Hello!

[Tony M]

Just thought I'd say Hello and introduce myself a bit!

 

I'm Tony - One or two folk here may have run across me on Mel.net (not that I'm a terribly frequent contributor there), but, since my interests are spreading over to concertina matters, I thought I should join in here, too.

 

I play the piano accordion a bit (not enough, really - considering there's more than one lurking in here).

 

I bought a melodeon last year (which I enjoy tremendously, but it's distracted me from playing the accordion) - and having learned to tease a passable tune or two out of that, I discovered I could also get a tune out of the concertina that has been "ornamental" (quite literally) more-or-less since I bought it new over 20 years ago.

 

So, I have a 30-button Gremlin anglo in C/G. From pictures I've seen, and a fair bit of digging, it appears identical to the Stagi W15S that I've seen listed on a couple of current sites: All-leather-covered bellows, 6 fold (if I'm right by counting the "outside" folds), metal ends with metal buttons. It's almost as new, although the nice veneer on the ends seems to be attached to something akin to MDF, which is trying to split in places. Other than that, it's pretty much perfectly in tune, and the bellows are as tight as a drum. I've got to the stage that I can pick out the melody to many of the tunes I play on other things - but I presume (perhaps someone would be good enough to comment) that it might be expected that a reasonable player can also add an accompaniment? I haven't managed that yet (Perhaps that's better raised in a different bit of the forum).

 

A more recent investment (?) is my Gallotta 20-button anglo in G/D - bought from curiosity, as much as anything. It's a very different instrument from the Gremlin (nowhere near the same build quality - although I realise neither is exactly regarded as the peak of concertina manufacture!). It came from eBay, and is slowly approaching the description quoted thereon of "full working order". Bigger than the Gremlin (and a bit less well balanced), but quite attractive (to my eyes, anyway): light wood ends, flower patterning, big black buttons, and plays two reeds per note, so sounds very different.

 

I'm in north-west Lancashire (UK).

 

So there you go. Me in a nutshell, as it were.

 

I'll try not to make too much of a nuisance of myself - honest.

 

In the meantime, any comments and advice are most welcome.

 

Best regards,

 

Tony.

[Dirge]

Just thought I'd say Hello and introduce myself a bit!

 

 

Hello Tony!

 

I'm Tony - One or two folk here may have run across me on Mel.net (not that I'm a terribly frequent contributor there), but, since my interests are spreading over to concertina matters, I thought I should join in here, too.

 

I play the piano accordion a bit (not enough, really - considering there's more than one lurking in here).

 

I bought a melodeon last year (which I enjoy tremendously, but it's distracted me from playing the accordion) - and having learned to tease a passable tune or two out of that, I discovered I could also get a tune out of the concertina that has been "ornamental" (quite literally) more-or-less since I bought it new over 20 years ago.

 

Don't know why you got sidetracked with the melodion thing. I went straight from PA to concertina myself and am very pleased with the swap (sold my PA a couple of years ago)

 

 

So, I have a 30-button Gremlin anglo in C/G. From pictures I've seen, and a fair bit of digging, it appears identical to the Stagi W15S that I've seen listed on a couple of current sites: All-leather-covered bellows, 6 fold (if I'm right by counting the "outside" folds), metal ends with metal buttons. It's almost as new, although the nice veneer on the ends seems to be attached to something akin to MDF, which is trying to split in places. Other than that, it's pretty much perfectly in tune, and the bellows are as tight as a drum. I've got to the stage that I can pick out the melody to many of the tunes I play on other things - but I presume (perhaps someone would be good enough to comment) that it might be expected that a reasonable player can also add an accompaniment? I haven't managed that yet (Perhaps that's better raised in a different bit of the forum).

 

 

If you don't play chords you ignore one of the great special virtues of the thing. 'Corse you've got to do that!

 

 

A more recent investment (?) is my Gallotta 20-button anglo in G/D - bought from curiosity, as much as anything. It's a very different instrument from the Gremlin (nowhere near the same build quality - although I realise neither is exactly regarded as the peak of concertina manufacture!). It came from eBay, and is slowly approaching the description quoted thereon of "full working order". Bigger than the Gremlin (and a bit less well balanced), but quite attractive (to my eyes, anyway): light wood ends, flower patterning, big black buttons, and plays two reeds per note, so sounds very different.

 

I'm in north-west Lancashire (UK).

 

So there you go. Me in a nutshell, as it were.

 

I'll try not to make too much of a nuisance of myself - honest.

 

In the meantime, any comments and advice are most welcome.

 

Best regards,

 

Tony.

 

There's a lot to be learned from Cnet in among the twaddle. There's makers, repairers and professional players regularly on here along with us dilettantes. Sometimes it can all get quite educational. Everyone pitches in and hardly anyone bites. Have fun!

[TonyRussell]

Welcome Tony. There are quite a few of us on both forums, so you'll see some familiar names crop up. Regards, Tony (Black Sheep Tone).

[michael sam wild]

Welcome to 'the dark side' I'm on mel net too you get a lot f good info.

 

What kind of music are you into?

[Kautilya]

Just thought I'd say Hello and introduce myself a bit!

I'm in north-west Lancashire (UK).

 

So there you go. Me in a nutshell, as it were.

