Concertina Lessons

[Captain Jim]

Hello everyone or anyone. I am wanting to play the Concertina. Does anyone know if there is someone who gives online lessons or where I can find the best material to learn to play. DVD would be great but on line lessons from someone would be even better. Any help is appreaciated. Thanks, Jim

[david_boveri]

it depends on where you live and what style do you play. if you are in the states, i do give online lessons for the anglo concertina. if you are in chicagoland area, i do teach at a local music school. if you are in europe, i can refer you to someone who teaches on that side of the pond online. i mainly teach irish style, but i can teach other styles instead and more than one fingering system.

 

if you would like to hear my playing, you can check out the thread: http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10837&st=18&gopid=108700entry108700

 

or go here for more vamped-style recordings: http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10003&view=findpost&p=101150

 

sorry to say they are very shaky and all over the place as i don't much like recording my playing for the internet, but i think it illustrates well my technical understanding of the instrument. give me 10 or 15 more years and all those finicky issues that pop up in the recordings should be figured out.

[tombilly]

You'd want to be clearer about what style/ genre of music that you wish to play. If it's Irish trad, do a look back through the Teaching and Learning threads - there's a chap called 'Skins Egan' and I think Aogan Lynch might also be doing some sort on online classes. Can't vouch for Skins but Aogan is an excellent musician and has a CD/ book published '110 Concertina Tunes' but you'd want to be playing for a while to get value out of it. Otherwise pick up what you can and go on one of the various summer festivals where you can do a class for a few hours each day for a week. If it's English folk or any of the other many genres, keep asking and I'm sure someone will oblige with suggestions.

[hjcjones]

What type of concertina is it? There are three main fingering systems, all quite different from each other, and significant variations within these, especially with duet concertinas.

[Captain Jim]

Thank you for replying. Yes I am in N.C. I do believe that Irish Anglo is what I am looking for. Can you tell me more about your online lessons. Cost time frame for lessons. Where do you recommend that I buy a Concertina? I am a pirate entertainer and I would like to add playing the Concertina to my act. Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks Jim

[Jody Kruskal]

Thank you for replying. Yes I am in N.C. I do believe that Irish Anglo is what I am looking for. Can you tell me more about your online lessons. Cost time frame for lessons. Where do you recommend that I buy a Concertina? I am a pirate entertainer and I would like to add playing the Concertina to my act. Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks Jim

 

If you are interested in Harmonic Anglo (sometimes called English) style, I do give skype lessons and also personalized help with learning that is not one on one and at a scheduled time (this is at a lower rate). For particulars email or PM me if you are interested.

 

Get a 30 button G/D preferred for my style of play, but a 20 button C/G can also make lots of music though limited. For your pirate act I would think learning harmonic Anglo and chords to accompany your singing would work well. Do you sing? Singing pirates are always welcome at my parties. I live in NYC USA.

 

FYI - Irish style uses melody only with no chords except for very experienced players. It's lovely and might be a bit faster to learn at first... but harmonic style is louder, more theatrical and offers more options for song accompaniment (IMHO). Have fun!

 

Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of Pop!

 

See this thread for more info:

http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=10398

Edited February 17, 2010 by Jody Kruskal

[LoiS-sez]

Thank you for replying. Yes I am in N.C. I do believe that Irish Anglo is what I am looking for. Can you tell me more about your online lessons. Cost time frame for lessons. Where do you recommend that I buy a Concertina? I am a pirate entertainer and I would like to add playing the Concertina to my act. Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks Jim

 

. . .

 

FYI - Irish style uses melody only with no chords except for very experienced players. It's lovely and might be a bit faster to learn at first... but harmonic style is louder, more theatrical and offers more options for song accompaniment (IMHO). Have fun!

 

Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of Pop!

 

See this thread for more info:

http://www.concertin...showtopic=10398

 

Jim,

I'm definitely a newbie with a 20 button C/G wanting eventually to afford a G/D to match my own singing in storytelling programs. I find Irish & especially Scottish music really seems made to order for the concertina. My guitar teacher suggested just adding in a note from a chord to accompany the melody wherever a chord normally might be used. I've tried it & also let my ear sometimes switch to an adjoining button. Is this considered "bad form" or does occasional playing of 2 harmonizing notes fit any particular style?

[hjcjones]

If you're playing just for your own amusement it perhaps doesn't matter how you play. However if you are going to join in with others then you need to be sensitive to their style, and if you want to play a particular type of music then it would be sensible to understand the elements so that you can fit in. There may not be "rules" in folk music, but that doesn't mean there aren't right and wrong ways to do things.

 

Irish-style concertina playing, and indeed Irish music generally, makes fairly sparse use of harmonies. If you're going to add chords then you need to understand how to do so within the traditional style or it could indeed be considered "bad form".

 

A similar approach would probably also suit Scottish music, although that does make more use of harmonies (I'm thinking in particular of the use of the piano accordion in Scottish music). I don't believe there is such an established Scottish style of concertina playing as there is in Ireland so you may have more freedom, however whatever you do should still respect the traditional style of the music.

 

There is also the full-blown "harmonic" or "English" style which Jody referred to, where the tune is played mainly with the right hand accompanied by full chords of two, three or four notes played by the left hand. It sounds great, and is well-suited to accompanying songs, but probably wouldn't be welcomed in a "strict" Irish session.

 

I would recommend listening to the 3 CD set "Anglo International" which showcases a range of very different playing styles. It will show you what's possible on the instrument, and you can then decide for yourself how to develop your playing.

[david_boveri]

jim--i sent you an email through the site. please reply to my email directly. what concertina would be best for you is very individual. personally, i believe in getting the best concertina you can afford, but it depends on what your current repertoire is and what you expect to be playing, as well as how committed you predict that you may be.

 

i agree with howard--it is important to know how the instrument is used in multiple styles. i can show you how to play both in the irish style, and in a more heavily chorded english style.

Edited February 24, 2010 by david_boveri