The learning curve

[Ubizmo]

So, I'm 70 years old. I play the sax, ocarina, tin whistle, and I can read music. I play the whistle at Irish sessions, but I like other genres of music too. Strictly amateur, though. For some inexplicable reason, I've become fascinated by the concertina, and I'm about ready to pull the trigger. I live in Philadelphia, where I'm fortunate to have an actual shop that sells them: Liberty Bellows. So I'm planning a visit in the next few days. After reading a lot of stuff here and elsewhere, watching videos, and so on, I'm about 80% sure that I want an Anglo 30. I'm daunted by the prospect of learning it, since it's so different from anything else I play. But I tell myself to think of it like learning to type. When I first sat in front of a typewriter, when I was 14, it was just a meaningless jumble of letters, but I pretty quickly became a fast touch typist. Granted, that was 56 years ago, but if I could do that, I can learn the Anglo concertina. Maybe.

 

What I'm looking for is advice on how to get going with it. Books? OAIM? Other videos? What do people recommend, so I don't waste a lot of time just noodling?

[Peter Laban]

There are more ways to skin this particular cat, ie to play the concertina.

Ask yourself who your favourite concertinaplayers are, who's style of playing you would like to emulate and then find resources that will set you on a path towards that goal.

That would be a good place to start, I believe.

[wunks]

70 is a great age.  Your neurons/synapses will get a workout, refreshing your brain.  You already have a "head" start with your musical background.  I would suggest "noodling" is essential kit allowing a dialog with your instrument rather than just imposing your will which, I guarantee, will be resisted....😊

[David Barnert]

One of the classic (from 1985) books on the Anglo concertina, and perhaps still one of the best, is “The Anglo Concertina Demystified” by Bertram Levy.

 

 

There are many other good books, as well. Some focus on Irish style (primarily melody and ornamentation) and some focus on English (or harmonic) style (melody and chords). I don’t play Anglo, myself, but a lot of folks (even those with limited musical background) find it intuitive to play. Good luck.

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

I went the other way round in learning another type of instrument recently: but I added a mouth blown instrument.. a 'Chalumeau' to my repertoire. So the bellows are also my own lungs for that one.

I believe there is never an age to stop learning and as you are already musician you have fewer hurdles to overcome, in learning, as you can read music and can concentrate early on the basics of how to make the sound with a concertina. It really will compliment the sound world of whistle or flutes as well and add its own unique cheerful sound.

 

 

Edited October 13, 2023 by SIMON GABRIELOW

[Steve Schulteis]

I started on tin whistle before moving to Anglo concertina. If you're getting along at sessions, you're probably better than I was. I found the Anglo made a lot of sense coming from whistle due to the diatonic layout, even with the alternating bellows direction across the scales. I did find playing in D on a C/G to be a bit of a struggle, but I've gotten better at working outside of the home keys.

 

I started with Gary Coover's "Anglo Concertina in the Harmonic Style", and that worked well for me. But if you want to focus more on Irish-style melody-only playing, that won't be the best choice for you. I've also got a copy of "Anglo Concertina from Beginner to Master" by Cohen Braithwaite-Kilcoyne, which is a pretty incredible tutor and might be more of what you're looking for.

[gcoover]

The major downside of the Bertram Levy book is the numbering and tab system, which is not used by any other books, including Bertram's later book!

 

In all honesty I can shamelessly recommend Easy Anglo 1-2-3 to get you up and running really quickly.

 

There will be lots of advice and opinions here on cnet, often conflicting but also often helpful.

 

You are right to think of it as a typewriter (it's called "keyboarding" now!). And learning in spite of its many quirks will provide you with hours of enjoyment. Welcome to the concertina world!

 

Gary

 

 

[Caroline]

I started playing the Anglo about a year ago.  I'm 64 and like you, dabbled in different instruments and am a proficient typist.  These are my observations regarding my "learning curve" this last year:  

 

First, I have had the most successful "tutor" experience with the lessons that Caitlin Nic Gabhann offers on https://www.irishconcertinalessons.com/static_pages/home .  I also pay for OAIM, but I like Caitlin's style and pace better.  I did not really like Jack Talty's available through McNeela's.  I also bought several book tutors (Coover etc.)  I am most interested in Irish Traditional music though, so again, Caitlin's are the better fit for me but I like the books for reference.

 

Second, I can read music and know quite a bit of music theory but I am trying my best to train my ear.  That being said, what I have discovered is that with the concertina, it is MUCH easier for me to use the ABC notation over the dots.  I don't know if it's the typist in me, or the myriad of choices of notes on the concertina, but I find that for reference the cheat sheet I prefer is the ABC.  

