Fingering (i.e. what fingers to use) on anglo concertinas

[Kathryn Wheeler]

How do you make a note of what finger to use where? There are times where it is useful to have a reminder especially when you’re working out a tune or coming up with an accompaniment for it.  Or those times when you’re writing a tune down for others to learn

 

At the moment I’m writing a finger number in a circle (because occasionally I also use numbers to indicate a button choice).  So there are two things here that need numbers!

In my playing I occasionally feel the need to make a note of what fingers I would like to use, because good fingering choice can make all the difference can’t it!  Some things just feel right whereas other choices are all wrong for a particular context.  And these patterns of notes or runs occur time and time again, so your fingers remember that pattern.

 

On a 20 button anglo this issue occurs from time to time eg a shift of hand position down on the left side when you want to navigate the lower reaches in certain contexts. And sometimes you need to change the finger you usually use on a note here and there.
 

When coming from a 20button to an Anglo with more buttons then what finger to use where becomes even more of an issue - what fingering should I use in this phrase or run to feel most comfortable, to incorporate buttons on the top row (or wherever extra buttons are on the instrument). 
 

When you search for fingering on the internet you will get lots of “fingering charts” that actually are just what notes occur on the pull and push for each button.  That’s not what I’m talking about!  So, if some people call this fingering,  what do they call “what finger to use where”.  On every other instrument I’ve played _that_ is called fingering, haha!

 

what do you do?

[AndrewCollins]

I occasionally want to write a reminder of which bellows direction I want a note in - and I use "<>" for pull ( bellows opening ) or "><" for push.  

If I want to record the finger number as well - then I use the finger number ( 2 - 5 ).

So for example <4> under a note is a reminder to go for a pulled note with my ring finger.

 

[Kathryn Wheeler]

I like how you incorporate the finger choice within the bellows direction indicator.  Very efficient.
 

It also will make it clear which button you’re using pretty much I’d think. (Apart from the odd case where you get two identical notes on the same direction of course)

 

I’d been using the lines like in Gary Coover’s notation to indicate out bellows. 

 

 

[Kathryn Wheeler]

And yes it is occasionally isn’t it! But I also get asked how I’d play certain things so in those circumstances I want to notate more than I would for personal use.

 

Its handy cos I might forget with the passage of time what I’ve done in some bits of an old tune!

[AndrewCollins]

Yes, I only use this occasionally.

I find it helpful for reminding myself of good-but-not-obvious fingerings I may have worked out for a semi-forgotten tune !

 

[Steve Schulteis]

I have yet to mark down which fingers to use, even though some of my arrangements call for a few creative positions/sequences. I do write out tablature indicating which buttons to use, and so far that's enough for me to figure out what I was doing. If I don't do it the exact same way, it doesn't really matter as long as I'm still playing the correct notes with the right phrasing. I've also found that between different concertinas, button locations can vary enough that it might be better to change the fingers used.

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

When I started I used a basic tablature as you described; numbers according to button position, and mark to indicate in or out of bellows, and then numbers below stave for left side and above stave  means right hand keyboard side to be used.

But really I concentrated on using most available fingers, including little fingers to reach higher notes. But, I do not think there is one way of doing this, and it may vary from person to person, as to what is best for individual's hands, at that moment. With Anglo I think you have even more fingers available to reach notes ( traditionally) .. certainly, I would say that using all fingers is good practice and not to use only two or three, because more advanced pieces often require some dexterity and complex finger twisters to reach successfully!😊

 

[Anglo-Irishman]

We banjoists use letters to designate the (right-hand) fingers to be used. OK, we only need three: T, I and M for thumb, index and middle. But you could add R for ring and P for pinkie.

Of course, the T would be redundant - unless you have a drone button on the left!

I'd write the fingerings for the right hand above the score or tab I'm notating, and for the left hand below it, as is done with tablature.

Cheers,

John

[Notemaker]

Because my box has 3 rows of 5 buttons both ends;

I use all 4 fingers on each. On each row, home position is the upper most buttons, and the only other one is lower position on the lower most buttons.

I define these 5 buttons as a 'decade' of notes.

Cross rowing is strictly observed, meaning the top most finger ALWAYS in each row press the top most button, or if shifted down the 2nd most top button.

Ditto for the rest of the fingers.

I developed a numbered button layout with some help here CN to navigate TABs that I just cannot get along with. Currently working on transcribing some tunes from those to it.

Pic below.

 

Edited September 3, 2023 by Notemaker
Extra words

[Michael Eskin]

Unlike B/C box, there's generally a 1:1 correspondence of button to finger, I think with very rare exceptions, at least in how i was taught. It's very rare that I'd not always use a specific finger for a button.

