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Sailor

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    Asthmatic Rochelle

    in Instrument Construction & Repair

    Posted

    Even when listening to anglo players with good concertinas I heard the air velve "breathe". This leads me to several questions: Is that due to construction method unavoidable? Also I try to avoid the use of the air velve - with some tunes (eg tunes with predominantly F-chords) I can't compensate the pull by pushing parts. I then try to use the air button while playing a push chord and not in a quiet part. This requires a sensitive use in order to keep pressure and tone fairly constant. How do you handle it? Do all concertinas make a noice when using the air button?

    Lavender Hill

    in Tunes /Songs

    Posted

    Seems I missed the tune last week - only want to say: I'm hooked! A good tune creates a certain atmosphere - brings pictures to your mind - makes you hear or smell something. That's what happened. I prefer this one to the other. Thanks for sharing.

     

     

     

    Norman Chalmers & Jock Tamson's Bairns ~ 1979!

    in Concertina Videos & Music

    Posted

    So what were you doing, back in 1979? ;)

     

     

    My goodness my guinness - we had plenty of it in 1979 on our 6 week tour through scotland and ireland. And we had a funny night in our tent on Skye during the legendary storm which caused the fastnet yacht race tragedy. In Ireland I bought my first concertina (very cheap - made in GDR) toyed around and drove my friends half mad. At that time even in Germany we had plenty of good irish an scottish music in bars and clubs. Now I'm thirsty.

     

    Cheers

    G versus C row on Anglo

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    "... And, if the answer is 'Play it where it suits you best', then that's fine as well."

     

     

    My answer would be "play it where it suits the tune best". When we practice the scales of C or G or any other we should be able to play both - on the push and on the pull and that leads automatically to cross row playing. In my eyes or ears it is essential for fluently playing, for phrasing, to set the accents and to underline the particula parts of the tune.

    Speaking of Chords..

    in Teaching and Learning

    Posted

    looks strange to me (time for outing?): the 20 key diagramm shows the chords of a C/G Anglo. In the 30 key diagramm - also C/G there seems to be something wrong? The C minor and the B7 chord would not work on my Wheatstone layout. I think you are right, this shows a slightly different layout (or a mistake?) plus a drone. On a first glance the other chords look fine to me. I'm sure the experts will know.

     

    There a always several ways to do a chord. I mostly differ the chords - play e.g. e minor as shown in the 20 key diagramm or with lower B on the G row or low E on acc. row depending how it suits the melody.

     

    When I started playing chords I wrote down the tones of every (common) chord and practiced on the push and pull singing eaysy melodies (poor familiy). But that gives you a good repartoir. I did not check the Eb-Ab-Bb chords (because I never ever feeled the wish to try).

    Tango

    in Tunes /Songs

    Posted

    It's here.

    Not full version and not well done, but it's taking too long.

    So, ladies and Gentlemen, first in the world attempt to play European Tango with self accompaniment on English Concertina."Last Sunday".

     

     

    not well done?????

     

    Thanks for sharing - great playing - I like the arrangement - the mixture of full accompaniment, passion and soft and clear parts.

    Practice

    in Teaching and Learning

    Posted

    If possible I try to play almost every day. This is not pure practice of new tunes but also playing "old" tunes for fun. Often enough its just to enjoy the old ones and I also love the challenge of a new tune - BUT - it's very hard work for me. It takes me a long time to play it properly. Just as Priscilla pointed out - yesterday I played the tune so fine and today - a mess. Happens it also to you that the fingers forgot parts or tunes which you did not play for a longer time? Was the A on the push or pull or the G in the middle row? Sometimes I wonder, whether this is an Anglo-problem (beside mine). On other instrument (whistle or mandolin) I lost speed or did not play "clean". But playing Anglo seems to me to be more difficult and progress slower. Would you share this valuation? Enough moaning - I love this instruemnt!

