Workshop Advice

[Susanne]

Hi everyone!

 

First of all - very nice new forum interface!!!!!!!!!! And, if anyone is confused: I used to be ennistraveler, now I'm Susi. Most of those who know me, know me as Susi, as that's my usual internet nick. No idea why I chose ennistraveler in the first place, possibly because I couldn't forget about all the good music at Ennis Trad Fest:)

 

I was told by Chas about the seemingly very nice event Melodeons and more in Suffolk, March 2010. I'm actually going there quite much to look for a better anglo concertina and be able to test play them. But of course I'm also going to attend some workshop. I haven't decided whether to do a melodeon (using the organetto) or concertina workshop, and the list of available workshops isn't there yet either. But I have absolutely NO idea what to expect. On the melodeon I could possibly make it on a tune workshop (or at least Chas said so, but how difficult could it be with only one row and some extra buttons?), but on the concertina??? I'm very beginner-ish, but I'm able to find tunes in C and G, using the C and G rows (using both rows especially in the key of G) but I'm not very fast. I'd think a beginner workshop would be the best, but how is the level then? Has anyone been there? Do they teach how to hold the thing and play scales or do they teach something more? I don't think I'm much more than beginner level, and even if I can pick out tunes ok, I'm not sure if there are better ways to play them (that makes the playing smoother), I just pick the closest buttons... would they teach any of this stuff on the beginner workshops?

Last year they had a Sliabh Luachra workshop but I think something like that would be too difficult for me, that I'd need to know the instrument a bit better.

 

Advice? Or should I do a melodeon workshop, buy a concertina and practice for a year until 2011?

 

 

Edited November 10, 2009 by Susanne

[LDT]

hi Susi,

I went to Melodeons and more 2009 and took my concertina (came back with a melodeon but that's another story). I'm hoping to go next year too..but not sure what to take either. Depends how brave I'm feeling.

To get a taste of what its like there are some recordings of concertina.net and melodeon.net members playing in the lunch break.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=F5FA9154BE3AE95C

and some photo's in slideshow format

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v28/imbored22001/MM%2009/?action=view&current=17d65aa8.pbw

--

Sarah

[Susanne]

Nice vids!! The rag played on the box rocks indeed! The concertina on the last one looks exactly like mine. Sounds nice:)