SIMON GABRIELOW

That was great. I thought it reminded me very much of Medieval music where they had those lively dances with all kinds of instruments attached, and tambourine kiInd of rhythm beat within it.😊🌝

You can make all kinds of effects with Anglo concertina; arpeggio type chords by spreading out the notes on buttons, and staccatto, super fast "trills"..and numerous other effects, a bit difficult to explain how the 'effects' are made it something you find out by practical experience. Those deeper notes below the B left side are really worth using, as there are some very deep notes that can reinforce a tune and add a great deal of strength to a performance. I am referring to 30 button in my description here.

Hee hee.. don't look or copy my own way of barely holding concertina ( it's been noticed as rather unusual)! All hand inside strap; but I have always done it that way and no I am not changing method now😊😊! 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

Thanks for that cheerful rendition, Al, I never expected you to make a video and done so quickly. And a melody single note example for everyone to take 'note' of for sure🌝🌝

Welcome to the world of free reed ( concertinas). You have picked as instrument a very special type musical device, with so much to offer; and once you start learning you will probably become well addicted to the instrument, which is so often the case with many who try it out for first time. There's loads of button choices from 10 buttons, 20,30, and well above this in Anglo types. I started on a 20 button basic GDR made Anglo, and it got me going years ago. Then went up to 30 button Later on, and still use that same one some 24 years later! 20 keys does not have to limit you too much, for starting out, and there's an excellent player of 20 key concertina here on c.net itself who makes her own 20 button concertina sound like a complete orchestra in its own right. But you will have to make sure ( if you read: music on the page) that it will fit the range of it; many are in C and G major, on the two rows but that can vary. My own 30 key one has that extra row of buttons which provides some sharps or flats to fill in where needed and makes a huge amount of music to play on it possible; hundreds upon hundreds of music can be accommodated in 30 button variety. ( I have collected hundreds over decades now). I cannot say which make is best ( my own was Hohner branded) but made in Italy by a company that closed several years ago. It has since being restarted by two lovely ladies over there, and they make quite variety of types and price ranges. One of our c.net people popped a video on here a while back where he visited the concertina Italia to see how they made the concertinas. You may want an antique one, or one of the other well trusted makes, which ever you do choose I am sure people on here ( c.net) will be only too pleased to give you their own recommendations or advice.

I think that if you hear one single instrument played in a setting where there is a nice echo or depth to carry the sound, like maybe hall or a church, as example, it seems to require a very focussed way of listening for any audience, because you have all those spaces between the notes, rests, that become more apparent, and it has the quality of one of those anient chants, from a distant time; unsupported except by its own moment of being played by a musician.

Thre's many solo instruments which, on their own, play a single melody or single notes only. Clarinet, Oboe, saxophone, flute, recorder tin whistle and so on.. And we are lucky with free reed family of instruments that we can play chords also ( just as one performer).. I write a lot of music on single line only mainly because it is not always used ( in classical context at least) as often as it could be. The sound of single line melody is something that makes you really listen in a different way; it is ( to look at on a page)..apparently bare and unadorned ( like twigs in a winter scene perhaps)..yet it has everything possible within its seemingly straightforward appearance. I always think presented with say a melodic line on page or screen gives so much possibility to go even more your own way of expressing the music in those symbols on the page; not forgetting the harmony has it's important place too. But with the single line on its own, it is like a pencil drawing which still carries depth and tonal value within that apparent symbolic language. The single line melody has so much still to offer

I was surprised how much strength playing a Chalumeau takes; more than for a recorder.. you really have to blow in a different way with the teeth being important and tongue.. a good work out for the lungs indeed! And really a very reedy ( almost ancient) voice like tone ... So I find it compliments the metal reeds of concertina quite well.

I like the mixture of your instruments you also play; tin whistle and Ocarina, it's interesting how differently you have to work on playing technique, with other instruments too. I have recently also begun playing a Chalumeau ( early forerunner to clarinet it is wooden without key extensions)..and find it fascinating to have to adapt to other stuff also.; And nice to hear music played on concertina also adapted for that instrument.

I did NOT intend on offending anyone. .and feel the world is currently too full of misunderstanding as it is to add to the pot of stirring anger. And I do not mean to falsely give advice to others who are experienced, indeed my belief is to always encourage and give positive comments in art forms, as I have taught in adult education myself, I like to give friendly thoughts out, not negative. Sometimes words alone can be misread, because in text we can only read the tone of voice in our own individual way, however it is good to debate subjects and thoughts, and that is surely a good thing overall, even if there is not always a mutual understanding between viewpoints typed in.

