Anglo Concertina tutor online

[Guest Martin Gibson]

New online Anglo concertina tutor

New online Anglo concertina tutor

 

For all of you who can't get to Anglo concertina workshops and summer schools ...

 

Now available on the Net is the very first online Anglo concertina tutor aimed at the player of Irish traditional music, but with general advice for Anglo players in other genres. The previous version was just a pdf document linked through the Concertina.net site, but now it has its own site, with 22 pages.

 

Here’s the link - http://concertutor.wordpress.com/

 

New features include –

• discussion of ornamentation as a function of rhythm

• an expansive explanation of rolls, and a complete chart thereof

• incorporating chords/drones into Irish playing

 

Whilst this tutor is my particular take on Anglo, I acknowledge the advice that other players have given me in the past.

 

I also welcome future contributions by other players from around the world Anglo-playing soror-/fraternity. The site is meant to be initially a useful resource, but also a catalyst for the gathering of knowledge about Irish Anglo technique, which remains a ‘dark art’, and my own knowledge is very partial.

 

There will be some amendemnts to the content over the next month. but most of it is there.

 

Hope some of you players will find it instructive. Suggestions as to amendments, additions, corrections, are welcome, and can be posted on the site, which is in a blog template.

 

SIMON WELLS

[Guest Martin Gibson]

Very interesting, one roll that has not been mentioned, is grace note, note, grace note,note.

On an EC it might possibly be: a g f# g, but pitch is not important, it could be f# g a g, or b g d g or b g a g, or a g e g.

[michael sam wild]

A good site and very welcome

[Concerdeoir]

yes, Martin, your suggested roll may be used by some, but I'd have to see it in the context of a particular tune to see how it works.

 

And remember - my tutor is solely aimed at Anglo playing. I happily admit to know sweet FA about English Concer. (Though I do like playing some English music - Andy Cutting stuff, Cooper and Bolton, Engl Acoustic Collective, some Morris).

[Ptarmigan]

Am I the only person that has experienced difficulty, when trying to view this site?

 

I've tried to check out this site, but when I click on any of the links, the words that appear on the linked page get all muddled up amongst the words of the links & only part of each page is visible i.e. the right hand portion of each is hidden from view.

 

N.B. I'm using Internet Explorer on a Mac.

 

Cheers

Dick

[david_boveri]

Am I the only person that has experienced difficulty, when trying to view this site?

 

I've tried to check out this site, but when I click on any of the links, the words that appear on the linked page get all muddled up amongst the words of the links & only part of each page is visible i.e. the right hand portion of each is hidden from view.

 

N.B. I'm using Internet Explorer on a Mac.

 

Cheers

Dick

 

hey dick, does your computer support any other browsers? internet explorer on the mac is no longer supported by microsoft, and may have trouble displaying websites that using modern web standards.

[Ptarmigan]

hey dick, does your computer support any other browsers? internet explorer on the mac is no longer supported by microsoft, and may have trouble displaying websites that using modern web standards.

 

Good idea David, I just tried Camino & that site works a treat on there.

 

Cheers

Dick

[Ken_Coles]

The new address for Simon's tutor is now fixed on the C.net Learning page. (Hey, you never know, people do look at it sometimes).

 

Ken

[Guest Martin Gibson]

yes, Martin, your suggested roll may be used by some, but I'd have to see it in the context of a particular tune to see how it works.

 

And remember - my tutor is solely aimed at Anglo playing. I happily admit to know sweet FA about English Concer. (Though I do like playing some English music - Andy Cutting stuff, Cooper and Bolton, Engl Acoustic Collective, some Morris).

Try Rambling Pitchfork, BAR 1,BAR5,first note F# dotted crotchet.

Sporting Pitchfork first bar either one of the 2 dotted crotchets F# or E, or even both if you want to be ott.

Pipers sometimes play F#and E as shivers so F#G F#GF#,EGEGE particularly as the g is available in two directions on the Anglo.

This could possibly work on both English and Anglo,really a matter of individual taste.

Edited January 27, 2011 by Martin Gibson

[Concerdeoir]

Try Rambling Pitchfork, BAR 1,BAR5,first note F# dotted crotchet.

Sporting Pitchfork first bar either one of the 2 dotted crotchets F# or E, or even both if you want to be ott.

Pipers sometimes play F#and E as shivers so F#G F#GF#,EGEGE particularly as the g is available in two directions on the Anglo.

This could possibly work on both English and Anglo,really a matter of individual taste.

 

Still no idea what you mean, alas. Don't see how you can make 2 graced notes fit into 3 quavers to sound like a roll. And what's this about g being available both directions ? Your explanation is too shorthand for me.

[Guest Martin Gibson]

On the anglo,g is on left hand accidental row draw, and push on 2 other places on left hand side on g row and c row,on a 30 key button box,you sound as if you are unaware of this? are you serious.

when you discuss rolls, your terminology is extremely loose, it is impossible, in my humble opinion to make a concertina roll sound like a proper fiddle roll, because of the differing nature of the two instruments.

