Using The Pinky On An Anglo

[Azalin]

Hello,

 

I am starting to learn some tunes with some lower notes on my C/G anglo 30 buttons and so far I've been trying use a fixed fingering, which consist of using the first finger for the first column, second finger for column, etc. and the pinky for 4th and 5th column.

 

Most tunes with low notes are tough for me right now but there's a specific tune that's been giving me a very hard time. It's "Lads of Leash" in Am, sorry for the spelling I guess it's all spelled wrong. Anyway, I play the low B and A with the pinky in that tune, but my fingers are having a hard time, the pinky seems to be kind of weak and my fingers are all messed up on the notes following the low A in here. I play the low A on the push (with pinky) on the accidentals row, and the low B on the pull on the C row.

 

It's been two weeks now I've been practicing the first part of the tune every day for like 15 minutes. Although it's better now, it's still very unstable and I never know what to expect.

 

Should I practice the same way for the rest of my life and hope to be able to play that tune stable when I'm 90 years old or should I switch fingering? I hate to give up, so I don't mind spending the time to practice if I know it's possible, but I wonder what other players are doing?

 

Thanks.

Edited April 19, 2006 by Azalin

[m3838]

Practice other tunes too. Practice scales. Octaves. Chords. Arpeggios.

Practice chords in 1-4-5 progression, with 7ths, using different fingering. It's not the matter of remembering ( I think) as much, as it is just practice tool.

Then your pinky or whatever will not feel weak and the questions like this will arise rarely. I think the correct fingering does matter, but on a different level. It's when the tune isn't working, while all the notes are there, there is very little point of playing it at all. A change of fingering can make the tune sing, so to speak.

[Dana Johnson]

"

Hello,

 

I am starting to learn some tunes with some lower notes on my C/G anglo 30 buttons and so far I've been trying use a fixed fingering, which consist of using the first finger for the first column, second finger for column, etc. and the pinky for 4th and 5th column. "

 

 

Lads of Laois isn't an easy tune, but quite approchable. depending on your key layout, you have a couple good choices. First, though the general rule of thumb is to play the vertical rows with the finger that matches the row like you've been doing. However, the little finger has a lot of territory to cover, and it is less suited to the Press A on the accidental row than any other of it's notes. If you want to use the Press A (I do) try using the ring finger for it, leaving the little finger for the B on the middle row. You will ned to jump quickly with it back to the D, but That is fairly easy to master, and you'll find it useful later. The ring finger will often be used to play both the A and C# buton, and you will want to choreograph which finger you use for what note depending on the notes before and after. I try to avoid a quick jump with the little finger if the ring finger can be used instead. A second method uses the Draw A on the lowest button of the G row if you are set up with a B/A button instead of B/D. In this case youcan get a nice rythm in the tune using the Draw A. You will need to get used to stretching your little finger out to reach it, but that takes very little time to get. In the end, you want to have it be nearly automatic to use either the Little finger or the ring finger for the A depending on which note you are coming from or going to. Lots of good D Hornpipes give you interesting challenges between the D, C#, A and B notes. The more tunes you practice there, the easier they become. Remember, don't rush your playing faster than you can finger. let speed come as it gets easier, and try to play at a speed that you can finger all the parts of the tune well before you shift to the next gear. Your little finger will eventually develop amazing dexterity.

Dana

 

Thanks.

[JimLucas]

I am starting to learn some tunes with some lower notes on my C/G anglo 30 buttons and so far I've been trying use a fixed fingering, which consist of using the first finger for the first column, second finger for column, etc. and the pinky for 4th and 5th column.

First, start learning to move those other fingers. While it's important to exercise the little finger to improve its strength and mobility, it does not make sense to make your weakest and least-used finger do twice as much work (cover twice as many buttons) as the others, not even after it's strengthened.

 

...there's a specific tune that's been giving me a very hard time. It's "Lads of Leash" in Am...

"Lads of Laois" (or "Laoise"). I looked it up on thesession.org, where it's listed in Em. That seems to correspond to the fingerings you mentioned.

 

...I play the low B and A with the pinky in that tune, but my fingers are having a hard time,...

As well they might, given your fingering.

 

the pinky seems to be kind of weak and my fingers are all messed up on the notes following the low A in here. I play the low A on the push (with pinky) on the accidentals row, and the low B on the pull on the C row.

Using the ring finger on the C-row pull D and the little finger on the 3rd-row A would twist up my fingers, too. Here's my recommendation for the first part, which shifts fingers and eliminates or shifts some bellows reversals, but which I think should be much more comfortable... unless abandoning rigid fingerings makes you uncomfortable. My notation for this purpose puts in parentheses 1-2-3 for the G-C-accidental rows and i-m-r-p for the fingers: index-middle-ring-pinky.

 

E(2-i) B'(1-p) B'(2-r) _ E(2-m) G(2-i) F#(1-p) E(2-i)

... note that the two B's are in different directions

D(1-p) A(3-r) A(3-m) _ D(1-p) E(2-m) F#(1-p) D(2-r)

... don't be afraid to use the G row's push D

... note the finger change on the repeated A

E(2-m) _ F#(1-p) D(2-r) E(2-m) F#(1-p) G(2-i) A(2-i) [or A(1-r)]

B(1-m) _ e(2-m) c#(3-i*) d(2-m) c#(3-i*) B(2-m) A(1-m)

... * assumes C# on push at the left end of the row

... brings middle finger under for the pull B, rather than jump the index

... middle for the A so the index is in position for the next E

E(2-i) B'(1-p) B'(2-r) _ E(2-m) G(2-i) F#(1-p) E(2-i)

D(1-p) A(3-r) A(3-m) _ D(1-p) E(2-m) F#(1-p) D(2-r)

E(2-m) _ B(1-r) E(2-m) d(1-i) E(2-m) B(1-r) E(2-m)

... no jumping; separate fingers for E and B

D(1-p) E(2-m) F#(1-p) A(1-r) B(1-m) E(2-i) E(2-m)

... and ready to use the index finger for the E on the repeat

 

I suggest you try the above for a bit and see whether it works for you.