    Technique for repeated notes

    in Teaching and Learning

    Posted

    I'm glad you asked about this, Kevin, because I have been wondering about the same thing as a beginning player. I've come to the conclusion that my three choices are: (1) pressing the same button twice, (2) using two different buttons when available, (3) using the bellows to create a slight separation between the two identical notes. Are there others options

    Would it be a solution to tap on the box? Is someone using this rechnique for repeated notes?

    Liam Clancy RIP

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    dear friends,

     

    last week Liam Clancy died. He played the English Concertina. I know him from 'Ar Eireann Ni Neosfainn Cé Hí'(For Ireland I won't say her name), the first tune I ever learned on EC from the teaching of Ann Conroy-Burke.

    Thanks for the good music and songs Liam!

     

    Dirk

     

     

    Sorry to hear this - I grew old with the music of the Clancy Brothers - an Liam was a great musician.

    Could Someone Help With 'drowsy Maggie'?

    in Teaching and Learning

    Posted

    It's obviously a C/G. I assume you mean "Drowsy Maggie."

    This seems to me to be the right way: ...change direction and play the E's on the push and the B's and D's on the pull.

    If you play it on the push without changing bellows direction (left hand) you'd be chopping -- and in any case you'd lose the bounce that gives the Anglo its character.

    That's my take on it, anyway.

     

    Thank you and yes it is a C/G. I'll practice this way. I only had concerns that changing direction might limit the speed. In the playing of Noell Hill (Irish Concertina II) I could not identify how he did it.

     

    Thanks for sharing your experience.

    Could Someone Help With 'drowsy Maggie'?

    in Teaching and Learning

    Posted

    Could someone out there give me advice how to play the first bars of "Drawsy Maggie"? (30 key anglo) I love this reel but I'm not shure how to do it this sequence of E-B-E-D-E-B-E of the first and third bar to make it sound good. Would you recomend to play it on the push without changing bellows direction (left hand)? Does it sound better to change direction and play the E's on the push and the B's and D's on the pull?

     

    Similar bars can be found in quite a lot of reels, e.g. "The musical priest". In the second part of the reel - bar two - the melody is skipping C#-A-E-A-F#-A. There is the same question. C#-A-E-A on the push without changing bellows direction?

     

    I'm playin mostly english style and started now with irish style and some jigs. I find it difficult to make my reels sound 'irish' and would like do avoid basic mistakes. It would be great if you could help.

     

    Thanks

    Singing and Playing

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    When I started I practised only chords to accompany my singing, just as I did with guitar or mandolin. Then learned phrasing. But now, when I work out a new song I start with the melody but already considering the pushs and pulls and harmonies. Not always the full chords but parts of it or the bass note of a chord. From todays point of view the practising of the chords helped me a lot and I there are some songs where I play no melody at all but only a sort of chordal accompaniment.

    Classic question - Old vs New

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    does anyone know which of these "hybrid" makers (if any) are based in Europe? If I end up buying a brand new one, I might as well try to order one as close to Sweden as possible. I'll regard it as my contribution to the environment...

     

    A C Norman, England

     

    Marcus Music, Wales

     

    Harry Geuns, Belgium

    I would add these to above three

    A. P. James, England

    Sherwood (Hobgoblin), England

     

    --

    Taka

     

    I can highly recomend the geuns concertina. Great action, first class bellows, responsive reeds and a sweet tone for a hybrid. I'm happy that I upgraded 18 month before. This brought me very much foreward.

    Good luck

    How to play simple chords for folk songs on anglo concertina

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    I can only emphasise what Alan Day wrote - thats the way I did it. After writing down the chord and buttons and push/pull I took a tunebook and selected song I knew with simple chords - tried to play and sing in the beginning without trying to play meldoy or harmonies - just practicing chords. I tell you - I was persistent (the family closed all doors available). Afterwards I added melody and replaced full chords by harmonies.

     

    And that is the real pleasure - to work out what fits the tune best. Have fun and good luck!

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