You Tube Concertina

[bellowbelle]

Oh, well....I have a better idea of things, now. I didn't realize at first that there was an actual CD, and I didn't know if the singer, Diane, was known primarily as a poetess or as a singer or what.

 

I haven't taken a good long look at how to maneuver around YouTube, yet, but I'll get to that!

 

And yes, Jim, I guess I might sometimes be 'Wendy In Wonderland,' re the rabbit stuff...

 

A 'house rabbit' is actually a nice pet and easy to care for, IF you have a decent, large cage and can figure out how to be systematic about things. My rabbit does seem to like my concertina, too! I didn't actually set out to own a rabbit and I don't really like keeping pets in cages (he does get to come out and run around), but I got this critter about a year ago as a 'rescue' -- some kids had to get rid of him. So, his options were limited. I said 'NO!' at first, but then....I ended up with a cute little rabbit.

 

 

If he ever learns how to play the concertina, I'll let you know.

[RatFace]

[m3838]

 

How did he remeber all the notes? And the stamina!

[Steve Egan]

Hello everyone,

 

Normally I just lurk, but I thought I'd emerge momentarily from the mud to mention a YouTube video a friend of mine and I posted this week.

 

I live in Seattle, and three of my great recent enthusiasms have been the new Seattle Public Library, riding my fixed gear bicycle, and playing the concertina (a 20-button Stagi, for now). Several times a week I go to the library to read, and then bike down to Elliott Bay and play my concertina.

 

The autumn light has been really great recently, and I wanted to make a short movie about this time in my life, partly to look back on, years down the road, but also because I thought it might contain some good images.

 

It's sort of long, and the concertina part isn't until the end, but nonetheless, here it is:

 

 

Best,

Steve

[McIsog]

 

This clip & tune is published on his "Concertina CD ROM Tutorial" in the states on the MadForTrad label. This is labeled 'Performance' on that disk. Looks like someone just ripped it off that disk and uploaded it. I wonder if it was Niall?

 

Dan

[Jim Besser]

It's sort of long, and the concertina part isn't until the end, but nonetheless, here it is:

 

Nice images and nice playing. You do a lot with a 20 button.

[PeterT]

I live in Seattle, and three of my great recent enthusiasms have been the new Seattle Public Library, riding my fixed gear bicycle, and playing the concertina (a 20-button Stagi, for now). Several times a week I go to the library to read, and then bike down to Elliott Bay and play my concertina.

 

The autumn light has been really great recently, and I wanted to make a short movie about this time in my life, partly to look back on, years down the road, but also because I thought it might contain some good images.

Hi Steve,

 

Welcome to the Forum. Nice film, and a good balance amongst the three elements.

 

Tell me about your fixed wheel bike, complete with Brooks saddle; which gearing do you use? I've been riding fixed wheel for 7 years now, and it has been up some of the longest climbs in England and Wales (also up one or two of the toughest, when I was racing). This Sunday sees our National Hill Climb Championship in Sidmouth, Devon (well known for the Folk Festival). 1 mile at 20% gradient, so I'm glad that I'm now retired, having ridden down this hill, on gears, some years ago!

 

Nice playing of the Anglo. It's amazing how so many different playing styles can emerge from just one basic instrument.

 

Regards,

Peter.

[m3838]

I live in Seattle, and three of my great recent enthusiasms have been the new Seattle Public Library, riding my fixed gear bicycle, and playing the concertina (a 20-button Stagi, for now). Several times a week I go to the library to read, and then bike down to Elliott Bay and play my concertina.

 

The autumn light has been really great recently, and I wanted to make a short movie about this time in my life, partly to look back on, years down the road, but also because I thought it might contain some good images.

Hi Steve,

 

Welcome to the Forum. Nice film, and a good balance amongst the three elements.

 

Tell me about your fixed wheel bike, complete with Brooks saddle; which gearing do you use? I've been riding fixed wheel for 7 years now, and it has been up some of the longest climbs in England and Wales (also up one or two of the toughest, when I was racing). This Sunday sees our National Hill Climb Championship in Sidmouth, Devon (well known for the Folk Festival). 1 mile at 20% gradient, so I'm glad that I'm now retired, having ridden down this hill, on gears, some years ago!

 

Nice playing of the Anglo. It's amazing how so many different playing styles can emerge from just one basic instrument.

 

Regards,

Peter.

 

People are crazy.

When I was a child in Russia, a bike with gears was such a luxury, such an expencive item and a rare one, that just seen it was a treat. We were riding "fixed" wheel for years, not knowing it's something special for the toughs. I guess any kid in USSR from the 60is was a tough biker. I'm glad these times are over though.

[Jody Kruskal]

It's sort of long, and the concertina part isn't until the end, but nonetheless, here it is:

 

Hi Steve,

 

Thanks for sharing the link. I enjoyed your video. One thing that intrigued me was the sound before the concertina. It was all swirly with harmonics and traffic/ ambient noise. Nice. Just an artifact of your equipment or deliberate? Nice tune as well, yours?

[Steve Egan]

Hi Steve,

 

Thanks for sharing the link. I enjoyed your video. One thing that intrigued me was the sound before the concertina. It was all swirly with harmonics and traffic/ ambient noise. Nice. Just an artifact of your equipment or deliberate? Nice tune as well, yours?

 

Jody,

 

I was really excited about that sound!--it was the brakes of the train, which was stopping behind me.

