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CZ in AZ

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Posts posted by CZ in AZ

    Carroll Concertina, Money Sent - 2+ Months To Wait, Psyched

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    Yes Noel suggests substituting the A for the Fn on button 1 (top row leftmost button) and the D for the A on button 11 (inside row leftmost button). Wally told me that he does this because then it creates a parallel structure (same note) with a pull on the leftmost button and a push on the next button in. This allows him to toggle on the same note underneath a tune.

     

    That said, I chose to keep the A on button 11 because I use it frequently to chord and also for the melody on tunes that go low. I chose to put an F# on button 1 instead of the Fn, I rarely use that Fn. This will allow me to have an F#m chord with a low F#, which would be useful for a lot of tunes. Wally could not put a D on that button without re configuring the instrument, but the F# was no problem. The other change Noel recommends is having C# on both the push and pull on button 16 (top row, right side, first button). I already have that on my current instrument and so will have it on my new one.

     

    Claire

    Carroll Concertina, Money Sent - 2+ Months To Wait, Psyched

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    For those of you with the NH model. How are you incorporating the d drone key into your playing. I am so curious to try it. I play Irish, but also old time and contradance music. I sometimes just chord in a fast contra tune and think that the low d will be invaluable for that. However, I am curious how it can be incorporated into the melody of the tune. I have never taken from Noel, but am currently taking from Flo Fahy and she is excellent!

     

    Thanks!

    Carroll Concertina, Money Sent - 2+ Months To Wait, Psyched

    in General Concertina Discussion

    Posted

    Hi concertina friends,

    Just wanted to share how excited I am to be actually in the last phase of getting my Carroll concertina! I am getting the Noel Hill version with the low D drone. I know many of us started our tune playing late in life, and for me the decision to broaden from singing and playing bodhran at 48 yrs, was one of the best, hardest, funnest, most rewarding adventures I have taken. It is funny to think that 3 1/2 years ago, after only a year + of playing, I decided to get on the list. It was a great decision and now that the day approaches I am even more antsy to get my hands on it! I better go home and practice, so that it will like me when it comes - who needs to work anyway!

     

    Cheers, Claire

    Morse 30 Button C/g Anglo For Sale

    in Buy & Sell

    Posted

    To those that are interested in my concertina - it is still available.

    I would be happy post some pictures, if someone can tell me how to do that. If not, just send me an email and I can send you sound files and pictures. The price is $1,900 or best offer.

     

    Thanks,

    Claire

    Morse 30 Button C/g Anglo For Sale

    in Buy & Sell

    Posted · Edited by CZ in AZ

    Hi,

    I am selling my 30 button C/G Morse concertina. It is number #122, so it is a classic from the early days - but last winter, in anticipation of selling it, I had it completely refurbished by the Button Box (new bellows and bushings, valves checked, wax replaced and tuned). They did a beautiful job and it plays really well, though could still use some breaking in after the re-build. It is a modified Jeffries layout with three c# because I added a c# on the push (first finger on rt).

     

    FYI, I live in the Western U.S. for purposes of contacting me and mailing.

     

    Please email me at clairezu247@gmail.com if you are interested.

     

    Thanks,

    Claire

    Morse To Edgley - A Move Up?

    in Forum Questions, Suggestions, Help

    Posted

    Hi everyone,

    I was off doing what we all love doing, playing music for a solid week :), but that meant I could not reply to any messages on the site.

     

    Thank you once again for these comments - they really helped me think about the problem. After reading them, I have concluded that my Morse is leaking pretty badly and has key noise and buttons that don't sound immediately - in short, I really do need to get it worked on. Probably, I am developing some poor technique because I have to push and pull fairly hard to get the sound to go in rhythm on the fast tunes and run out of air cause of the leaks, so, in short, I need to do something about it before I get my Carrol in 2 years. I have Morse C/G ceili number 122 btw, so it is a fairly old instrument. Not sure what number they are up to.

     

    Just to share my conclusion... I plan to do it all :) Order the Edgley and then get the Morse fixed, so I don't have to be without an instrument. Then decide which one I want to keep and sell the other, so that I have a backup. Sounds like the two makes are fairly equivalent in level, but may vary by the particular instrument. Once I get the Carroll, I will decide if I keep the hybrid as a back up.

     

    So thanks again for this discussion - much appreciated.

    Claire

    Morse To Edgley - A Move Up?

    in Forum Questions, Suggestions, Help

    Posted

    Hi Bill,

    Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I have no doubt that technique plays a role, but I also think that my particular Morse instrument is lacking in some regards. It is an early model and it does leak,and even though I have had it repaired locally, the problem persists. I also avoid full extension of the bellows by using the air hole, but I don't like the fact that there is little extra room when I need it. When my concertina was tried out by a visitor recently, he ran up against the same "short" problem that I have. I also re-finger and find alternates to avoid in and out, but when going for tricky notes, like a quick g# in the higher octave or some of the low C# or A in the top row left hand, the note is just glancing and is often nearly inaudible unless I pounce on it - again this is probably technique problem to some degree. In short, I think I am just ready for a try at a new instrument and I tend to think that a new Edgley - rarin to go, may give me a boost compared to my Morse. That said, I was reluctant to take the plunge without a bit of feedback and research on whether I was going the wrong direction as far as quality. Sounds like a top line Morse and a top line Edgley are comparable, but that is perhaps not the case with my Morse.

