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Robin Madge

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Everything posted by Robin Madge

  1. The idea of using the internet rather than a live concert gives the possibility of a band recording itself repeatedly until the desired performance is achieved. They might even splice together parts from several recordings. Would you have a class for people who can manage to multi-track themselves to create a one man band? I offer these musings as an expression of interest in what you would consider "fair play" rather than trying to quash the concept. I don't think that cheating is likely to happen, particularly if you allow for the possibilities mentioned by having special classes for them. Robin Madge
  2. He will be playing an Anglo because he's in to ITM. After all he will speak "Urse"! Robin Madge
  3. I think that it can be just as important to find out what instrument suits you rather than what instrument works well for the type of music you are setting out to play. What I mean is that the intent to play a particular style of music is not, for me, the main factor in choosing an instrument. I would suggest trying different instruments as it is such a personal thing. I don't ask whether a person can read music, I ask if they can play a harmonica or a piano and this gives me more idea about how their brain works. When I pick up a different instrument I find that I play a different style of music as that is what sounds right for that instrument. I play Anglo because I can and I don't play English or Duet because I can't; my brain just works that way. I don't feel right when attemping to play a Duet and I don't get on at all with the English layout. If I was to follow a "flow-chart" set of questions about what music I wanted to play I would probably end up with a Duet and still be struggling with that whereas I am happy attempting anything with the Anglo to see how far I can get. Robn Madge
  4. I'm just waiting for the Klingon translations! Robin Madge
  5. The other version of the lion story ends where the old lion walks over and attacks the musician. One of the other lions says "What did you do that for, I was enjoying that?" The first lion puts a paw to his ear and says "Pardon?" Robin Madge
  6. It's a 60 button treble with the extra notes going down to a G, the same note as the bottom one on a G/D Anglo but, of course it has all the notes down to this, unlike the Anglo. It plays as a normal treble and just keeps on going down. Robin Madge
  7. For a pure baritone there is no difference but for a baritone extended treble, such as my wife plays, the notes are on the other hand! Robin Madge
  8. My fatehr and mother were both left-handed (thoughmy father was forced to become ambidextrous) but I am very much right-handed. Having said that I am quite happy to let my left little finger do lots of work on the Anglo and I always want to play whistles "the wrong way round". Surely it is logical to form the low notes with the left hand? Robin Madge
  9. Beware wool gloves getting caught in the fretwork on metal ended instruments! Robin Madge
  10. When I entered the Taunton competition, mentioned by Peter above, it was mainly because I hadn't really got any idea of where I stood in terms of my quality of playing and I wanted to see how I was judged by an independant witness. It was quite unexpected to come joint second! I entered a singing competition at about the same time for the same reason, but that didn't really help me as most of the comments were about my choice of song rather than my performance. After that I didn't really go in for competions. I inadvertently came second in a sea song competition at Bromyard one year, I didn't actually know that it was a competition rather than a singaround! Robin Madge
  11. There were always several people at Halsway/Kilve using hearing aids, single ear or both ears, as I remember. I presume that different types of hearing impairment will affect which frequencies you can hear and may then influence your choise of instrument (piccolo or bass). Robin Madge
  12. I can think of 4 sessions within 10 miles of my house that have less than ten percent of tunes in common with each other. Robin Madge
  13. I've been following this thread and have the following questions and observations. When you decide to add a new piece to your repertoire where do you get it from? Do you learn it from the dots or by ear? If from the dots, do you transpose it? If by ear, what instrument or instruments are you learning it from and, again, do you transpose it? I almost always learn by ear and usually from a group rather than an individual. I then pick out the notes that I want to use rather than a set chordal arrangement (probably using some less usual chords in the process). As I instinctivly hear the chordal structure behind the tune, whether it is actually being played on not on the recording that I am listening to, I play chords to almost everything that I play. Many tunes will accept different chordal structures to give them a different feel. I note that many Manx tunes are know in both major and minor scales, and this is also evident in other music. "The butterfly" seems to be played with the "C" part with both major and minor variations (I much prefer the major). All of the above can determine whether your playing sounds English, Irish, Breton, Klezmer or something else. I prefer not to copy from another concertina player and to help this I try learning a new piece from a player of a different instrument. Robin Madge
