Lakeland Fiddler

This morning the C (button 3, push, C row, left hand) seems slow to speak. Playing a C chord it is difficult to get all three notes to play, the E and G play easily enough, but I need to push a lot of air to get the C to join in. So off comes the end again. It is now a little better but not perfect by any means. Here are a few pics I took whilst I had it apart. As you can see, the finish is quite rough. Sawdust and grit is evident on the surfaces and workmanship is poor.

I fully intended to take photos but with the little incident I completely forgot and just wanted to get it back together. Next time I will be better prepared for what is to come. Yes, it is of Chinese origin with waxed in reeds as you say, I was totally underwhelmed by the quality and construction!

I’ve been learning to play on a recently acquired Sherwood Flynn for about three weeks now and noticed that the G on left button 5 push is becoming less and less responsive. Yesterday I had trouble getting it to speak at all, so I was left with the problem of what to do. I could take it back to the shop where I got it but that’s miles away and if they decide to keep it for repair I would also have another journey. I could try and find someone else to repair it but the same issues apply, plus I would have to pay for the repair. Or I could just have a go myself; what could possibly go wrong! So, a few Youtube videos later I dug out my screwdrivers and removed the screws from the left hand side of the instrument and gently remove the end. I now needed to identify the problem reed so I turned the end over to locate the button and trace the lever to the corresponding pad. I gently pressed the G, that’s when I had the “Oh $#!t” moment, the plate with the reeds, buttons and levers fell out of the end plate and landed on the bench. I had that sick feeling in my stomach and wished I’d never started. After a short break to pull myself together I realised nothing was broken and everything was still attached even though all the buttons were all pointing in the wrong directions. I saw that I could only access the reeds on one side of the reed plate without further dismantling so I just slid a piece of paper under every reed and every valve that I could see to try and clear any dust then set about getting it all back together again. It took several attempts with a long screwdriver to get all the buttons back in the upright position to allow the end plate to slip back over. A big sigh of relief as the end went back into the bellows, a quick try before the screws went back in and all seemed good. Screws back in and it plays like a dream compared to before, in fact the right hand side seems tardy in comparison. So as soon as I pluck up the courage I will have a go at that too. Not sure what to do about the reeds that were on the other side of the reed block, more research needed. Any comment, advice, instruction welcome.

I was told the difference is purely cosmetic, the colour of the ends.

Thanks for the explanation, I wasn't aware of the different styles. Looks like I have a lot to learn! The tune Rakes of Mallow I got from a book of English morris tunes just to confuse matters, as if I need confusing any more. My head is spinning and it's getting late, the caterpillar is going back in it's box and I'm off to bed!

Maybe it's me that's confused! I've read somewhere (can't find where now) that G on the second line up on the treble clef is the G on the first finger of the right hand on the G row. That way the melody is in the right hand and the chords are in the left. It wouldn't be the first bit of advice that I've picked up that is not correct; I was told in the music shop that if I could play harmonica I would easily adapt to concertina because the notes are all in the same relationship to each other, I've found out since that this is just not true! As I said at the beginning, I'm only at the end of my first week of playing.

That works very nicely, thank you! I'm now playing the first six bars of the B part an octave down then return to the higher octave for the last two bars! Also thanks for the link, lots of useful stuff on there! 🙂

Ah, took me a while to work that out. Basically you would play that part an octave down! ......Yes I am playing a C/C instrument! 🙂

HI all, I'm a week into playing Anglo and finding fingering some of the higher note combinations difficult. This example is the B part of Rakes of Mallow. The G at the beginning of this section lies under my right pinky on the push, the F# would have me move my pinky to the adjacent button for the pull then back to the previous button for another pull on the E. How would you finger this? Do I just need to persevere until I strengthen my weak pinky or would you recommend alternative fingering?

Nice set of tunes, they go well together. 🙂

Indeed, with the real page 15 it's pretty basic really. It's just a case of keeping the rhythm going with the chords in the left hand whilst remembering how to play the tune with the right hand; easy peasy, just try telling my brain that! 🤣😂🤣

Thank you Roger, message sent!

Hi all, last weekend in a moment of madness on holiday I bought an Anglo concertina and a tutor book. I learned the first tune in the book, Monk's March but failing miserably on the suggested full version which doesn't make sense to me. Then I realised that the pages in the book are printed incorrectly, I have two page seventeens but no page fifteen. So, if anyone has access to a copy of Handbook for Anglo-Chromatic Concertina, by Roger Watson I would really appreciate a look at page 15.

Well done on the video. I too, suffer from red button syndrome. I can play fiddle quite well until I press the record button or realise someone is looking and listening. One of the ways I'm learning to overcome this is to record everything I play. I don't listen back to everything, I usually just delete it, but it's amazing that sometimes I actually capture something worth listening to because I get used to the recorder being on. I look forward to seeing your next video, it can only get easier from here

Probably easier and closer to hand, how about putting your concertina in a sweat shirt and playing it with your hands up the sleeves. If it's really heavy duty muting you're after, try a duffle coat You're joking, but I'm serious. A sweatshirt, been fluffy and not dence, will not provide sound insolation. The best would be dark room bag, made of thick leather, but there aren't such. Those dencely woven cotton, double lined bags are pretty good, and they are made as though intended for the purpose. One of my daughters is at college studying art and is now on a photography project. She has been doing her own developing and printing so I asked if I could borrow her darkroom bag for a muffler for the concertina. Within minutes of starting to play my hands were sweating, so much so that I could no longer hold on to the instrument. I conclude that a darkroom bag is not a good way to play quietly. Edited for spelling