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bellowbelle

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Everything posted by bellowbelle

  1. There's no air button on the Morse Albion Treble concertina. The Geordie baritone DOES have one. That doesn't make a difference to everyone, and the Albion is of course a little lighter in weight which can be nice. So, with the Albion, to close the bellows again if you end a tune with them open, you'd have to play a sound/make noise. I really like them both, though I favor the Geordie since I seem to have a little damage to my Albion -- needs a repair. But -- in addition to these two Morse concertinas -- I also like to play a Bastari because I like those hollow buttons! The hollow buttons are easier on sore fingers -- the impact from the solid buttons on the others is greater. Most people wouldn't care but I have problems. Still, though, I see why the solid buttons are better in other ways.
  2. But while learning the tunes, that's exactly what helps me -- I'm better off playing a set in an unchanging order. Then after fumbling along for a while (a week? a month?) I find one day I "suddenly" have the whole lot in my memory. And then as long as I can call one to mind, the rest will follow. (Edit added) I mean I guess if you LIKE an iPad or electronic page turner or something, then i sound crazy. I admit, I usually am irritated by them for one reason or another.
  3. But my ageing eyes... I get why people like various electronics, and I wouldn't whip out a long paper scroll at a session, ha ha... (don't go out much, either!). But in my kitchen, given the distance where I sit to play my EC, nothing stands out as crisply and clearly as the large black print on white paper. And I don't want to stop playing to click any buttons (except on the concertina).
  4. Hi, haven't been here in a while but just sharing my discovery of the scroll...anyone else do this? Can lengthen/shorten the page with the clips.
  5. This is hilarious. What's this from? Was he trying to contact space aliens or something?
  6. Self-semi-quarantined, but enjoying the Viral Tune Swap.
  7. Hello, me again after a long time of not visiting. Like everyone else for the most part i am forced to deal with a shut-down world.... will watch DVDs of The Twilight Zone and all that, but some concertina playing is good, too. I'd started posting some audio on my website again recently. So I sent my 'join group' request at Jim's Facebook site. Good idea.
  8. Good idea (bottle tube). What I have is the A18 - 18 buttons, so not exactly "mini" compared to true minis. The inset in the pic below shows the Stagi compared to a regular sized EC, the Morse Albion.
  9. Richard, nice work! I think it's a great "art form" making these bags/ containers because it's something you need but you can also do whatever you want. Dave, the bellows just rest slightly open, as I've let them do, but it seems to work alright at least for this mini Stagi. I guess I wouldn't do that with my regular sized concertinas, a Morse Geordie baritone and Morse Albion treble, and a Bastari.
  10. If you go to my Twitter link, the previous tweet is a short video of the tote. This tote was impromptu and kind of tossed together... but I like it. Had a case for the mini Stagi at one time but it always seemed small and then it got wrecked, anyway. So anyway, just thought I'd share this, for fun... Not trying to sell any, really, but I guess that's a possibility sometime.
  11. If I missed you there.... Sorry. I was having a big problem with my left ear being blocked (finally got better) and conversations were a challenge. Then, my friend and I left early because, all totalled, we had way too many challenges. Hope the attendees had a great time. I did get in a little bit of playing on Friday night. I don't expect to bother attending any more NESIs, though we enjoyed our long drive anyway and made some other stops here and there. One big challenge was that, though I chose the 'lodge' accommodation over 'cabin,' the only real difference I think may be that the lodge has electricity. But this difference meant little to us because the lodge rooms have two sets of bunk beds and unless you are extremely short (I'm short, but not enough) it's not possible to really sit on the bed upright. There's no chair in the room, there was a lounge with chairs upstairs (didn't see one downstairs) but my friend can't climb stairs like that. I sat upstairs for a while but the whole building kind of put me off so I slept sitting up in my van in the parking lot (about 1/4 mile or less up the road...too far for my friend to walk.....was not able to park where we stayed all the time). I didn't dare to stay on Saturday after only a little sleep, had to do the drive on what steam I had left. So I'll keep playing but I guess I ain't a NESI girl.
