Your Favorite Beginner Tunes?

[Toffybox]

Hello all!

 

I'm new to the anglo concertina but feeling a bit lost as to where to start beyond just learning the buttons and a couple common songs (twinkle twinkle, hot cross buns, merrily we roll along, etc.). I'm interested in getting into more traditional music and I'd love to know what some of your favorite beginner tunes for getting used to the buttons are!

 

Thank you!

[Jim Besser]

Shepherd's Hey. You can't get much simpler than that.  And it's great for becoming comfortable playing in different keys. If you have a CG, learn it in C, all along the middle row, then G along the bottom row, then D cross row.

[Alan Day]

Have a listen to my tutor some easy tunes and how to make a start with accompaniment.

Al

[Roger Hare]

32 minutes ago, Alan Day said:

Have a listen to my tutor some easy tunes and how to make a start with accompaniment.

Which can be found here...

 

Tunes you already know well (ie: can whistle, hum, sing) are good candidates for beginning, even if they don't immediately suggest themselves as such...

 

Don't dismiss tunes like 'Hot X Buns' too quickly. I have a version of 'HXB' somewhere which has a couple of 'variations' - quite good for a beginner, I would have thought.

 

Some of these tunes are also traditional. 'Polly put the kettle on' (Jenny's Bawbee) and 'Rock-a-bye baby' (Liliburlero) spring to mind straight away. Come to think of it, 'Liliburlero' was the first tune I learned to play 'properly' on the Anglo...

 

Oh, aye, I almost forgot. Roger Digby's Faking It has about a dozen further examples with sound files...

Edited May 21 by Roger Hare

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

When I first started I found a small book which was full with scottish tunes and melodies.

It was actually intended for recorder instruments but has a good general range that suits other instruments.

And at same time another small book full of short 'baroque' tunes. (Recorder again).. not traditional concertina music, however gave good grounding in playing instrument. So music does not have to be only intended for concertinas.🌝

[RAc]

6 hours ago, Toffybox said:

Hello all!

 

I'm new to the anglo concertina but feeling a bit lost as to where to start beyond just learning the buttons and a couple common songs (twinkle twinkle, hot cross buns, merrily we roll along, etc.). I'm interested in getting into more traditional music and I'd love to know what some of your favorite beginner tunes for getting used to the buttons are!

 

Thank you!

 

what tradition are we talking about?

[Becky_S]

Are you learning Irish music, or some other type of music? If you're interested in Irish, I'd highly recommend Caitlín Nic Gabhann's online course - it's really well done! Gradually introduces more tune types, buttons, fingerings, techniques, etc. In the beginner level she starts with polkas, barndances, mazurkas, and waltzes, then moves into jigs and slipjigs. Polkas are some of the easiest to play on concertina so that might be a great place to start. Some of the first tunes in the course are The Rattlin' Bog and Óró sé do bheatha abhaile. Good luck/enjoy! 🙂

[Tiposx]

There are some easy Irish tunes in Gary Coover’s book “75 Irish session tunes” I learned several tunes that I had never heard before, but which sound quite impressive compared to the effort required.

In particular I would try:

 

Clare Jig

Blackthorn Stick