Selection of tutor for Crane duet

[SteveS]

I've had a Crane duet for some time and I'm thinking to set about learning it.

 

I have 2 tutor books - the Bulstrode tutor and the Salvation Army tutor.  They are both different in their approaches to tutoring

 

While the Bulstrode spends a lot of time on exercises for the right hand before introducing the left hand, the Salvation Army tutor starts from the 2nd exercise with exercises for both hands.  While I'm sure the Salvation Army tutor has been used successfully to train many Army officers to play, I like the approach that gets both hands working as soon as possible.

 

For duet players - what have been your experiences of learning duet?  Of using these tutors specifically?  Of training right hand only or both hands from the outset.

Edited February 8, 2021 by SteveS

[Don Taylor]

Take a look at Brian Hayden's All Systems Duet Workshop Tutor:

http://www.concertina.com/hayden-duet/Hayden-All-Systems-Duet-Workshop-Tutor.pdf

[RAc]

6 hours ago, SteveS said:

For duet players - what have been your experiences of learning duet?  Of using these tutors specifically?  Of training right hand only or both hands from the outset.

 

I have electronic copies of both, but I only looked at each one for about 30 seconds.

 

It's impossible to say which tutor/strategy will work better for you as you carry your own individual approach into the musical process and will thus relate differently to every learning strategy. 

 

I benefitted tremendously from the few skype lessons I had with Jody and Kurt Braun. Kurt (being the Crane specialist between the two) suggested to start working with both hands as soon as realistically possible, which I did. However, he may suggest differently when working with somebody else.

 

The only thing I can recommend is to work with a human tutor (teacher); I believe that every musician will benefit more from direct and personal interaction with a teacher than from a non interactive book.

[Kurt Braun]

The fingering suggestions in the Salvation Army sent me down the wrong path.  Be careful.

[wunks]

I have to differ and suggest left hand first.  I try to play the melody line right up to the other side of the overlap and use the right hand version of those notes to escape difficulties, integrate the tune and or create embellishments.  With a mostly two finger lead and open chord (not blocked) approach, it's fairly easy to drop pinky and/or third fingers lower for harmonies.  As the melody line goes higher, I can twitter away without getting tangle finger and establish a nice bass line with an occasional chug.  Playing Jeffries duet....😊

[Little John]

On 2/8/2021 at 3:48 PM, SteveS said:

I've had a Crane duet for some time and I'm thinking to set about learning it.

 

I have 2 tutor books - the Bulstrode tutor and the Salvation Army tutor.  They are both different in their approaches to tutoring

 

While the Bulstrode spends a lot of time on exercises for the right hand before introducing the left hand, the Salvation Army tutor starts from the 2nd exercise with exercises for both hands.  While I'm sure the Salvation Army tutor has been used successfully to train many Army officers to play, I like the approach that gets both hands working as soon as possible.

 

For duet players - what have been your experiences of learning duet?  Of using these tutors specifically?  Of training right hand only or both hands from the outset.

 

I don't have any experience of these two books. They probably weren't widely available almost 40 years ago when I started on the Crane. As a result I'm entirely self taught. I realise with hindsight that someone to give me a few pointers would have been useful in the early days but no-one else around me played a Crane and the internet hadn't been invented.

 

I would agree with Kurt and RAc that it's best to use both hands together as soon as possible.

 

As well as this thread there was another fairly recent one on how to finger fourths on a Crane. It made me wonder whether there would be some interest in me posting a couple of things aimed at budding Crane players. I had in mind something on fingering and adding accompaniment through the example of a simple tune. Nothing like an online tutor! Just a few hints.

[Skandor]

1 hour ago, Little John said:

It made me wonder whether there would be some interest in me posting a couple of things aimed at budding Crane players. I had in mind something on fingering and adding accompaniment through the example of a simple tune. Nothing like an online tutor! Just a few hints.

 

That would be absolutely awesome, I'd appreciate it!