Jump to content

Where To Start


Recommended Posts

Someone ahs given me an anglo concertina.    Having got it, I might as well elarn how to use it.    Please advise on a simple instruction book for a completre beginner.

RKJ

Don't know if you have a 20 or 30-button anglo. I'm sure you'll get many opinions on this. I found "Mel Bay's Deluxe Concerina Book" by Frank Converse to be very useful, when I began with a 20-button. I moved to "The Anglo Concertina Demystified" by Bertram Levy when I acquired a 30-button instrument and am still working my way through it. Both instruction books can be found on the web at various sites such as Button Box as well as on eBay. Good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Someone ahs given me an anglo concertina.    Having got it, I might as well elarn how to use it.    Please advise on a simple instruction book for a completre beginner.

RKJ

 

Robin,

 

I started with an Anglo about 15 months ago. I used the Mick Bramich basic book to get started, them moved to Alan Day's CD tutor. This got me playing impressive stuff (to me at least) very quickly - thanks Alan. I now use Alan's tutor together with Niall Vallely's tutor from "Mad for Trad" depending on what style I want to play in.

 

If you are around for the last weekend of London Boat Show (14 Jan), there will be at least two of us with Anglos following the OGA annual general meeting at the Cruising Association in Limehouse. Pop in and see us.

 

Regards

 

Peter Farrer

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Robin,

I agree with the opinions give to you here. If you have a 30 button conceertina I would higjhly recommend Bertram Levy Desmystified Anglo Concertina.

Frank Edgleys Tutor is also wervy good, and usable also with the 20 button Conceertina.

But it also depends on the kind of Music you wish to put the accent on..

Beertram touches various stylews, Frank Edgley, mainly Irish.

 

I have some material I got with occasion of beginners workshops and I am actually putting together some amterial for beginners to whom I am treaching.

 

I am prepared to share it with you and anybodfy interesteed in.

 

If please tell me your interst, the type of instrument you own and the style of music you would like most to play by means of a personal message.

 

Kind regards

Joachim Delp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Berthram Levy is my advice.

Great book, great player, real inspiration.

I had my 20 button Lachenal and could go through most of the pages.

The only problem was where I had to change keys.

Berthram teaches to play in home keys (C/G) and in D.

His D was impossible for me, so I played it in home key of C.

(I'd advice to learn how to transpose (as I did) or get some software that does it for you.

Transposing was fun, but major pain in the neck, as I always made mistakes, had to rewrite music and mixed going 5 notes up to change from C to G with 4 notes down, when going from G to C. Or is it vice versa?

 

Frank Converse's book is full of tunes, too many, confusing. Very little of real instruction.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Robin

 

Depends on just what kind of music you like.

 

Alan Day's CD tutor is excellent if you are a fan of English style music and it should get you going pretty quickly if you have a CG anglo concertina. I'm not really a fan of playing Irish music so couldn't tell you whose book to get.

 

Once started there's nothing quite like sitting and playing for an hour or two - very relaxing. Beware of getting water in or on the concertina though, they just DON'T go together well. Best played when you are in harbour or becalmed than in a rough sea or you might find the concertina ends up in kit-form as the glues dissolve. :blink:

 

Good Luck

 

Pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...