Dane Mitchell

Ah, life is strange, and just works out sometimes. I will indeed come by the Button Box. Now, if I can only convince my wife that a concertina is a necessary thing! I did build her a harp a while back, so perhaps she will support this. You guys have all been great, and I appreciate the fantastic advice and words of encouragement.

Good advice here, and thank you all for replying. Ah, the cheap instrument vs. the expensive one for beginners - I, too, would advise a new student to buy as fine an instrument as possible, but at the same time, it is a lot of bread to put down on something they may not like a bit. My first banjo was a professional model, just lovely in all aways, and I only touched it a few times (I had worked with a teacher who was a bluegrass guy, and that might not have helped much), and sold it for about a thousand dollar loss, just to be rid of it. Many years later, I got one someone had bought at a tag sale and badly restored, and after working on it a bit myself, I love the thing. High action still, but a sound instrument with good tone, if seriously ugly to look at still. Renting is a good option, and I live in Western MA, so there is a concertina store in Amherst, near me. Honestly, the idea of putting down 4,000 for a vintage instrument makes my hair stand on end, although I also know fine instruments never come cheap, and the best you can get is always the way to go. To answer the question of high vs. low, probably a tenor model would suit me, although a higher one might be fine too. A lower one might be nice, too. You see, I'm flexible. I sing bass, btw. Sounds like the duet might be the way to go, as would be an English, though not a perfect solution. The Anglo seems to me that it is counterintuative, but I am not knocking those who like them. Just not for me. Say, does anyone here use their instruments for something other than folk music? And would the sound of the concertina lend itself for more than folkie stuff? I've heard very few real live concertina players is why I am asking, and have yet to look into recording artists and all that. Dane

I seem to have just come across this fantastic community in the nick of time. I may be asking for far more than can possibly be realized, and hope much that someone can give me some advice on what to get and how to get it. I'm a classically trained oboist, and come to the idea of wanting to obtain a concertina from long and long ago. Besides my days as a double reed player, I've also played the Irish flute (or rather, a simple-system flute in an Irish style), penny whistle, and banjo. I've spend years studying orchestration and composing, and now...well, now I'm a full time writer. So here is my problem, if you have traveled this far with me. I'm looking for an inexpensive concertina to see if I like 'er before investing a bundle, as it should be with a student situation. I am torn between the Anglo and the English styles. I'm desiring to play chordal accompanyments, as well as solo tunes, perhaps both if possible - I am the first to admit I know almost nothing about the little things - and love sea tunes / chanties, various American, English, and Scottish folk tunes, and of course Irish music. And, if I am not being difficult enough, how about the possibility of some baroque music? And while I am at it, any possibility of be-bop and perhaps even some rock 'n roll? So, what do you all think? An English style instrument, or would an Anglo style be better for a beginner with a lot of music theory and performance behind him? How much chromaticism can I expect from a concertina, if any outside the majors and relative minors? Modes? Benefits of 20 buttons, 30 buttons, and more buttons? Next to last - keys concertinas are made in? C/G, C/D? Is that standard, or do you have to watch out for odd keys like B? I ask that because a dealer on Ebay replied to my question about keys for a 30 button English instrument by saying it was in the key of B, and that didn't sound right at all. He did tell me he is a violinist, and doesn't know the instruments he sells. Finally, any advice about makes to purchase for a new player? And that was a lot of questions. Thanks in advance, and I hope someone can help me out. Dane