Fergus_fiddler

A fair point, well made, but "the meaning of a word is its use", not its origin. Think about telescopic forks on a motorbike: the word is from the Greek for seeing at a distance, but the meaning derives from the way they extend and compress like a nautical telescope. If someone uses a word to mean X, you shouldn't be upset because it also means Y. Right. In that case, fascist - that in spanish is spelled the same way that in italian, 'fascista' - is the porter of the fascium, a standard used by the roman army. I'm sorry, but I think that neither the forks of a motorbike or a telescope can harm the feelings of anybody. And in Spain, a lot of the injuries of the war and the dictatorship haven't yet totally closed, if you know what I mean. So, it depends totally of the context. You must be very careful using such a word in my country - geographical context - in certain moments - time context - Cheers

Everything depends of the circumstances. Believe me, living in a country ruled during forty years by a fascist and a fascit government, it's not a very nice word to hear in any context... On the other hand, I had to stand sometimes been named 'fascist' by the 'good-boys-globalization-djembe-dreadlocks-antisystem', and I don't give a flying f*** about it And no, I would't leave the pub. Maybe make bigger the distance between he/she and me. Cheers

One of the ways to deal with the "stage panic" is to have a couple of drinks before you play, but I wouldn't recommend that to everybody More seriously, the best way I found to deal with it is, simply, go busking. When you get accustomed to play in a street with a lot of people of any kind walking around, there are not anymore many things that can get you nervous. Cheers

Agree. That wasn't a very lucky term. I myself am very found of playing fiddle in a very traditional style, and don't deny the merits of another more innovative fiddlers. I don't fancy specially the styles of Noel Hill or Niall Vallely as the styles I would like to play in, but definitely they are very good concertinists by their own right and, indeed, very good studying / listening materials. But I wolud prefer the styles of Jacqueline McCarthy or Colm Healey, because I reckon that those styles suit better my own personality and my approach / way of understanding the instrument. If Noel Hill is so renowned and famous, for sure it isn't for nothing. And on the personal side, I'm as bored with the 'djembe-session-screwers' as with the 'trad police'. Enough have of both. At the end of the day, they are two sides of the same coin. Cheers, Fer

It's exactly what I pointed in another thread. And concertinas - and fiddles, and generally speaking good vintage instruments - keep their value; you'll never sell a good instrument for less money than you paid for it. Some of my uilleann pipers friends told me even that, after the death of the maker Alain Froment, his sets's prices went up to the ceiling!! Anyway, when I think about the amount of money I spent in the past in smoking - yep, I confess -, going out to the pub with the lads and a lot of silly things; I reckon that the money spent in my concertina is really well worthy. Cheers

Mine is my brand new - well, secondhand, OK - Morse Ceilí C/G Jeffries #407. I'm in love with this small cute box I'm so lazy that I just picked directly the picture from the button box place Fer

Same happened to me when I began to learn Irish fiddle... but there was a great competition at sessions, and after a while I stopped trying to master the instrument in the less possible time... just relax and play, don't give importance to your mistakes! Some of my major improvements happened when I was playing and watching telly at the same time. So, don't hurry and let It happen! Changing subjet, I don't regret either a single cent of any of my instruments. But this is the first time I paid the real price for an instrument; my fiddles - both! - were real bargains for whom I paid A LOT less than their real value. Thus, I'm afraid I'm a little badly accustomed On the personal side, I reckon that music gives me too a little balance & makes me forget once in a while about this foolish world... Is sort of a rest for everyday troubles. Cheers, Fer

I know exactly how do you feel. This is even worse in my country, where you're not a 'true' musician if you don't play flamenco on guitar ( ole!... ) and concertina is regarded - if somebody knows it - more or less as a funny toy. Anyway, when I said 'justify', I meant justify to myself and to my wife, who is not very happy to see I spent such amount of money in an instrument... obviously, she doesn't know about Jeffries's About another people, I don't bother. When they ask me something similar as the 'two fine gentlemen' asked you, I answer: - I don't have a mortgage or a car. You're going to spend 15,000 euro in a car that after 3 years is going to be scrap. Not lilely my beloved 'tina. Good Lord, deliver us from that! Cheers, Fer

All the above reasons; Love to play, prove myself and please the others, passtime, good exercise for my poor brain... but in the case of Irish music, I'll add a couple more - these where more important when I was younger -: - Free pints ( yummy! ) - Sometimes, I even got paid... - The possibilty of to impress some nice girl in a session or a gig - I'll deny this in front of my wife -. Nowadays, the main reason is to justify the 1300 euro I spent in my last concertina... I know, is very sad

Right! So, I supose that if it passed the Morris test, can then carry on with anything... Cheers

Exactly, Bill! When the Morse arrived I though: beatiful and light box, let's see how it works... and after playing a couple of tunes... well, where's the trick? It's too easy! I mean, my small left finger falls exactly and effortlessy on the F#, the notes can be played nicely slurred... even if you play in the rows! And another feature with wich I'm delighted is the ability of this little beast to play from piano to forte - never able with the Stagy. Basically, the Stagi is On/Off, no subtleties at all. Happened to me the same with my main instrument. After years of play/fighting with a good, but hard german fiddle, I got a french one in more or less the same range - if not a little better - but a lot easier to play and a lot richer in undertones. Well, my playing inproved a 200%! So, I hope to bring my Morse to the local session in a couple months maximum Cheers

