Playing in D on a C/G anglo

[Hillsider]

I found this artcle and similar ones on the site to be helpful.

 

http://concertutor.wordpress.com/simple-and-more-advanced-cross-rowing/playing-across-the-rows-a-la-noel-hill/

 

You might also find the concertina videos on www.oaim.ie to be helpful. One of the tunes taught is Boys of Bluehill

[RP3]

Laurence, here's a toughie and it's aptly named the Concertina Reel. If you aren't careful, the whole A part can easily be played on the draw-- leaving you airless in short order. The B part is similarly pull-happy but a bit easier to slip in press notes like using a press C# instead of a draw C# (Wheatstone owners can disregard this since they only have one C# on the right outside row).

 

The ability to take advantage of the press A on the left outside row can help with bellows management on the A part as can the press C# on the right side. You don't have to use them exclusively, but an occasional use, together with air button, can bring the bellows back in enough to keep the tune rolling. Give it a try.

 

Ross Schlabach

[Laurence]

I like that tune, but never learned it. I went over to The Session and played the midi version to make sure I had the right notes. I'll work on it...that's what I'm looking for.

Edited February 21, 2013 by Laurence

[michael sam wild]

Lots of D tunes really stretch you (and the bellows ) Try The Silver Spire and then work on the air button control as discussed. By the way I now have a Lachenal C/G converted to D/A , mainly for song accompaniment, and D reels are much more straightforward but not what the majority of modern C/G players would want to do. William Mullally who recorded in the 1920s appers to have used a D along the row style and he was highly regarded.

Tunes that have bugged me in sessions now come easier but you have to be familiar with the one row style , like a mouth organ player or melodeon player ( which is how I started out as a youngster) You can get nice chords, octaves and drones too. I'm sure if they had been as freely available as the C/G German concertinas more people would have used them , particularly if they were playing with concert flutes playersd or fiddlers.

[Laurence]

By the way I now have a Lachenal C/G converted to D/A , mainly for song accompaniment, and D reels are much more straightforward but not what the majority of modern C/G players would want to do. William Mullally who recorded in the 1920s appers to have used a D along the row style and he was highly regarded.

Did someone tune your C row up to D, and your G row up to A? That may be similar to what Grey Larson uses. Years ago I converted a 2-row cheaper Bastari to D/G, just out of curiosity, by switching the reeds around and retuning a couple others. I raised the C row up one step to D. I got really spoiled with the jugs, reels, and HPs. There's some really great cross-fingering on D/G too, no need to stay on the rows. Lots of the impossible A tunes also become easy to play as well, almost too easy, using the D and G rows...and mostly with the pull, although several of the notes are interchangeable with the push for bellows relief. Monaghan's Jig, a 4-part in Em, became the simplest tune ever on D/G. I'm sure it would be nearly the same on your D/A.

[michael sam wild]

As you say, mainly by rearranging with a few retuned and some recycled. I think if the old players had them in D/G or D/A they'd have been delighted if they wanted to play their familiar, economic style with flute or fiddle players. Why make it hard! I use mine and the C/G as and when appropriate. A bit like I do melodeon and button accordion When I use them for singing accompaniment tey allow a fuller selection