Anglo Fingering System

[Alex Signell]

I've been playing a CG Anglo for a few years on and off and have recently been getting back into it. Reading through threads here and different online tutors most people seem to mention using a fingering system when learning. Whenever I've learned a tune I've just played the note wherever it's most convenient which leads to tunes in the same key being played fairly differently depending on the tune. It doesn't seem to be an issue but would I be better off trying to learn a fingering system for the different keys and trying to stick to it?

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

When I stated playing ( centuries ago now!).I used a system with numbers and marks above or below numbers which indicate the notes to play, and it is like a sort of shorthand tablature, which works well for me.

I think there are many ways of using systems to help play music.. and once you pick one of them..stay with it, and do not be distracted by too many other options. There's many ways to get to each key tone, and hints from experienced players, but it may or may not suit everyone else.

On some keys I have found need to move over rows to reach a b flat (as example) where there is an extra note provided on Anglo, and so many other options. But not one definitive way. If your way is already working for you..then don't change it.  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 7 by SIMON GABRIELOW

[John Wild]

7 hours ago, Alex Signell said:

It doesn't seem to be an issue but would I be better off trying to learn a fingering system for the different keys and trying to stick to it?

I'm not an anglo player, but I would say if you have found a system which works for you, and as you say not does not seem to be an issue, then stick with it. However, an understanding of the notation you may find in books can be useful.

 

Regards,

 

John Wild

[wunks]

I would say don't lock yourself into a fingering system.  As you progress you will get better at moving your hand  ("hovering" ) and fingers in different ways to accommodate and accentuate different tunes, harmonies and keys.  This may not be true for EC or some duet systems.  I play The Jeffries duet which shares the fan shaped pattern with Anglo.  The zig-zag pattern combined with the bellows change option ( I use a couple bisonoric buttons ) encourages a free hand and finger movement which, in my opinion, makes playing different tunes ( Or the same tunes ) in different keys interesting.

[Clive Thorne]

19 hours ago, Alex Signell said:

I've been playing a CG Anglo for a few years on and off and have recently been getting back into it. Reading through threads here and different online tutors most people seem to mention using a fingering system when learning. Whenever I've learned a tune I've just played the note wherever it's most convenient which leads to tunes in the same key being played fairly differently depending on the tune. It doesn't seem to be an issue but would I be better off trying to learn a fingering system for the different keys and trying to stick to it?

Totally with you on this. My fingering depends on where I'm are coming from and where I'm going to next, and what other notes I might be playing at the same time. I don't really think about it that much, it just seems to happen. Having a "System", to me, just seems like an artifical constraint.

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

I always think that the joy of concertina is the fact it has never really being standardised or too constrained by one definite method, instead offers so many ways of playing; and thus allows you to play very much any way you want🌝

[Mikefule]

There are various "fingering systems" in the broad sense of having a systematic approach to playing, rather than feeling for the next button without a thought for where you are in the tune.

 

However, there is no single "right" fingering system.  Various teachers and tutors recommend one particular way or another.  To some extent, this is so they can teach in a structured way, but it is also a sort of "branding" a bit like the old idea of "A tune a day the Mel Bay way."

 

On a 20 button CG Anglo, there are 128 possible ways of playing a single 8 note major scale.  There is no benefit to learning to play C:c 128 different ways, but there are advantages to learning runs of 3, 4, or 5 notes finding different routes through the maze.

 

If you play Irish style, which is mainly a single line of melody, often in D or A on a 30 button CG, you will favour a "system" that allows fast and smooth arpeggios.  This means learning a few patterns across all 3 rows.

 

However, to take only one simple example: the two notes C&E could be part of the chord C major, or part of the chord A minor, or even the chord F7.  Therefore, you cannot rely on those 2 notes always performing the same function in a tune.  What comes before and what comes after will depend on the key, the mode, the type of tune, and so on, and therefore you may need to select one set of fingering or another to suite.

 

If you play in a harmonic style (melody supported by an accompaniment of basses and chords) then you need to play the melody in the right bellows direction to work with the desired accompaniment.

 

Therefore, although it is best to have some idea of a system, it is not a good idea to stick dogmatically to one system through thick and thin.  

 

A good cook can follow a recipe book.  A really good cook knows all the techniques in the recipe book, and can adapt and vary the recipes and produce delicious results.  That is the difference between "system" and "technique".

[Michael Eskin]

If you want to play traditional Irish style with some examples of both "on-the-rows" and "cross-row" style fingering for tunes, my ABC Transcription Tools at:

 

https://michaeleskin.com/abc

can automagically generate optimized fingering solutions for either solution and for both Jeffries and Wheatstone instruments in the most common tunings from the ABC for tunes.

For example, here's "The Kesh" with fingering tablature generated by the tool for both "on-row" and "cross-row" style fingerings for a C/G Jeffries-style instrument:

https://michaeleskin.com/abctools/abctools.html?lzw=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-gB2HEAMVtKMSYRA6q+Ksd1vtJoVbr9DI0Sud2fZxM9329ealiuZSbxaorDPNqfluLLsrTNfhoIDRur5OjFuDYJTsnVnf71cbvubTtZJe+0oFQsl09HPMzE4Lc8xguheFXXv54eh8G3ReJe++8En4ZBWUPxY33x217j6qgoEgjSQqAwVnwhBI5Eo1AgOhGDAFh2C4XgBGEUQJGkMBDB6bhuE0HQDGMEDTAsL8bDsMAHCcVwwE8Hx-EgIJQjACIvGiOIoASMAUnSTJcnyIoNgqH8ajqBo4Badouh6Po1kGYYYFGCYphmOYFiWFY1g2Ihtl2fZDhgY59nOK5blE+5HjwZ5XneKBE0NA1ayDVtER1PszOrdsLXHftuzrK1fEAlFnVcmgcWlTz3PBNyQTMD0118wL-K8wKzTc6EfICsd6z1OKlwcszBxMkMbPSyysu1TM7Oc5MzKc4163C9yoq8mKyrCv4kuCr1qvi0l8vMmNwRPKMrMfIyfmXYdM0SiKmsKpKKu868ypiwa-L61Kh0y5tppqlKLJa+bA2Kqy1Q1WbAxHRrktK2qho86Lpwm47vKW4bK0uyKLtnTdr13HED3XNcNBPM9jxRK93oa97N3qotHyAA&format=noten&ssp=10&name=The_Kesh_Jeffries_Along-the-Rows_Set

The decoder for how to read the tab using the default button naming (can be displayed in various styles) is here:

https://michaeleskin.com/abctools/userguide.html#reading_the_concertina_tablature

Full details here:

https://michaeleskin.com/abctools/userguide.html#tab_concertina

 

Demo video:

 

Edited April 9 by Michael Eskin

[Alex Signell]

That's an amazing tool, thank you! 

[Michael Eskin]

You're most welcome!

[Tiposx]

I just used the resource to finish “ Cooverisation“ of a difficult piece that I had started, but failed to complete. I generally play EC from the dots, but I like to play the more bouncy tunes on the Anglo as well.

It usually takes me several days to work out fingering for the Anglo. Using the Eskin tools was very quick and simple, even for an old-timer like me.

So thank you and well done!