[geoffwright]

You are using the correct fingering (as you would also use in similar tunes like the Gold Ring). It is only a matter of slow practise and will come with time - it is worth persevering with.

It is also worth finding tunes that go down that end for practise, or transpose some tunes you know so you have to use low notes.

Use of the pinky is also useful for playing bass runs (if you are into playing chords or harmony).

[JimLucas]

You are using the correct fingering...

Whatever that means. ??? Geoff, he indicated what at least some of his fingering was. Do you consider that "correct" or "incorrect", and why?

 

(Comment on my suggested fingering, too, if you like.)

[Baxter]

lower notes on my C/G anglo 30 buttons

I know what you mean about feeling shaky down in that range - me too. But I will share my limited experience anyway. In low tunes I play the A on the pull on the G row, but I learned last month that that's not available on every instrument. If I had to use the A on the accidental row, I would definitely use my ring finger because I can't reach it with my pinky. When I play The Ash Plant down there (an octave lower than usual just for fun) I only use my pinky on one button, the low A/B on the G row, even though I'm using lots of low notes. Sometimes in that tune I use the B on the C row instead, and then I use my middle finger actually. My whole hand shifts over.

 

If I were playing Lads of Laois and wanted to use the draw B on the C row and the push A on the accidentals row, I would use my ring finger for both notes. That requires playing E sometimes with the middle finger and sometimes with the first finger, depending on where the tune is going next.

 

I guess I'm compromising somewhere between training up my pinky and avoiding it entirely...

[Azalin]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I will go over them and try different things, but will also use "Lads of Laois" to keep on training my pinky.

 

I already play a few tunes using the low A on the draw on G row (using my pinky) but in some tunes I find the push A on accidental row easier to reach.

 

It's really fun and exciting to have an instrument that can play low notes and play accidentals, after playing whistle for a few years it's like a new world is opening to me :-)

[Peter Brook]

Thanks all for the suggestions. I will go over them and try different things, but will also use "Lads of Laois" to keep on training my pinky.

 

I already play a few tunes using the low A on the draw on G row (using my pinky) but in some tunes I find the push A on accidental row easier to reach.

 

It's really fun and exciting to have an instrument that can play low notes and play accidentals, after playing whistle for a few years it's like a new world is opening to me :-)

 

 

Try using your little finger instead of a cartoon pig and you might get somewhere

 

Anyway that aside, I firmly believe that you can get more use out of your little finger if you keep training it, I never think twice about using it, but I keep my hands fairly fluid and don't have rigid rules for which fingers to use, making changes to allow runs to sound better etc.

 

edited to add picture of pinky!

Edited April 19, 2006 by Peter Brook

[Samantha]

One last comment, Azalin. You may wish to experiment with tightening or loosening the hand-straps to allow a little more movement of your hand around the keyboard. This might enable you to try some of Baxter's suggestions.

Samantha

[Dan Worrall]

Should I practice the same way for the rest of my life and hope to be able to play that tune stable when I'm 90 years old or should I switch fingering? I hate to give up, so I don't mind spending the time to practice if I know it's possible, but I wonder what other players are doing?

 

This has been well covered in the replies above, but here is another thought or two:

 

Both Chris Droney and the late Tommy McCarthy played D reels pretty much along the G row, and this tends to give the (usually weaker) left hand, and especially the left pinky, quite a workout. If you are looking to strengthen your pinky (and I agree with the others that it can be done!), you might find working through some of those tunes rewarding, and more entertaining than practicing scales or octaves (although those have their place). If your pinky is as weak as mine was when I started playing anglo, it may take awhile....months or even years....to get it where you really want it. But the trip is fun.

 

Another way to strengthen your pinky in a fun way is to mix in a few English-style oom-pah tunes; Alan Day's anglo tutor has several easy ones that would do the trick. The pinky does the oom, over and over again, the repetitiveness of which is good muscle practice. And the oom-pah rhythm is very insistent that the pinky be on time....which seems to give one's pinky an extra command to 'shape up'.

[m3838]

and more entertaining than practicing scales or octaves

 

Don't forget the "playing in" factor. How are you going to play in your instrument, if you are not give 'all' reeds a work out? I'd say, if you have good instrument, before you even start playing anything, give a few passes of scales, involving all the notes of the instrument. A few chromatic runs on 30 buttons will do the trick. do it in 1-2, then 1-2-3, then 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4-5 etc. rhythm. If you run out of notes and not finished the rhythm, turn around, trying to keep the rhythm, and continue untill you come back to the first note in time. Some workout, isn't it? You'd be sweating, I guarantee.

Or... Start your chromatic run on the lowest note, and do an octave in 1-2 rhythm, Up/down. Then start with the next semi-tone and do the same. Etc. untill you reach the highest note. Then go back.

Another workout is playing the same, or any scale, but very slowly, each note on 1-4 or 1-8 count, trying to start very quietly on 1, at 4 the loudest, at 8 quiet, then next note.

At the time you reach the end of an octave and back - you'd be all warmed up, and it's probably the best work out for the instrument too, as your reeds will work in all the dynamic range.

All the tricks are from my CBA practice, and more suitable for the EC, but AC can benefit from at least some of it.