Bruce McCaskey Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 I recall some posts here many years ago regarding an old Anglo with buttons on one side only. It came back to mind today as I saw this post on Facebook from a current maker. I hadn't heard of the One Handed Musical Instrument Trust but glad to see someone offering such a model. Never tried to do a Facebook link before but here goes: https://www.facebook.com/acnormanandco/posts/1289883941089669 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Hare Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 (edited) I recall some posts here many years ago regarding an old Anglo with buttons on one side only. It came back to mind today as I saw this post on Facebook from a current maker. I hadn't heard of the One Handed Musical Instrument Trust but glad to see someone offering such a model. Never tried to do a Facebook link before but here goes: https://www.facebook.com/acnormanandco/posts/1289883941089669 Here's a video of an old concertina with buttons on one side only: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICW9dQhVrQc I think this may be the instrument to which you refer in your first sentence? I seem to remember being made aware of this video by posts on concertina.net. One of the comments appended to the video implies that it is not possible to do this with an Anglo, but your Facebook link says that the new A. C. Norman instrument is an Anglo... Edited April 2, 2017 by lachenal74693 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjcjones Posted April 1, 2017 Share Posted April 1, 2017 The late Dave Brady, who used to sing with Swan Arcade, had lost an arm in a motorcycle accident. He played a duet concertina - no leg strap, as I recall, he just pinned down one end against his leg with his stump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 (edited) I have found myself playing Anglo one-handed on several occasions - sort of. It can get exhausting when I have to play standing or walking such as in a big morris processional. I use the right hand normally but hold the left side of the Anglo against my belly. I imagine a longish stump would work for this or a hand with limited mobility. A missing arm though... Last summer I was playing an outdoor dance at Bryant Park in mid-town Manhattan surrounded by giant buildings and thought a video would be cool. Took out my phone and started shooting with the left side held between my knees, the right side played normally and the phone in my left hand. Someday I'll put that up for all to see. Edited April 2, 2017 by Jody Kruskal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikefule Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 I haven't seen him for a couple of years, but Winchester Morris Men, UK, have (or had?) a chap who played half a duet, one end blanked off and strapped to his leg. He was able to play extremely well for the dance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Takayuki YAGI Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 That reminds me of this (and this thread). The one in discussion was an anglo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Here's a video of one in use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICW9dQhVrQc I think this video may be of the instrument to which you refer? Of course not. This is an old Crane, modified by Nigel Sture with a leg strap. Bruce is talking about a new Anglo, made by A.C. Norman with a hand strap or a leg board. One of the comments appended to the video implies that it is not possible to do this with an Anglo, but your Facebook link says that the A. C. Norman instrument is an Anglo... What the comment says is: "Good luck but make sure it's a Duet, you can't do the same with an English or a standard Anglo.” Note the word “standard.” Nothing standard about the Anglo in question. I’d agree about the English, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikefule Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 Here's a video of one in use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICW9dQhVrQc I think this video may be of the instrument to which you refer? Of course not. This is an old Crane, modified by Nigel Sture with a leg strap. Bruce is talking about a new Anglo, made by A.C. Norman with a hand strap or a leg board. Yes, that's Matt from Winchester MM. He used to play at the Morris Ring jigs instructional until a year or two ago. Also played fiddle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayman Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 (edited) I've played this new Norman left-handed anglo -- the person for whom it was bespoke designed is a friend of mine. I didn't write down the note chart, but might be able to do this when I next see her in a month or so. But as I recall: It's a G/D. The "basic fifteen" buttons for the left side are as normal EXCEPT for what would normally be the low G/D button on the G row, which is not D on the draw but something else. (Maybe an A.) There is no D on the draw in that octave anywhere, which struck me as an error. I forget what the extra button to the left of the G row is. (Maybe it's a reverse low C/B but don't quote me on that.) The additional buttons on the right end of the G and D rows are, I think, the continuation of those rows as they would be in the Richter scale (that is, F#/G and C#/D). And I plumb forget what the other added buttons are, sorry. But I recall that they seemed unintuitive; I would have made very different choices as a concertina maker, and at the time I saw it (maybe a month ago now) I thought "oh, I should sit down and have a think about how I would do the note layout" but of course grad school deadlines get in the way of everything and I forgot all about it. Perhaps I'll find time for a go at this at some point (and share my results as well as the actual note layout of Norman's instrument). Edited April 2, 2017 by wayman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayman Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 As a point of interest, the person for whom this was designed has the ability to pinch-grip some objects with her right hand, and her right arm is fine. So she plays fiddle quite naturally! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Hare Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 (edited) Of course not. This is an old Crane, modified by Nigel Sture with a leg strap. Bruce is talking about a new Anglo, made by A.C. Norman with a hand strap or a leg board. No "Of course not" about it - it is clear that it is an old Crane modified by Nigel Sture - it says so, and I don't think I implied that this was the A.C. Norman instrument. It was simply an attempt to point up what I thought might be the original source of the OPs opening remark. The OP actually says: I recall some posts here many years ago regarding an old Anglo with buttons on one side only. It came back to mind today as I saw this post on Facebook from a current maker. I hadn't heard of the One Handed Musical Instrument Trust but glad to see someone offering such a model. He is clearly talking about an old single-handed instrument, and a new single-handed instrument. The first paragraph of my post refers to the old instrument, the second paragraph to the new instrument. Maybe my use of the word 'one' was confusing. This referred to the instrument described in the OP as an 'old Anglo with buttons on one side only', not to the A.C. Norman instrument. I have modified my post to clarify - must try harder... Edited April 2, 2017 by lachenal74693 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Middleton-Metcalfe Posted April 2, 2017 Share Posted April 2, 2017 (edited) oh wow! Yes this was made for my friend, who wanted to learn some sort of squeeze box for years. Andrew mentioned the project and I mentioned that my friend might be interested, its great this thing happened what a lovely occurrence. She is enjoying her instrument a lot. Edited April 2, 2017 by Jake of Hertford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce McCaskey Posted April 3, 2017 Author Share Posted April 3, 2017 (edited) Sorry that I was away from this a few days... I can't accurately place the earlier post I mentioned, other than to say it could have been as much as ten years back. I appreciate the efforts to pinpoint it, but it's been too long for me to really recognize the source and its specifics now. Regardless, the suggestions and comments here have connected with the essence and general theme of that old post. I recall wondering if the referenced (functionally) one-ended instrument was made for a new player or someone that has played previously and wanted to continue that experience after some injury. No small trick to reworking the essential pitches and buttons into one end if it was a special build of a standard Anglo. My thought at the time was that it seemed more likely to me that it was made for someone who had played previously, but no way to validate that. No one really commented as to whether the Facebook link worked for them, but some clearly referenced details related to the new instrument. There's a good photo of it at that link destination but I don't think it's the sort of thing I can can legally copy here. Edited April 3, 2017 by Bruce McCaskey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wild Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 The Facebook link did work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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