  14. I reach for the G/D as a first option as most tunes in the sessions that I go to are in C, G or D or possibly A and their related minor keys and hence I get away vith few acidentals. However since getting my C/G baritone I find myself using that and playing harmonies. If you are ued to singing bass parts, as I am, you soon find yourself inventing a suitable line to play! Robin Madge
  15. I remember the Dippers telling me about a concertina that had been made from some plastic material, probably Perspex, and it sounded terrible! You need something with similar harmonic resonanses (spelling?) to wood but easier to work with and preferably cheaper. Robin madge
  16. I've just had a tuning session on my G/D and my Baritone C/G. You put these things off and then afterwards you wonder why you didn't do it weeks ago! robin Madge
  17. Well, my vocal range goes below the lowest note on my Baritone C/G so I'm nearly always playing above my voice! I use the Baritone and normal C/Gs and also the G/D. My first port of call is to try playing in G on the G/D and if that does not fit with the tune and my style of playing it goto D on the G/D. If I then can't sing in that key it is over to either of the C/Gs depending on the effect required. Occasionaly I will transfer to my Bb/F if I want the effect of the qualities of that instrument. For accompanying others, I try to use the Baritone with Anne's voice as its sound seems to fit with her voice, and a friend always wants to sing in Eb so then it's time for the Bb/F. For some voices it's worth trying out different instruments as sometimes an unlikely seeming combination produces the better overall sound. Robin Madge
  18. If you want a concertina that is in original condition you are going to have to examine an unaltered instrument and then build a replica using materials that are in the same as the materials used in the original, in the condition they were when the original was constructed. If I remember correctly part of the superior quality of Stadivarius violins is attributed to the way that the varnish ages, so your replica may then need to age for some decades to get it to its best potential quality. As we have discussed in other threads, the sound of a concertina changes as it is played in and can deteriorate through not being played, while execcive hard playing can damage bellows etc. so you have to strike the right balance of use to reach the peak of perfection for that instrument. At this point you may decide that the sound is not what you wanted in the first place! My thought is that examples that have little alteration from new are best preserved intact and documented to give some evidence for producing replicas. It seems to me that restoring an instrument wil not neccesarily restore the sound that the instrument produced. Robin Madge
  19. Well, typing is going to give your fingers some exercise and help the muscles but, going in the reverse direction, if you have strong spring pressure on your instument does this affect you and make you a noisy typist? Robin.
  20. Looking at your photo of the Old Man, it seems that you don't have our jinx with it. We've been up nine times and only seen the view twice, and only got back down dry once! One occasion was the only time I have literally poured water out of my boots. Robin.
  21. Ralph, Are you refering to the "Nigel Chippendale out-takes" which was issued as a cassette, which I have a copy of. I think that you would get some takers if that were released on CD. Robin
  22. Interesting that the comb slots go across the joins between pieces in some instances. That would incline me to think that the slots were cut after the pieces were put together. Robin Madge
  23. The Manx radio folk program goes out every Tuesday and is available for download. Nearly always something of interest to concertina players, either played on concertina or easily adapted. The program usually has a themed section, about a person or historical event, or else is concerned with recent releases. Occasionaly there have been special presentations on the history of the concertina. Robin Madge
  24. I'm not a dot reader but the Nancy if played in C wolud start : E G E C , E G E C . E G E C G A C' (not that I'm any good at tabulature either). We play it in G, of course! The Wrigley Head tunes have been printed out and are given out to prospective musicians for the side. I have a copy hidden away somewhere..... Robin Madge
  25. This sounds rather familiar! I play for Wrigley head who do "Royton" as one of their dances. We start with "Oh Susanna", playe slowly through two A parts then up to speed on the B parts as the dance accelerates from a slow march to a polka. Next comes "The Manley tune" which has some similarities to "Brighton camp" at first hearing. After that we have "Auld Lang syne" followed by "Brighton Camp". The end of the dance (variable length depending on how many figures are called) is done to the "Nancy" wich is slow and involves dancers jumping into the centre of the long set etc. and needs the person calling the figures to attract the musician's attention! Robin Madge
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