Give Up The 'box?

[OLDNICKILBY]

Dont join them beat them.

At the National Festival one year we were so sick of melodions wrecking every informal singing session that we started that we founded " MERDE"

That is The Melodion Euthanasia Research Development Executive.A free industrial quality trimming knife for all who join,just right for slashing bellows.

There is a fairly witty song doing the rounds about the march and dominance of the melodions by Dave Taylor a local singer songwriter.

[geoffwright]

Tee Hee - I like that anglo-sabre.

 

To be honest, I swing both ways !!!!! And also play a metal ended Wheatstone english which is extra-loud and has no problems being heard above melodion players.

[Peter Brook]

Just to give a bit of balance from a double agent, the problem isn't the melodeon per se, it is a fine instrument that is extremely good fun to play. The problem is with the growing number of "Cost-a-lotti" melodeon choruses which seem to be springing up following Morris sides in England. I'm not a purest by any means but I believe that any more than 3 instruments accompanying cotswold is too many, and ideally you should never have more than one instrument represented twice.

There is a side that dance in our area who are excellent dancers and have good musicians, but the experience loses impact because they are accompanied by 4 melodeons all playing exactly the same stuff. Most "musicians", as compared to "dancers turned musicians", can play (or learn to play) other instruments, whistles, violins, cornets, serpents, hullicans, triangles, fife and drum, the list is endless and adds variety and colour to the aural experience.

 

And back to topic "sell vintage concertina in haste, regret at leisure"