What I wish I knew before I dove into the concertina pond:

[Cornfield]

1) I just found out about the IOS apps that have concertina buttons in the common layouts. I'm beginning to soo that I probably should have started with a Heyden Duet instead os a Wheatstone English concertina. The Heyden layout seems much more practical to my piano mind.

2) This forum is here and full of helpful, friendly, knowledgeable , experienced people.

3) That the concertina Maintanence\ Manual by David Elliott is a MUST HAVE.

4) Watch this series of YouTube videos 

5)ABC https://michaeleskin.com/abctools/userguide.html is fantastic!

6) playing major and minor thirds on the English concertina is easy and sounds great.

Edited yesterday at 01:31 PM by Cornfield

[Cornfield]

2) This forum is here and full of helpful, friendly, knowledgeable , experienced people.

[David Barnert]

8 hours ago, Cornfield said:

1) I just found out about the IOS apps that have concertina buttons in the common layouts. I'm beginning to soo that I probably should have started with a Heyden Duet instead os a Wheatstone English concertina. The Heyden layout seems much more practical to my piano mind.

 

True, but it’s harder to find a decent one.

[Cornfield]

3) That the concertina Maintanence\ Manual by David Elliott is a MUST HAVE.

[RAc]

18 hours ago, Cornfield said:

1) I just found out about the IOS apps that have concertina buttons in the common layouts. I'm beginning to soo that I probably should have started with a Heyden Duet instead os a Wheatstone English concertina. The Heyden layout seems much more practical to my piano mind.

 

My personal #1: I wish I had known about the 5cc layout.

[Cornfield]

4)  Watch the this series of YouTube videos 

 

[Cornfield]

On 11/5/2024 at 7:08 PM, David Barnert said:

 

True, but it’s harder to find a decent one.

With this information, I have concentrated on learning the English system via the IPAD app. 
I have purchased a Jack baritone knowing that finding an upgraded concertina will be easier than an upgraded Hayden box.

[Tullochgorum]

The choice between the English and the Duet is largely driven by what you want to play, and how hard you're prepared to work.

If your main interest is fast jigs and reels, the English is much more practical. I know a couple of very good duet players, but they struggle to keep up in sessions.

If you are more interested in intricate harmony, the duet is the better choice. But be prepared to work hard - it was developed as a virtuoso instrument for professionals, and it's not a trivial undertaking.

[Cornfield]

2 hours ago, Tullochgorum said:

The choice between the English and the Duet is largely driven by what you want to play, and how hard you're prepared to work.

If your main interest is fast jigs and reels, the English is much more practical. I know a couple of very good duet players, but they struggle to keep up in sessions.

If you are more interested in intricate harmony, the duet is the better choice. But be prepared to work hard - it was developed as a virtuoso instrument for professionals, and it's not a trivial undertaking.

 

I'm mostly interested in accompanying singing. 

[Little John]

17 minutes ago, Cornfield said:

I'm mostly interested in accompanying singing.

 

Then an English should be fine. There are lots of people who do it successfully.

[Cornfield]

I have big hands. On guitars I have found it necessary to get them with a 1 7/8” nut. Are some concertinas made (or modified) to allow more space between buttons?

On another point, is there a way to make the buttons so that my finger will “feel” it’s on C?

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

Is there a way to make buttons so that your finger will "feel" it's on. ( C)?

It will all become an instinctive ability in time and with practice, to know with only rudimentary looking at your hands where you are on a concertina. It may seem daunting to begin with, however if you keep practicing you will not really need to create any physical thing to aid you

All about patience, time, and determination to learn your new skill.

Apart from checking before paying a piece of music, for example, where you fingers may be, after a while it becomes quite an unconscious action of familiarity through experience🌝.

Edited November 13 by SIMON GABRIELOW

[Cornfield]

Ok. What about widening the button area?

[wunks]

I generally agree with Simon, however if your preferred singing key(s) are other than C, you may benefit by scuffing up or putting a piece of rough tape atop the desired root note( do, as in do re mi ).  Concertinas are not pianos, or fiddles so why start with a limiting cross reference?  If I understand the "Jack" it has adequit range both high and low for any key you'd like to play in.

[wunks]

As to big hands, you will adapt.  A favorite Quebecois fiddler Henry Landry ( little guy great big hands ) one of many ham handed artists!  It's as if the spacings of instruments were laid out for the average human and large fingers don't have to "hunt" but use each other for reference.

[RAc]

10 hours ago, Cornfield said:

On another point, is there a way to make the buttons so that my finger will “feel” it’s on C?

yes, there are many ways to haptically distinguish a button. Not uncommon and may make a lot of sense.

 

On my 55 button Crane, it is easily possible (and embarrasing) to get parked on the wrong row, so I had David Robertson replace the central D button with one slightly longer than all others. Alternatively, it could have been shorter, thinner, domed... On my Holden, I had asked Alex to make the center D button with a different texture (roughened up a little) on top. A different material would also do the trick. Lots and lots of possibilities.

 

uninvasive, potentially very useful and reversable modification, really.

[alex_holden]

4 hours ago, RAc said:

yes, there are many ways to haptically distinguish a button. Not uncommon and may make a lot of sense.

 

Another way to do it is to make the 'home' button concave instead of convex:

 

 

[Cornfield]

Thanks RAc and Alex Holden. On my English “Jack” maybe it makes sense to mark the “A” on the right side and the “B” on the left.

Edited November 14 by Cornfield