 

I did write that tune--it was one of the first I wrote on my concertina, and when I played it for my partner she said, "that's the best tune I'll ever hear on the concertina." It's still her favorite, so I decided to use it for this. Incidentally, I've been listening to a lot of your music online, and have really enjoyed it. I like your sense of chord progressions tying in with melody. My major frustration about the 20-button is that I'm so limited in terms of chords. I'd like to try a 30 button, though I think any more buttons than that might befuddle me!

 

 

Peter--that fixie is an old Miyata 12 speed from the mid '80s that I've got running an 18x42 gearing; I'm not sure how many gear inches that is, but it's a pretty "middleweight" gear--many of my friends ride harder ratios, but I just can't make it up some of the hills around here with anything tougher. The Brooks saddle I actually found used, and it's been one of the best seats I've ever had.

 

 

Doing my best here with the "reply" function, sorry if this turns out to be a mess!

Steve

[PeterT]

Peter--that fixie is an old Miyata 12 speed from the mid '80s that I've got running an 18x42 gearing; I'm not sure how many gear inches that is, but it's a pretty "middleweight" gear--many of my friends ride harder ratios, but I just can't make it up some of the hills around here with anything tougher. The Brooks saddle I actually found used, and it's been one of the best seats I've ever had.

Hi Steve,

 

Assuming that you have a 27" diameter wheel, this gives you a gear inch of 63. I'm currently running 14x38 (73") but probably could not tackle a gradient steeper than 10% with this. In the winter months, I turn the wheel around and run 15x38 (68") which makes life easier. Oh, the joys of a double-sided "fixed".

 

Regards,

Peter.

[m3838]

What? That fixed wheel is actually packed with gear? I see.

Sorry I thought of this as a back in time one gear for all bike.

Is it new rage?

Steve, when you say you "wrote" a tune, did you actually write it on music stave?

[Steve Egan]

What? That fixed wheel is actually packed with gear? I see.

Sorry I thought of this as a back in time one gear for all bike.

Is it new rage?

Steve, when you say you "wrote" a tune, did you actually write it on music stave?

 

m3838,

 

I think I should have said "composed," instead of "wrote"! I did make up that tune, but I haven't written it down. All of the songs I've invented on the concertina so far I've just plucked out of the air, as it were.

 

In Seattle, fixed gear bicycles are a huge fad right now among bicycle messengers, and I picked it up because I heard they were fun. If you're interested, here's a great article on them:

 

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html

 

Best,

Steve

[m3838]

What? That fixed wheel is actually packed with gear? I see.

Sorry I thought of this as a back in time one gear for all bike.

Is it new rage?

Steve, when you say you "wrote" a tune, did you actually write it on music stave?

 

m3838,

 

I think I should have said "composed," instead of "wrote"! I did make up that tune, but I haven't written it down. All of the songs I've invented on the concertina so far I've just plucked out of the air, as it were.

 

In Seattle, fixed gear bicycles are a huge fad right now among bicycle messengers, and I picked it up because I heard they were fun. If you're interested, here's a great article on them:

 

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixed.html

 

Best,

Steve

 

Hmm.

So I was right with my first impression.

I don't get it. It's like my first bike, when I was 7 years old. No coasting, no brakes.

It probably the same thing as American craze about Russian made "Ural" Motorcicles. Riders claim it's great fun, because this replica of 1939 BMW makes you a good mechanic, as it breaks with regular intervals.

[Theodore Kloba]

I think I should have said "composed," instead of "wrote"! I did make up that tune, but I haven't written it down. All of the songs I've invented on the concertina so far I've just plucked out of the air, as it were.

I liked the tune too. There's something surprising about the tonality that I can't quite put my finger on.

In Seattle, fixed gear bicycles are a huge fad right now among bicycle messengers, and I picked it up because I heard they were fun.

In Chicago, although bicycle messengers are considered a necessity by businesses for their ability to get packages across the downtown area faster than anyone else could, they are considered by some pedestrians, motorists and police to be a public nuisance for their self-destructive (yes-- these people are suicidal) disregard for traffic regulations... Not exactly a class of people I'd like to emulate.

 

As for bicycle simplicity, a single speed with a coaster brake is as far as I'd ever like to go. How do you not routinely bruise your shins (or fracture your tibiae) against the pedals riding a freewheel-less bike in a mountainous area?

[John Wild]

Tell me about your fixed wheel bike, complete with Brooks saddle; which gearing do you use? I've been riding fixed wheel for 7 years now, and it has been up some of the longest climbs in England and Wales (also up one or two of the toughest, when I was racing).

Regards,

Peter.

 

If someone can devise a way of fixing a gear mechanism to concertinas, will that enable us to tackle tougher tunes or play faster?

[Andy B]

I found a silly application today and couldn't resist pointing a few of our concertina related You Tube's at it:

 

Concertina Cube

 

Give it a few seconds and drag the cube to spin it around ...

 

A bit of fun I thought

 

Andy

[David Levine]

they are considered by some pedestrians, motorists and police to be a public nuisance for their self-destructive (yes-- these people are suicidal) disregard for traffic regulations...

This is pretty much a dead thread but as regards bicycles and messengers: What appears to many to a disregard for traffic law is for many bikers an attempt to minimize exposure to vehicular traffic. If I jump a light and cross on a red when there is clearly no traffic coming from either left or right, and traffic in my direction is stopped at the light, then I am safer than if I waited to cross the intersection at the same time as all the autos.