Cogsey

Hi from Dublin I'm looking for some advice - this may have been covered in previous threads - if so, point me in the right direction and I'll be on my way! If not - please help. I'm an avid composer and handy concertina player with little technical expertise and I want to be able to play the concertina, record the music and listen/copy it onto a cd for playing in the car etc so that I can keep working on the piece of music and keep thinking about it. I can't read music so many of the compositions are spontaneous that I then knead into shape. Hope this isn't confusing. So what I'm looking for is someone to tell me one of the following: 1. How to get the music from minidisc onto the laptop. I have a sony minidisc but it wont let me take the music onto the laptop even though the laptop has a program for it. 2. Maybe there's a better way of doing it. Obviously I want a reasonably good sound quality so microphone advice would also help. I may need some hardware and software - if you can be specific and indicate price and indicate how the hardware(s) and software(s) interact and maybe even where I could get them online or in Ireland, I'd be very very grateful. I don't mind spending a bit of money on this but I'll try and keep it under a few hundred euro. Hopefully I'll be able to express my gratitude by putting some of my compositions on the concertina.net! Thanks in advance Ciaran O'Grady Dublin

Johan, Can't wait to hear these tunes - at work though so it'll have to wait. kind regards Ciaran Dublin

What a beauty. Congratulations. Must ring Colin and see if he's getting nearer to mine!! How's the tone? Ciaran O'Grady Dublin

I hope I'm replying/posting in the correct section - a bit new to this so apologies. I find it fascinating that there is a discussion as particular as styles of ornamentation - be they rolls, triplets (two finger triplets, three finger triplets) double stops etc etc. It's very interesting. Ornamentation is a very personal thing and I don't think agreement will ever be reached on what is correct or perhaps better. I use a variety to suit the style(s) that I play whether that be traditional Irish or contemporary Irish music. I also think it can depend on the type of tune being played and the accuracy/ability of the player to execute the ornament. I was just curious - do many people alter the roll depending on the key they're playing in - for instance tunes in G - G A G F# G, tunes in C - maybe G C G E G? I often slot in a grace note(s) (cut) from the right hand side to strenghten the roll. there's also the option of changing bellow direction to make the ornament sound choppy. The options are endless. Ciaran O'Grady Dublin

Hello everyone, it's been a long time since I posted on this site - (had to re-register!) Hope to make regular contributions but I thought I'd add my thoughts to this thread on Colin and Rosalie Dipper firstly. I've known them since I was 8 when my parents drove me and my concertina down from Luton to Heytesbury to get a few bits done to my Jeffries. Didn't realise at the time how lucky I was to have a Jeffries but that's an aside. My concertina went in the front door like a beaten up Ford and emerged like a Ferrari. I can still remember the journey home and Mum and Dad discussing how "cheap it was." The most fascinating thing of all was the workshop - it was an Aladin's cave of concertina paraphernalia. Amazing. I've made semi-regular visits to the Dippers over the last 20 years and have a Dipper Concertina on order. Over that time, they've always been exceedingly kind, generous and enthusiastic. Surely there must be another Dipper family in Heytesbury that Oddball speaks of - because it couldn't possibly be the Colin and Rosalie that I know. My name went on the waiting list some 10 years ago but I'd never really stated what I wanted and there were a few years in college that I just didn't have the money anyway. I'm not sure when it will be ready but I'm more than happy to wait - I'm hoping it will be this year. Even if it's another 10 years it will be worth it. As for that OddBall Character - I do/n't think he/she deserves a Dipper Concertina because it would never really be loved/appreciated would it? Good health and prosperity to the Dippers. If we are all half as decent as them, then we are fine people indeed. All the best Ciaran O'Grady (Dublin)