Different sounds on different concertinas

[accordian]

As you all probably know I'm having trouble trying to get a anglo 40 button. 

I had a look and found some quite nice looking duets. Do sound any different to that of an anglo or is it the same reeds, tuned the same way etc. 

 

Thanks 

[Wolf Molkentin]

of course so - because they’re naturally and inevitably leading to different styles

[accordian]

1 hour ago, Wolf Molkentin said:

of course so - because they’re naturally and inevitably leading to different styles

I see its just I wondered due to seeing some videos showing them sounding like they have lost their oomph (duet). Like when you drink a squash drink and you don't put enough in you know what it is but it's lost all its flavour and is rubbish. 

[Wolf Molkentin]

I guess so - if it’s just about emulating the Anglo-style

[accordian]

6 hours ago, Wolf Molkentin said:

I guess so - if it’s just about emulating the Anglo-style

Well I like the bisonoric nature of the Anglo as well as the sound what I’m worrying is that I will finally find one of either and find that if I do end up buying a duet it won’t sound as good as an Anglo. I’m not near any shops or anyone that owns any to be able to try them out and see what I like either so it’s down to YouTube videos. The problem with that is though that the videos on YouTube don’t always sound that great depending on what they are recorded with. Eg. My accordion sounds great in real life but in video not so much. It doesn’t sound bad but a lot is lost. As well as getting what I’m looking for I spoke I might be able to say get a duet if I have to and if not what I’m looking for send to a shop and hopefully get a swap.

 

just quite scary to be throwing thousands of pounds.

Edited December 8, 2018 by accordian

[Wolf Molkentin]

I wouldn’t expect a concertina which doesn‘t sound good when recorded (and played by a to some extent competent player) to be any better in the flesh.

 

With concertinas it’s rather the other way around, recordings (as well as miked live performances) do sound all-too-good - which is of course of advantage in these situations but makes it rather difficult to tell a really good from a modest or even lousy one.

 

And don‘t go for a Duet if Anglo is what you really want - or honestly turn to the Duet and find out if it‘s for you.

 

Edited December 8, 2018 by Wolf Molkentin
typos

[Peter Smith]

I would agree with Wolf. 

I started on the Anglo & am now learning the Duet. Its a very different sound and suits music different to the Anglo. Easy tunes on the Anglo or not easy on the Duet & vice versa (for me at anyrate!!).

Barleycorn have a Crane Duet - now going for £475 - which could be a way to try out a Duet system.

Regards

Peter

[mdarnton]

Since you're asking about "Oomph", a very high percentage of that effect comes from the player, not the instrument. When you listen to someone else's recording you really don't have any way to know where it's coming from. English and duet are more likely to allow the player to do that (play mush) than Anglo. But as an accordion player, you probably already understand how that works.....

[saguaro_squeezer]

To me, that Anglo 'oomph' is the same as on a melodeon, it's a result of the bisonic nature of the instrument.  You use that bellows change to your advantage.  On Duet, the goal is more continuous air pressure since it is unisonic.  You can still do bellows changes for emphasis, if you want .. that's your choice.

 

But does one sound 'better'?  That would be a good question to have in a pub, I think.  Sort of like any other comparison question ...

 

I will say that I like the sound of all of my concertinas, but like us, they all have their individual voices.

 

And 35-key Lachenals are a blast to play!

[Wolf Molkentin]

1 hour ago, saguaro_squeezer said:

And 35-key Lachenals are a blast to play!

 

I admit it’s tempting to try that too (Chris‘ instrument looks really nice), but I have to restrain myself, and for now must resist, must resist, must resist... ?

[Anglo-Irishman]

Depends what you mean by "sound."

 

If it's just the timbre of a single note, I can answer that for you. I have before me 3 concertinas: a wooden-ended Lachenal Crane/Triumph Duet, a metal-ended Dallas/Crabb C/G Anglo (both with traditional reeds) and a metal-ended Stagi C/G Anglo (a hybrid with accordion reeds). When I play the C above middle-C on all of them, the Lachenal and the Crabb sound very similar, and the Stagi is just slightly less penetrating.  

However, when I try to play a harmonised tune on each of them, the traditional-reeded Crane and Anglo do sound different. Partly because of the different layouts, which influence the arrangements differently, partly because the duet is in Equal Temperament, and thus sounds harsher than the Anglo, which is probably in some sort of meantone tuning, and sounds really sweet in its home keys. The more reeds are sounding, the more noticeable the difference between the hybrid Anglo and the two traditional-reeded concertinas becomes. 

They all sound like concertinas, and are more similar to each other than to  any other wind instrument (including accordions and harmonicas).

 

Cheers,

John

[Chris Ghent]

There is no intrinsic reason a note should sound different in an EC/Anglo/Duet. A passage of notes could also be played to sound the same. In practise one can often pick the difference between a Duet/EC player and an Anglo player but I doubt you could easily pick between the EC and Duet players,  and never by tone. The better the players the harder it would get.

 

Instruments can be produced to enhance particular tone colourings and a run of one style of instrument by a particular maker could all be similar but it will not be a colouring a maker of different instruments could not emulate given a reasonable level of skill.

 

Tone is best evaluated in person.  

[accordian]

4 hours ago, Chris Ghent said:

There is no intrinsic reason a note should sound different in an EC/Anglo/Duet. A passage of notes could also be played to sound the same. In practise one can often pick the difference between a Duet/EC player and an Anglo player but I doubt you could easily pick between the EC and Duet players,  and never by tone. The better the players the harder it would get.

 

Instruments can be produced to enhance particular tone colourings and a run of one style of instrument by a particular maker could all be similar but it will not be a colouring a maker of different instruments could not emulate given a reasonable level of skill.

 

Tone is best evaluated in person.  

That's the problem. I don't have any places near me where I could try some out. As for the crane duet at barleycorn; I'm looking at buying from there shop but that being said they are the other end of the country from me. As for trying out the crane I'd much rather save the money and then spend on a duet or anglo Especially for only 35 notes. And that's if there is no overlap. I know that buying this would purely be just to try it out but 400£ is still 400£

 

Why does it seem that I like all the instruments that hardly anyone plays ughhhh.. 

Edited December 9, 2018 by accordian

[Wolf Molkentin]

5 hours ago, Chris Ghent said:

In practise one can often pick the difference between a Duet/EC player and an Anglo player

 

I would extend that to the difference between a Duet and an EC player (resp. playing, since he/she might be able to play both, or all of them) as well.

[Theo]

If you could say approximately where you live you might be surprised to find their are instrument owners near enough for you to try.