First Tune You Learned On The Concertina

[Helen]

Ah thanks, Kimberly, that means a lot to me.

 

The funny thing was someone suggested that I play for this church, he didn't want to because it was on Christmas Eve. He wanted me to play the mandolin, but I for some reason felt more comfortable and confident with the concertina.

 

I shall never understand this as I don't play in front of people and certainly not as a solo.

 

Got to kick start myself and do more of this.

 

Helen

[Animaterra]

I have since come to the realization that I should learn to play the music to the dances I don't like to dance. This way I can dance what I like and play when I'm not dancing (at least someday when I can play good enough)

 

That's exactly what I decided to do as a novice player when I started helping with the music for morris last year! Also, I refused to learn the tunes for the dances I love to dance. Unfortunately, now I'm getting proficient enough that I can pick up most of our tunes pretty easily. Also, I'm one of the more experienced dancers on a team with lots of newbies, so I end up dancing more than playing at most stands.

 

Good thing I like to do both!

 

 

(This sounds a lot like bragging but it's not meant to be!)

[Helen]

Good for you, Allison. Sounds like fun.

 

When I was first learning to play the hammer dulcimer, I was trying to learn tunes that I had never heard. Didn't work.

 

I like the idea of playing for dances. I was in a pick up band with the dulcimer. Been thinking of going back with the accordion (BIG BAND), I wouldn't stand out. But maybe I should give the concertina a whirl, so to speak.

[JimLucas]

...maybe I should give the concertina a whirl, so to speak.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gonna learn "The Bells", eh?

[Helen]

Hm, maybe.

[Brian Humphrey]

I would have learned my first concertina tune in 1978. Its identity is lost in the mists of time -- or is it only a mental fog? It could have been something off a Michael Cooney album (his baritone EC was the first concertina I ever got to try); or from the Richard Carlin book; or maybe it was something that I knew already on guitar.

[JimLucas]

May as well add my voice here.

 

The first time I ever played a concertina was, as I've mentioned before, at a friend's party, where I experimented with the English concertina he'd just bought. I figured out a Macedonian song, in 2-part harmony, in the key of Eb (as I realized some years later).

 

Some months later I was loaned another English. Memory is vague, but I think the first tune I worked up on that was the hornpipe Harvest Home.

 

Between returning the borrowed English and getting one of my own, I had a cheap anglo, on which I played a few tunes for a local Morris team, though I don't remember specifically which tunes.

 

That was all a long time ago.

[d.elliott]

Ba Ba Blacksheep, to annoy my daughter who had started fiddle (sorry violin) lessons at school. followed by winster gallop, and rakes of mallow. Simple tunes with repeating finger patterns.

 

I then went to an early 'concertina for beginners' workshop at whitby folk festival given by Dave Townsend. Came away so depressed and dismayed by all the so-called 'beginners' that I put the instrument in its box, locked in the spare room, and would not let it out until it had at least learned its scales!

 

Dave

[Helen]

Oh great idea, Dave.

 

I'm going to lock mine right up.

 

Did it work?

 

Helen

 

Edited to change*my* to *mine* although leaving *my* would have made for an interesting idea.

Edited May 22, 2005 by Helen

[d.elliott]

Helen,

 

no it did not work, but the family thought it a great idea!

 

Dave

 

[bill_mchale]

My first tune on the concertina was I believe the Balleydesmond Polka #3. I chose it

because it was easy to play on the C row. Within a month or so I had picked out the Kesh, the Lilting Banshee and Jimmy Wards Favorite (all can be played mostly on the

C row). I really didn't start doing reels until I started learning to cross row a bit (except for the last phrase the Kesh can be played just with two fingers ).

 

--

Bill

[Nezu]

I got my English (Jack) yesterday. After tinkering around a bit, I figured out several notes of The Imperial March. You know, to pay homage to my total Star Wars nerdiness.

 

You may all point and laugh, now.

[david ayres]

Monks March was my first tune, played on a Stagi bought from the Music Room.

Morris Tunes are infectious and some quite repetitive so good to learn. Mind you im bias as I play for my local side. Ive now graduated to a Lachenal Anglo and a Duet.

 

This Concertina thing is also infectious once you start you soon get addicted. my 3 boxes stare down at me from the wardrobe by my bed and are the last and first things I see when go to bed or wake up - Sad !

 

 

 

David

[RELCOLLECT]

You may all point and laugh, now.

 

I, for one, won't laugh...I named my Jackie "Vader"!! For more Star Wars related lunacy, see the "Almost went over to the dark side" thread in this same menu!

[Nezu]

Well, Jackies are pitch black. That's a good name for one. Wish I had thought of it!

[RELCOLLECT]

If you Hit the air button and slowly work the bellows in and out, you can do a fair impression of Darth Vader's breathing, too! Slap a dust mask over your face to muffle your voice, and use my red plastic slide whistle as a lightsaber, and you'll be a hero to all the 6 year olds in your neighborhood! (Darth Smiley)

[JimLucas]

If you Hit the air button and slowly work the bellows in and out, you can do a fair impression of Darth Vader's breathing, too!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Huh?

I thought that was for those "special" telephone calls.

[brightfield]

Monks March was my first tune, played on a Stagi bought from the Music Room.

 

                                          David

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think at the time I bought my cheapo 48 English from Hobgoblin (Stagi?) I was totally bowled over by Alastair Anderson's book and LP Concertina Workshop. What a great introduction that was and what a shame there is nothing comparable available today. The first tune I learnt was The Blarney Pilgrim.