Different tunings of the Anglo Concertina

[Accordionne]

Hello, Concertina community,

Could you guide me to buy a quality concertina without ruining me... lol ($4,000 CAD max.)

I've been playing the diatonic accordion for 37 years. I own accordion jewelry (Messervier). Mr. Messervier was my spiritual father in music and had played alongside him for the past 27 years.

My tones are D, G, A, Bm on my 1-row accordions. Which tunings would be best? (C/G, A/D, etc.)

I contacted Mr. Edgley, I have to reach him by email in 1 month...

Edited June 7 by Accordionne
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[David Levine]

I think that for most people a C/G concertina is the best choice. It certainly has been for me. And I prefer a Jeffries layout rather than a Wheatstone layout.

[Accordionne]

Thank you for enlightening me, I want to buy a good concertina for a long time so I want to be sure.

[Aaron Bittel]

Salut,

 

Do you play G/C/F as well? Playing a C/G anglo concertina will be more like this than like the one-row in D, in that you will be playing across the three rows as a single keyboard, rather than one row at a time. The range of the C/G is the same as the fiddle, and the most-used notes fall in the "center" of the instrument under your strongest fingers; they also have the most alternate locations. Those things generally allow you to play fast tunes more fluently, although it will take more time to work out the best fingerings for each tune because there are more options than if you were just playing on one row.

 

If by chance you are coming to Souches à Oreilles in August, I will be there for the first two séjours, with my C/G concertina -- you're welcome to try it. I've met other people there who also play concertina, perhaps they will bring theirs.

[Accordionne]

Thank you for your very relevant information. I will be a teacher at the Souches camp in Oreilles next August.

I am part of the team of teachers for the third stay from 22 to 24 August.

Edited June 7 by Accordionne

[Accordionne]

My main instrument is the Messervier 1 rank in D. I've already played 3 rows but I don't like the cross-play. My specialty is 1 rank by alternating tones (in D, A, G, Bm on 1 row). I owned 2 ranks D/C# (Joe Derrane)... Vanderraa, Dino Baffetti, Castagnari). I want to devote myself to the concertina because I love the right voice of the instrument.

[alex_holden]

14 hours ago, Accordionne said:

My tones are D, G, A, Bm on my 1-row accordions. Which tunings would be best? (C/G, A/D, etc.)

 

Two row (i.e. 20 button) D/A concertinas exist but are not very common. The D row is lower in pitch than the A row. For example:

https://anglopiano.com/?da-20

 

Another common key combination you might consider is G/D:

https://anglopiano.com/?gd-20

 

If you get an Anglo with three rows, the third row contains assorted accidental notes that let you play in extra keys and some reversals. 30 button C/G is the most common type. It is available with two slightly different versions of the third row; Wheatstone or Jeffries style:

https://anglopiano.com/?cg-wheatstone-30

https://anglopiano.com/?cg-jeffries-30

 

It is common for Anglo players who play in many keys to own more than one instrument.

[Accordionne]

Thank you so much Alex for taking the time for your explanations!!!

I communicated with Barleycorn and saw with them what would be interesting.

Laurent Jarry, a French master craftsman and very good friend, is on the file with me. I still hesitate between a 30-note C/G Anglo or a 48-note English.

I have the skills for one or the other.

Let's see what they offer me

[wunks]

If you would consider an English, you might well think about a duet.  I learned most of my Quebecois fiddle repertoire 50 years ago from the playing of Louis Beaudoin, Henry Landry and Simon St. Pierre among others.  I'm finding my Jeffries duet readily accommodates this music, especially those tunes that modulate.

 

 

[Alex West]

5 hours ago, Accordionne said:

Thank you so much Alex for taking the time for your explanations!!!

I communicated with Barleycorn and saw with them what would be interesting.

Laurent Jarry, a French master craftsman and very good friend, is on the file with me. I still hesitate between a 30-note C/G Anglo or a 48-note English.

I have the skills for one or the other.

Let's see what they offer me

It would be worthwhile speaking with Robin Beech in Montreal.  He's a regular at the Montreal music sessions and plays a D button accordion and an English concertina

 

Alex West

[Accordionne]

Thank you Alex !!!

 

 

 

 

Le 07/06/2025 à 14h41, Aaron Bittel a déclaré :

Salut,

 

Jouez-vous aussi en sol/do/fa ? Jouer sur un concertina anglo-saxon en do/sol ressemblera davantage à cela qu'à un concertina à une rangée en ré, car vous jouerez sur les trois rangées comme sur un seul clavier, plutôt qu'une rangée à la fois. La tessiture du do/sol est la même que celle du violon, et les notes les plus utilisées se trouvent au « centre » de l'instrument, sous vos doigts les plus forts ; ce sont aussi celles qui offrent le plus de possibilités de placement. Ces réglages permettent généralement de jouer des morceaux rapides avec plus de fluidité, même s'il faudra plus de temps pour trouver les meilleurs doigtés pour chaque morceau, car les possibilités sont plus nombreuses que sur une seule rangée.

 

Si par hasard vous venez aux Souches à Oreilles en août, j'y serai pour les deux premiers séjours, avec mon concertina en do/sol ; vous êtes les bienvenus pour l'essayer. J'ai rencontré d'autres personnes qui jouent aussi du concertina, peut-être apporteront-elles le leur.

 

[Accordionne]

1 hour ago, Alex West said:

It would be worthwhile speaking with Robin Beech in Montreal.  He's a regular at the Montreal music sessions and plays a D button accordion and an English concertina

 

Alex West

J'ai écouté Robin, un bon musicien sur concertina !!!