Clive Thorne

And in some cases you will have the identical chord, or an inversion, in both directions.

Robin, I'm sure you'll be just fine - as long as you don't stop breathing when you stop playing!

Bit of an update: I swapped the Eb reed assembly with a C# (below the Eb) reed assembly (same sized shoe) and the problem moved with the reed assembly. So to me that suggests the reed height setting, or a leak associated with the assembly (distorted shoe, reed clearance) rather than a leaky chamber or valve. Also looking through the reeds the Eb does seem to have a significantly bigger gap around it than the C#, but, as per Dana's thoughts, I am reluctant to move and re tune the reed if it can be avoided. Is it possible to buy a suitable replacement reed & shoe assembly from someone. The main problem I see with that is that there are so many variables: As above, the C# shoe was very close in size & fit to the Eb, yet the E shoe (a semitone up) was significanly smaller than either. It all seems a bit random. Could I buy an Eb reed/shoe assembly and then file the shoe to fit? Would this need to be a Jeffries reed/would I notice the difference if it wasn't? Who might sell me one? Thanks again all.

Thanks all for your thoughts ideas. Theo, setting the height has been a lot of trial & error, but it may be worth revisiting before I get more drastic. The airiness is while its speaking, so suggests a leak, but if I block off the Eb reed by putting a slither of paper under the reed shoe before I fit it then there is no sign of a leak. Hence my thought that it's a leak of air through the reed/shoe gap. I guess it could be round the edges of the shoe and the reed plate, but it seems a pretty tight fit. I may have another go at the reed height setting before I go any further. Thanks again all.

Same here. I guess that darwinism eventually "filters out" those peole who do not overcome it!

Hi all, I have a C.Jeffries 36 Key Anglo, on which the first button on the right hand C row is a high Eb on the draw, and the F# almost an octave below it on the push. The problem I have is that the Eb has always been very "airy". I am slowly getting more adventurous in my playing so am using it more often, so it's time to address it. I've checked for leaks to the best of my ability - If I block the aperture in the reed plate then there is no noticable leakage - but the problem remains. Also the F# on the push sound just fine. I've tuned reeds, and set the hieghts before, but never done anything that involved moving the reed in the shoe, which is what I'm now considering, to try to make it a better fit in the shoe. Any gems of wisdoms from the great and good of C.Net on what the problem might be, or hints on moving the reed? Is it always going to be a problem with the pull and push being almost an octave apart? Would it be worth trying to reduce the chamber volume? Thanks in advance. Clive.

Ah! As they say "you learn something new every day". Thanks.

Estimated at 200-300 dollars! Shurely some mishtake (Sic)

Mike, I don't know you and didn't know Kit Owens, but I'm sorry to hear that you've lost a friend.

More details now available on his website. I've booked. https://www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk/squeezer-weekends.asp

Very sad to hear this. I have danced most of my life, but not for 5 or so years now. I hope to take it up again, probably as a musicain when I retire, so hopefiully my most recent team (Rose & Castle) will still be going when the time comes.

So the Dural(l) simply refers to the plate material, which begs the quesyion of what is the plate of a "TAM" reed made of?

Where do you hold your instrument while playing? If it's close to you lap you could try holding it higher. If you bend your elbows it should come up almost level with your face.

Fortunately (?) my standard is such that I don't have to worry about C#, F#,G# or B, in or out of tune!! Most of my playing is G or G, with the occasional foray into D (working on it), and the very occasional attempt at F.

Sorry, Terry, but I can't accept that. Maybe true of ITM players, but there's quite a few of us around that treat the anglo as a de facto duet in terms of playing style. I'm with Malcolm on this one. I love a fist full of notes on the left hand. Also, regarding the principle of how accurately you tune. I don't think anyone has mentioned the idea that the better you tune it in the first place then the further it can drift before it is audible. I.e. it should be longer before you have to tune it again! And, as has been mentioned, lower reeds tend to sound flat when played hard, so where do you tune them? You might play quietly in practice and loudly when playing out (e.g. for morris). There comes a point where you just have to accept that the instrument is not/cannot be perfect. (I do find, though, that playing the octave above at the same time can sometimes pull the lower note into pitch). Finally, on tuning the thirds naturally rather than equal tempered, am I right in thinking that this can only work for a limited range of keys (one)? - on any one instrument I mean. Clive