NoNaYet

This is a really interesting subject to bring up. I have no opportunity or exposure to pub sessions or to the competitive aspect of concertina playing, but I also find that I am reluctant to post here because so much is focused on what is called Irish music, and I have been rebuffed a couple of times. I love my Tedrow baritone and play at least an hour a day. I play in many public forums, including for the local seniors home, but never a "session". I wish I'd skipped the violin and bought a concertina 20 years ago, but I do not play what seems to be the concertina standard. I play American Civil War music, British WWI tunes, American western songs, some Broadway and some Celtic tunes. I am perfectly happy with this, and get a nice audience response, so why should this make me a second class performer. Frankly the videos I find of champion Irish concertina players are disappointing, it seems that musicality is subservient to speed and I just cannot get my head around cramming more beats to the measure than the time signature supports. To me it makes the tune sound somewhat random. My daughter attended fiddle camps in Ireland and says that the issue is a conflict from music based on learning notation and music based on learning by ear. At any rate, I would like to say that I have played several instruments and have found none more wonderful than the concertina. I believe that it has both a cultural and musical versatility that should be recognized and we should all just enjoy the music we make. It is sort of like the readers of classics that can appreciate a youth reading a comic book; at least he's reading. I would hope that all concertina players; indeed all musicians, could enjoy and appreciate whatever music is made on our favorite instrument. NNY

Thanks, I'll pass, I suspect you won't find promoting culture as a government responsibility anywhere in the constitution. Just cut my taxes a couple grand and let me keep my own money. I'll work out my own issues on culture. NNY

Tedrow 31 button C/G with G drone. 10 fold bellows. I really like the baritone range, and the bellows are unbelievably easy and quick. NNY

Anyone know the tune that Bob uses as his standard example for audio clips? It is freshly posted on his new C/D. NNY

Trombone - was good once, sort of rusty now. Violin - not half bad, but also a bit corroded now. Flute - just dabbled. Harp - wife's new toy, and all I really do is mess around with it. Surprising how good you can sound on the harp even if you don't know how. Concertina is the most fun of all. NNY Oops, left out guitar, again not too seriously.

This is a good opportunity to ask a question I've not made before because I suspect it shows my lack of knowledge. I have played several instruments from low brass to the violin before getting my concertina, but I am not really strong on music theory. I have a C/G baritone, and one of the things I love about the concertina is how easy it is to play by ear. I do also play sheet music from my library of fiddle music, had have found it much easier to incorporate a broader range of key signatures, lots of sharps or flats, on the concertina than I ever did on my fiddle. Anyway, my question is, if I picked up another instrument, say a G/D, are the whole and half steps, the accidentals etc. correspondent to the relationship on my C/G? In other words, playing by ear, could I play the same tunes, they would just be in a different key? NNY

I know it has been discussed ad nausium, but I just had to mention.... Took my baritone Anglo on a flight for the first time today, and yup, it was x-rayed back and forth, swabbed for explosives, and all my belonging were carefully searched (even had to dump my wallet). Never been searched in any way on any previous flight. NNY

I'd like to hear from those of you that play both an English and an Anglo how disruptive it was/is to add an English to the stable when you've only played the Anglo. A few years ago I bought a cello, and really enjoyed the range, but dropped it because it really messed with my violin playing. On the other hand, guitar playing has no effect on the fiddle. NNY

Always liked this movie, but have not seen it for awhile. Watching tonight, and there it is, a concertina being played by the male lead :-) Watched a little longer, and there's a troubadour harp just like the one we just bought for the wife. Even better movie than I remembered. GJ

LOL I have played several different instruments, most seriously until now was the violin. I also have pretty strong performance anxiety (stage fright). I used to take the violin with me to work and practice in some public place during lunch to force myself to work on the anxiety. This had some limited success. When I started playing the concertina I did the same thing, which evolved into carrying it in my truck and killing time with it wherever I happened to be. This has worked very well. My largest audience was several hundred marathon training runners while I waited for them to clear the bike trail so I could go for a ride. Well to tell you how this has worked; a little while ago I went to Ace Hardware to get a 3/32 Allen head wrench (I need to take the case on my concertina off, for a minor reed adjustment). I took the instrument along to make sure the wrench fit, and when I opened the case the salesman gave a pretty good "ooooh" and said "I should make you play it." I needed no more invitation, whipped her out and rendered The Wild Colonial Boy. I have come a long way. NNY

Wow, I have only played two concertinas; a Rochelle and my new Tedrow. I was pretty happy with the Rochelle. I was pretty awkward with the new Tedrow, all due to the supple easy action of the bellows. Now a couple of days into the new instrument I have settled down and am comfortable with it. I just picked up the Rochelle to play a few notes, and boy I can see why there was an adjustment to be made. The Rochelle bellows are so stiff that its like lifting weights compared to my Tedrow. I thought I'd play the Rochelle once in awhile, but now I doubt it. NNY

