SIMON GABRIELOW

The concertina I had least teething problems with was my first one ... A 20 key Anglo; one of those made in GDR ( in 1980s)! It had buttons on lever mechanism with rubber like washers...! Very simply made inside but it kept working .. that is until.i went up to my 30 button later on, ( as for 20 button one)..then Curiosity made me open it up to see how it was made ( so long since passed on)🌝 My current one has tendancy to cause little problems here and there, but nothing too much that I cannot adjust myself.

Even dream machines can have 'teething' problems when you are new to using them. I hope and am sure other here will also hope you soon get back to your new found novelty🌝. It is also good to learn to find the notes and adapt them to your own way ( I think anyway).. as that is something I had to do years back when I first started having to go through the process myself.

I do not know about English system practically speaking.. but on Anglo the way bellows are pressed can affect the intonation of note sound quite effectively. Jerking bellows can make a quivering, or staccatto effect, and a sort of increase in volume can be made by pressing lightly on bellows..and then increasing pressure slightly to 'swell"' out the sound. Possibly similar for english!? I would imagine it is?

What a jolly tune and although the 'midi' electronic version here was useful to hear tune; it was a little robotic and I am sure best played by a living person!😄

That is virtually identical to my own (Hohner branded) type; sane face plate, also. Mahogany veneered and the brown real leather bellows!🌝 Maybe they are relatives ( brothers etc😊... Bought mine back in 1999 .. but would have been from existing stock earlier than that

Envious of Chalumeau? Well, it is not a concertina, but has a reed of its own, and is very simply made of wood, ( keyless variety)..and that's all there is to it ( rest is up to you)! And when you first start playing one .. it takes a lot of breathe to make it play notes! Whereas concertina bellows do that job for you of course!🌝🌝

Welcome, I think you picked the right forum ( in my opinion). I started on here a little while back and have not regretted it ( I also have my late father's button accordion as well as concertina, and lately a Chalumeau).. so there is a mix of folk on here. All different backgrounds, views, and character ( as you will find out)😊😊

I was wondering if sometimes the reeds would be tuned to different note; if diatonic instrument were to be used ( one note in other out)?

Yes, there can be a lot of twiddle on those sites. The You tube ..has also had reputation for eg. Our Aunty Fran's cat playing with Percy parrot type silly things! But there again you can make them interesting too; as many here link videos to c.net from tube channels, which I suppose is better.

At last you have found your much awaited 'tedrow'... Enjoy it and learning all the ins and outs of musical things🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝

It reminds me of all those fingering rules for piano playing often recommended. Years ago, my late Mother always told me tale of her been expected to go for piano lessons, even though she knew she had little facility for it ( she was a visual artist as her skill).. so she was out off by method. However she did remember her five finger technique, to a degree. But by admission had little interest in playing piano. She would have instead liked a flute, she always tdld me. Incidentally, she rarely attended her piano lessons, instead opting to buy an ice cream and before returning home!😊😊

I am known for barely holding my concertina in my own unusual method😊...whole hands inside the straps. ( What a rebel I am!,).. So it could even be possible to use the thumb to reach notes also..! Which I do not do as it is like being contortionist.

On a serious point .. English system is different to Anglo, so be aware of this fact, and I would choose one system that you feel most comfortable with, and then stick with it. Anglos have two notes on one button remember ( one in on bellows and another when bellows out). English has one note in or out ( two reeds tuned to same note). I am NOT an English concertina player, but thought you should be aware of switching from one to other, as it could be confusing your learning at this early stage. I hope the postman realised this as he did a jig round and about the post office too😊😃

Your post office is probably having a musical event with your concertina?maybe they always wanted to play one themselves!!😊😊😊

Oooh what a carry on, that is for melodeon ( I have one of those accordion ones ) and maybe you can use numbering in a slightly different way. But concertina book I started on simply gave numbers 1 to 5 for each side .. the numbers above being for right hand, whilst numbers below stave, for right hand. I think too much technical detail on page can be discouraging and inhibit learning process.

I think that with concertinas developing between musical periods of history; they came after most classical instruments were well formed and had their methodical academic technique already put in as gospel.. then concertinas were left to be developed and discovered more by practical discovery, in a wide variety of social settings too, and each person had made their own way of playing them That is their advantage over the rigid 'you must do it.. can't do it that way'. Approach that maybe keyboard or other instruments maybe encourage more; free reeds are almost literally that, in that you are "free" also to make up your own rules as you see fit!🌝

I do not know how heavy or light the other makes are . But my instrument is more than light enough to hold easily in just one hand! And I am never aware of it being an issue. As for cheap, and beginners, I also believe that you can get a lot with a little less sometimes🌝 As I said recently elsewhere ..you can create a masterpiece with but a pencil if need be ( and do not need a full set of paints)🌝🌝

When I started I used a basic tablature as you described; numbers according to button position, and mark to indicate in or out of bellows, and then numbers below stave for left side and above stave means right hand keyboard side to be used. But really I concentrated on using most available fingers, including little fingers to reach higher notes. But, I do not think there is one way of doing this, and it may vary from person to person, as to what is best for individual's hands, at that moment. With Anglo I think you have even more fingers available to reach notes ( traditionally) .. certainly, I would say that using all fingers is good practice and not to use only two or three, because more advanced pieces often require some dexterity and complex finger twisters to reach successfully!😊

I watched the video described here, which I think was made by one of the c.net people? And found it very interesting. It seems two delightful ladies have bought most of the equipment from the old manufacturer, and are now producing the concertinas🌝 I do not know myself how they are to say; but all I can say it was lovely setting in Italy! I have my one and only Hohner branded Anglo 30 key instrument, which I bought in 1999 ( in UK).. and later on found it was made in Italy by the Brunner Musica ( now no longer trading) and possibly Stagi. I have been happy with my instrument, and it has done me well over two decades, you can get teething problems .. but once overcome I find ( personally) the steel reed strong tone very pleasing. But there again I have only ever used this concertina of mine🌝. Steel reeds, resin plastic buttons, reeds mounted on wooden blocks,with felt valve flap thingies . The plastic is small traditional size buttons and 'plastic' I use generally in term ( as i see no reason not to use it myself ( my own thoughts) How they are now I do not know.. but best of luck with your decision. You can hear my own Hohner (Stagi made) on my YouTube channel to get idea of sound and action; type in my name (Simon Gabrielow ,) and go to videos to see?🌝🌝 Note; I am NOT a paid brand ambassador for the company😊😊

You should play music as you feel is best for your own style; as you have here, and it will then be your own personality which comes out, that's the best way, I think.🌝

Kathryn, have you ever tried playing the Chalumeau? One in C, without keys? Because this also makes the player have to use limited resources ( 1 chromatic octave).. I have taken to this kind of instrument just this year and it compliments the sound of concertinas, I think, with its single reed, and sound quality🌝

A very jaunty tune indeed! Very pixey like; I can well imagine them dancing around a garden creating in a swirl, a 'fairy ring'.. on the ground...😊

I think that if your write a good tune [ with a bit of rhythm to it] - or a nice melody that gets your own feet tapping then you know you may be well on the way to a success [even if you did write it yourself] sometimes they seem to almost 'write themselves'.. Although I haven't as yet found anyone to dance my "Dance the Gannet" tune 😊 [ maybe the birds will do it instead?}.

Yes, it's the case😊 I think you may notice this original thread topic is over 15 years old! So maybe the images are long gone ? Dated from 2008 ( was back yester year!)😊

I would not think it really matters what key instrument is in as long as you have a chromatic choice of notes you can play in multiple different keys(as that is what those additional notes on rows are for).