Azalin

Richard, I am currently in Vietnam for six months (been here 4.5 months, leaving in two months) and I had to bring my concertina for such a long trip, and thanks goodness I did! But last year I came to Vietnam for three weeks and I did not bring my concertina. I was afraid it would be a big step backward in my playing, but when I came back after 1-2 days of practice I was back in shape, as if I never left! I was very surprised as I'm always trying to practice a tune at least once a week for fears I would forget how to play it solidly, but I could go through my tunes with ease! It's interesting how when learning a new tune, I practice it every day for at least a week, but sometimes when I skip a day and come back to the tune a day later, I play it even better than the last time! The brain can work in mysterious ways :-)

I'm a little late to the party, but thanks for these links David! I already saw most of them, but the second one is nice because it allows us to see what Dymphna does with her rigth hand. I've got a Firefox plugin that can download Youtube videos on my computer, I am 'leeching' those videos right now!

On my 34 buttons Dipper, I added reversed E/F# and Bb/G# on the right. I was thinking these notes could fit nicely somewhere above the C on the RH G row. What do you think? what octave and what do you use them for? On the LH I got two extra buttons and they are reversed F#/E and Bb/G#, and I especially use the reversed F#/E in many tunes where there are too many switches (push/pull) from E to F# for example, it allows me to push the E and then push the F#. The same idea applies to the RH. I must admit I haven't used my reversed F#/E on the RH yet, but it's mainly because I didn't take the time to 'optimize' the tunes that would befinit from the reversed notes yet.

On my 34 buttons Dipper, I added reversed E/F# and Bb/G# on the right. I was thinking these notes could fit nicely somewhere above the C on the RH G row. What do you think?

If you're talking about the G/A on the LH G row, I don't think I could live without it! I'm sure it depends on each person, but I absolutely need this button sometimes when coming from the LH D/E G row index finger, I especially like to push the D with the index and then pull the A with my third finger. I also use the A/G sometimes on the LH accidental row, so I guess I need all of them :-) But I agree with you that anything above the high C on the right could be replaced. It's very interesting, I'll seriously think about that I'd like to have instead for when I get my Bb/F Carroll concertina! (The low E on the LH accidental row can be interesting for playing E-low E-E as an 'ornament', the low F is nice for some chords, and the super low C can make an occasional nice low effect. I think I'd keep them because they're not that easily accessible anyway!)

Thanks Dave, was going crazy to find that Bb on the RH G row haha! It's so complicated to discuss about concertinas, always need to specify the side, button number, push or pull... Today when I was practicing a couple of Gm tunes I did alternate between using the RH pull A on the C row with my pinkie, and using my middle finger on the G row... I still prefer my pinkie method, it seems more relaxed, the way my hand is shaped maybe, but I will give your method more try... and I might need to use both methods anyway, certain tunes require different techniques. There's a Gm tune composed by Paddy Kelly I learned recently, and two composed by Tommy Coen's (I think!), they're awesome tunes! But my favorite recent Gm tune I'm ashamed to say I learned from the most recent Kane Sisters CD, it's a tune composed by Paddy O'Brien (The younger County Offaly box player, not the other famous one!). It's very satisfying because one of the reasons I switched from playing whistle to playing concertina is to be able to play those tunes, one day... it finally starts paying off, like a long term investment...

Hmmmmm, you are telling me you've got a Bb on your RH G row? Well, I don't have it on mine! There is ONE reed that doesn't work, the 4th button on the push, is that my missing Bb? Darn, maybe I should spend more time exploring my instrument I have another Bb on an extra button on the RH, but it's on the push and doesn't apply easily to my current tunes. About the relaxed position, I totally agree. I think not only for an improved playability, but to avoid potential physical problems in the future...