I would guess most of you saw my posting of my new Tedrow baritone, and may have viewed the video on Youtube. Before I give you my impressions, let me give some background. I have wanted a concertina for a long time, but never pursued the desire until around April of this year. I got a Rochelle and have been pretty happy with it. When I first got the Rochelle I was way too physical, but settled down. I really took to the concertina and have been amazed how easy it is to play by ear, and also to improvise. With low impulse control I ordered a Tedrow about a month after I got the Rochelle. I should mention that I have never seen, let alone played any other concertina, so the Rochelle is my only experience. About that time I started to have hearing problems that interrupted hearing high pitch and was actually painful. Thankfully this has subsided somewhat, but we found the source was a benign brain tumor, and the problem will likely persist. With that in mind I changed my order to a baritone. The Tedrow finally arrived today. It is much smaller than the Rochelle, which I expected, but was a little surprised how compact the bellows compress. It is beautiful to look at before I even tried to play it. BTW, it fits nicely in an American Tourister makeup case I dragged down out of the attic (after reading that recommendation on this site.) The first surprise was how supple the bellows are. I was sort of like the weight lifter with a set of styrofoam phony barbells, I used way more strength that was required for the first song. As I said, I have no experience with a concertina except the Rochelle. Well, videos do not do a baritone justice. This baby has a deeeeeeep voice. I was a little disturbed at first because on some of the low notes I would pull and get no action. Well, I think I was being too physical. After about 30 minutes playing around I gained a feel for the right air and finger action to get the notes started, and she plays fast just fine. The brass keys are considerably smaller that the Rochelle's plastic keys, and the action is fast and light. I had some problem with the Rochelle with my fingers slipping on keys, and that does not seem to be a problem with the Tedrow. I can play lighter, not blasting the family out of the house, and the lower range is easier on the ears. It will take a few sessions to get completely comfortable, this is like moving from a Beach Cruiser to a carbon frame triathlon bicycle, but boy she is a beauty and I can absolutely recommend a Tedrow. Now I have to start scheming how to get one of those "mini's" past the wife. NNY

I can only speak for my Rochelle. Plays nicely with only two things to mention. One key (I have not gone to the trouble to figure out which) sometimes sticks on the pull, and some of the alternate keys are not exactly tuned to the main key's pitch. My Rochelle plays well enough that I am keeping it rather than returning for refund when I get my Tedrow next week. NNY

I am not sure what the whole concertina community's tastes in music is, as I have limited exposure just on the net and what I have bought. I do not play what I think of as pub music. I have a lot of old English, Irish, and Scottish music from my fiddle days, but when I found how easy it is to play by ear I began to build an odd ball collection of tunes; for example some hymns, Civil War, WWI tunes, and Broadway tunes. I found that some of them take a deep "breath". I originally ordered 8 folds, but when I switched to a baritone I began to wonder if those low reeds would require pushing a lot of air. It is not every day I order a custom instrument, so I made a plunge and increased to the 10 folds. I have been a little conflicted by the choice, but it looks like it will turn out well. I have some material to start working on more chords I really need to get serious about, but what I'm playing now is so fun I have a hard time motivating to do homework. NNY

Here she is: NNY

Arrrrgh. Youtube seems to be down. Bob did not tell me about this, so I did not know. NNY

Got the news today that she is being shipped! Hope I got the pics attached :-) NNY

One I wrote myself, titled "Playing on the Pourch" which has an established beginning and ending but is improvised inbetween. Of recognizible titles, I am found of Eternal Father, The Nutting Girl, The Rare Auld Times, and a whole bunch of others. NNY

Blow the Man Down. Real concertina song, and the first one that I used alternate keys on (with my Rochelle). Expecting my Tedrow baritone in about a week. NNY

Our house has a nice little nook in the front that protects you from any storm winds. We just spent the last hour sitting with candles and champagne, while I played my Anglo and watched TS Fay push the trees around at about 50 mph. Really fun. GJ

I can only answer half the question, as I have not played a Stagi. I started on a Rochelle, and am expecting a Tedrow baritone in about two weeks. I decided to keep the Rochelle for, as Bob T put it, a campfire concertina. I have completely enjoyed playing it, even if it isn't very pretty. NNY

Is it a new to you vintage or a new instrument? A new Bob Tedrow.

I am getting a new baritone. Is there anything to do for leather bellows maintenance? Armor All, neats foot, keep your cotton pickin' hands off dummy?

Whoo Hoo, got email from Bob T that he is cutting the wood on my new baritone and it should be done in a few weeks. I'm getting a baritone 31 button Anglo C/G, mahogany casework; amboyna veneer; bushed brass buttons with LH "c" drone and with 10 fold brown bellows. GJ

That is a great suggestion. I have been scanning around for a case for a new Tedrow baritone that is on the way. I had an American Tourister case similar to what you describe up in the attic, that I used for checking firearms on commercial flights. I don't do that anymore and it has been idle for several years. Got it down and it fits the Rochelle perfect. The Tedrow will be a bit smaller, so it should work just fine. Now off to the Jo-Ann craft store for some diamond pattern foam rubber. Thanks for the suggestion.