was impressive and certainly helped me. Condolences to his family. Dirge, I was pleased when you played his favourite Nimrod Variations at the Swaledale meet in the Reeth Hall, I for one had tears in my eyes rembering the larger than life character of Peter O'Brien. He marched to the beat of his own drum! .

A very nice and easy site to navigate Thanks David. It's been a pleasure to do business with you in the past and this gave me a jog

At the excellent Swaledale Squeeze last weekend Cormac Begley mentioned Steve Cooney the Australian guitarist now resident in Ireland.( ex Stockton's Wing etc) and his pedagogic PhD project on geometric visualisation in helping youngsters learn music more intuitively. Has anyone any experience or can give me some leads. Steve Cooney is not too 'visible' on web sites. Cormac uses a lot of chords in his Anglo playing and was very helpful with which ones to use and how to introduce them into playing. Look out for any of his concerts or workshops.

Just in case people haven't seen this, here's a nice piece of historic recording from 1972. Over Half a lifetime of playing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVU3pSHQcFE

Scott Skinner maintained that Eb was a superior key for fiddle. In the 80s I thought De Danaan etc had speeded the recordings up so I got an Eb whistle to play along and learn D tunes. It pushed me along a bit !

I got it very quickly from Amazon. Well done Gary , a labour of love obviously.

I sent an article on the Miltown Malbay gathering to Concertina World no.454 April 2012. It's just out. The articles get onto the web site for the ICA. Another Cruinniu is planned for next year.

Nice to hear it's done Gary. I'll be off to Amazon!

Sounds great to hear an accomplished player with a range of genres and instruments. Let us know when the CD is out. I always like to buy a tangible recording and some sleeve notes ! Best wishes

Just sending a PM

I approach it by finding where the best chord positions are A,D,E major and 1,5 chords usually. Even for faster tunes the chords help tunes along. George Garside of melodeon.net advises people to play familiar tunes in G in the key of A which I found helpful as you go more naturally for the best positions and bellows directions Since I got my D/A anglo I find I'm playing all te time in A as it has such a great sound for fiddle and pipe tunes and you can use pull and push A chords to good effect for banjo type tunes

As you say, mainly by rearranging with a few retuned and some recycled. I think if the old players had them in D/G or D/A they'd have been delighted if they wanted to play their familiar, economic style with flute or fiddle players. Why make it hard! I use mine and the C/G as and when appropriate. A bit like I do melodeon and button accordion When I use them for singing accompaniment tey allow a fuller selection

That works fine if you have the ear and others like it. I'm sure it's what a lot of old trad players did and it can lead to good unexpected chords too. But I]'d work on single note playing too to get the melody crisp .I wondered where you'd gone !

It can't be sent. maybe you have blocked messages or your box is full. You could send me your emal address via messaging on conc net