CZ in AZ Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 Hi concertina friends, Just wanted to share how excited I am to be actually in the last phase of getting my Carroll concertina! I am getting the Noel Hill version with the low D drone. I know many of us started our tune playing late in life, and for me the decision to broaden from singing and playing bodhran at 48 yrs, was one of the best, hardest, funnest, most rewarding adventures I have taken. It is funny to think that 3 1/2 years ago, after only a year + of playing, I decided to get on the list. It was a great decision and now that the day approaches I am even more antsy to get my hands on it! I better go home and practice, so that it will like me when it comes - who needs to work anyway! Cheers, Claire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Burke Posted February 3, 2016 Share Posted February 3, 2016 I have one of these Claire, and it is spectacular. I got it in August of 2014. I have owned two other Carrolls, and though both were very good, the Noel Hill model is better. Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce McCaskey Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 The wait no doubt seemed long but these last few weeks will likely be the most exciting. I've tried the NH model and it's a sweet instrument. Are you still going to Noel's classes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ in AZ Posted February 4, 2016 Author Share Posted February 4, 2016 For those of you with the NH model. How are you incorporating the d drone key into your playing. I am so curious to try it. I play Irish, but also old time and contradance music. I sometimes just chord in a fast contra tune and think that the low d will be invaluable for that. However, I am curious how it can be incorporated into the melody of the tune. I have never taken from Noel, but am currently taking from Flo Fahy and she is excellent! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusanW Posted February 4, 2016 Share Posted February 4, 2016 Very exciting! I just got put on the list a month or so ago. I'm not sure if I want the NH model or the standard. I'd love to hear opinions from folks as to which one they chose and why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce McCaskey Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 (edited) As I recall, the layout of the NH model has a couple of variations from the standard reed layout to offer better chording options for the material Noel likes to play. Noel explained the changes to me once but that was a couple of years ago and I don't recall the specifics now. In addition to the thumb-operated D drone, I think maybe there were one of two other reed layout changes. I believe he said that he changed out the lowest F for an A so that he could more easily chord with the A using just the little finger, maybe even making it a double A. Perhaps someone that has one could shed light on this, it's pretty fuzzy in my memory. Edited February 5, 2016 by Bruce McCaskey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyle Posted February 5, 2016 Share Posted February 5, 2016 When ordering my standard model, I asked Noel for advice. He said to have Wally change the F on button 1-pull to an A. Also the A on button 11-pull got changed to a D. The reasoning was to have a handy A, G, and D on push or pull using your pinky & ring fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ in AZ Posted February 5, 2016 Author Share Posted February 5, 2016 Yes Noel suggests substituting the A for the Fn on button 1 (top row leftmost button) and the D for the A on button 11 (inside row leftmost button). Wally told me that he does this because then it creates a parallel structure (same note) with a pull on the leftmost button and a push on the next button in. This allows him to toggle on the same note underneath a tune. That said, I chose to keep the A on button 11 because I use it frequently to chord and also for the melody on tunes that go low. I chose to put an F# on button 1 instead of the Fn, I rarely use that Fn. This will allow me to have an F#m chord with a low F#, which would be useful for a lot of tunes. Wally could not put a D on that button without re configuring the instrument, but the F# was no problem. The other change Noel recommends is having C# on both the push and pull on button 16 (top row, right side, first button). I already have that on my current instrument and so will have it on my new one. Claire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZ in AZ Posted March 16, 2016 Author Share Posted March 16, 2016 It is going in the mail today! Registered mail, so there is no telling how long it will take to get here (AZ) from Kentucky. Just a little more waiting! I asked this before, but does anyone have hints on how they have employed the D drone on the NH model. I am curious Claire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Campin Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 (edited) Maybe you can fake this idiom? Hungarian pentatonic fiddle music from Transylvania with a continuous D drone from a string drum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEUbIBn1CH8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXuRrG4wmUo Edited March 16, 2016 by Jack Campin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusanW Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Very excited for you! I'd like to hear about the drone, as well. I have about 2 years to go before I get mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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