Consistent volume, bellow tension

[Victor F]

I have a relatively new Concertina (6 months old). I find that when I pull the bellows out there is greater force pulling the concertina which leads to push notes to be louder and pull notes to be quieter ( as the tension increases). To a lesser extent when the concertina is pushed together the inverse happens.

 

I want to know how much as a player I can manage this. 

 

* Do I avoid getting the instrument into these tension zones?

* It is just an aspect of the instrument that will go away as the instrument has more wear?

[Łukasz Martynowicz]

The asymmetry of the force you work the bellows is normal, as is the change of the force as the bellows extends towards it’s limit. The bellows will get softer a bit with time. However, it sounds like you are pulling and pushing too hard. Reeds need unintuitively small amount of airflow and pressure to speak. You will learn to adjust to this unconsiously by ear, and the best excercise is to play as quiet as you can manage. Preferably a slow tune played legato, so you have to manage the air perfectly to fit the phrasing. 

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

Yes, bellows do get easier to play with use over time.  It's a hide or skin and needs to be excersised by playing, like your own body does😊😊😊 

[Victor F]

On 2/5/2024 at 10:37 AM, Łukasz Martynowicz said:

The asymmetry of the force you work the bellows is normal, as is the change of the force as the bellows extends towards it’s limit. The bellows will get softer a bit with time. However, it sounds like you are pulling and pushing too hard. Reeds need unintuitively small amount of airflow and pressure to speak. You will learn to adjust to this unconsiously by ear, and the best excercise is to play as quiet as you can manage. Preferably a slow tune played legato, so you have to manage the air perfectly to fit the phrasing. 

I was paying attention to the tension of my bellows. With a button push the concertina will automatically be drawn in without me adding extra force to it. So very little force is needed to push the concertina to make noise when pushing.

[Łukasz Martynowicz]

19 minutes ago, Victor F said:

I was paying attention to the tension of my bellows. With a button push the concertina will automatically be drawn in without me adding extra force to it. So very little force is needed to push the concertina to make noise when pushing.

 

What concertina do you have? Because that sounds like you have an accordion style bellows, which is seriously tight. 

[Victor F]

 

On 2/7/2024 at 2:48 PM, Łukasz Martynowicz said:

 

What concertina do you have? Because that sounds like you have an accordion style bellows, which is seriously tight. 

I have a Rochelle anglo concertina that I bought on concertina connection. It does have accordion style reeds.

[Łukasz Martynowicz]

3 hours ago, Victor F said:

 

I have a Rochelle anglo concertina that I bought on concertina connection. It does have accordion style reeds.

 

I suspected, that it'll be the answer. Rochelle uses accordion style bellows, which is a folded carboard that has innate springiness to it. It will get a bit less springy with time, but it will never be a linear, no bounce-back experience of traditional concertinna bellows. But, as I wrote earlier - your brain will adapt to this.