 

Third, get a 30 button C/G Anglo.  I started on a 20 button Stegi G/D that was a gift.  I treated it as if it were a C/G but could not play along with the video lessons.  After about 4 months I bought a great intermediate concertina (CC Clover) but I had a few rhythm issues initially from not being able to play along and I could not learn how to roll due to the stiffness of the buttons...I did get build my finger strength however!

 

Fourth, be prepared to part with some cash.  I have already decided that I want to trade up from my hybrid to a concertina-reeded instrument.  Luckily I got my name on Carroll's wait list just in time!

 

Have fun...the darn thing is extremely addictive!

Caroline

 

 

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

I often think that the sign of being a real musician is when your instrument becomes part of your personality and life, and when you feel through the sound of it, and when people comment upon that playing of it, it either pleases you, or if negative; then it can really rather concern you very much. In other words it becomes a little extension of who you are🌝.

[David Barnert]

5 hours ago, Caroline said:

Fourth, be prepared to part with some cash.

 

The standard advice is: “Buy the best instrument you can afford.”

[Ubizmo]

Well, I bought a Rochelle 2 concertina, 30 button Anglo today at Liberty Bellows. Interesting shop, with wall to wall, floor to ceiling accordions, melodicas, concertinas, harmonicas, you name it. They suggested I just play around with a few of them, which I did. The Rochelle and Rochelle 2 are the entry models, of course, but the 2 is more compact, which I liked. 

 

They gave me a small book. I'm not at home so I can't tell you what it is. Makker, maybe, is the author. Mainly, it had a fingering chart, so I was able to work out a D scale. This seemed pretty tricky (I see what you mean, Steve). I had to keep reminding myself that almost all Irish tunes is no more than 13 distinct notes--pitches, really. That's half of what I had to learn in Miss Gagnon's typing class! It made me recall how she made us tape a sheet of notebook paper over our hands so we couldn't look at our fingers. Maybe I should get on the good foot with the concertina and also acquire the habit of not peeking. 

 

I have 75 tunes of so in my head that I can play on the whistle at sessions--which isn't nearly enough, of course, but it gives me something to work with. And although I read music, my first instinct is to work things out by ear, possibly because I'm too lazy to bother with the sheet music. On a whistle or sax or recorder, this is second nature to me. I'm hoping I can get it to transfer to concertina. 

[Chris Ghent]

Best advice, get yourself a teacher.  If there are none near you try Caitlin Nic Gabhann online lessons.  This will save you years and many bad habits.  

[jim troy]

I also  recommend Caitlín's tutorials., She does use Staff Notation for the tunes,

and also,  normal ABC notation.

And yes, typewriter skill, very useful for Concertina.

Like yourself, learned to type, 1958, to the tune of  "I'm A Tin Soldier "

 

Maybe listen to some of these  

 

[chris rowe]

7 hours ago, Chris Ghent said:

Best advice, get yourself a teacher.  If there are none near you try Caitlin Nic Gabhann online lessons.  This will save you years and many bad habits.  

Totally agree !

 

[David Barnert]

9 hours ago, Ubizmo said:

They gave me a small book. I'm not at home so I can't tell you what it is. Makker, maybe, is the author.

 

That would be Wim Wakker, who founded Concertina Connection, under whose auspices your concertina was made. It’s not clear from your writing whether you’re aware that Concertina Connection has a trade-in upgrade policy that you might find useful some day.

[David Barnert]

8 hours ago, Chris Ghent said:

Best advice, get yourself a teacher.  If there are none near you try Caitlin Nic Gabhann online lessons.  This will save you years and many bad habits.

 

As I mentioned earlier about instruction books:

 

20 hours ago, David Barnert said:

Some focus on Irish style (primarily melody and ornamentation) and some focus on English (or harmonic) style (melody and chords).

 

The same will be true about teachers. You will have to decide whether you want someone like Caitlyn, who teaches Irish style:

 

 

 

Or someone like @Jody Kruskal, who teaches (also online) harmonic style:

 

 

[Ubizmo]

Thanks for all these suggestions. I'm thinking I will get a teacher. I've never had music lessons before! So it's about time. 

Any guidelines on how tight the handstraps should be?

[Morgana]

13 minutes ago, Ubizmo said:

Thanks for all these suggestions. I'm thinking I will get a teacher. I've never had music lessons before! So it's about time. 

Any guidelines on how tight the handstraps should be?

Congratulations on your new concertina! Having the tunes already in your head is a great start. Personally I find I need to get the tunes there before they start making their way into my fingers.

I like to have my straps firm enough so that the concertina is secure and doesn't move around, but not so tight that it's a challenge to get my hands in and out. Hope that helps