BruceB Posted December 5, 2003 Share Posted December 5, 2003 Hi everyone, Do any of you english concertina players regularly use a single finger to hold down two buttons? Not sure why, but I currently don't use this technique. Perhaps because my fingers are pretty skinny I'm not very good at it......or maybe it's just a lack of practice. If you do use this method, how about an example (or more) of where you feel it works better than using two fingers. I'm curious to see how common this is and if it's something I should work on. bruce boysen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted December 5, 2003 Share Posted December 5, 2003 I do it frequentlywhen playing two buttons in the same row (a 5th apart), though not always. I use two separate fingers for the same two buttons at other times. Depends on what I'm doing before, during, and after those notes, among other things. Doing it with two fingers side by side can give some nice jazz chords. Occasionally, I'll rock the first joint of the finger to change between playing two buttons and playing only one, without otherwise moving my finger on the upper button. On rare occasions, I'll even play two diagonally adjacent buttons with one finger, and I've even experimented with playing all three buttons of a chord or three buttons in a line with a single finger. Both can be done, though I haven't found the results particularly useful musically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Nixon Posted December 5, 2003 Share Posted December 5, 2003 Hi Bruce, This is a very good question you have started and Jim has given you a good answer with several examples of the usefulness of playing 2 or more keys with one finger . During the 1960's , I formed a sextet to play for dancing & in Jazz Clubs. As I had become a follower of the George Shearing sextet, I wrote many arrangements using the Shearing voicing, and this led me to perfect /develop the use of the "Block Chord" playing on my Baritone . Of course, Shearing had borowed this chordal device from the Glen Miller Orch. Bruce, you have previously said that you particularly enjoyed my arrangement of Estrelita on my "English Connection" C.D. . Wes Williams has included this written arrangement on an achive C.D.Rom which is available to I.C.A. mambers. If you get a chance to view this , you will realise that it would be very dificult to play without recourse to playing some chords using the system of multiple keys to a finger. .The more one develops the playing of music with the Wheatstone key layout, the more you realise just what a brilliantly simple device it is. Good Luck. JOHN NIXON. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellowbelle Posted December 6, 2003 Share Posted December 6, 2003 (edited) I've been seeing more and more that it's helpful to learn how to do various fingerings in as many ways as is possible....in my opinion. I thought at first that it would always be better to use one finger for two adjacent buttons if possible, but, thanks to some help from Allan Atlas, I got talked out of that point of view. Working my way through a book of Victorian arrangements for the EC, I find some where it's not possible to get to the next 'move' if I don't use two separate fingers on the interval before it. (Like playing 'Twister' and falling!) And, I've also recently 'converted' to more consciously switching fingers on the same repeated note, thanks to the thread started by jgg, re fingering on the English. Jim sums it up -- ' Depends on what I'm doing before, during, and after those notes, among other things.' Edited December 6, 2003 by bellowbelle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceB Posted December 6, 2003 Author Share Posted December 6, 2003 Bruce, you have previously said that you particularly enjoyed my arrangement of Estrelita on my "English Connection" C.D. . Wes Williams has included this writtenarrangement on an achive C.D.Rom which is available to I.C.A. members. Thanks for the replies. I'm going to start working on it. I went to the I.C.A. site and didn't locate the CD, anyone know how to go about getting it? I am a member as of a few months ago. Yes, I very much enjoy how John does Estrelita on his CD; one of many cuts I enjoy from the "English Connection." bruce boysen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Nixon Posted December 7, 2003 Share Posted December 7, 2003 Hi Bruce, If you have an issue of the I.C.A. News Mag, you will find a reference to Wes Williams on the front cover. Send him an "E" mail and I'm sure that he will help. Best Rgards---JOHN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrigglefingers Posted December 7, 2003 Share Posted December 7, 2003 When I was first learning, not many months ago, Rob Harbron showed me how to play fifths using one finger tip. The trick is not to bend the the first joint by pressing too hard but to aim between the buttons softly: works like a charm for me! Regards Jill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted December 9, 2003 Share Posted December 9, 2003 I went to the I.C.A. site and didn't locate the CD, anyone know how to go about getting it? I am a member as of a few months ago. I would use the queries form on the ICA web site. These no longer come to me since I reduced my involvement with the ICA following my stroke, but they are now fielded by Jon MacNamara, who should be able to help. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wes williams Posted December 9, 2003 Share Posted December 9, 2003 I went to the I.C.A. site and didn't locate the CD, anyone know how to go about getting it? I am a member as of a few months ago. The 'CD' isn't generally available, even to members. Its produced to protect the archive against loss ( we don't want another disaster like Concertina & Squeezebox Magazine!) . But individual items are available to ICA members. As suggested by John Nixon above - drop me an email and we'll see what we can sort out depending on what you require. best wishes ..wes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Braun Posted December 10, 2003 Share Posted December 10, 2003 And, I've also recently 'converted' to more consciously switching fingers on the same repeated note, thanks to the thread started by jgg, re fingering on the English. Notes following one another in quick succession , on the same line, or space, are termed reiterated notes; they should, when possible, be played with two fingers, i.e. using the approptiate finger and the next to it alternately. The two fingers should be kept close to the keys. In playing reiterated chords, it is necessary to change the motion of the bellows for each chord, instead of changing the fingers. ----Page 37, From the Salvation Army Tutor for the Triumph Concertina FWIW, Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellowbelle Posted December 10, 2003 Share Posted December 10, 2003 ----Page 37, From the Salvation Army Tutor for the Triumph Concertina FWIW, Kurt Interesting. I'll have to practice some more with reiterated chords, too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 Kurt, Do you happen to know if the Salvation Army still uses concertinas? I don't think the use would be widespread, but I don't ever remember seeing any, and I was curious. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Braun Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 I doubt if the Salvation Army still uses concertinas. Wouldn't there be a lot more Crane players and other resources around if they did? I can't recall where, but I think I heard that the "Triumph" name came from a Triumph Trumpet that was replaced by Crane Concertinas. It is hard to imagine a trumpet being squeezed out by a concertina. I probably have it all wrong. There is a SalvationArmy? on the concertina wiki. I'd love to see more on that. You can tell from the tutor that at one time there were many people in the Salvation Army playing Cranes. It must be one of those lost cultures, like cowboys, riveters and such. If anyone knows of a history, or whatever, of Salvation Army concertina playing, I'd be interested. Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wes williams Posted December 11, 2003 Share Posted December 11, 2003 ...there were many people in the Salvation Army playing Cranes. It must be one of those lost cultures, like cowboys, riveters and such. If anyone knows of a history, or whatever, of Salvation Army concertina playing, I'd be interested. Kurt, Its one of the things starting to be revealed by the old ICA Newsletters that I'm slowly scanning. There were still large festivals of meetings of many of the SA bands in the 1960s. These newsletters will eventually be available in the members area of the ICA website. best wishes ..wes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted December 12, 2003 Share Posted December 12, 2003 Wes and Kurt, Thanks. I am very interested in the history of the Salvation Army bands. Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wild Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 Kurt, Do you happen to know if the Salvation Army still uses concertinas? I don't think the use would be widespread, but I don't ever remember seeing any, and I was curious. Helen They do but there are few players compared to times past. mostly the concertinas were replaced by brass bands. As far as I know in the U.K. there is one concertina band, and one concertina quartet, plus a few individual players here and there. - John Wild Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurt Braun Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 (edited) John, If there are still some around, it is a huge opportunity. Are there any concertina.net people able to get in touch with these folks? I sure would like to have some of them on this forum. The worst recording would be better than none. If I were only on the other side of the pond. What do these people play? Where do they play? Do they teach? Are there recordings? Pictures? Interviews? Do we need to change the name of this thread? Kurt Edited December 14, 2003 by Kurt Braun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted December 13, 2003 Share Posted December 13, 2003 Hi John and Kurt, Sorry for taking the thread in a new direction. Wow, thanks for the info John. I'd really like to know more about the Salvation Army using concertinas. The brass bands were all I knew about. Where can I get more info? Helen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now