I learned it in the key of A from a recording by Bertram Levy on the "anglo international" CD. His version is not really "Traditional Irish" but still very nice. Here's a clip of one of my favorite concertinist, Claire Keville, playing the tune with Pat O'Connor in a session a few ago in Ennis. The second tune is "The girl that broke my heart" I think. You don't get much more 'traditional' than that! ;-)

Very nice ! I'm playing this one in Aminor ; should try Gmin also (some fiddlers in my area seem to prefer this) Thanks! I think the name is "Eileen Curran" now that I think of it. Gmin (Gdor!) has always been the standard key for this tune for me (and I think, the key in which the tune was composed). I think the Am version is just an adapted version to allow flute players and pipers to join :-) The same with the Em version of Broken Pledge, it should be Dm! Anyhow, that tune in Gdor is great practice for those Bb.

But what do you exactly call "crossing finger" ? That RH pull A on the C row, using the pinkie, is where it should be, it's not changing position... The ring finger on the Bb is changing position, yes, but so is playing it the way you do too. So I don't understand why you'd call my method 'crossing fingers' but not yours, which also uses the ring finger on the RH Bb? I just feel it requires much less effort to use the RH C row pull A than the standard one on the RH G row when playing G minor tunes and using that accidental Bb. But I understand why you'd want to stick to the standard RH pull A too!

Hi Geoff Is it anything like Mike Eykins app for IPhone? Any link to a web site? Just search Google. http://www.rolandus.com/products/productdetails.php?ProductId=1147 Interesting indeed! I thought Wakker made a similar midi concertina instrument? There is not enough demand for concertinas for Roland to bother with it, through.

I'm not sure if you play that Gm tune, but I just recorded it for example purpose. I use my ring finger for RH Bb, but use my pinkie for the RH C row pull A. I don't think I could play that tune with the same flow using my middle finger for A, but I haven't really tried. It just come to me very naturally to use the pinkie for the pull A, it makes it much easier and allows me to keep using fingers that are in the same area. Would you do it differently? Gm reel

I'm surprised to hear that! I use my right hand pinkie mainly in Gm tunes to switch from A to Bb, from the pinkie A to the accidental row Bb with my ring finger. Trying to use the other A on the RH G row would be much more difficult IMH. actually, noel hill taught me to grab for that note with my ring finger. so, if i were to go from A to Bb on the right hand, i would use my middle finger for A, and my ring finger for Bb, which is bringing my ring finger temporarily into "second position". what is the layout of your right hand? i have a carroll preffered layout, which is a modified jeffries style. since a jeffries' Bb is on the fourth button, it allows one to use the A pull in the G row. if you happen to have a Bb on the fourth button, i'd say try grabbing it with your ring finger, rather than your pinkie! But you misread my post a bit, I'm saying I'm going from the RH "C row" A, using my pinkie, and then playing the Bm on the accidental row using the ring finger. It seems the only difference with you is that I pull the A on the RH C row using my pinkie, and you pull it on the RH G row using the middle finger... Would you suggest using the middle finger for pull A instead of pinkie for pull A because the middle finger is a stronger finger, and also that read being closer to the top, will sound brighter? I just tried in a tune I just learned and using the middle finger even seems a bit easier! Keep it mind that I usually always use pull A on the RH G row with my middle finger, I only use pinkie A when I need to play that Bm just above it using my ring finger.

I'm surprised to hear that! I use my right hand pinkie mainly in Gm tunes to switch from A to Bb, from the pinkie A to the accidental row Bb with my ring finger. Trying to use the other A on the RH G row would be much more difficult IMH.

The mirror is a good idea, but to do it with two cameras I think you'd need a video card on your PC that has two video-in, and then a software like Adobe Premiere that can capture the two feeds, but I'm sure there are many other ways to do this.

Maybe, but I did the following recording a few months ago to test the quality of the sound for concertinas, and I think the sound was good enough, for me anyhow. I was using a Sony external microphone.

Thanks David. It's amazing, I've been "playing" that hornpipe for a few years, but never heard such a great version, and that guy sure knows how to play hornpipes, the triplets are delightful. I love his playing, could listen for hours.

