Ideal group for concertina?

[michael sam wild]

What is your ideal combination for group playing.

 

I'm keen on Anglo, guitar, harp or bouzouki, flute and fiddle. And some cello would be nice

[Ptarmigan]

What is your ideal combination for group playing.

 

I'm keen on Anglo, guitar, harp or bouzouki, flute and fiddle. And some cello would be nice

 

Anglo { Bb/F }, Uilleann Pipes { Flat Set } & Fiddle { tuned down }

 

Cheers

Dick

[David Levine]

I'm with Dick on this one. Add a C flute and we're in business. Pure joyous melody. Nothing thumped or twanged.

[SteveS]

What is your ideal combination for group playing.

 

I'm keen on Anglo, guitar, harp or bouzouki, flute and fiddle. And some cello would be nice

For Scandinavian music: EC (TT or baritone), fiddle, nyckelharpa and cello.

[yankeeclipper]

EC, violin, guitar, clarinet, mandolin, oboe and double bass - exactly what we had last night! A versatile ensemble, great for klezmer, classical, folk, whatever. Limiting the instruments you play with tends to limit your musical horizons.

[Larry Stout]

My band's usual lineup is EC, piano, cello, fiddle and recorder. Sometimes we add harp or clarinet. I find that the EC doesn't blend well with clarinet, so when that is in the mix we either alternate or I play fiddle.

[ragtimer]

What is your ideal combination for group playing.

 

I'm keen on Anglo, guitar, harp or bouzouki, flute and fiddle. And some cello would be nice

Hayden Duet, soprano and alto recorders, fiddle, guitar, and bass guitar, plus mandolin or second guitar. That's the group I play in, and we sound really good on the Irish and old-timey tunes.

--Mike K.

[Michael Eskin]

Bb/F Anglo and Flat set of pipes in C does it for me.

[Anglo-Irishman]

What is your ideal combination for group playing.

 

My group sounds pretty good. When I'm in concertina mode, its Anglo, fiddle, guitar and double bass. Carolan tunes come over particularly well, especially when the bass is bowed.

 

Cheers,

John

[JimLucas]

What is your ideal combination for group playing.

I was tempted to say, "Concertina and anything else," but that would be tongue in cheek.

 

There is no one and only "ideal" group, and concertina isn't required for absolutely wonderful music.

 

I think that the musicianship and how the individuals work together with each other is far more important than the individual combination of instruments.

 

And I truly love many "groups" consisting of only a single individual playing a single instrument, as well as groups with more than one member. I also include the human voice as a very significant "instrument".

[Randy Stein]

I play the EC. My one group, Ein Lanu Z'man, has a piano, violin, viola, bass, 2 guitars and just about everyone sings. I like playing with a trio of guitar and piano also. Mostly popular French, Italian, Spanish and American standards.

My favorite is any and all playing as long as there is a pint and a shot of Lagavulin.

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Edited March 28, 2010 by Randy Stein

[Chris Drinkwater]

Any combination of instruments where the concertina is not drowned out by the other instruments. The folk club house band I play in, usually consists of two melodeons, electric piano, one anglo, my English, one or two fiddles, clarinet, spoons and occasional guitar. Whilst the overall sound we produce, is very full and pleasing, the melodeons usually tend to drown out the concertinas, which is a shame, unless they are played a bit more quietly. I like arrangements involving guitar/bouzouki, fiddle, cello and concertina. At least the concertina can be heard, especially if it is playing the main tune.

 

Chris

[yankeeclipper]

I find that the EC doesn't blend well with clarinet, so when that is in the mix we either alternate or I play fiddle.

This surprises me! I've been playing classical and klezmer duets with a clarinetist friend for years, and the group we play with seem quite happy with the results. Perhaps the key is Larry's word "blend." Our duets always have separate instrument lines, and the melodies weave beautifully around each other. Seldom are we "blending" the same notes at the same time.

 

The violin is the only instrument with which I have any problems - and that's because I seem to have more difficulty hearing my own EC when sitting close to a fiddler. Given a little space, though, and the instruments work nicely together - just did an EC/violin duet version of Pachelbel's Canon in D last Friday night and got a great response from the audience!

[catty]

Of course, it depends entirely upon the music.

 

But I'm a bit biased: as a bassist and string player...I would say doublebass and anything else. And, fiddle and anything else.

 

But if it's jazz or a dance band...I'm often playing drums or tenor banjo to make the band swing.

 

Oh..I see now that the thread is titled: "Ideal Group for Concertina." Nevermind..

Edited March 30, 2010 by catty

[Daniel Hersh]

What is your ideal combination for group playing.

I think that the musicianship and how the individuals work together with each other is far more important than the individual combination of instruments.

I agree with Jim. I've had a great time playing with all kinds of instrumental combinations, including surprising ones (e.g. concertina and two 5-string banjos).

[LHMark]

Let's see, we have me singing and playing Anglo, a bass player, a lead/electric guitarist (Gibson SG), a rhythm/acoustic guitarist, a fiddler, a drummer, and a dude who plays whistle, uilleann pipes, mandolin, guitar, and harmonica.

 

Sonically, it can be kinda challenging.

[JimLucas]

Let's see, we have me singing and playing Anglo, a bass player, a lead/electric guitarist (Gibson SG), a rhythm/acoustic guitarist, a fiddler, a drummer, and a dude who plays whistle, uilleann pipes, mandolin, guitar, and harmonica.

 

Sonically, it can be kinda challenging.

I can well imagine.

But is it "ideal"?

[Snorre]

C/G and fiddle.