Concertina Vs. Button Accordion

[Wild Bill]

Which do you prefer and why?

 

Cual es mejor para musica latina?

Edited February 8, 2006 by Wild Bill

[bill_mchale]

Which do you prefer and why?

 

Cual es mejor para musica latina?

 

For playing? I have found that I prefer the concertina. In large part this is because I have small hands and therefore have found that occasionally I have alot of trouble making big jumps in tunes. Also since notes often alternate between hands, I find that I feel less hurried when I am playing.

 

For listening, each has its charms. I would prefer listen to Billy McComiskey, Joe Burke or Jackie Daley over a mediocre concertina player and would prefer listen to Noel Hill, Tim Collins or Mary MacNamara over a mediocre Box player.

 

--

Bill

[Chris Timson]

Context is everything. For instance, I venture to predict that this poll will get a majority for the concertina, but that the same poll on www.melodeon.net would have the opposite result (while on www.fiddle.net, if there were such a site, the result would be too close to call).

 

Chris

[Rod Thompson]

The concertina is clearly and obviously the best instrument ever invented. It is:

 

Lighter than a grand piano

More mellow than a kazoo

Easier to play than a bandonian

Less intrusive than highland pipes

Louder than a penny whistle

Cheaper than a bass saxophone

More serious than a doodle sac

Funnier than a fiddle

More modern than a sackbutt

More traditional than a synth

More portable than a pipe organ

Larger range than an ocarina

Less damaging to the nails than a thumb piano

More versatile than the triangle

Less annoying than a bodhran

 

In short - obviously perfect. (Even the English ones).

[Peter Brook]

I don't know what is meant by the term "button accordian"

 

In England you could mean a "melodeon" ie. a two row vienna accordian typically in D/G, a continental chromatic button accordian or a 3 row button accordian (eg Jimmy Shand type in B/C/C#).... or concievably a two row "melodeon" in B/C as played in Ireland.

[Susanne]

Thanks Peter, now I finally know what "durspel" is in English and what the difference between melodeon and accordion is!!!

[JimLucas]

Which do you prefer and why?

Cual es mejor para musica latina?

Note that the second line translates: "Which is best for Latin music?"

 

Myself, I'm not going to vote.

[m3838]

Cual es mejor para musica latina?

Note that the second line translates: "Which is best for Latin music?"

 

Myself, I'm not going to vote.

 

I join Jim. I didn't like that line in Spanish.

[JimLucas]

I join Jim.

I didn't like that line in Spanish.

Join me in not voting, if you like, but I have nothing against the Spanish.

 

I just think the question -- with or without the Spanish -- has no value.

[ken c]

as a new member and a piano accordion player I feel a little out of my depth to add anything, but here goes. I tried the push pull system and failed, so I have just got an english concertina (cheap but a good trainer) and find that I can produce some kind of a tune even after a short time. So I have to vote on the side of the concertina. Even if its english.

[m3838]

I just think the question -- with or without the Spanish -- has no value.

 

I agree. I differ from you in the sense that I actually prefer Spanish for it's sound to English.

But entering English forum with lines in other language is leaving majority out as irrelevant crowd. Didn't feel right to me.

And the question does have no value.

[Paul Read]

I just think the question -- with or without the Spanish -- has no value.

 

I'm thinking the same thing

[John Wild]

The concertina is clearly and obviously the best instrument ever invented. It is:

 

Lighter than a grand piano

More mellow than a kazoo

Easier to play than a bandonian

Less intrusive than highland pipes

Louder than a penny whistle

Cheaper than a bass saxophone

More serious than a doodle sac

Funnier than a fiddle

More modern than a sackbutt

More traditional than a synth

More portable than a pipe organ

Larger range than an ocarina

Less damaging to the nails than a thumb piano

More versatile than the triangle

Less annoying than a bodhran

 

In short - obviously perfect. (Even the English ones).

 

Great verse. Can i save it and pass it on?

 

- John Wild

[Jeff H]

For 'latin" music..

what kind of Latin Music? Cumbia, Vallenato, COnjunto. Tex-Mex ??