Well, I'm no expert, but I'd say carefully choosing what buttons to push and pull in a phrase is the most important way to get your playing 'smooth' enough for reels. I'd say I can only play half of my reels in a satisfying manner, and need to constantly improve my fingering on the other half. I smoothen some phrases constantly by changing, for example, a RH push C to the LH pull C, or alternating between the LH push D and the RH push D. Lately, I've changed many parts of some of my reels to play three notes in a row on the pull, instead of pull-push-pull or push-pull-push, and it can help smoothen a phrase and decrease the burden on your fingers. The catch is that you still want to push-pull to get the 'right swing at the right place'.

Thanks goodness you're not buying it, because I think this Dipper deserves a new owner that judges the instrument by its sound and its playability, not by its look.

Thanks Michael, your cuts are very subtle and it took me a while to hear them. It's very similar to playing simply the three notes in a row, but with an added 'punch' in them. Did you make your cuts very soft in purpose? Using this tune, when you have time could you send me a recording of the whole clip, using cuts at different places?

Hey Sean, Ornamentation on concertina is such a pain sometimes. I'm really not that great with cuts so I would'nt know how to use one efficiently in the first 3 E's, but you could mix playing "crans" and playing the octave. The way I learned it in workshops, concertina "crans" are a simulation of crans on the pipes, and also when there's 3 identical notes following each other you can play three times the same notes, but the second note will be in the lower octave. I just recorded a small clip to give you an example, I also play a "reverse" octave and play the higher E at one point. In my "slow" version at the beginning, I play the 3 E's passage 6 six times, here's what I do: 1) Cran 2) E, high E, E 3) E, low E, E 4) Cran 5) Long E 6) 3 times E I personnaly think variety is the key when you play irish music, you don't want to always do the same thing to make the melody a bit more intersting, so mixing different ornaments or way of playing is important (again, in my opinion). I'd stay away from "chords" at this point, you should try to master the melody, work on phrasing and basic ornaments first. Just remember irish music is about melody, so the most important thing is to get the melody right. Many people end up polluting the melody a lot by adding too much ornaments and "tricks", and often the rhythm will suffer. Melody and rhythm should come first! That being said, I'd be curious to hear a clip about how to use cuts with the first 3 E's, I need to learn to use them more... PS: Edited to add, I can't teach you how to play crans, I'm not even sure mine are good enough, but the clip was just to give you an idea of what's possible to do. There's much more you can do I'm sure. Going to workhops and learning from a real teacher is the best way :-) R09_0008.MP3

Yvonne, I have once been told in a class that my concertina was moving too much. I was told that the side of the concertina resting on your leg, in your case the left side, should be as stable as possible, with the other hand doing much of the work in term of pulling and pushing. Also, I think advanced players tend to keep the concertina as unextended as possible, keeping both sides close to each other... Maybe synchonizing all of this might help with bellow movements. I know I improved in the past two years but sometimes I feel my concertina is still moving way too much.

Hello Elena, Well, there's no overall "best" thing to do I agree, only the best thing to do for you. My personnal experience is that I started with a "hybrid" concertina, a Edgley anglo 30 buttons. It costs me over 2000$, yes, but the idea was to play on an easy instrument which would help me stay motivated enough to keep on improving. Also, I knew I could resell my hybrid at 75% of the cost, at least. That was a very good decision, for me. Now I own an amazing Dipper concertina, which has concertina reeds, but the Edgley was alsmost as easy to play as my Dipper, and switching instrument was very smooth. There are other, cheap concertinas out there, and it's for you to decide what you need. But if you ever feel you want a "hybrid" (I'm sure the makers of those don't like us calling the instruments that way) there are many good makers out there, like Edgley, Tedrow, etc. For me the anglo was the right choice, but as Paul was saying, maybe you should try to listen to players of different systems and decide by yourself. Take into account the systems used to teach irish music in workshops and classes around the globe, I'd say it's also a factor for some.

I'm not sure if you've ever heard Chris Stevens play, but he's definitely a kick ass player and great teacher, highly recommanded!

Seems fair, cause I can't get Vietnam TV on my Computer either! Well, I also used a US proxy (which I use to connect to Facebook from here, since it's blocked in Vietnam) and couldn't see the videos either! A bit unfair ;-)