Hello everybody; Well, I did it. Broke my piggy bank and purchased a gorgeous Morse Ceili C/G Jeffries layout with a lovely black finish. So, please, I would like to ask a couple of questions because I don't figure how to deal with with it: 1) My old box is a Stagi pretty less responsive and harder to play, so I had to struggle and fight with it more than play it. Is there any chance I could screw up my new 'tina playing it that hard? 2) One of the reeds of my Stagi - the 3rd one in the RH, G row; I think is a D - stopped sounding suddenly. Being a bit handyman, is there any possibility I could fix it by myself? BTW, I play Irish traditional music. So, very few chords, - if any - apart from the ocassional drone. Thanks in advance. If wasn't for this amazing community, I wouldn't had the less idea about concertinas! Cheers, Fer

Dry? I spent xmas in the UK and indeed you don't know what's dry weather... The cold in my country gets into your bones and doesn't get out till spring... About snow, I can see the snow covered mountains at the north of Madrid county from my home, but my wife is not very found of it, pity... there must be 2 or 3 feet of snow, plenty of skying and sledging people. BTW, happy new year

Hi, Tony. I've sent you a PM. Thanks

The worst disadvantage I see in a Rochelle is the Wheatstone keyboard layout. I mean, The middle C# - the most used - is in the 3rd row right hand, only in the push. Most of the best ITM players favour a Jeffries layout, that is slightly different, but you have another C# in the pull in 2nd button, 3rd row, right hand. I think that a Rochelle with Jeffries layout would be perfect if ITM is what you're looking for, but I understand that Wim Wakker designed a concertina for general purpose. If you want something vintage but cheaper, try to find a 24 or 26 button Lachenal that would provide you enough accidentals for to play in the keys of C, G, D, A and their modes, thus 99,9 % of irish tunes. Cheers Edited for spelling...

Well... All named by my girlfriend: My first fiddle is a german one loud and sharp like a razor blade. Definitely, a she: 'Sheila'. My second - nowadays, actually the most played - is a french one with a beatiful deep and round sond, and much easier to play than the another one : Thus, he's named 'Robert'. About the squeezeboxes, my Rochelle is named 'Tina' and my B/C melodeon, 'Thomas'. Don't ask me why, but all the names make sense to me... Cheers

Hi, everybody. This is my story... After a lot of years playing fiddle and some mandolin, I wanted to play the tunes I knew in other instrument. I've never been found of winds - flute, whistle, or even worse: pipes -, so I decided to give a try to the Anglo. As most of my friends point, with a charming sense of humour, I've a tendence to choose more "female" instruments, rather than the "macho" ones, i.e: pipes or guitar. Don´t hope play like Niall Vallely, Padraig Rynne or Micheal O'Raghallaigh; growing older and almost in my forties the "Bothy Band type" sessions have become gradually sort of "slippers & fireplace" sessions, leaving the annoying up speed sessions to the hormoned teens... Anyway, is a lot of relief play an instrument that is always in tune; and not have to buy strings, re-hair bows or rosin up... Cheers

This is a very funny statement. Here in my own country, classical trained virtuosos of guitar aren´t by far valued as the flamenco virtuosos. A good example of how the "folk" music can beat to some stiffy classical musicians. And in my opinion, is not as bad with concertina as with fiddle. There's no traditional spanish music for fiddle, so when you take it out of the box, everybody expects you to play some classical piece - unless, of course, you're in the pub having some pints with the chaps -.

A great friend of mine is a brilliant uilleann piper & irish flute player. He was born in Dublin and his father is irish; and his mother... chinese. So, is sort of bizarre to see him playing and hear him speak in english with a very strong irish accent. I mean, his looking doesn't seem to match at all with all his other features. But indeed, the funniest story he told me was when he was playing in a festival in the Glenties - Donegal - and fiddler Vincent Campbell asked him: - Wich part of Japan are you from? The answer: - Blackrock Cheers

Hi, everybody. I would like to request the gift of your wisdom, oh more experienced concertinists! Well, being a fiddler during 15 years I purchased a Rochelle - after reading a lot of feedbacks in this forum - and I've to say that I feel very happy with the decision; on the other hand when i became familiar with the keyboard and knowing the tunes from my fiddle playing i've began - i think - to improve pretty quickly. So, I felt the the need of upgrade to a faster, lighter, louder and with more responsiveness. Among all the chances - and having a look into my purse, everything has to be said - I decided to order a concertina from Harold Herrington: a true gentleman, a real pleasure to deal with him. I ordered then a 24 keys that is seems has the type of layout I need for to play irish music. The question is, please: Did anybody tried this layout? Would make a lot of difference with the 30 b Wheatstone - Lachenal? On one hand, the F# in the small finger is a pain in the a**e, and I really fancy the reversed C# and F# on the 24 b. But i think i will miss things like the mirrored G/A in the 3rd row, left hand. Cheers. Edited for typo...

Indeed, he's a spanish guy. And i would say looking at his videos in youtube that he is a native of Asturias, a celtic area of Spain in the northern atlantic coast. I've already downloaded all his videos. Cheers Edited for typo

Hi, everybody! Altough i'm not good neither at playing or reading music, i don't feel that the tablatures are useful at all, since i use diferent fingerings for diferent tunes even if they are in the same pitch... the only thing i've in front of me when i'm playing is this, only with helping purposes... was made with stuff i found around the forum, so feel free to use it you find it useful Regards layout_3Ob_Wheatstone.pdf