Rhomylly
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Posts posted by Rhomylly
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Finally, finally the small town nearest mine announced auditions for the annual 4-night country jamboree. This is THE fundraiser for the local Lion's Club. I suspect the announcement was late because there was a little oopsie at the nearby military bombing range last month and the town almost burned down. The auditions are on the 29th.
So, after consulting with Bob Tedrow, I am going to play Arkansas Traveler.
Bluegrass concertina!
Oh, and please wish me luck. It's not like I'm nervous already or anything.
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I like the buttons - they just sit under the fingers and respond instantly to the lightest touch!
I like the way the instrument breathes, you feel you are holding a small animal sometimes.
I like its compact size - so convenient!
You've encapsulated what attracts me to the instrument to a tee. Occationally when my fingers have given out, I just sit there and hold the instrument. It feels good in my hands.
Oh wow, I thought I was the only one who did that. And I thought I was the only one who thought it felt like holding a small animal sometimes.
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Frank Edgley is such a gentleman! He kindly mentioned nothing about the second repair he's done on one of his own concertinas in the last 5 years.
But I shall confess.
It was mine.
And only because when he tried to talk me through it on the phone, I completely messed it up.
And then he went out of his way to get it back to me by Christmas day.
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Probably because the starting bid on the one in the UK is way to high, especially considering the condition.
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What is harmony?
According to Fred Small, harmony is any note your neighbor isn't singing.
Have you ever wanted to quit music? Concertina?
I did quit concertina, for quite a while. I dabbled with it briefly in '93/'94, and didn't pick it up again until 2003. Now I will never quit.
Have you had formal training? Would you wish to have/not to have formal training?
I was raised by music teacher parents, who wisely didn't push me into it. I've had one basic theory class, and I wish I could have more formal training.
Was it ever that you liked a tune, wanted to learn it and it didn't work?
All the time.
Is there anything you don't like about concertinas?
Price, and availability of the "old classics."
What are the best three things you like about concertina?
Portability, novelty, sound.
What is the most influential book that you read?
The Spiral Dance.
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Thank you, Jim and Chris, I just spat water all over my keyboard!
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I would think that having your thumbs hooked over the top of the handstrap would be very restrictive (I've seen several beginners do this as it seemed to be the only way they could hold the instrument) as keeping them tensed will hinder movement of your other fingers. Certainly have the thumb outside the handstraps, but I (and most people I know) allow the thumbs to be relaxed which will allow them to play the air and drone keys easily.I play with my thumbs hooked over the top of the handstrap, where it attaches to the instrument, NOT with my thumbs in the handstrap with the rest of my fingers.Well, not tightly hooked, more like "semi-hooked, semi-resting."
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Can you give us a little more information on "the straps are uncomfortable"? Are they too tight? Too loose? If you have really small hands (like I do), the straps may need to be adjusted.
Here's how I hold my concertina: I always play sitting down, and I rest the right end in a little ways from my right knee. Some people rest the left end on their left knee. I have no idea why I do it the way I do. Either way, my hands are no longer responsible for the weight of the concertina.
Do NOT rest the bellows on your knee! It wears them out.
I'm sure other, more experienced players here will be better able to address the air button issue. All I can say is what I do. I play with my thumbs hooked over the top of the handstrap, where it attaches to the instrument, NOT with my thumbs in the handstrap with the rest of my fingers.
Hope this helps some, and welcome to C-Net!
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OOO, I particularly like that pro/con formal training question!
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Morgana, these are FABULOUS!!!! Please let us know when you update with new ones.
You make the "big names" much more like the rest of us!
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I seem to be very stupid because I cannot find it.
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Any chance I could hear this? It sounds like just the thing I need to get me over a very large single-melody-line-playing-only hump.
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Yup! that's the place!
Last concertina I saw there actually worked pretty well. But that was a few years ago.
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Oh, HMT is a very friendly store! My favorite store anywhere (since I have never personally set foot in either Andy's Front Hall or the Button Box)(yet)! And once you have a concertina of some kind, there is a wealth of information and support to be found therein.
But, as Bill pointed out, their concertinas, at least the anglos, tend to be cheaply-made ones. You'd get a better deal on ebay with the red, white, or blue ones, in my opinion.
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that is being considered.
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would it help to offer to buy the Stagi instead? I'm kicking myself for selling my back-up instrument this summer
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Problem with House of Musical Traditions is they are expeeeeeensive. Expect to pay multiple hundreds for a cheapie piece of Chinese crap when you could get a cheapie Hohner (one and a half steps up from total crap) for $225.
There is (or was) a used instrument store right off Charles Street in downtown Baltimore (on the same cross street as the south side of the Walters Art Gallery) that caters to the students at Peabody. They sometimes have concertinas for rent/for sale. I distinctly remember renting one as a stage prop back in my Towson University tech theater days. It won't be anything fabulous, but it's bound to be cheaper than HMT.
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Oh, I thought Robin meant REEDiculous, as in "crazy concertina gig"!!
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You're forgiven
And I only have to wait a few more hours until after supper tonight...
I have found a way to exact revenge!!! He is going to be trapped in a car with me for 11 hours on Friday, 5 on Monday, and 11 more on Wednesday, all due to holiday travel.
There is a CD player in the car.
bwaaahahahahaa
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Is anyone else having problems accessing Mary MacNamara's website? The link on the music page here doesn't work, and typing it in my address bar really doesn't work.
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I have a 2-row, 24-button, black finish, silver ends. I am particularly fond of that "classic" look, though. I love every inch of it.
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My straps are also loose, and I always sit down when I play, resting the right frame on my right knee. I then grip the top of the wrist straps like mad with my respective thumbs and have at it!
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SSSSSSHHHHH! He doesn't know it's the 22nd! (we tend to go by the date calendar, not the astrological calendar)
Run About, Scream And Shout
in General Concertina Discussion
Posted
Huh. Hadn't thought of Golden Slippers.
Thanks Jim!