Wolf Molkentin

This had already been my guess just from reading the dots (due to the extent of the B part). Will require a "DC al fine" in the end then - don't kow how to do it with ABC (inserted just another repeat sign after note one as a workaround), but of course how to play it... X:1 T:Abbess, The M:4/4 L:1/8 Q:1/4=140 C:Andy Cutting Z:Peter Dunk 2011 K:G G2 [|:[|:"G"B4 "D7"B3 "G/F#"c | "G" d3 "G/F#"G G2 "Em"Bd | "C" e2 e2- edcB | "Am"cBAG "D7"d2 GF |! "C"E2 c2 "Am"A3 F | "Bm"D2 d2 "G"BA"Em"GF |"C" E2 cB "D7"AB/A/ "C"GF |1"Gsus4"G4-GDGA :|2 "Gsus4"G4- GA"G"Bc |! "G"d4 "C"e3 d | "Am"cBAG "D7"d2 dc | "Bm"BAGF "Em"E2 cB | "Bm"BAAB "D"D2 GF |! "C"E2 c2 "Am"A3 F | "Bm"D2 d2 "G"BA"Em"GF |"C" E2 cB "D7"AB/A/ "C"GF | "G"G4- GA"Gsus4"Bc |! dGBd "Em"e2 ed | "Am"cBce "D"ddef | "G"gBfg "Em"e2 dB | "C"cBef "D7"d3 c |! M:6/4 "Bm"BAGF "C" E2 c2 "Am"A3 F | [M:4/4]"Bm"D2 d2 "G"BA"Em"GF | "C"E2 cB "D7"AB/A/ GF |1 "C"G4- GDGA :|2 "G"G8 |] (someone will do better, I'm sure) Above all - thank you Pete for the quite helpful transscription!

I can only tell that if I'd been allowed to cumulate my two votes, it would have been in favour of "Over The Waterfall"... (but however, others will presumably tell similar stories regarding their favourites...)

Does this help? Err??? NO ... it gets me the Fm version... and very good too but I still don't get the Bm. Didn't know what had been wrong - so here is the Bm take.

The relative size of reed chambers in a given instrument might be a matter of balancing the lower and the higher end in terms of volume too. However, I'd second Jim's advice...

Does this help?

I admit defeat as to "Russian" style... (having recorded another, possibly a bit more occidental version myself in the meantime anyway...) You definitely made something of the tune, and played it nice your way too! Best whishes - Wolf

I'd suggest to give the opportunity of cumulating the two votes then (if the software allows that)...

I am selling a similar (newer) Hohner c48 (in tune) for 220 euros+shipping ... Yes, I have noticed that. But that's in fact a reasonable price and not only "a bit less" then the asking price as mentioned above...

You don't want anyone to laugh? O.K., IMO the asking price is ridicoulus (given it's just a treble like it appears to be), all the more since they are saying "likely needs tuning"... (thus making it even more (i.e. less) a "bargain" than this one... And then, "this Vintage Stagi Concertina" (a.s.f.): I might choose to laugh anyway (the wear giving added value then...?!)... But again, you were just kidding, weren't you? "selling for a bit less...", not bad!

Still suffering from a sore thumb (having kept me off the instrument for nearly a week) I nevertheless decided to make another attempt tonight - with take 1 unfortunately messed up by the recording machine, whereupon I messed the further recording up myself here and there... Moreover I'm particularly dissatisfied with the ending - however the new version may represent my approach on "our" tune a little better... Again, thanks to everyone for good advice (which I just started to employ on a concept which apparently tends to resist more or less; but this should be the only way to go, shouldn't it?). Besides, I like Stefan's (so very different) version too - very fine playing in fact!

Looks like Crane system, but I'm no expert regarding Duet concertinas. However - good to hear that there are still these "junk shop gems" to be found... Best wishes - Wolf

Some thoughts... As to a cutting and powerful tone, you would in fact just have to go for sort of a "niche" instrument (like, in the treble range, the - late - Lachenal Excelsior that I play; not even the loudest instrument, but simply different, i.e. sonorous and squealing if treated the right way...). However, I'm not familiar with the T (or TT) range... If having the thumbs completely stuck in the straps you would hold the instrument almost between the thenars (which allows for a fair amount of - sudden - pressure IMO). Of course a concertina "has" a vibrato (resp. tremolo), as we discussed at length some time ago. Fellow concertinists may be more experienced with that, but a sample of this vibrato/tremolo as I use to apply it at times is to be heard here... Regards - Wolf

I can confirm that the bellows end stamping looks exactly like on the bellows of my Lachenal Excelsior, as shown here.

