Correct Hand Strap Adjustment

[squeezegirl]

Hello Squeezers: I’d appreciate some views on this Q – re the left hand strap on the Hayden… is it better for it to be more on the loose side rather than tight?

 

I find when I go from playing notes on the left hand top row to those on the bottom, I have to move my hand back on the hand rest. If the strap is a bit tight this impedes a swift movement. If the strap is a bit loose, - I get the feeling my hand is slopping around, although this 'fit' enables me to easily move from the top row to the bottom row.

 

Is it that my feeling of the left hand fitting too slackly is because I’ve never been taught how it should fit?

 

Kindly inform me on this dilemma!

 

And thanks.

 

Maria

[AnnC]

I don't know about straps on a Hayden but on my Anglo I have both straps fairly loose, I did try them tighter once after someone commented on how slack they were but found it too restrictive and having small hands it made it more difficult to reach all the buttons easily. I suppose it's whatever suits you and your style of playing best

[Chris Timson]

I started with my anglo straps very tight, went to very loose, and eventually ended up seomwhere in between. This works for me, but (as our American cousins would say) your mileage may vary. I think you have to just suck it and see.

 

Chris

[Alan Day]

My view is that the hand straps on my Anglo should be slack enough to allow my hand to slide about in the strap,but if I arch the back of my hand it jams against the strap holding it tight.If I play sitting down it is slightly looser than if I play standing up where the bottom hexagonal corner digs into the centre back of my palm. I too do not know the layout of your straps so Maria I can only talk about my instrument .

Al

[PeterT]

I've just had a search through previous posts. This one covers use of air valve, and slackness of hand-strap, which, to my mind, are related.

 

http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php...p;p=36455

 

I was speaking from an Anglo perspective, but I dabble a bit on Duet, so the same basic rules should apply.

 

Regards,

Peter.

Edited July 3, 2006 by PeterT

[David Barnert]

I've been a Hayden player for +/- 20 years. I am 6 feet 4 inches and have big hands. When I first got my instrument, I noticed that the straps were set to the tightest setting, but I still felt the need to add padding inside the straps (I cut up kitchen sponges and taped them to the inner surface). The sponges didn't last long and I'm now perfectly comfortable with the straps as is.

[hjcjones]

My view is that the hand straps on my Anglo should be slack enough to allow my hand to slide about in the strap,but if I arch the back of my hand it jams against the strap holding it tight.If I play sitting down it is slightly looser than if I play standing up where the bottom hexagonal corner digs into the centre back of my palm. I too do not know the layout of your straps so Maria I can only talk about my instrument .

Al

 

 

I agree with Alan (also rom an Anglo perspective). The straps need to be tight enough to keep control over the instrument, but not so tight as to restrict movement and access to the buttons. It's better to have the straps slightly slack and adjust the tension by changing hand position as necessary.

 

This seems to be one of the "black arts" of concertina playing, not often discussed in my experience and usually too subtle for beginners to notice when they're watching other players.

[Robin Madge]

Talking from an Anglo point of view again, it helps to have a bit of slack once you have gained enough experience to be playing tunes where you are looking for odd accidentals.

It will also depend on the size and shape of your hands. The slackest setting I have seen on an Anglo that I've played is John Kirkpatrick's, but he has bigger hands than me anyway.

I'm constantly using the air button and often using the drone so my thumbs are used to being a position where either can momentarily clamp down on the hand strap against the base of the first finger and the knowledge that you can do that gives you a better feeling of security.

When you have one end supported on the knee you feel even safer.

 

Robin Madge

[Brian Peters]

My view is that the hand straps on my Anglo should be slack enough to allow my hand to slide about in the strap,but if I arch the back of my hand it jams against the strap holding it tight.If I play sitting down it is slightly looser than if I play standing up where the bottom hexagonal corner digs into the centre back of my palm.

Well, it seems like the Anglos have taken over this thread, so I'll agree with Alan, that it's all about arching the hand and bracing against that bottom corner. Obviously if the strap isn't tight against the back of your hand there will be small delay "on the pull" between moving the hand outwards and the instrument responding. I've found that the critical point, where that necessary tension is balanced against the need not to cramp the hand, is actually quite fine, and it may be necessary to bore an additional hole in the strap between the existing ones. Also remember that straps stretch over time, with a lot of playing, and will eventually have to be readjusted.