I would like to thank you for your posts and your info which is most useful, it is much appreciated.

Edited January 28, 2011 by Martin Gibson

[Geoff Wooff]

On the anglo,g is on left hand accidental row draw, and push on 2 other places on left hand side on g row and c row,on a 30 key button box,you sound as if you are unaware of this? are you serious.

when you discuss rolls, your terminology is extremely loose, it is impossible, in my humble opinion to make a concertina roll sound like a proper fiddle roll, because of the differing nature of the two instruments.

I would like to thank you for your posts and your info which is most useful, it is much appreciated.

 

And a fiddle roll does not sound like a real roll as played on a wind instrument ( pipes, flute, whistle) and the very idea of playing rolls on any type of concertina is, in my opinion, plainly ridiculous! Irish music should firstly be played with absolutely no ornaments, after one has the rhythm and phrasing correct and does not make any other "bad taste" noises then maybe the odd "cut" can be included for emphasis.

 

The system of grace noting, including rolls and crans etc., was developed on the pipes for a specific reason and that is that a bagpipe does not have any dynamic range (cannot easily make notes louder or softer) therefore to emphasize rhythm some method of punctuation had to be devised. These rhythmic devices have become quite complex and specific to the different bagpiping traditions but their adaption onto other instruments which do have a dynamic capability is not so much a necessity, more an affectation of those traditions.

 

Great music was played for a very long time before these modern ideas of over decoration came into vogue.

Geoff.

Edited January 28, 2011 by Geoff Wooff

[Guest Martin Gibson]

Very good points Geoff,and the problem of over ornamentation has been exacerbated by Comhaltas, who encourage it through the marking system in their competitions.Some children then get the idea that they must put in more and more ornamentation.

Edited January 29, 2011 by Martin Gibson

[Geoff Wooff]

Sorry,

I did not want to be disparaging to those who wish to play rolls on a Concertina, and there are those who can pull them off reasonably well, but for most of us a more straightforward approach is likely to be more fruitfull.

 

I take your point Martin that it is the Competitions, and the spirit thereof, which compell some to go a bit wild with the ornamentaion. I prefer the styles of Mary McNamara, Jacqeline McCarthy, Terry Bingham and Tom O'Driscoll (to mention but a very few of the current players) and the styles of the older players with whom I had the great good fortune to meet during my years in Co.Clare.

 

Incidently, I play ITM on the EC but have not tried to play rolls as you describe, Martin, since my early attempts of 35 years ago were such a failure.

 

I have not yet had a chance to look at Simon's website... I am sure it is full of usefull stuff.

 

Geoff.

Edited January 29, 2011 by Geoff Wooff

[Guest Martin Gibson]

Concerning the subject of phrasing.

Diatonic free reed instruments and Anglo Concertinas have phrasing imposed upon them by their bellows reversals,

On the Anglo and the DG melodeon the phrasing can be altered to a limited extent.

However on the C#D and the BC button accordeon, phrasing is imposed to a greater extent.

These two systems of Accordeon vary considerably in their phrasing, Yet neither one is right or wrong, neither is the different DG Melodeon phrasing right or wrong.

The Anglo provides yet more differences in bellows reversals, dependent on whether the player is using Noel Hill's[aka Paddy Murphy's system], or alternative systems,it is all a question of taste.

The use or lack of use of ornamentation is also a question of taste,providing that ornamentation does not interfere with rhythym or upset tempo.

[Geoff Wooff]

Concerning the subject of phrasing.

Diatonic free reed instruments and Anglo Concertinas have phrasing imposed upon them by their bellows reversals,

On the Anglo and the DG melodeon the phrasing can be altered to a limited extent.

However on the C#D and the BC button accordeon, phrasing is imposed to a greater extent.

These two systems of Accordeon vary considerably in their phrasing, Yet neither one is right or wrong, neither is the different DG Melodeon phrasing right or wrong.

The Anglo provides yet more differences in bellows reversals, dependent on whether the player is using Noel Hill's[aka Paddy Murphy's system], or alternative systems,it is all a question of taste.

 

 

 

Surely, Martin, the phrasing is dictated by the melody not the instrument ?

[Peter Laban]

Surely, Martin, the phrasing is dictated by the melody not the instrument?

 

I would think so.

 

As it happens I have come upon the interpretation of phrasing as a by-product of the type of concertina played in recent times on various discussion forums. Notably from one who plays Irish music without any phrasing, as it is conventionally understood in Irish music, at all as it happens.

[Geoff Wooff]

Surely, Martin, the phrasing is dictated by the melody not the instrument?

 

I would think so.

 

As it happens I have come upon the interpretation of phrasing as a by-product of the type of concertina played in recent times on various discussion forums. Notably from one who plays Irish music without any phrasing, as it is conventionally understood in Irish music, at all as it happens.

 

 

Please tell us more Peter !!