Every day a heart beats we are not aware of it pattering away; because it happens automatically; because inside there is a natural beating rhythm in all nature. And if you trust in that in built intuition, which is there in most people, eventually you will find your way to the melody of life itself.🌝🌝🌝 ( Said with gentle humour not meant to be taken absolutely seriously?)

I would say that if you do use a metronome now .. in the future try to do without it as much as you can, and trust upon your own sense of rhythm and pace. Because it could make everything too mechanical and regulated and tendancy to make music lack the interpretation that comes through slightly slowing and changing tempo during a performance. That moment in a tune when you slow very slightly or pause upon a particular note and then maybe build up again ..

Yes, I lalready ink my own videos, and to my you tube station I already have. And maybe using link address only in text..(: not image also) may reduce capacity? I recently linked video to my own art website pages because it took a lot of large video off that particular site as another example..and gave me more space back as result.

I have just popped a video on [3 November] and no problems from me [as far as I am aware] in getting the videos on here yet.

A sensuous happy skipping melody [illustrated]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtnbnMvk83E

I think with concertinas being one of the few deliberately invented instruments; that were made as a newer idea ( related to early free reed ones acknowledged)..at some point the inventer or first ever musicians have to decide how they are played, what method, best way and approach, and that becomes adopted over time. This established technique does not mean that you cannot still develop your own way of playing, or adapting if it suits individual need. I know I have what is considerd an odd way of barely holding my concertina, with hands through strap, but that works for me ( as much as it may annoy the purists).. Once you have learned the basics, then you will develop your own approach to improving or playing; so do not let the good basic hints read in established books make you feel that you will not be able to soon adapt gradually to method that suits you best.

Oooh how delightful a trip to York..nowadays it's so busy and packed with visitors, traffic, and noise; I will suggest another variant: "Fleeing the York mob ".. 😊

Thanks for that as it is a nice title( at least.. for someone from the heart of Yorkshire like myself).🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝

It's often the case that you do not have to practice a skill constantly, to the point of 'near exhaustion'.. to keep the ability in your system. Often, I have found at least, the learning is still continued in the mind long after you complete a physical session of practice. And that bit of learned know how will suddenly 'come back' into your next sessions, and down into the hands and fingers; because it is there within.

What a lovely rich tone of sound 🌝

A lot of tension in wrists can often be caused by being anxious or nervous over playing technique. Concertinas should not be overly heavy that they cause you a problem. Try relax your arms more, or rest is good also, to take breaks inbetween practice is important too. My own technique is so much of its own way I can only say it works solely for myself; but I barely hold the thing as it is with whole hands loosely inside straps ( not the done method overall) but never had aching arms through playing in many years of use in playing..🌝🌝 My own method maybe best not copied😊😊

Do not be out off if you maybe progress slower than you would have hoped on the instrument; there again you may prove to be a quick learner. I started on a 20;button ( GDR) concertina ( Anglo).. and it started me off in many musical things over the years I had it. Later I got my 30 button Anglo ( which I still play today).. but you can find a lot of music to fit the range of 20 button, if you want to play from music sheets; many may need to be transposed to fit range of it, depending on which keys it is in. ( Many are in C and G.. but not all.) I used and occasionally still do a very simple tablature system, which numbers each button, with a mark for when bellows pulled out. Don't worry about all this technical talk, too early, get trying out instrument and make sound with it, see how you use the bellows, and all the notes it makes. And when you begin to advance, try and use all button range of notes to become familiar with many rather than picking only a few. I find little finger does come in, particularly for the higher notes, for right hand particularly. I would say try to become use to using all your available fingers, not just two or three. Anglo makes two notes on each button ( one note in .. another with bellows pulled out)... Now get going with learning that concertina.🌝🌝🌝

That's one of the funniest thing I have heard of! A musical teapot!😊 How eccentric and .... 😊😊 Presumably it is in the key of T( Eeeee) flat?😊

I think a good teacher will, or should, enthuse students in learning a new skill. [in any subject] My late mother was sent for piano lessons - but never bothered attending [ instead preferring to go and buy and eat an ice-cream in York [UK] before returning home. Her mother did eventually catch on. The point is here maybe a good teacher would have encouraged learning. It need not be too structured, but made interesting, with time [ in musical things in my experience] where you can 'let go' and just improvise or 'play about' to get to know your instrument, and then do some academic stuff when required.

A lovely tiny and cheerful short piece. And may I say Dick - you do look so young for your age [ I am assuming that's you in the photo included with that music?!!😄]