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Can One Use Basic Tutorials, Videos, Etc. For The C/g Instrument To Le


Canary Bird

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I am enjoying a visit of Marcus Butler from Marcus Music here in Tenerife right now. He brought a few concertinas with him, and after hearing him play them and “messing about” with them myself, I enjoy the G/D much more. With the G/D concertina, Marcus says to just play through tutorials with the same buttons indicated by the instructions given for the c/g.

 

Has anyone actually done this to move from point zero to “intermediate player”… use basic tutorials, videos, etc. for the c/g instrument to learn anglo that is G/D Wheatstone layout?

 

I would greatly appreciate any ideas or thoughts that you have! Thank you!

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It should be fine, I've done something similar with a G/C melodeon using a tutor book for a D/G instrument. The pattern of the buttons you use will be the same on a C/G as on a G/D, as long as you're following the button instructions for the tunes you will be automatically transposing the tune into the right keys for your instrument.

All the best ??

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...With the G/D concertina, Marcus says to just play through tutorials with the same buttons indicated by the

instructions given for the c/g... I would greatly appreciate any ideas or thoughts that you have! Thank you!

 

Sounds as if you may be in more or less the same situation as I was about two years ago, so:

 

You should be able to play a tune using the same fingering on different 'tinas. I just played the same

tune, with the same fingering on a C/G, a G/D (a Marcus as it happens) and a Bb/F. No problem.

 

I think the correct term for this feature is 'self-transposing'?

 

Roger

Edited by lachenal74693
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Thank you all so much for this confirmation & explanation!

 

Marcus is a nice, easy going, friendly sort of guy. It is such a pity that I didn't get a picture of him & his wife (both at the 80 year mark) with their concertinas. I hope to get some video or photos of them playing at a pub event or on a beach promenade. Oh, he said that 90% of his concertinas go to Ireland (only 3 concertinas or so to Wales), 1 in 50 of his anglos is a g/d ... and he has produced 800+ concertinas up to this point.

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This is all well and good unless you want to play with others, who will typically want to play a tune in the orthodox key. If I was starting out again, knowing what I know now, I would put much less emphasis on only playing in the "home keys". It is true that the concertina is intrinsically set up for the home keys. It's much easier to find good chords and harmonic accompaniments in the two main keys, but the Anglo is more- or- less fully chromatic, and it is worth the effort to explore all 30 buttons when you learn a new tune. Not only can you play in other keys, but there are often better musical options when you have mastered the third row. I am now in the process of undoing old muscle memory as I re-learn better ways to play some of my repertoire. Having said that, anything you can play on A C/G you can play on a G/D, however depending on the tune and style of playing it may sit better on one rather than the other. I have a C/G, G/D and D/A, and all have their strengths.

Edited by Bill N
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