mandojoe

This may be a case of "imprinting": The first concertina videos I listened to on Youtube were of Soloduet on his Wicki Hayden concertina. That particular sound has embedded in my brain as the ideal. I realize that what I hear is partially a product of soloduet's wonderful performance strengths and of the microphones he uses, sound processing, etc. Still, I have to ask, what is that concertina make and specs? Thanks for any help you can provide.

This may be a naive question, but duet tutors are rare enough that I have to ask: How dependent would this tutor be on the specific layout of the Wicki/Hayden Duet? Are duet concertina performance issues similar enough from one duet layout to another that this tutor would be relevant for a Maccann?

A melophone?!?!? Goodness! Tuned in fifths (like my mandolin) and it even has a scrolled headstock. I must have one!

Ran across this just now and thought I'd share my chuckles:

Lovely sound, a bit mellower than bandoneón. How I admire the intimate control regardless of whichever instrument is in your hands! Am I correct understanding that, unlike a bandoneón, the buttons are not diatonic?

Thanks, Stephen Chambers. Up close and personal, I can see that the questionable number is definitely a "0". So that places this at the beginning of 1923. This will be a fun little instrument to get acquainted with. Thanks, again. Joe Bartl

Recently purchased from the Buy & Sell Forum a Lachenal 35 button Crane Duet. This was restored by Greg Jowaisas some time ago and seems to be in good shape but for a bellows leak of some kind (it drifts open if held up by one end). In any case, I'm wondering about its age and hope someone on this thread will enlighten me. The serial number would appear to be something like 4066 (can that be right?) Thanks for any light you can shed on this. -- Joe Bartl

Exquisite! (as I've come to expect with RS at the buttons).

Trying to play a couple of soloduet's arrangements but I am using a 67 button Maccann duet whose lowest note is the bottom of the bass clef. I know that an 81 button duet will dip below the bass clef. Are there other concertinas (other than bass concertinas) that go as low as the C below the bass clef? Thanks for your help.

If you'd be kind enough to post the score, I'd very much like to give this something more than a try. I have to say, soloduet, that in addition to your masterful musicianship, I've admired the sound of your particular instrument from the moment I first heard you play Roslin Castle ... and this sound played no small part in getting me to dive into the concertina realm.

I've been learning concertina on a 67-button MacCann duet for a couple of months. The most frustrating thing for me right now is knowing where my fingers are in relation to the buttons. Everything is fine when I start out, but the minute things get complicated or I lose my place, suddenly my fingers are lost and desperately groping and stabbing to find the right button. On the piano, it only takes a glance at the keyboard and all is well. With buttons facing away on both sides of the instrument, I'm at sea. To imitate Jody Kruskal's juxtapositions for a moment: This turns into Any suggestions you might offer would be gratefully received!

SEMPER Dowland, indeed! Thanks.

Ah, ha! Finally, the punch line!

I couldn't agree more! Thanks for taking the time to write this out.

Everything about the sound of this is perfect: your playing, the rich tone of the instrument, the acoustics, and the tune itself precisely geared to take advantage of all the preceding. For me, this is the ideal sound. Not sure that I'll ever have the instrument or the ability to sound like this ... but it is something to strive for. Thanks.