 

In my ABC tablature, one could simple add additional indications manually in the ABC after generating the tab, using a set of symbols I provide as an injectable ABC template, you then can copy and paste these special symbols where you need them:

%
% Danny Flynn's symbols for box fingering transcriptions
%
% Copy and paste these as chord annotations before the notes:
%
% Finger 1: "1" "①"
% Finger 2: "2" "②"
% Finger 3: "3" "③"
% Finger 4: "4" "④"
% Slide down: "➘"
% Slide up: "➚"
% Slide straight down: "↓"
% Cross over/under: "x"
% Push: "⮐"
% Draw: "⮑"
%
% Additional symbols for button numbering tablature:
%
% "1" "2" "3" "4" "5" "6" "7" "8" "9" "10" "11" "↑" "↓"
% "①" "②" "③" "④" "⑤" "⑥" "⑦" "⑧" "⑨" "⑩" "⑪"
%
 

[Kathryn Wheeler]

As I usually play music that had more than one part going on at any one time, I’m finding that I am needing to not necessarily use the most ideal finger for buttons more than I might, say, if I was playing single line melody.  It’s not all the time that I’d need to notate this, just the odd tricky bit here and there. 

[Kathryn Wheeler]

7 hours ago, AndrewCollins said:

Yes, I only use this occasionally.

I find it helpful for reminding myself of good-but-not-obvious fingerings I may have worked out for a semi-forgotten tune !

 

Yes, this! 

[Clive Thorne]

I play a melodic english style, and contrary to what most people imply or state above I hardly ever consciously think about which finger to use, and consequently have no "Button X" means  "Finger Y"  rule. It all depends on what notes precede and follow the one(s) I'm playing.  Obviously as a general rule the bigger fingers tend to play the notes nearer the chin and the little fingers tend to play the ones nearest the feet, but beyond that it's a case of what fingers are available in the required vicinity.

 

Quite possibly it would fall to pieces if I were to try Irish trad type tunes & speeds.

 

Edited September 3, 2023 by Clive Thorne

[Kathryn Wheeler]

42 minutes ago, Clive Thorne said:

I play a melodic english style, and contrary to what most people imply or state above I hardly ever consciously think about which finger to use, and consequently have no "Button X" means  "Finger Y"  rule. It all depends on what notes precede and follow the one(s) I'm playing.  Obviously as a general rule the bigger fingers tend to play the notes nearer the chin and the little fingers tend to play the ones nearest the feet, but beyond that it's a case of what fingers are available in the required vicinity.

 

Quite possibly it would fall to pieces if I were to try Irish trad type tunes & speeds.

 

Yes, I’m finding that you develop in built ways of playing certain runs or common figures, often things that occur in scales and arpeggios.  Once I’ve worked out a way, I then find these patterns occur again and I no longer have to consciously think.

 

I’m currently trying something with more buttons so it is yet to become second nature. 

[Takayuki YAGI]

I play Irish music in a melodic style, but I don't note down finger numbers. Basically, I place my fingers in the C row and use the G row and accidental row as needed. However, this depends on the player's playing style; for example, according to a recent book by Dan Worrall and James Branch, the late Chris Droney basically played in the G row.

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

I think that with concertinas developing between musical periods of history; they came after most classical instruments were well formed and had their methodical academic technique already put in as gospel.. then concertinas were left to be developed and discovered more by practical discovery, in a wide variety of social  settings too, and each person had made their own way of playing them 

That is their advantage over the rigid 'you must do it.. can't do it that way'. Approach that maybe keyboard or other instruments maybe encourage more; free reeds are almost literally that, in that you are "free" also to make up your own rules as you see fit!🌝

[Kathryn Wheeler]

It is lovely to develop your own way of relating to an instrument, yes.

 

I still like to write things down though, not only because I get asked for dots and people ask how particular bits are played but because it’s really nice for me to have - and if I forget some details in future I’ve got it there.

 

So if anyone else has any nifty ways of clearly showing finger choices without them getting confused with numbering for buttons that’d be interesting!

Edited September 3, 2023 by Kathryn Wheeler

[Notemaker]

4 hours ago, Kathryn Wheeler said:

It is lovely to develop your own way of relating to an instrument, yes.

 

I still like to write things down though, not only because I get asked for dots and people ask how particular bits are played but because it’s really nice for me to have - and if I forget some details in future I’ve got it there.

 

So if anyone else has any nifty ways of clearly showing finger choices without them getting confused with numbering for buttons that’d be interesting!

Last para. Well you cannot have no button numbers at all, because then there would be no point in having a TAB of the music.