Lester Bailey

I agree with Jim this is an enormous topic for example: Which is undoubtably true but if you just list the vastly different varieties of "Morris" you would spend many weeks just trying to define them: Cotswold North West Welsh Border Molly Long Sword Rapper And then of course there are the sub-genres of just Cotswold Morris from, say the lyrical Sherborne tunes to the briskness of Headington. I could go on, in fact I am often accused of doing just that.

I play the following set from time to time Mr & Mrs Mickey Mouse Redwing In the Toyshop You are my sunshine Nickelodeon Therefore passing from the sublime to the ridiculous ABCs available for anyone who fancies it.

The reason melodeons can't play it is because of the key change in the C music and most of the accidentals in the rest of the tune. This does not actually stop me playing it on melodeon but not to be listened too by anyone with musical taste. Edited for yet more appalling speeling

They are quite close when viewed from a distance. Plus we used to rule over there as well, in the good old days

The best bit of advice I reckon to have been given was to not put your instrumants away. An instrument that is bagged or boxed is one that you need to make a concious effort to take out and play. I keep mine on a bookcase in the main passageway in my house and quite often pick something up and have 5 minutes whan I'm passing. You will note my concertina is in its case but it's not closed.

That's Thames Valley Morris Men of Claygate Surrey England not to be confused with any upstart colonial team from the good old US of A

I have published my session tune book here. There are a total of 120ish tunes which you can get the manuscript for or listen to a midi rendition of. The manuscript and midi are generated by magic stuff at John Chamber's website JC's Tune Finder. Although its called my session tune book I must admit to some of trhe tunes being very much work in progress . Have a look see if there is anything you like. My current favorites are the two Kingfisher tunes. When you get bored with the tunes try the rest of the site for pictures of my instruments (interesting) and pictures of me (???).

Found this while stumbling round the internet. Reminded me of somewhere. Go here

I have recorded a 57 track double CD of Morris tunes which is played on melodeon (nearly a concertina) for more info go here.

Jim's and David's tunes make a nice set, but can't decide whether I want to play a Cabbage Baggage or a Baggage Cabbage.

Hey Guys I was just trying to help, I have played melodeon for 25 years and have spent the last five un-learning bad habits which is much harder than it was learning them in the first place. Special thanks to Helen, you inspired last night to get my 1 row box out which I had not played for months and had quite forgotten what a wonderful noise it makes.

Helen Congrats on the playing by ear it comes to us all with enough practise Not wishing to rain on your parade but are you playing Country Gardens in the same key as the accordion or in its "Cajun" key (ie if you have a C accordian are you playing it in G)? Just a thought,but if you are playing in the accordion's natural key (English style??) it is very hard to get a cajun feel to a tune.

Well it did for me, this is the item I used Regularily play in 3 to 4 hour sessions, admittedly not constantly but for the bulk of the time. During the summer that will include 1 1/2 hours of almost constant Morris tunes outside so loud as well. More edits for bad speeling

I deleted all this because it was just a copy of my previous post. May be I should throw the computer away and get an Anglo.

I'll let you off then. And by the way I am a melodeon player as well, so I should not be the one to throwing stones in this glass house.

Rhomylly Go and wash your mouth out I play a proper concertina an English concertina. I wish I could speel or proff read then I would not need to edit my posts quite so often.

I must admit to once tearing a melodeon in half whilst playing it, probably the best thing you can do with one though.

Jim, if you're going to make comments like that, we're going to have to insist on pictures (or video) of your exceptionally wide feet as well They of course may be exceptionally narrow

I have found that finger strength affects the speed at which I am able to play. I have used a guitarist's finger exerciser to increase the strength. After a number of weeks of usage my playing speed increased significantly. I also found my little finger was better able to cope with long playing sessions. Pre-emptive strike for Goran - No I have no scientific proof of this it is all purely subjective, and yes it may well only work for me, and I am in no way involved in the manufature, sale or benefit in any other way from the sale of such items

I must agree with you here Jim, I am always suprised by people who insist on playing the concertina sat down with one end held on a leg. To my way of thinking you deprive yourself of much scope for expression by making one end the instrument static. I am much happier with my playing when stood up when I can get the whole of my body into the activity of playing. A prime example is Alistair Anderson who seems to play with every single muscle of his body. Just my view on life, your mileage may vary. [Edited to make the quote box work properly]

Not wishing to add to your problems but if you have cajun accordion in C the chances are the tunes will be in G as most cajun is played on the "second position" on an accordion.

I don't really understand what you want but here goes. ABC will group note that have no spaces between them so if you want the tune in groups of two notes you need cA BB AG E2|DE GB AG ED|cA BB AG ED|EG Bc AG A2| cA BB AG ED|EG Bc AG ED|CD EG Ac de|dc AG A4| ec de dc AG|EG Bc dg ed|ec de dc AG|EG Bc d3 G| ge ce dB GB|cB Ac BG ED|EG Bc dg ed|ec BG A4| Excuse the folky trying to do music Nice tune by the way and I was looking for Amin tunes too.

As a fan of ABC I just note down the tune name and the first half a dozen notes or the whole tune even look here a scoll towards the bottom for an idea.

I hope I am not "Teaching my Granny to suck eggs" but the reason there are so many variants of Morris tunes is that there are some many variants of Morris dances. Just because the tune and the dance have the same name doesn't mean they will work. A good for instance is Trunkles compare the tunes frrom Wheatley and Bledington (found here thanks Jim) . Different keys different length and different number of musics. The reason they are different is the dances have different basic steps and different figures. If we reduce all dances of a particular name to using one tune we will lose all the subtle nuances of Morris (now there's a concept you don't hear about often Morris and subtle ). He plays the tunes much faster than Morris is danced now but at the speed it was played when it was collected, Morris was danced by young fit country workers then whereas now it is mostly danced by older, less fit computer progammers. I learned to danec Headington form the Art of William Kimber LP but that was 25 years ago .

Chums All went well. 4 flats ain't that hard once you work out that Db is really C#. Also observed that the folky part of the band was much more able to play by ear/busk than the classically trained who had to have dots to make it happen. Cheered me up no end. Joy, Health Love and Peace Be all here in this land.