Anglodeon Grows Ever Nearer

[Chris Timson]

Hi,

 

Not quite concertina, I know, but perhaps you'll indulge me since the key layout is directly taken from a G/D Jeffries. Pete Hyde makes melodeons in batches over the course of a few months, and has the charming habit of emailing pictures of the instruments in various stages of completion to everyone in the batch, every week or so. This week he chose to send out a picture of the treble end box of my Anglodeon. The wood is dark silky oak. Isn't it pretty?

 

Chris

 

[Peter Brook]

Isn't it pretty?

Chris

 

Very nice. Be very interested to know what this plays and sounds like when it is done. I play D/G melodeon a little as well as C/G Anglo. £1600 quid (at current exchange rates) seems amazing value.

 

In my experience melodeon is much easier to play, but I don't like the syrupy sound of 2 or 3 reeds sounding per note, much prefer the single voice of the concertina.

 

I hope you get your hands on it soon!

[Chris Timson]

In my experience melodeon is much easier to play, but I don't like the syrupy sound of 2 or 3 reeds sounding per note, much prefer the single voice of the concertina.

 

I hope you get your hands on it soon!

I've asked for swing tuning, so it shouldn't sound too syrupy. I used to play melodeon many years ago, and I consider both melodeon and G/D anglo to be about equally difficult (or easy) as each other, but when I went back to it last year I found the similarities/differences too pervasive for my poor middle-aged mind to cope with. Hence the Anglodeon.

 

It's due the end of April.

 

Chris

[bigsqueezergeezer]

I hope you post a report on it when you've had a good "play"!

 

Derek

[Henk van Aalten]

I found the similarities/differences too pervasive for my poor middle-aged mind to cope with. Hence the Anglodeon.

 

It's due the end of April.

 

Chris

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So Chris.. there is a slight chance that the Anglodeon could be present at the SSI .

Anyway it should be a good reason to drink a Duvel

or maybe 2 or 3 or 4

[Henrik Müller]

I found the similarities/differences too pervasive for my poor middle-aged mind to cope with. Hence the Anglodeon.

 

It's due the end of April.

 

Chris

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So Chris.. there is a slight chance that the Anglodeon could be present at the SSI .

Anyway it should be a good reason to drink a Duvel

or maybe 2 or 3 or 4

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I am getting curious here! You beat me to the question, Henk - it would be fun to hear this thing at the SSI 2005. I am intrigued by cross-pollination between instruments.

 

More curiosity: what's a Duvel? Anything you intend to bring? A pleasant Dutch beverage, maybe?

 

Henrik

[Chris Timson]

More curiosity: what's a Duvel? Anything you intend to bring? A pleasant Dutch beverage, maybe?

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Duvel is a devilishly good Belgian beer, for which both Henk and myself share a partiality.

 

Not sure whether the Anglodeon will make it to the SSI even if it is ready, may be a bit big for carry-on luggage. We shall see. If I can, I will bring it and borrow an anglo off Jim.

 

Chris

[Henrik Müller]

More curiosity: what's a Duvel? Anything you intend to bring? A pleasant Dutch beverage, maybe?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Duvel is a devilishly good Belgian beer, for which both Henk and myself share a partiality.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah, the Belgians - they know how to make some interesting brews! Count me in, please!

 

Still curious: is the Anglodeon a melodeon base with "Anglo sides" and fingering - to get Anglo layout, but Melodeon sound?

 

Henrik

[Chris Timson]

On the right hand, the Anglodeon has three rows of 10 buttons that have the note values of a thirty button G/D Jeffries. The left hand has a near normal 12-button melodeon bass layout. The theory is that I should be able to play the right hand much more readily than a normal melodeon right hand, becaue the fingering will be close to that of my concertinas, while the left hand bass will be much easier to handle with my left hand, which lacks precision since my stroke. While all that is true, I suspect from my musings that it should actually be a very individual instrument to play, and that while I may start playing it like a concertina, in the end I shall evolve a playing style that has something of both its parents. Here is the note layout:-

 

Chris

[Henrik Müller]

On the right hand, the Anglodeon has three rows of 10 buttons that have the note values of a thirty button G/D Jeffries. The left hand has a near normal 12-button melodeon bass layout. The theory is...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now, that's what I call a fulfilling answer!, Thanks, Chris!

 

Henrik