Harmonica with concertina accompaniment?

[Red Dust]

Hi. I play melodies on the diatonic harp. Anyone use a harp with concertina?

 

I’ve never played a concertina but am keen to add it, most especially for traditional Australian/British folk tunes. 

 

I play only by ear (hopeless at reading notes). And as a 77 year-old old I’m not interested in elaborate playing on a new instrument. (No fast runs etc).

 

SO … is harmonica/concertina a good combo, and do I stick with diatonic or use English for the concertina? Yes yes I know it depends ‘how your brain’s wired’/personal preference, but might using two diatonic instruments at a time be a bit confusing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

They are both from same family of instruments ( free reeds).so I would imagine they will work together very nicely🌝

[David Colpitts]

Lots of (well, a few, anyway) examples of Anglo and English 'tinas with harmonica.  Here's a link to thread a few years ago....

 

[Peter Laban]

Rick Epping and Mick Kinsella both do a great job at this. They both use English system concertinas.

 

Rick here:

 

Edited May 23 by Peter Laban

[Tiposx]

I wondered if David C would see this thread! That video gives a very big yes to Red Dust's question!

[David Colpitts]

It does, indeed!  

[David Barnert]

8 hours ago, Peter Laban said:

Rick Epping and Mick Kinsella both do a great job at this. They both use English system concertinas.

 

Likewise Ken Sweeney of Connecticut. Apparently no presence on YouTube.

[Matthew Heumann]

Here you go David:

 

[David Barnert]

Thanks, Matt. I don’t know why I couldn’t find it.

 

I would remind @Red Dust, however, that while it is certainly possible to play harmonica and concertina simultaneously, very few people have been able to pull it off, and I’d venture to guess that none of them started playing the concertina after age 75. But by all means, give it a go and post a progress report.

[Red Dust]

1 hour ago, David Barnert said:

Thanks, Matt. I don’t know why I couldn’t find it.

 

I would remind @Red Dust, however, that while it is certainly possible to play harmonica and concertina simultaneously, very few people have been able to pull it off, and I’d venture to guess that none of them started playing the concertina after age 75. But by all means, give it a go and post a progress report.

David (hope I’m doing this quote thing right) hell yeah, I’m too old for fancy new tricks! It will just be very simple things for this codger. And I’’m certainly not expecting to progress beyond student/basic. 

[alex_holden]

If you can already play hands-free harmonica I don't think it would be too difficult to accompany it with some simple chords on EC.

[Bill N]

I play anglo (and harmonica and jaw harp) in a trad (mostly English, Canadian and Newfoundland) duo with a citern player.  I often put a harmonica in a rack and play anglo and harmonica together or alternate between the two. It gives a nice rich sound and a variety of options.  I don't find it hard to do.

[Ed Nardell]

On 5/23/2025 at 9:12 PM, David Barnert said:

Thanks, Matt. I don’t know why I couldn’t find it.

 

I would remind @Red Dust, however, that while it is certainly possible to play harmonica and concertina simultaneously, very few people have been able to pull it off, and I’d venture to guess that none of them started playing the concertina after age 75. But by all means, give it a go and post a progress report.

Like. Red Dust, I am coming to the Concertina late in life - I'm 78 -  but determined to live long enough to do it justice!  True, learning anything in life in life is harder, but sometimes the motivation is greater and the distractions fewer than during building and family rearing days.  It is not quite 2 1/2 months since my Custom Peacock arrived and I am loving it.  What a wonderful instrument - great tone and feel.  I have a hard time walking past it without picking it up.  The Daddy Long Les Youtube video Hayden Duet tutorials have been very helpful. The biggest challenge so far is engaging the left hand, but it is starting to happen, first with Twinkle, and now with Wellerman.  The right hand is doing much better - I can play the melody of Piazzolla's Oblivion, thanks to the score from Didie Sedra.  The left hand will follow. I've been playing the "Sogno D'Or" lullaby by Puccini on Hayden duet - it became a quartet in his opera "La Rondine"  Trying to add an accompaniment. I have an advantage over you, Red Dust, in that I read music and have voice and recorder lessons every week - and the concertina is just another way of integrating music. I am not sure how far I'll get - it is harder than I thought it would be - but most good things are.  Good luck to you, Red Dust - from one old guy to another. 

Ed

 

[Red Dust]

5 hours ago, Bill N said:

I play anglo (and harmonica and jaw harp) in a trad (mostly English, Canadian and Newfoundland) duo with a citern player.  I often put a harmonica in a rack and play anglo and harmonica together or alternate between the two. It gives a nice rich sound and a variety of options.  I don't find it hard to do.

Very encouraging Bill, thank you

[Red Dust]

6 minutes ago, Ed Nardell said:

Like. Red Dust, I am coming to the Concertina late in life - I'm 78 -  but determined to live long enough to do it justice!  True, learning anything in life in life is harder, but sometimes the motivation is greater and the distractions fewer than during building and family rearing days.  It is not quite 2 1/2 months since my Custom Peacock arrived and I am loving it.  What a wonderful instrument - great tone and feel.  I have a hard time walking past it without picking it up.  The Daddy Long Les Youtube video Hayden Duet tutorials have been very helpful. The biggest challenge so far is engaging the left hand, but it is starting to happen, first with Twinkle, and now with Wellerman.  The right hand is doing much better - I can play the melody of Piazzolla's Oblivion, thanks to the score from Didie Sedra.  The left hand will follow. I've been playing the "Sogno D'Or" lullaby by Puccini on Hayden duet - it became a quartet in his opera "La Rondine"  Trying to add an accompaniment. I have an advantage over you, Red Dust, in that I read music and have voice and recorder lessons every week - and the concertina is just another way of integrating music. I am not sure how far I'll get - it is harder than I thought it would be - but most good things are.  Good luck to you, Red Dust - from one old guy to another. 

Ed

 

Great Ed, you’re really chugging along! It’s a bit more complicated for me, a one year old grandson next door with a solo mother who needs regular help, and I’m podcasting. (Just finished an 28 hour audiobook! Got my eye on a 20 key Anglo Lachinet. 

[El Squeezer]

I do a bit of the simultaneous harp and squeezebox thing.. Because the harmonica is layed out almost exactly like the main row of a 3 row anglo it comes pretty natural to push/exhale and pull/inhale at the same time (first position on the harmonica, and first position on the concertina). If feels more like a party trick to me than something that is truly fun to do though... One thing I would mention is that most diatonic harmonicas have compromised tuning (sweetens up the chords, and sounds real nice for blues) where as the concertina is tuned with equal temperament i believe. This causes the two instruments to sound just a little dissonant and folksy together. 

Edited June 1 by El Squeezer