Left Thumb Button (Aka Drone) Pitch Values

[macmuse]

Hello I am a new member and have been playing anglos for 25 years. I have a Dipper C/G 31 button (with a low G true drone) and a Morse G/D 30 button (both are Jeffries layouts) and play in the English style (harmonic, octaves styles) for ECD and Morris, song and some Irish and whatever else I find interesting. I am in the process if thinking about getting a new G/D anglo with real concertina reeds and have an option of a left thumb button. I have always played by ear and not much by dots ( I do but it takes some effort). My knowledge of music theory is minimal at best.. so I do not think I could carry a knowledgeable conversation in the language of musical theory... I just am a old time by ear guy who loves to play.

 

Can I get some advice from those who know out there about what pitch values would be helpful in the construction of left hand chords that the left thumb, sometimes known as the drone button but sometimes have different push/pull values and not a true drone (push/pull the same note) would be. I find the discussions I have looked up on the web not always helpful since as you may all know very well not everybody approaches anglo concertinas the same way or style of playing and have different needs which are completely valid. Thank you all in advance..

Edited June 26, 2014 by macmuse

[gcoover]

If you're looking for that extra button to provide extra notes instead of a drone, I'd certainly recommend a low D on the pull so your D chords will have the same depth as your other chords. As for the push, maybe an F? Interesting question!

 

(Oops, I'm thinking C/G. For a G/D, that would be....uh...low A?...and...C?)

 

Gary

Edited June 24, 2014 by gcoover

[Wolf Molkentin]

If you're looking for that extra button to provide extra notes instead of a drone, I'd certainly recommend a low D on the pull so your D chords will have the same depth as your other chords. As for the push, maybe an F? Interesting question!(Oops, I'm thinking C/G. For a G/D, that would be....uh...low A?...and...C?)Gary

Seems reasonable, and is at least appropriately transposed Gary...

[wayman]

The most common left-thumb choices I've seen (as they would be on a G/D anglo) are 1) a true drone G/G, and 2) G on the pull and C on the press. If you're wanting to play richer chords, option (2) gives you two of the most valuable notes you're otherwise missing for playing in the common keys for a G/D anglo.

 

But Gary's advice about getting a low A note is really solid, too. That's a great note to have.

 

If the instrument you're considering is to be custom-built, there may be another place for that low A. Jody Kruskal advocates putting it in place of the low F -- which of course means you no longer have the low F, so it's a trade-off. Are you likely to play more tunes on this instrument in the keys of, say, A and E, or in the keys of C and F? And if you'd always be using your C/G anglo for the tunes in C or F anyway, then you might never miss that low F on your G/D anglo....

[Alan Day]

For X Drone button I have a GC on my GD and CF on my CG Anglos

This enables you to still play a drone using the Push button on the Key row and alternatively the drone button pull.

The extra push note is very useful for certain chords where the C and F on the push using the thumb gives a useful option.

The fact that I dislike drones suits me.

Al

[Michael Eskin]

My new Carroll C/G "Noel Hill" model has a low-D drone lever on the left side.

Edited June 25, 2014 by eskin

[Robin Harrison]

The layout for my G/D Dipper........it's somewhat modified from a Jeffries 38 keyed anglo. Note where the low A is on the LHS.

Robin

Dipper layout GD.pdf

[macmuse]

Thanks to you all for your insight and great suggestions. It has given me some more to think about. I definitely think the low A on the left thumb pull is a great option for my G/D... I have to think more about the push value. Although the low A in the low F (3rd row left hand) position intrigues me I do not think I want to lose that F pull note on the third row. I think it will depart too much from the patterns that my fingers know on my C/G Dipper I have had for about 20 years. I already have a couple of unusual note values on that (G true drone and F# on the push , first button third row on my right hand). I will look back to see if anybody has any more suggestions on the push value for the left thumb. Thanks again.