Trotsky

Bruce - thanks for taking the time to reply. I think I will go with your 'typical solution' for now and just play them as two eight notes - I don't think I pull the other one off yet.

Hi everyone – I am returning to play the concertina after a substantial break due to the development of a rather nasty arthritic condition. Anyway, fingers are better at the moment and so… I have been trying to master the hornpipe ‘Rights of Man’. Apart from being a quite rusty I have managed to get part A down but I am stuck on a phrase in part B. In the version, that I am learning (from the Tuneworks site) there is a set of triplets in the third from last bar. They are top BAG AGF#. I am having difficulty in working out how to play this sequence smoothly – any recommendations or suggestions? I have a 30 button Marcus Anglo C/G with a Wheatstone/Lachenal layout.

Hi Ceilidh Jock, I too have had to change instruments due to arthritis, mainly my fingers, wrists and shoulders. I used to play Banjo, but when I could play that no longer I decided to change to a whole different instrument. I started with a 20 button Horner, which was a very challenging instrument to play, at times I nearly gave up. The Horner eventually self-destructed and so I got a second-hand 30 button Stagi, a great improvement, a good 'budget' instrument to learn on. ('budget' seems an odd term in the concertina world as the Stagi comes in around £450!). I have recently brought a Marcus C/G (I posted about it somewhere else), for me is was a choice between a Morse or Marcus, to be honest I would have been just as happy with either but like Woody I prefered the sound of the Marcus. I have never played the Rochelle but it seems to get universal good reviews here and with the trade in system at CC looks a really good deal. The advice seems to be always get the best instrument you can, and I have to admit my Marcus is a lot easier to play than the Stagi as well as sounds better. In terms of my arthritis the 'lightness' of the action on the mid-range (£1000-1500) definately allows me to play longer. Another option for you maybe is the Sherwood that Hobgoblin sell, just under a grand and sounds and plays real nice - there is an arts council programme running that will allow you get one of those with 12 months interest free credit. All in all the Rochelle sounds the best option.

Mikefule posted in another discussion, 'I have a Marcus too. Does yours have the thin layer of sound-deadening sponge behind the metal end? I removed it from mine and the box now sounds brighter and feels more responsive.' I have tried this and found it makes quite a difference to the response of the box. Have any other owners tried this? Why is the material there in the first place? Any reasons why I should not remove it (I can always put it back in)?

Thanks for the replies everyone. I guess I have not the 'keyboard-position/bellows-direction/tone-produced matrix in my head' yet and this is causing my mental triedness - but I will keep perserving until I get there. 'A few passes through a tune in one session is enough for brain overload, then I move on, either to try something else new, or to play something I already know.' this looks like good advice - I think I try too long on a new tune at each session. 'I have a Marcus too. Does yours have the thin layer of sound-deadening sponge behind the metal end? I removed it from mine and the box now sounds brighter and feels more responsive.' Great advice, i was laready pleased with the 'tina now it is even better! 'I am using my brain in a whole new way' - this I think is my real problem but will improve with practice.

I love my new Marcus – playing every minute I get. My wife is learning the fiddle and between us we can now murder a few songs. My wife is naturally more musical then me but is finding teacher herself the fiddle quite tough. My son plays quite a few instruments and seems to pick up tunes after a few runs through, he is definitely the musical one in the family. I am without doubt the weak link in the family band. So sort of interested who out there is in the inspired camp when learning a new tune and who is the perspiring camp? My playing is definitely improving bit by bit, the new Marcus has made a great difference, but after a practice session I am still mentally tired out! I have a pretty stressful job working with children with behavioural problems, and I find playing a totally absorbing experience, just wish playing was easier on my grey matter!

Hi Phil it does say 'Ty' on the endplate. On the other end it says 402.