     

    This is so tricky when you can't try the instrument out... , but your comments really helped me think about it more.

     

    Thanks, Claire

    Morse To Edgley - A Move Up?

    in Forum Questions, Suggestions, Help

    Posted

    I am not clear on whether they are my limitations or the particular instrument or the make in general, but I find that there is not very much stretch in the bellows, and that the instrument does not respond as quickly (ie not as fast) as I would like. I feel that I have to vigorously move the bellows on a fast tune to get all the notes. I would order a wooden ended Edgley with the slanted reed bed.

    Morse To Edgley - A Move Up?

    in Forum Questions, Suggestions, Help

    Posted · Edited by CZ in AZ

    Hi folks,

    I have my name down for a Caroll but it will be two years more til I get it. Currently, I am playing a Morse, but find several limitations even though I dearly love the instrument. I am seriously thinking of buying an Edgley professional model in the interim. Wondering if anyone has thoughts on that and would care to share their perspectives.

     

    Claire

    Tips For Playing While Standing, Anyone?

    in Forum Questions, Suggestions, Help

    Posted

    Hey everyone,

    Thanks so much for all your excellent ideas. And Jody - Hi - hope your doing great! Just to clarify, this is a goofy dress up, march around a festival with a mob of musicians - which is held every year at the Walnut Valley Festival (in Kansas) and is lead by the Carp campers at the festival. It is great fun and usually I play my drum, but would like to play my concertina this year. We are generally "marching" for over an hour, so I will probably need to use every hand-hold and will start my practicing straight away. I also think I should have a safety net to avoid droppage. I will give that webbing idea a try or some other safety net idea, cause in the excitement of the moment it is really easy to lose hold. If it threatens rain, I will likely just revert to the drum, but usually it is beastly hot, so I might try to strap on some shade somehow.

     

    I am also psyched to google these concertina marching bands and will post the links if I find them.

     

    Again thanks to all... I will play Scotland the Brave and the other marches with you in mind. :)

    Claire

    Tips For Playing While Standing, Anyone?

    in Forum Questions, Suggestions, Help

    Posted

    Hi all - need some tips from the experts, here.

     

    I would like to play my C/G Anglo while walking in a parade in September and need some advice (I normally sitting with the left side on my left knee). Does anyone have some tips on how to play standing without A) hurting my concertina, B) playing the notes I actually want to play. No need for ornaments, just want to hold it up and play the basics of the tune. I don't think I can tighten the straps enough to make much of a difference because of my hand size. I have thought of building something to perch the wee thing on, but can't quite construct how that would work - so thoughts on that might be useful too.

     

    Thanks for your time - looking forward to hearing your ideas,

    Claire

    Swannanoa

    in Teaching and Learning

    Posted

    Hi, I am considering going to Celtic Week at Swannanoa this summer, and Grainne Hambly is teaching anglo concertina. Has anyone gone and taken from her in the past, either at this camp or elsewhere. Can you tell me a bit about her teaching style, what it might be like, and if she is a good match for a beginner player. I have about 2 years of experience and can play up to 100 bpm comfortably on the tunes I know (for reference about what "beginner" means in my case. Does she tend to teach tunes or style and what is it like to take in a group setting?

    Thanks for any advice you can offer.

    Making yourself heard...

    in Teaching and Learning

    Posted

    As a new player, I really have this problem and can sympathize. I find that sitting next to a fiddler is about the worst. Their instrument is right by my ear and the tone is similar enough to drown out anything I might hear. Great idea about sitting in a corner or near a wall - Thanks

    Comping Anglo Chords to D dance tunes?

    in Teaching and Learning

    Posted

    I am really new to the concertina, but regularly play bodhran in my local session and also sing on occassion,so I know a lot of the tunes in my head. I was very leary of playing chords in the session because I respect the traditional sound of the melody driven sound. However, I am often in situations where chordal accompaniement is welcome and actually my local session does not seem to mind at all if I am respectful and relatively quiet. Since I have been working on chords, my familiarity with the instrument especially the left hand has come a really long way and it is finally getting pretty comfortable.

     

    My standard resting place for D tunes is pulling...C row D, G row F# and the low A, The D is not at the bottom of the chord, but it is a full sound. This displaces your hand down from the normal resting spot, but since chord thinking seems to be quite different that melody thinking in your brain, it does not seem to interfere with my instincts when I am playing melody. The alternate D chords I use are...G row D push, accidental row either of the A's. To fill out the other chords in the D key, I use GDB, push on the G row or GBD pull at the bottom of the G row, and I do the A chord by bar chording the top A on the accidental row and he E on the C row, or going up on the lower end of the accidental row to push for an A chord. Getting a quick switch to a low A chord is hard.

     

    I have similar sets of chords for some other keys, but am definitely just working this out and would welcome any one elses chord ideas for different keys. What I try to do is to have several ways to play each chord, often without the third since a quick switch of three fingers is often hard. Then I alternate the way I play the chords given the sound of the tune and where I am coming and going to... if I can keep one finger planted between two sequencial chords that is very helpful for the transitions.

     

    At this point, I really just consider this a way for me to build familiarity with the instrument and to participate without being irritating becuase none of my tunes are really up to speed for a session yet (just been playing for 6 months).

     

    I hope this is interesting and useful to someone out there. This is my first post, so I guess it is my de-lurking post as well. I really enjoy the list.

    Claire

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