Dave, I've been under the (probably misunderstanding) impression that you didn't want to delete files due to their relation to relevant postings - however, if this should be at least partially the case you might in fact upload them in a smaller size; if not, just delete that old stuff...

Dave, you might perhaps scale the existing media down in order to create some more space for new files?

The samples sound good in fact (and lively played too). You might sell the new one (to sb. who wouldn't have to wait then) and keep this...

Dave, as to uploading pics, I'd suggest you'd put them somewhere else (using a free "flicr" account or something similar; if you don't mind the German language you might take "abload.de" like I do as well) and use the "image" code here to imbed the pictures through a link to the webspace). Best wishes with these new papers - Wolf

Nicely told... As to the bending issue, we've discussed this at one point (offline) - as much as I've learned (from another EC player, and involuntarily beforehand) it might be done by closing (resp. opening) the valve half way. I'd guess the harmonica way would be to rough for our valuable instruments, can't swap them every week or month... So how are you doing that bending? Greetings from another sailor

Thanks for the nice comments - glad you liked the pics! I'm all the more fond of this instrument...

Our former member Leo would have had his 62nd birthday today. Looking for the thread where his passing had been mentioned at that time I stumbled instead across this one: comprising of just two posts, the second being from another member that has sadly passed: Kautilya. So let's be mindful of those who are no longer among us, their contributions to our community - and this birthday of today...

Squeeze Cat and Geoff, thank you so much for the further advice! As to further progress, both suggestions seem essential to me. Easing in the chords, well, I definitely agree on the disturbing effect, Geoff. But since the aim is not to keep the fingers busy but to deploy harmonic progressions I might have primarily to dose the "fiddle" arpeggio more cautious (saving it up for endings of "rising" phrases f.i.), mellow the attack a.s.f. - however, I'll have to work on that! Then your rubato suggestion, Squeeze Cat, which seems very valuable to me. I'm glad about being more able to keep up a regular pulse as a grounding then before, but not content with the outcome in this case myself. I had already thought about slowing down at some places but barely about speeding up on others. I take it from you that there is more room for variations than I might have assumed as yet. I'll have to think about that, Geoff - perphaps it's not for nothing that my "single line" take has an additional starting note which just happened to me when playing/recording and thereafter always gives me as a listener the impression of echoing the beginning of Tchaikowsky's 1st Piano Concerto... I am very happy with this comment - it is most encouraging that my idea seems to have taken shape enough to be hearable! Along with the criticism, this sets me into a balance, all the more inspired to take up the instrument again and proceed...

Hi Wolf, my impression is that although you do get all the notes right (wish I were at that point already...), the piece as a whole to me sounds a little fuzzy. I believe that is because you tend to overslur the notes (especially on the left hand side) a wee little bit. Sort of the exact opposite to Patrick's take on La Luna; he painstakingly sets off every note against the next whereas you tend to weave most notes into the following ones. I believe your rendition could benefit from more deliberate staccato on the left hand side. I may be wrong, though. Other than that, it's LIKE! Rüdiger, thank you for the positive criticism, I highly appreciate that! As to the details, I must say that I regard having learnt to implement that "weaving", that had been in my mindeven prior to starting with the EC, firstly as a welcome gain. It's part of my "fiddle style" idea (alongside of those "sawing" open fifths and that touch of arpeggio at times). OTOH your hint may come in due time. Once having learnt that melodic playing I'll have to make deliberate use of it resp. regain the liberty of using staccato in some places, even whilst playing such a mournful tune... Besides, there are one or two (repeated) moments where I as listener on my own account would like to shout: "TAKE A SHORT BREAK!" Let's see what happens next... And Chris, very glad that you like this recording once again...!

I have got the point only on today's revisiting of your post: We would have those orange animated graphs then, wouldn't we? This would be quite nice, as far as I'm concerned.

That's just what I had already guessed. But anyway, you will be asking a fair price (2.000 €) for this 9/10 Boyd Extended Treble then - otherwise this would truly have been an unparalleled bargain...

Thus I should listen to the MIDI file again - but not right now, in the office...