A cautionary concertina tale on how I ended up with a new instrument. It all started because my wife, Sarah, and I had a day off last Friday. I sort of suggested why we don’t go down to the Music Room just to have a look. Sarah in a moment of weakness agreed. On Thursday evening my wife was becoming a little suspicious about my intentions, she had become aware I had spent a ‘long’ time on the computer looking up peoples opinions on various concertinas. I promised we would have a nice lunch out tomorrow. We live near Driffield in East Yorkshire so the drive is about an hour and a half. We set off Friday morning and arrived at the Music Room just before lunchtime. Nice shop, lots of stock and friendly staff. Three anglo concertinas caught my eye, a Lachenal, a Morse Ceili and a Marcus deluxe. The shop is well laid out and in a quiet corner I was given as long as I liked to try the instruments. I had my trusty Stagi with me to compare. Not being a very proficient player and not having played ‘out’ before I was a little hesitant, but in the friendly surroundings I soon relaxed and played each instrument for a considerable time. The Lachenal was the only instrument with concertina reeds. I had never played a concertina reeded instrument before and the sound and feel is very different from my Stagi. The action was very good and the bone buttons felt nice. This instrument was really a little out of my price range but I was tempted, it would be nice to own a little piece of history. Next I tried the Morse, Wow! This was so light and so fast! The action was incredible; it was like the buttons were not really there. Within a few minutes I was playing at a speed I had never achieved before. The sound was very distinctive too – it sort of growls at you! A really beautiful machine. Thirdly I tried the Marcus. This felt so heavy after the Morse, but it is not really heavy at all. The action felt so different from the Morse, button travel was a lot less and resistance a little more, not so much that you would really notice unless you had just been playing the Morse. The sound of the Marcus was beautiful; it sort of had a singing, ringing sound that was so bright. I then tried my Stagi again to compare – but there was not really any going back – the Stagi although I still think is a fine instrument felt soggy and dull after playing the other concertinas. At this point Sarah saw the writing on the wall, and after a further promise to buy her a nice lunch agreed that I could buy a new concertina. I had ruled out the Lachenal, although a lovely instrument I actually think I prefer the sound of accordion reeded instrument, well at least until I can afford a Jefferies. I kept switching between the Morse and Marcus. Both were great instrument and I would not have been disappointed with either. The action on the Morse was outstanding, and the sound of Marcus was beautiful. They were both about the same price, and my wife liked the sound and look of the Morse a little more than the Marcus. A really difficult decision! After quite a deliberation – the Marcus did it for me; I could not get over the bright, beautiful sound it made. I had also not realised that I could take away the instrument then and there, I assumed I would have to wait a while. A quick scout around the shop to buy some stuff to placate my children and I was then a proud owner of a new Marcus C/G deluxe anglo concertina. As I sit here typing this, the concertina is calling me to play it. I am sure I would have been just as happy with the Morse, but my Marcus looks and sounds beautiful. Just to end, I made my wife drive home while I sat next to here playing the Marcus, and for lunch I brought her fish and chips.

Why not just change some of the reeds you don't use to ones you will use? surely this is feasible on a 38 button - I would not know only play 20 buttons.

I am a new to the concertina - been learning a couple of months on and off. I started using Levy's book and the tablature that he uses. I was drawn to using tab as I am a banjo player and have used and created tablature over many years. I ultimately found using tablature for the concertina frustrating - having to transfer all my tunes from standard notation to tablature. although I did not know how to read music, it only took a couple of days to pick it up and learn the notes on the concertina - this has been a real boon as I can now pick up any tune book and 'have a go'. The only modification I make to standard music notation is to occasionally annotate it with a little tab when I have been working on alternative fingering for a part - this definitely helps when you don't play a song for a while and quickly want to pick it up again. I am sure tablature for the concertina has its uses but I have found a little application in learning standard notation was been well worth while.

Does anyone on this list actually own one of these concertinas? Would sure like to know what living with one is like.

Thanks Daniel

Anyone seen/played one of these? What do you think, considering the price? Do you think is is a good upgrade from a Stagi? Regards Trotsky