maccannic

Yes, I was the seller last year (and it's me playing in the two sound files, generously hosted by Jim as I'm too technically clueless to set that up by myself). I can confirm that this is a lovely and interesting instrument. It was eyeballed some years ago by Colin Dipper, who was highly impressed and valued it at £2000 retail. I have since moved on to something rather larger and more in keeping with what I'm trying to do, but I spent 10 or so very happy years with this concertina. I might add that it was a pleasure dealing with 'Sprunghub' (and Mrs. S.), and I wish them success.

As a joke (I hope!) for my birthday I was given a book called 'Concertina: the Life and Loves of a Dominatrix', by Susan Winemaker. Basically as far as I can see it's just a smutty sex novel with a female lead who calls herself Concertina, and I don't suppose I'll even read it (oh all right then, maybe I will), but it sort of got me thinking to what extent playing the concertina can take over your life and colour your waking thoughts. Anybody know what I mean? Or am I in a bad way?

Play jazz. There's no wrong notes in jazz.

It depends on what sort of music you want to play, of course, but you might start with getting some simple folk dance tunes (jigs, reels, waltzes etc.) with the chords given. Then if you can figure out the common chords (G, C, D, A minor, E minor) and learn to play them and move from one to another, you should be able to play many of the common tunes, especially if you don't try and go too fast.

I'm salivating over that photo. Serial numbers would be useful.

I know this instrument well, and it's a stunner. Unfortunately the sort of price I could offer would probably be regarded as an insult.

As someone who has often tried to make sense of tunes in abc without actually sitting down and learning it, I think this looks useful. However, unless I'm missing something, it doesn't say much about rhythm, i.e. note lengths (minim, crochet, quaver etc.) or rests. Can anybody add to this?

Sounds interesting. But I can't open the eBay link. What's the range (i.e the lowest and highest notes on the LH end and again on the RH end)?

I play a Maccann duet (surprise, surprise! The clue is in the name). The original question is probably impossible to answer, but to sort of half answer it I might say that when I play duet it sounds nothing like an English but a bit like an Anglo. If anything it sounds most like a piano accordion (which I also play) but with concertina reeds. This is because on the right-hand end I play the tune together with as many extra chord notes as conveniently fall into place, while the left is basically going 'oom-pah oom-pah', although I try to get away from that as much as possible by putting in block chords, bits of bass run, etc. I don't conciously try to imitate English or Anglo, but if playing dance tunes I'm concious of the rhythmic effect achieved by a good Anglo player and try to be at least as good.

Dont' worry about bad habits ... as long as they work for you! Personally I always play the tune on the right, together with as many extra notes as I feel like dropping in, while the left plays the chords, bass runs etc. Of course, with the right hand end only going down to middle-C it's occasionally necessary to drop in a note on the left, but I don't like doing it as it tends to get in the way of what the left hand is doing. In the case of song accompaniment, I will often play an octave higher to avoid this. Others may disagree ... there used to be a contributor on here called Dirge who reckoned to play any note on either end, whichever was most convenient.

Hi Jody, I've sent you a separate message. maccannic

Strong smell of rat about this one. Seller says he wants it to go to a good home, but he wasn't prepared to let anyone have a look at it first, so he was only ever going to get traders and chancers offering a knock-down price. It finally went for £1300-odd, whereas if it was as good as he said it was he could have got far more.

Wow! What's not to like?

I've got a 64-key Maccann for sale. See thread titled 'OK, it's time to sell my first concertina' which I started as long ago as 29th November 2011. I've still got the instrument, as I'm not pro-active enought to get round to selling it. Any reasonable offer considered. I'm in Surrey, where are you? Edited to add: One reason I no longer play it is the hand straps are a bit short for my great male hands, but it should suit a lady OK.

Nice music. But if the purpose of language is to communicate, what is the point of white subtitles against a white background?