Jim Besser

Yes, JamKazam is improving rapidly, and we're learning to navigate its non intuitive settings. I am wondering about the maximum number of players on a JK session; my experience has been that each additional participant adds a degree of instability. Zoom sessions are nice as social gatherings but unfulfilling musically.

I've been using it for a week or so, with mostly positive results. But I am finding some odd behaviors, the strangest being this: laying down a click track and playing along, I'm getting periodic latency, generally in the middle of a tune. To test this, I created a slow click track - something like 50 BPM - and recorded just a simple scale, being very careful to be spot on with the track. Playing it back, I was on at the beginning and end, but in the middle, there was a noticeable latency. But when I record 2 tracks of music, things seem pretty much in sync. Here's something I di

Another quarantine project: learning overdubbing. Currently playing with the web-based Soundtrap, which seems to work OK, except that there is no adjustment to compensate for latency. It's not a major problem, but it's noticeable. Has anybody on c.net worked with Soundtrap and figured out how to reduce latency? Tune: Y Gelynnen, a catchy little Welsh tune. Instruments: Jeffries GD Anglo, Morse CG baritone Anglo.

With all gigs canceled well into 2021, I've been a little unfocused - impending gigs and the fear of failure are great incentives to effective practice. Partially as a response to that, I've created a decent recording setup and am using recording as a practice tool, and learning to overdub, mostly to improve my accompaniment skills. I've been doing a couple of weekly virtual sessions - on on Zoom, with great friends but frustrating because of the limitations of Zoom, one on JamKazam, which is starting to look like a usable platform for realtime jamming. Still playing an eclectic

Very cool sounding instrument and great playing! Welcome back.

I bought my Jeffries GD from Barleycorn. It was a sight-unseen purchase, and the instrument is everything I hoped for. So from my vantage point Barleycorn is an invaluable resource for the concertina community.

Principessa, by Maurizio Martinotti. Definitely plan to spend some time figuring out more things to do with it on 30 button Anglo; the version I heard was on melodeon, and I can't replicate the chording. Played on a Jeffries GD Anglo.

FOund this interesting jig on the Facebook page Tunesday Tuesdays. Played it fast, at contra dance speed, but decided it sounded better slow.

Liberty Bellows in Philadelphia is primarily an accordion dealer, and in that capacity they have an excellent reputation. As far as concertinas go, I believe they handle mostly entry level instruments - mostly Stagis. For that type of instrument, I'd be more inclined to buy from the Button Box (buttonbox.com) because they make sure these cheaper instruments are as good as possible; I do not know what Liberty does.

Peaceful coexistence between Anglo and English concertinas. Tune is Seul ce Soir, by R. Noel, J. Casanova and P. Durand Played by 2ManyButtons - Randy Stein on Wheatstone English concertina, Jim Besser on Lachenal/Dipper .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnPJwbojZPw&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3jpLboCGISHnlvf5JSdsK8QXEgl2OeQh_ZEvMf172Z-9Q4gVbwrjja-8E

A just-written hornpipe by Will Allen, an incredible melodeon player in the UK. An intriguing sound - to me it hints of an oldtime American tune. Played in A, his original key, on a 30 button Jeffries GD Anglo

Don't know about the specific model. But in general, I believe that a 30 button Stagi purchased from a dealer that makes sure they're set up properly, like the Button Box - can be a usable entry level instrument if your budget won't get you into the range of a really good hybrid, such as the Morse, the Clover, the Edgley, etc. I have one sitting here that someone gave me, almost new. It's playable. It sounds OK, not too very different from the good hybrids, and has a certain charm all its own. The bellows are stiffer and the action is slower than my good in

One thing I should add: to my ear, the difference in sound between traditional and accordion reeds is less apparent on a CG instrument, significantly more on a GD, with the lower register.

Hmmm. Hard to say. Possibly the first time my band played a ceilidh at the Kennedy Center in Washington (We've now done 3) . I should add another highlight: the first time I played at the session at The George in London, with....Alan Day.