Holding Anglo Concertinas

[geoffwright]

One end against knee

[shipcmo]

I had to vote "other" since it is hard to hold one end against the knee when standing up!

Cheers,

Geo.

[Tom Hall]

Not always that hard, Geo. I simply put my left foot on a chair which then provides a knee at the right height for resting the concertina end -- Tom

[Richard Morse]

I voted "other" as I rest my concertina's end on my thigh (right end on left thigh). The thigh seems to be the most prevalent staging spot I've seen folks play from. I would that thought that the thigh would have been an option, as well as an "in the air" (with or without neckstrap?).

 

I wonder if Englishes and duets are played from similar roosts?

[Dave Weinstein]

I play it in the air (elbows bent, and either on a table or in the air).

 

--Dave

[Bob Tedrow]

right end on top of right knee

[Joyce]

On the left knee when sitting. I use a neck strap when standing. I do the same whether playing English, Anglo, or Duet. I play English more than Anglo, and dabble with a Crane Duet.

[JimLucas]

I'm another who said "Other", since I prefer playing with the instrument in the air, and often do so even when seated. (I'm not sure if DoN Nichols still has on his web site the picture of me playing his contrabass English, with me seated and it suspended above my legs.)

 

When seated, I do sometimes rest one end or the other on one leg or the other, but more often not, and it wasn't possible to mark multiple answers, much less indicate persentages.

 

"KNEES": I rather suspect that many folks say the play with the instrument on their "knee" when the truth is that it's the part of their leg above (when standing) their knee. Maybe that's a quibble, but I think it's an accurate quibble.

 

"ANGLO": The poll also specifically said "anglo", but non-anglo players appear to be contributing anyway. Since my answer is the same when I play anglo as when I play English or duet, I didn't need to "cheat". I wonder, though, if the proportions would be different for the different types of concertina, and if so, whether the difference would be statistically significant.

[Samantha]

I'm another other player ! I usually play with my arms bent and the anglo propped up between them, with hands vertically through the handstraps and the bottom corner of each end resting on the heel of my hand (between the thumb and other fleshy pad there). I had only seen my brother play his Crane concertina a couple of times before I took it up and don't remember (even now) how he holds his, so I didn't have any visual references.

Samantha

[Lester Bailey]

Another English player visiting your party.

 

I mostly play with my concertina in the air either stood up or just not resting on a lower limb. What I have noted that sets me aside from just about everyone else I have seen is that when I play with an end on my leg it is always the RHS of the concertina on my left leg thus making the left arm the "working arm". Most everyone else I have seen has the LHS on the left leg and works the bellows with the right hand. I put it down to my previous life as a melodeon player when my arrangement works and the other does not.

[rabennett]

Left end on left thigh.

 

Regards,

Dick

[Richard Morse]

What I have noted that sets me aside from just about everyone else I have seen is that when I play with an end on my leg it is always the RHS of the concertina on my left leg thus making the left arm the "working arm". Most everyone else I have seen has the LHS on the left leg and works the bellows with the right hand. I put it down to my previous life as a melodeon player when my arrangement works and the other does not.

I came to concertina from melodeon playing too which is probably why I do RHS on left thigh as you do.

[AlexCJones]

Yep, I'm another "Other." One of the many who hold it out in the air.

 

Sometimes I rest it against my chest or belly while I lie on my back.

[Helen]

I marked knee, but I guess I really play with it on my thigh. I guess I thought the idea was do you rest it on your leg or play in the air.

I play with RHS on R knee. I work the bellows with my left hand. Funny, I just thought everyone did that ( bellows with left hand) until someone wrote that this was odd. Oh well, I like odd. Oh, and yes I play anglo.

[Tom Hall]

I wonder to what extent our choice is determined by our personal (odd choice of words) dexterity. I am right handed; the placement of the left end of the concertina on the left knee (btw, in common folk parlance this means the top of the knee, ie., banjo on my knee, have her on his knee. etc.) seems natural. Are those of you with differing preferences left handed perchance? I have no idea to what extent this factor makes a difference, but we should soon find out.

 

On a variant note, some weeks back during one of our weekly sessions, I happened to glance over at Young Chris during a tune; He was holding the left end of his Anglo against his left knee with his left elbow, all the while playing a perfect accompanment with right hand only.

 

Your thoughts, please -- Tom

[Richard Morse]

I marked knee, but I guess I really play with it on my thigh.

A nomencature thing, I guess. To me the knee is the hard part where your leg bends. Anything between that and your pelvis is thigh. When you sit down you have a lap (which is both thighs) there. I play resting the RHS on left thigh and chose "other". If lap were an option I would have chosen it over knee.

[Christopher Quinn]

I usually play my Anglo whilst sitting down resting the ends on both thighs. I've stopped moving my legs in and out with the bellows and find that I can avoid scuffing them. This gives me a nice, stable position and helps to avoid strain too.

 

I saw a concert by Noel Hill in Shropshire about 2 or 3 years ago and was startled to see him rest his concertina on his left thigh and have the right end wiggling in the air. I have tried it myself but didn't like it. That said I may adopt such a position when my tendons in wrist and elbow become stronger (if they ever do).

[geoffwright]

It seems I should have phrased the poll against the "thigh", which most seem to use, rather than the "knee".

Non-anglo players also seem to have distorted the poll as well. ANGLOS ONLY PLEASE.!!!