Jeff Stallard Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 If you could design a musical group (and I use 'group' loosely) to be involved with, what would it be? I think mine would be a quartet with my on the concertina, a cello perhaps, a violin, and then maybe a harp or a mandolin (bowlback) to add another dimension. We'd play English and French dance tunes, misc. chamber music, Renaissance and Medieval songs, and maybe even some O'Carolan. We'd play for our own enjoyment mostly, but also for dances and similar gatherings. Yep, that would be my ideal situation. What would yours be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 If you could design a musical group (and I use 'group' loosely) to be involved with, what would it be? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well, we'd have to start with at least three part unaccompanied harmony. Anne and I have done two part harmony a fair bit, and we'd really like to push beyond that. Oh, you mean instrumental! Well, quite honestly I'd like to be part of an 8-piece or more band with a decent brass section to give it some power, and a good sprinkling of other instruments over the top, concertinas (of coure), melodeon, fiddle, hammer dulcimer would be nice, maybe a piano to bridge the gap between the brass and the melody section. And some three-part harmony. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Brook Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 In my dream world it would be Planxty (1968-1973) or Brass Monkey - if you don't know about either of those groups you need to expand your record collection! - I love the energy of the bouzuki in Planxty (no concertina in the early line up though) it reminds me of a hammer dulcimer. The trumpet and trombone in Brass Monkey work really well with the anglo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 ...maybe a piano to bridge the gap between the brass and the melody section.<{POST_SNAPBACK}> YO! What makes you think brass can't play melody?!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 [snip]...The trumpet and trombone in Brass Monkey work really well with the anglo. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Now you've got me wondering about our own little Brass Monkey quintet ... Samantha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 If you could design a musical group (and I use 'group' loosely) to be involved with, what would it be? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> [snip]...Well, quite honestly I'd like to be part of an 8-piece or more band with a decent brass section to give it some power, and a good sprinkling of other instruments over the top, concertinas (of course), melodeon, fiddle, hammer dulcimer would be nice, maybe a piano to bridge the gap between the brass and the melody section. And some three-part harmony. Chris <{POST_SNAPBACK}> We'll see what we can arrange in October ... Samantha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Plucky things, mostly. Harp/clarsach would be good, or mandolin. Samantha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 If you could design a musical group (and I use 'group' loosely) to be involved with, what would it be?<{POST_SNAPBACK}> [snip]...Well, quite honestly I'd like to be part of an 8-piece or more band with a decent brass section...<{POST_SNAPBACK}> We'll see what we can arrange in October ... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> If I could count on a concertina to borrow, I could bring my trumpet. Or if I could count on a C-trumpet to borrow, I could bring my concertina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceB Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 I look at this question somewhat differently. I don't really have an interest in performance. I'd like to someday find a female partner that shares my interests in the outdoors and music. She could play any acoustic instrument, but as long as it's a fantasy I'll make it another concertina or a wooden flute. In my fantasy we'd go on long mountain bike tours deep into the mountains and play for a few hours every afternoon and into the night. We'd also do several week Sea Kayak trips and again we'd play every day after setting up camp. I've had this exact fantasy for years, kayak touring the uninhabited barrier islands off the Eastern Shore of Va, USA. It would be nice if we could afford to do this all over the world....both bikes & kayaks are a very inexpensive way to tour. (it's a fantasy, right?) Probably what most first attracted me to the concertina was it's small size and how well it would work for bicycle & kayak touring. A guitar is just too large. I have sometimes taken a concertina on bicycle rides into the woods and played, but I've not yet taken it kayaking. My life happened and has prevented me from doing any long tours, but the kids are almost grown (20yr old daughter and almost 16 yr old son) and things could work out in the next year or so. Any takers?........... bruce boysen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
