jonnymickey

I just thought I would provide a little feedback. The problem was the hole for the felt bushing which was oval. I finally managed to source some 0.85 felt, refilled the hole and re drilled it carefully reaming it out with wet and dry glued to a drill shank. It’s not tapered but I managed the taper by eye and wiggling the drill. Refelted it and reassembled. So far everything is good so I can get back to practice! john

The left hand 10 button on my metal ended Crabb has started to fall over from time to time ie it sits off vertical to the end plate and partially depressed with the result that the reed sounds continuously due to the pad being held up. Its mostly my fault in that I tend to press that key at an angle due to the shape of my hand. Its fairly easy to wiggle it back upright which solves the problem for a day or two but I would like a more permanent solution. I can manage plenty of spurious notes all by myself without any more! Looking at it it seems to me that the only thing keeping the key vertical is the felt bushing. Am I correct? If so where can I get replacement bushes. I have David Elliott's book & it looks to be within my capabilities.

Thanks Ken - that’s exactly what I was contemplating. I am always wary of doing something irreversible to an old instrument. john

I just got launched into a favourite tune when the L/H 10 started sounding. On investigation the pivot pin had fallen out of the base board and the whole lever (pad and all) came off hence the constantly sounding reeds. I pushed the pin back in but it didn’t feel very secure. Would a drop of glue in the hole be a good idea?

Hi Lisa I can thoroughly recommend Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne. I have been doing biweekly skype lessons with him since I started and he is very knowledgeable & patient and every lesson comes up with a new tune containing a new concept to work on during the lesson and as homework. Have a look at his website. John

Can anyone help with my setup for zoom/Skype etc. The issue is this… I am currently using a cheap 2 ear headset with boom mic. I can hear my own voice and the concertina which is good. I don’t think this is backfed from the mic - I think it’s getting into my ear around the cheap ear pads. However it’s uncomfortable and I would like to upgrade to a wireless setup. I have a good pair of Bose qc35 but when I try them I can’t hear my own voice or the ‘Tina. What are my options? One ear headset? Ie one ear for the conversation and the other for the tina. do any headsets back feed the mic sound? is there a simple mixer which I can make back feed? isthere a virtual mixer to run on the pc? I would prefer not to use conventional speakers - I disturb others in the household quite enough already.

Thank you all for that. When I first started it was a lockdown project for a complete musical tyro. I expected to be playing in the Irish style. A couple of months have passed and my aspirations have changed after hearing some notable role models play and thinking ‘I wish I could play like that’ And, Kathryn, you are one of them... keep posting your work - it keeps us mere mortals going! john

As a complete beginner I also find it hard to get information on how to flesh out the melody with chords and other arrangements (see I am increasingly drawn to the ‘tuneful’ style of playing as exemplified by Jody Kruskal and others which relies on ornamentation to flesh out the melody. When I find a YouTube clip I like I have been trying to copy the arrangement so that I can play it myself. Can anybody enlighten me on the accepted etiquette re ‘borrowing’ other people’s arrangements. I understand that the melody may be copyrighted but is the arrangement copyrighted also?

I am an absolute beginner currently working my way through Gary Coovers excellent book 'Easy Anglo 123' on my 20 button. I am finding that my brain is reading the fingering notation and ignoring the notes on the stave. I worry that I am getting into bad habits particularly when I find that other sources of tunes use different or no fingering notation. I have just discovered ABC and see that as a way of keeping a collection of tunes I like and can perform but its only of use if easyABC will display gary's fingering notation. Is there a way of making it do that or is there a better app to achieve this? There are fonts available which will display notes plus the associated fingering but I cannot see a way of changing easyABC's musical note font. I am a retired IT professional trying to keep sane in these difficult times and I really find that learning the concertina is a rewarding pasttime. Thanks in anticipation of help.