Where to start, beginner questions.

[Shizam]

About 6 months ago I decided I wanted to pick up an instrument and after listening to several different instruments I was interested in I've decided on the concertina. And now, of course, there are a lot of different options out there for concertinas and I have no idea where to start, how many buttons, which style, brand, shape etc. I'd prefer something portable, and while I'd like something that won't have a steep learning curve I'd rather have something that has a lot of room to grow into skill-wise. Music I'm interested in playing is irish, celtic, english, 'sea shanty', accompanying a banjo/guitar. Suggestions on where/how to learn would also be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Sam

[Chris Timson]

Well, you could start with the Concerina FAQ www.concertina.info. See how you do with that and then come back here with any other questions (I'm sure you'll have them). Good luck. This is a fascinating family of instruments that will hold your interest for a life time.

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

 

Edited to add PS: whereabouts are you?

Edited January 13, 2010 by Chris Timson

[Shizam]

Thanks Chris,

I'll pour over that FAQ. I updated my profile to show I'm in the SF Bay Area, California

 

Sam

[Shizam]

Well thats a great FAQ. The Anglo is looking like the one for me but is it really going to drive me crazy trying to play from sheet music? I have no other formal training in another instrument (besides 4 years of flute when I was in high school, and that was a long time ago).

[FatBellows]

Well thats a great FAQ. The Anglo is looking like the one for me but is it really going to drive me crazy trying to play from sheet music? I have no other formal training in another instrument (besides 4 years of flute when I was in high school, and that was a long time ago).

 

 

Go visit Smythe's Accordion Center in Oakland. The owner will provide plenty of advice, hours of conversation, and you can play with the concertinas in the shop. It's fun and informative. I bought my Rochellel there late in August. It's replaced my guitar as a daily obsession.

The hands-on experience will be invaluable in your decision process and will also elminate any doubt after a purchase.

 

Whether or not it drives you crazy depends on how crazy you already are

This site has a number of threads on the subjects of what's best; debate on notations vs ear-playing, Anglo vs English vs Duet, et.al. My opinion is it doesn't matter. Jump in. You'll learn what works for you and quickly abandon those things which don't.

[Dirge]

is it really going to drive me crazy trying to play from sheet music?

 

No, it's straight forward enough, human nature being what it is there's always someone that can't be bothered so says it's 'really difficult' because it couldn't be that they just couldn't be bothered, could it?

 

You don't have to learn to read music if you don't want to. Some play by ear learning tunes by listening to others (live or recorded) having decided that that was all they needed. For that you just wade in and press buttons until you get a tune, then move on from there. I suspect that this is how most concertina players did it in the heyday of the instrument, and you can still have a lot of fun.

 

If you want to learn from a written tutor, as most do, I suspect it will start off explaining written music right from the word go anyway, simply so that they can actually tell you what you should be playing, so I wouldn't worry too much you'll probably find it'll all be part of the process. Reading music is another of those things you get better at with practice.

 

I'd encourage you to get to grips with it, there's a huge amount of music available on the net, often free, and it really isn't hard.

 

Editted to add' All I'm really saying I suppose is 'Don't be put off!'

Edited January 14, 2010 by Dirge

[m3838]

Go visit Smythe's Accordion Center in Oakland. The owner will provide plenty of advice, hours of conversation,

Very true. But make sure you keep focus and steer these conversations into needed direction. If you ever talked to Kimric Smythe, you'll know the importance of this.

Edited January 14, 2010 by m3838

[Daniel Hersh]

And Kimric is supportive of concertina players and carries the Rochelle/Jackie/Elise line (generally considered the best student/basic concertinas) but so far as I know he's not a player himself. You might want to visit one of our Bay Area players' gatherings before making a decision -- send me an e-mail or pm if you want more details. I'd guess that we'll do the next one in February or March.

 

Go visit Smythe's Accordion Center in Oakland. The owner will provide plenty of advice, hours of conversation,

Very true. But make sure you keep focus and steer these conversations into needed direction. If you ever talked to Kimric Smythe, you'll know the importance of this.

[Woody]

...The Anglo is looking like the one for me but is it really going to drive me crazy trying to play from sheet music?...

Depends what you need. I started playing from a tutor book using that book's notation, then I learned to play by ear. I can read music (slowly) but for what I do it's never proved to be of much use. If you need it for what you're playing you'll learn it. If I were you I'd just dive in and see where the journey takes you rather than worrying about what problems you'll encounter.

[michael sam wild]

if you reckon the Anglo is for you and you want both shanties and Irish music I'd reccomend a C/G 30 button Anglo

 

Mick Bramich's ,Bertram Levy's and Frank Edgely's tutor books and CDs and John Williams DVD will keep you happy and gainfully unemployed for years ( you won't have time to work for a living)!

[Fergus_fiddler]

Well thats a great FAQ. The Anglo is looking like the one for me but is it really going to drive me crazy trying to play from sheet music? I have no other formal training in another instrument (besides 4 years of flute when I was in high school, and that was a long time ago).

 

'Don't try it. Do it or don't do it ,but don't try it' ( Master Yoda )

 

Of course any kind of concertina is going to drive you crazy. You've only to read some of the posts in the forum for to realize the degree of insanity in this comunity.

 

And now, seriously: I play anglo and find it a lot more rewarding instument than, say; fiddle - my main instrument - or flute, or any of the other ones used in irish trad. music. Just push a button and sounds in tune. Then, of course, you've to memorize where the notes are. How? Playing tunes ad nauseam. Then, a day you'll play a tune that never played before, but your fingers & ears, in some way, 'guess' where to go.

 

You can learn to read music, but isn't strictly necessary. I'm a very slow reader, but have a look to the tunebooks from time to time; not for to know wich notes to play in a certain tune, but the ones you SHOULDN'T play. That's the way it works for me.

 

Welcome.

 

Cheers,

 

Fer

[Kautilya]

About 6 months ago I decided I wanted to pick up an instrument and after listening to

 

Thanks,

Sam

Check out here for latest on Alan Day's online/downloadableAnglo tutor for starters - free and by ear.....read to very end before clicking a site as it has been moved it seems.

BTW - the site search engine can be weak. u may be right to ask a quick question and get a pointe as folk did with the faqs.

 

http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=5598

[unca]

ABANDON ALL HOPE YE WHO ENTER HERE...

Edited January 15, 2010 by unca