otsaku Posted March 7, 2005 Share Posted March 7, 2005 Hmmm I've begun fantasizing about playing in a punk band again... so it would have to be a vocalist, a concertina, bass guitar - maybe a double bass just for fun , rythm guitar and drums. Maybe a brass section to do some ska / tu-tone numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Madge Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 I always liked our "Blind Panic" set up with full drum kit, Bass guitar, Electric guitar/Electric mandolin, Rhythm guitar and me on lead instument with Anglo; and 4 vocalists! I think the main improvement would have been an extra lead instument, such as clarinet or fiddle, to allow lead/harmony swapping. Robin Madge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigsqueezergeezer Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 I always liked our "Blind Panic" set up with full drum kit, Bass guitar, Electric guitar/Electric mandolin, Rhythm guitar and me on lead instument with Anglo; and 4 vocalists!I think the main improvement would have been an extra lead instument, such as clarinet or fiddle, to allow lead/harmony swapping. Robin Madge <{POST_SNAPBACK}> The last band (with instruments) I was in had Anglo/vocal (me), guitar/vocal, Banjo/12 String/vocal, Fiddle/Whistle and Bass Guitar/Ukelele. It did allow the lead to be split and played about with, but we never really defined our own style. Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuart estell Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 I must admit to much preferring playing in small ensembles, so I'd have to say that the current duo set-up I'm involved in suits me fine: me on vocals, boxes in general, and occasional guitar, and my partner in crime on guitar, more vocals and occasional anglo. For more alternative rock/indie/punky stuff (for the want of a better way to describe it) I've always wanted a band with two good drummers playing full kit together as The Fall did in the early 80s. It's such a huge sound... plus a keyboard player who can't really play ("proper" keyboardists cause havoc in that sort of setting), two bassists - for proper subsonic rumble effect, with me on noise guitar doing textural things with feedback rather than "playing" the instrument per se. I almost managed a similar setup (minus the drummers) a few years ago but have never been able to keep larger groups together... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Evans Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 Well, fun topic this. I have enjoyed reading wish lists, reality situations and Bruce, your creative mind continues to delight . I have several situations I am very happy with plus a wish additions list. Appalician Crossroad Thing: Vocals (two part Stanley Brothers) mandolin, banjo/concertina, guitar and double bass. (would like to add a fiddle, hammered dulcimer and bodhran then perfect insanity would be reached). Celtic Traditions Thing: Irish fddler, Scots fiddler, wooden flute/tin whistle, english concertina, Irish harp, bodhran. (would like to add hammered dulcimer, anglo concertina, tenor banjo, pipes and guitar or bazouki). The neighbor from two streets over plays banjo. We've had a little Duet Thing going for about 6 months:ec and bluegrass banjo (type of instrument not style). We play an nice mix of music, but he cannot hack performance situations or jams. Shame because he's brilliant and a true artist (as odd as that may seem considering his chosen instrument). There is a hammered dulcimer player and a fiddler I would love to do trio gigs with. Some nights at session we have outlasted the others and a very compelling energy is achieved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Booth Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 My buddy and I have been working out little duos between concertina and chromatic harmonica. The two sounds go pretty well together; they are just different enough to give a boost to one another. I also put a ten-hole harp on a rack and can trudge along with that but at my level of play it cuts down on what I can do acceptably. We'll see if we can get a mutual friend to play guitar, but I really wish I knew some local mandolin players as I think that would sound really pretty. Ideally, a flute would fit nicely, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henk van Aalten Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 (would like to add a fiddle, hammered dulcimer and bodhran then perfect insanity would be reached).<{POST_SNAPBACK}> Mark, Does it mean that without fiddle etc., life would be perfect sanity or inperfect insanity ? To get serious: for me a combination of harp, fiddle and concertina would be great! Harp for chords and some melody lines. Concertina for some chords (when the harp plays melody). Concertina and fiddle for melody-lines and because they can really merge into one instrument, when two "connected souls" are playing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henrik Müller Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 Shame because he's brilliant and a true artist (as odd as that may seem considering his chosen instrument). <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Now, what is this... (stepping on some toes here, are we?) Is there are cure? For concertina.net dependency, that is. I have been on the forum on a daily basis since January, when I got the broadband connection going and now I find myself logging in as the first thing I do when I return from work (where I log in at lunch - or even when it isn't lunch!!): "Oh, hello, dear - hmm, I just need to check...hmm, hmm, now let’s see - now that was interesting!" etc, etc. What I am saying is that I am enjoying this forum very much, and to get back to the thread: I am old-fashioned. Playing Irish stuff, my ideal set-up is simple: concertina and fiddle and some smooth, sensual bozouki, just sneaking in in the background. Or a piano - piano and concertina is a great combination. No guitar bashing, please. If guitar, someone in DADGAD tuning. Better log off now - Henrik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted March 8, 2005 Share Posted March 8, 2005 YO! What makes you think brass can't play melody?!! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Not me! Never said no such thing nohow, but this is my ideal outfit, remember, and I know what I want the trombones and horns to play. [We'll see what we can arrange in October ... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sounds good to me. Arran Big Band here we come! Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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