 

Button accordion for all the above but even though most use a 3 row Hohner CoronaII as the basic instrument, the keys and the tuning vary greatly,

 

For Tex-Mex I prefer the original 2 row sound in G/C as was played by the early greats before the 3 row was introduced. Santiago Jimenez JR ( Flacos brother) still plays a 2 row and IMNSHO is a far superior player to Flaco.

 

Check Arhoolie records for all types of Latin Accordion music and check out their videos.. Accordion Dreams Etc

 

I play button accordion primarily ( melodeon, diatonic bisonoric bellows driven free reed instruments) but also enjoy the concertina though I have limited skills on them. I have owned A Jeffries and a Wheatstone.. I have played other brands and really like the sound and playability of the accordion reeded concertinas.

 

I have no preference.. only a greater amount of experience with the

accordions.

 

I also like piano accordions and CBA and Bayans and trikitixia and

the Jimmy Shand models.. virtually anything with a bellows.

 

 

jjh

[Peter Brook]

Which do you prefer and why?

Cual es mejor para musica latina?

Note that the second line translates: "Which is best for Latin music?"

 

Myself, I'm not going to vote.

Thanks for the translation Jim

 

Ennistraveller - you got me - what is a "durspel" ?

 

Knowning what the instrument is now for, the obvious answer is surely: the instrument you can fit the most sparkly rhinestones on

Edited February 10, 2006 by Peter Brook

[Wild Bill]

For 'latin" music..

what kind of Latin Music? Cumbia, Vallenato, COnjunto. Tex-Mex ??

 

Button accordion for all the above but even though most use a 3 row Hohner CoronaII as the basic instrument, the keys and the tuning vary greatly,

 

For Tex-Mex I prefer the original 2 row sound in G/C as was played by the early greats before the 3 row was introduced. Santiago Jimenez JR ( Flacos brother) still plays a 2 row and IMNSHO is a far superior player to Flaco.

 

Check Arhoolie records for all types of Latin Accordion music and check out their videos.. Accordion Dreams Etc

 

I play button accordion primarily ( melodeon, diatonic bisonoric bellows driven free reed instruments) but also enjoy the concertina though I have limited skills on them. I have owned A Jeffries and a Wheatstone.. I have played other brands and really like the sound and playability of the accordion reeded concertinas.

 

I have no preference.. only a greater amount of experience with the

accordions.

 

I also like piano accordions and CBA and Bayans and trikitixia and

the Jimmy Shand models.. virtually anything with a bellows.

 

 

jjh

 

Thanks. I was thinking Norteño, Musica Popular Brasileira, Frevo, Forró and Gaucho music.

 

I didn't mean to offend anybody with the Spanish. It's just that if an idea comes to me first in Spanish or Portuguese, I prefer to express it in that language.

 

Glad to see people with strong opinions here! That passion for music kind of reminds me of the Hank III Cussin Board: http://64.247.23.87/phpBB2/index.php

[Guest Old Leaky]

Which do you prefer and why?

 

Cual es mejor para musica latina?

 

Why choose? Master both and have twice the fun/pain!

[Stiamh]

Both tina and button box can be marvellously exciting instruments and I wouldn't try to argue the superiority of either one over the other. But it's interesting look at the question sideways and ask which of them has the greater potential for irritating.

 

I and a friend of mine both took up new instruments at the same time almost two years ago - he a concertina, I a button box. We are each getting a lot of mileage out of mocking the failings of the other's instrument, not to mention our playing abilities. I'm sure I have the upper hand but then so probably does he.

 

Friendly rivalry aside, I've found there is nothing in the trad world that can hurt your eardrums more than a strident anglo. A few years ago I used to play often with a man who had such an instrument and I would take care not to sit next to him. (I've encountered plenty of box players whose sound makes me want to leave the room, too, but not because of physical pain in the ears.) It seems that the concertina's peculiar sound production, those sitting next to player cop its full piercing potential.

 

There's also a question of posture and proprioception. However much I love to hear great concertina playing, I could never see myself balancing one on my knee and twitching about with those fiddly little buttons. On the other hand the fellow with the piercing concertina has been heard to refer to button boxes as "Newfie typewriters"!

 

Steve