 

I'll try not to make too much of a nuisance of myself - honest.

 

In the meantime, any comments and advice are most welcome.

 

Best regards,

 

Tony.

Welcome! and if you want straightaway to ingratiate yourself (being from NW Lancs), you can do no better than offer a few tips on where there might be sessions/ get togethers with an 'English' tone, in N Lancs and Cumbria for someone between June 7 and 15 or 18....(I think those were the dates ...

 

You will soon find the search engine on this is pretty awful. I have just spent 10 minutes trying to call up that very recent thread here (and looked also on Melnet without luck)even though it should at least come up under Cumbria) and as usual failed.....it may have been a reqest from Michael Sam Wild or Chris Ryall... they will hopefully spot this and shout....with the the thread reference which included ambleside, gregson or grigson, staveley, Lakeland fiddlers, ....

:rolleyes:

[Tony M]

Thanks for the replies - I know I'll pick up lots of useful info and encouragement here.

 

I play for my own amusement, and although I can read music and pick out a tune acceptably (at least by my standards), I'm not really comfortable with the idea of playing along with, or in front of, other musicians unless I know them fairly well. I've "performed" a few times with a group of friends and family, but I've never been to a session in my life. I know I should - I'd learn a lot, even just watching how other folks play, but it's outside my "comfort zone" at the moment. That being the case, of course, I've no idea about local sessions.

 

As to the music I play, it's pretty standard stuff, I suppose, in no particular style. I have a fair collection of tunes in abc format (a lot of morris and traditional UK folk) and a miscellaneous collection of books and sheet music - oddments of Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Australian, Canadian and so-on. A fair bit is fiddle music, some more is for the tin whistle (I could play one passably well, but haven't for ages), and of course I have a collection of tutor books for accordion, melodeon and so-on.

 

Although I've been playing a variety of instruments over some years, I've always found it hard to play tunes (even ones I know well) without having the music in front of me. This is a real handicap, 'cos I'd like to be able to pick up an instrument and just play it, sometimes. Half a dozen tunes would do for a start! I've got a few I can now play from memory, but it's slow work.

 

My choice of instruments has no logic - as I said, I bought the first concertina a long time ago but failed to progress - I like the accordion, the melodeon was bought on a whim but I'm really enjoying it, and getting back into the concertina was almost accidental. I read a comment somewhere about the melodeon having the same "progression" of notes as the concertina, so I took it off the top of the bookshelf and discovered I could pick out a tune on it as easily as on the melodeon - I was chuffed to bits (as one might say!). I suppose I now have more instruments than I need - but unless my dear wife decides she needs the space, I have no need to part with them - so they'll continue to get played from time to time.

 

Speaking of which, it's time I stopped playing with the computer for a bit!

 

Beat regards,

 

Tony.

[LDT]

 

I've always found it hard to play tunes (even ones I know well) without having the music in front of me. This is a real handicap, 'cos I'd like to be able to pick up an instrument and just play it, sometimes. Half a dozen tunes would do for a start! I've got a few I can now play from memory, but it's slow work.

 

 

I have that trouble too...although I now have 3 tunes I've 'memorised' on melodeon. Just got to find a tune I can do the same with on concertina.

 

(I'm also on melnet)

[drbones]

Hello, Tony,

 

Welcome to the group. Not that I'm qualified to do so, just trying to be cordial.

 

Most of the people here are straightforward enough and very helpful. Then there are those who aren't at all what they seem. I myself have been known to dress up like a pirate on the weekend and terrorize children. I don't know if it's the costume or my playing. And I know LDT is a dumpster diver, I've posted pictures on here somewhere to prove it. (Sorry LDT, he would have found out sooner or later)

 

I'd say nearly all my useful information concerning concertina has come from this site and I'd have been lost without it. There are some extremely knowledgeable and talented people here who are happy to share their wisdom and some will also share their criticisms, good or bad but at least honest.

 

Look around at some of the past topics. There's bound to something here for ye'.

Personally, I don't read music, I have enough trouble with my native language. I play (if you can call it that) strictly from memory and strictly for fun. I'm sure most here are way above me in the musical abilities department, but they still let me stick in my two cents here and there.

Cheers

 

By the way, did you realize "Tony" spelled backwards is "Ynot"?

That's the sort of thing you're in for.

 

Edited to add smart alecy remark:

Edited May 5, 2010 by drbones

[Tony M]

Well, Y not indeed.

 

I've not spent a huge amount of time digging around the forum (yet), but I've learned new ideas without really trying.

 

I can quite happily play tunes in C, G and D on my C/G Gremlin - but, until the other day, when I read a thread on the different approaches to fingering presented by different tutors, it had simply not occurred to me to play high D pulling on the C row, unless I was actually playing in C - I'd always managed fine with the other hand, push on the G row. Now, I don't say that this will necessarily change the way I play overall, but it certainly presents new possibilities, suggests other alternatives - and made me stop and think.

 

If you "get by" without some piece of knowledge, you never even know there's a question you don't know the answer to, and so you won't get round to asking!

 

There's a lot of stuff like that here, and it is, without doubt, really useful. I'm confident I'll learn a lot more the same way - and, of course, I can always ask questions, once I figure out what they are!

 

Cheers,

 

Tony.