  12. Hi, Alex, didn't mean to be so slow to reply. Yes, the Bastari has rounded buttons (white buttons in the pic). The Geordie buttons are not extremely smaller but they seem solid and more.... pithy is the word that comes to mind.
  13. Hmm, I'll find out about that, whether or not I'd decide to do it. My Albion treble EC is an oldie, I think it was 2002 when I got it (number 108 I think?). The Geordie baritone is much newer... time flies and memory fails, don't have the papers in front of me but I guess it's about....5 years old (?). Number 1039. At this point, I never play for a long period of time anyway, so if my fingers are in pain I can always practice with the Bastari and then switch to the other buttons. I have some thin, natural silk glove liners and they help ease the impact on the fingers and aren't too bulky. It's a little annoying to wear them but it works!
  14. I like everything about my Morse concertinas, the English Albion treble 37-button (which I haven't played for a long time because I have to get a repair done) and the Geordie English 45 button, the baritone (the one I play, needs no repair). BUT....those Delrin buttons...hmm... I know they are probably the best choice for getting the best action, but I also have a Bastari 48 button English and an 18 button Stagi. I really like those cheaper plastic buttons because they are (apparently) hollow. They absorb the vibrations of hitting the notes more than the Delrin (solid?) ones do. I am one who has problems with very sore fingers at times, so maybe I notice this difference more. Of course, The Bastari is a much cheaper concertina, but I choose to play it sometimes because the buttons will take the vibrations and not my fingers. I guess if you want the very best action you'd go with the solid buttons but....glad I have both to choose from.
  15. I don't know if it's the best option, but I like to use Mod Podge decoupage as a glue. I like the Dishwasher Safe formula, and I think I once used it as a glue (instead of a surface coating) but diluted it with some water first. The other Mod Podge formulas are good, especially a dilution of the one intended for use on fabric (but on paper). Best applied with a small foam brush.
  16. I don't like much social media involvement. But I have a flickr photo site, and I joined 2 "groups" there: Concertina, Melodeon, and Accordion -- and The Art Of The Concertina. Of course, they are for photo sharing, though I see there is a link for discussions, too.
  17. Thinking of you all, kind of wish I were there too! Haven't been to NESI in a few years at least. Maybe the next one... Nice weather I think, this time. I am near Worcester MA but I think it's about the same weather today.
  18. Ha ha, I like that one! Steam punk Cheeseburger... Ha ha
  19. Caterpillar a.k.a. woolly bear. I have a photo I call 'Similarities in Nature' that is composed of my EC and a caterpillar. I don't think I can upload it right now, though I do have it at my website and here and there.
  20. Aha, yes... that clears up some of my question. Thanks. Thanks everyone for your answers! Edit added... Geoff, all of your reply is a very informative answer...but I just mean that that bit in particular was very helpful re my own questions while muddling through something. I made myself some 'crazy little charts' that at the moment I don't want to present or explain (will get to that someday), but they kind of have to do with playing intervals. Does involve patterns, in a way. As I go along, using my own charts, and trying to figure out what I want to say about them, I am coming up with all kinds of questions. Like the one which prompted this thread.
  21. I'm just curious about what other English concertina players do when it comes to playing in keys where your fingers could choose one of the two same-sounding notes, like C# or Db, G# or Ab, etc.. I was playing something in the key of C# this morning, a simple tune, and if I was 'correct' and strict about what note to play, I had to consciously be careful to choose a d# (d sharp) when I encountered that note. What my fingers naturally wanted to play was actually the eb (e flat). At least in this case. I know it doesn't really make a difference, as far as how it sounds. And I'm guessing that if I were playing something very classical or complex, I'd probably find it more normal to play 'correctly.' But, with a simple tune, I find that my fingers just want to balance the distribution of buttons between my left and my right hand. Any thoughts on this?
  22. I am no pro on this subject but I am reminded that Michael Turner's Waltz (The Sussex Waltz) is said to originate from Mozart: https://thesession.org/tunes/7077 It was the TOTM for May 2014 (tune of the month) here in that forum.
  23. Aww, thanks! I'll still bother with the ABC and I can share that. I just don't want to keep up the home recording. For me, it's more trouble than it's worth!
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