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Posted
That is an interesting tip. However, it raises some more questions for me.

 

1) Can you play staccato when you play three notes which require a push-pull-push (or vice-versa) on the same key? Do you press the key three times despite the change of bellows direction?

 

2) In terms of trying to get a jig rhythm (slightly lengthened first note, slightly shortened second note) I find that it is just about possible when the group of three notes are played on different keys. But if I play something like the Kesh jig as written in Mick Bramich's book then it involves a lot of push pull on the same key. If I try and play with a jig rhythm then it sounds very forced and when I speed up I go back to all notes the same length anyway - so it never sounds very good. It is that type of jig and ones where the second two notes of the first group and the first of the next are the same that sound particularly bad when I play and I am at a loss to how to improve.

 

Ritchie

 

 

 

1) Yes for this excercise. In fact I move the bellows a fraction of a second* before I hit the key, which gives a very statisfying "punch" to the notes. I may not do this in normal playing everytime unless I am looking for that accent or "punch".

 

*I know this is the cardinal sin of the concertina world - pulling the bellows without a key depressed - but it is such a short fraction I can't imagine it doing that much lasting damage to air tightness.

 

2) Yes - I know what you mean I just tried it. I found it easier on the Kesh jig to play the A on the push with the middle finger of my left hand (Acc Row) on occasion. I also think that Mick Bramich plays it too fast on the CD to get much expression into it. (IMHO)

 

When I upgraded from a dubious East German concertina to a Norman my playing improved 50% overnight. It wasn't just the rate of response, it was the air efficiency, and the fact that much less effort was now required to make the notes sound.

 

all the best,

 

Peter

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted
Alan, I had the exact same experience between my Stagi and my Edgley, which I got in July 2004. I pulled out the Stagi last week for the first time since getting the Edgley and thought it sounded -- and felt -- awful!

Thanks to Alan, I have now ordered an Edgely!!

 

Ritchie,

Hi, I hope you don't mind my asking... I'm thinking of getting a concertina and I've been reading up on them and since I live in Ontario, Canada I couldn't help but notice that there was a concertina maker not *too* far off... I checked out his page but couldn't find anything about prices. Would it be terribly rude if I asked you what sort of price range and wait-list time there is for one of Edgley's concertinas? I have a bit of money that I've been stashing away and am hoping to not have to get a Stagi after all the horrible things I've heard about them.

Thanks!

Posted
Would it be terribly rude if I asked you what sort of price range and wait-list time there is for one of Edgley's concertinas?

Wouldn't it make much more sense to ask the maker those questions?

 

Frank won't bite. He's very friendly and helpful.

If you buy an instrument from him, that's just a bonus (for both of you).

Posted
Can you play staccato when you play three notes which require a push-pull-push (or vice-versa) on the same key? Do you press the key three times despite the change of bellows direction?
Yes for this excercise. In fact I move the bellows a fraction of a second* before I hit the key, which gives a very statisfying "punch" to the notes.

If I'm reversing the bellows but using the same finger, I will sometimes pull the finger off and strike again, but often not. It can be too slow, especially in fast passages. On the other hand (or is that, same hand, other finger?), I will very often use two (or even three) different fingers on the same button for the successive notes, just as I do for repeated notes when not reversing the bellows.

 

*I know this is the cardinal sin of the concertina world - pulling the bellows without a key depressed - but it is such a short fraction I can't imagine it doing that much lasting damage to air tightness.

It's not a cardinal sin, it's an excellent technique. The "cardinal sin" is forcing the bellows to move when it shouldn't be able to. The small, brief forces you describe to build up pressure before opening the pad are not damaging, and can be quite useful.

Posted
Would it be terribly rude if I asked you what sort of price range and wait-list time there is for one of Edgley's concertinas?

Wouldn't it make much more sense to ask the maker those questions?

 

Frank won't bite. He's very friendly and helpful.

If you buy an instrument from him, that's just a bonus (for both of you).

 

 

 

Oh, I'm sure it makes more sense, but I was afraid I might annoy him or something with my beginners questions. Ah well.

Posted

It is worth remembering that on an Anglo across the rows the same note is repeated,on a number of tunes I play, I use these double notes to play fast repeated notes across the rows with two separate fingers.It is another way of using the concertina layout to make playing easier.

Al

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