Beginner articulation question

[douga]

Hi:

 

I'm new to the Anglo concertina, and I have (or will have) a multitude of questions.

 

One question concerns notes that are adjacent to each other scale-wise and on the same button. If you are playing, say, a C to D on the left-hand third button of the C row, do you release the button between the two notes or do you just push and pull to change notes?

 

I expect there are a few opinions about how to do this (many beginning with "It depends....") but I wanted to hear from the community on this.

 

I apologize if this question has been answered before; I can't seem to find the answer.

 

Thanks,

 

Doug

[Kelteglow]

For now I would leave the button pressed and just change the bellows direction  .Later see the different effect you get when pressing and releasing the button for each note.Good luck you have picked a brilliant instrument .I hope you have lots of fun .Bob

Edited June 26, 2018 by Kelteglow

[Bill N]

You have a number of options.  You can hold down the button and push and pull.  You can release the button between notes.  You can change fingers with the bellow change.  You can push the C, then push the left hand 2nd button in the G row for an alternate D.  They all sound and feel different, and any one of the options can be the right one depending on how you want a tune to sound and feel.  When I am learning a tune I try out the possibilities before I decide which version to commit to muscle memory.  I wish I had done that right from the beginning, rather than always defaulting to the same patterns, as I think I would have more command of the keyboard now.

[douga]

Thanks! These are both good answers.

 

@Bill N

 I'm working my way slowly through 1-2-3 Anglo, and though I haven't yet hit the parts on alternate fingerings (or the second row for that matter), I was able to find a few -- particularly hitting the G row for the high A instead of using my little finger to get it on the C row. I probably wouldn't always do that, but it's nice to know it's there.

@Kelteglow

 Using the bellows to get the two consecutive notes forced me to use the bellows more efficiently in just a few hours of practice. So thanks for the advice.

It would be nice to find a teacher just to help me along, but while accordion teachers are thick on the ground here, there don't seem to be any concertina teachers.

Thanks,

Doug

 

 

 

 

[Mikefule]

It is a good discipline to take your finger off the button and put it back on for the next note.  Later, there may be occasions when you choose not to.  It's far better to learn the skill and choose not to use it than to not have the skill.

 

The effect it creates is a crisp and "clipped" start to each note and a crisp and definite end to each note.  Musicality is as much about the length of the notes and the gaps between them as it is about the sequence of notes.