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Tune Of The Month, May 2013: Parson's Farewell


Jim Besser

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This was take number xxxx (where xxxx is a large number) and I was just making things worse, so please forgive the odd blunder where my brain and fingers parted company!

 

Here's a better link

With thanks to mglamb

Edited by spindizzy
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This was take number xxxx (where xxxx is a large number) and I was just making things worse, soi please forgive the odd blunder where my brain and fingers parted company!

Hmmm... something is not working and I cannot view your video :(

 

(cross posted with mglambs direct link, thanks for that).

 

 

Jolly Good , Chris.

Edited by Geoff Wooff
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I'll try to get this at SoundCloud later. Geordie baritone & foot bass. Recorded on cassette tape, then processed...

Do you have a photo (or link) that would show me what a 'foot bass' is?

 

Here's meanwhile one which they seem to build (or at least offer) momentarily:

 

footb.double.JPG

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I'll try to get this at SoundCloud later. Geordie baritone & foot bass. Recorded on cassette tape, then processed...

Do you have a photo (or link) that would show me what a 'foot bass' is?

 

Here's meanwhile one which they seem to build (or at least offer) momentarily:

Wow. Thanks for that. I can't imagine sitting and playing concertina and one of those at the same time. Though I do rest my concertina on one knee. I guess if you use a neck strap your knees are less constrained. It would be theoretically possible to manage a harmonica as well...

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I'll try to get this at SoundCloud later. Geordie baritone & foot bass. Recorded on cassette tape, then processed...

 

Do you have a photo (or link) that would show me what a 'foot bass' is?

Here's meanwhile one which they seem to build (or at least offer) momentarily:

Wow. Thanks for that. I can't imagine sitting and playing concertina and one of those at the same time. Though I do rest my concertina on one knee. I guess if you use a neck strap your knees are less constrained. It would be theoretically possible to manage a harmonica as well...

That's a great sound!

Here's the link I found to go with B.E.S's photo there's a few mp3 samples there as well.

http://www.bandoneon-maker.com/footbass_1.htm

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Hi, sorry it's taken me a while to get back here. I'm very uncomfortable sitting at our computer, so I usually use my (kinda)smart phone, but of course that doesn't work for everything. At computer now but not for long... get bad neck pains, and not only that, but one of our dogs gets all anxious and so on, wanting me to get off the computer and feed him or whatever...

 

Yes, that's the foot bass that I'm playing, like the one in the picture (previous post). I'll try to also add a pic of mine, here, showing the size difference between it and my concertina (though it'll be the Albion, not the Geordie, in the pic). Then, I think I'll have to get out of here and come back later via my phone, so I can be sitting more comfortably or lying down!

 

post-39-0-75132600-1369533291_thumb.jpg

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I must admit the foot bass is intriguing. I don't suppose there are any laying around that someone just has to sell...are there?

 

Not too many around, I doubt! This one was ordered and sent right from the shop in Belgium, from Harry Geuns, a few years ago.

 

At one time, I did consider selling this, but I've since warmed up to it a little bit more and now I'm less inclined to do that (sorry, person who was interested back then... :huh: )

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I must admit the foot bass is intriguing.

 

Yes indeed! Great sound, and the technique reminds me of my years ago days as church organist... :)

 

(might get me one ot these at some point...)

 

 

My accordion teacher (way back in time) played the church organ, and I think that's how I think of the foot bass, as organ pedals, though I myself never played the organ much.

 

The foot bass, though, at least under my two feet and in concert with another reed instrument, seems to require a bit more from my ear -- can sound 'off' some days, and I have to watch the pressure, etc.. It's not as easy as just stepping on the levers of an electronic, or more modern, instrument.

 

It bothered me for a while that I had that feeling of putting my feet on a coffee table... funny, it never bothered me to do that years ago, even when constantly chided to 'get yer feet off the coffee table!!!' One thing I've done lately, though, is to place some silicone mats where my feet go, and on top of that I put some slippery card-stock paper. Looks a bit weird but my feet -- and I prefer to play barefoot -- slide better and don't wear down the finish on the instrument. (Socks are a pain.)

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I've been a bit busy in may and am discovering the recordings lately... Thanks to all, that's aways very motivating !

I hope to be able to contribute before a new challenge starts...

 

When I first discovered the tune from the poll, I thought that such a simple tune could be great for experimenting with unusual keys... But I had not imagined going as fas as Geoff did ! I like your "experimental" approach to harmony. This is also the way I do with the anglo : let the fingers run and find themselves the right notes. Often, I end up with interesting chords I would never have thought of if I had taken a piece of paper and written down a grid of chords.

 

So who's going to take up the challenge with the anglo in some of those weird keys ?

 

This morning I had a try with C#minor and I think it can be done... (but I won't promise a recording for tomorrow !)

 

About the foot bass, I had already seen it on the website of the maker, but from the photos of the instrument alone I had not imagined it was so huge... How much weight is it ?

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About the foot bass, I had already seen it on the website of the maker, but from the photos of the instrument alone I had not imagined it was so huge... How much weight is it ?

 

I'd guess it has to be that huge for the purpose of button accessibility regarding both the size of one foot and the space needed for the two of them... B)

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Yipes -- I've been away from both concertina and computer and it is almost the end of May, so though I don't feel ready I'll be brave nonetheless and post my first attempt at a tune with a few chords. Thank you all for the many versions, tempos etc, and particularly Geoff for your description of 'striding' around the EC to find notes that sound OK together.

 

Like Chris it took xxx tries to get a recording that it was even passible (and still only once through), but what a challenge for ear and fingers. I LOVE the TOTM.

https://soundcloud.com/mildredestelle/parsons-farewell

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Yipes -- I've been away from both concertina and computer and it is almost the end of May, so though I don't feel ready I'll be brave nonetheless and post my first attempt at a tune with a few chords. Thank you all for the many versions, tempos etc, and particularly Geoff for your description of 'striding' around the EC to find notes that sound OK together.

 

Like Chris it took xxx tries to get a recording that it was even passible (and still only once through), but what a challenge for ear and fingers. I LOVE the TOTM.

https://soundcloud.com/mildredestelle/parsons-farewell

 

 

That's your first attempt with chords? Well done!

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Yipes -- I've been away from both concertina and computer and it is almost the end of May, so though I don't feel ready I'll be brave nonetheless and post my first attempt at a tune with a few chords. Thank you all for the many versions, tempos etc, and particularly Geoff for your description of 'striding' around the EC to find notes that sound OK together.

 

Like Chris it took xxx tries to get a recording that it was even passible (and still only once through), but what a challenge for ear and fingers. I LOVE the TOTM.

https://soundcloud.com/mildredestelle/parsons-farewell

Well , there you go.... not as difficult as you first thought, perhaps ? Now that you are 'on the road' it is plain sailing ahead. I'm glad that something I said was of help, after all that is what we are all here for, to learn from each other.

Thanks, it was the icing on the cake of my day.

Geoff.

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