stevejay Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 (edited) I was thinking a Bb/F anglo would place it in a very good tonal range for those who play mostly alone, or don't mind the pitch difference when learning from a recording. Doesn't it make the high end nicer to play? I know a Bb diatonic harmonica is sometimes desired over a C for solo work for this reason, it's less "shrill" at the higher end. I'd like to try a Bb/F sometime. I can anticipate the answer- Yes but the keys are not as useful for traditional settings... Steve Edited October 23, 2006 by stevejay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Day Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I once tuned a Jeffries A/E equally a lovely sounding instrument. I also like the GD for solo work. Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterT Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 I was thinking a Bb/F anglo would place it in a very good tonal range for those who play mostly alone, or don't mind the pitch difference when learning from a recording. Hi Steve, Although I usually play a C/G, the B'/F does sound really nice as a solo instrument, and, as you suggest, less shrill. I'm always delighted when I can give it an airing. Did a booking, Saturday before last, as a 19th century "Street Musician"; just the job, and authentic instrument. Regards, Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted October 23, 2006 Share Posted October 23, 2006 Steve, Bb/F is my key of choice for solo gigs, esp. when playing al fresco. This for all the reasons mentioned above. Also, it fits my voice well and has a reputation for being good with singing. I didn't get mine for that reason though, that was just an added bonus function. I got the Bb/F anglo so that I could play (in my harmonic style) for English Country dances, the main genre I know that uses flat keys. Those Cm tunes seem to lay just right on the Bb/F. Many Klezmer tunes also fit better with their distinctive tonality though I don't get to play too much of that . If you play C/G and are shopping for a useful additional key, consider the G/D. This key puts you in the right place to take full advantage of the right hand melody/left hand accompaniment harmonic style... and still play tunes in the same keys as the rest of the world. Since I got a G/D, that's what I play 95% of the time. The timbre advantage of the Bb/F is nice, but the social advantage of the G/D I've found to be essential. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Chambers Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 I was thinking a Bb/F anglo would place it in a very good tonal range for those who play mostly alone ... Steve, My late friend Paul Davies had a wonderful Bb/F Jeffries in high pitch that was absolutely perfect for solo playing. He called it his "street box" as he used it a lot for busking, for which it was superb, having both mellowness and great carrying power. I can thoroughly recommend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterT Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 My late friend Paul Davies had a wonderful Bb/F Jeffries in high pitch that was absolutely perfect for solo playing. He called it his "street box" as he used it a lot for busking, for which it was superb, having both mellowness and great carrying power. Hi Stephen, I remember Paul playing this box, the first time that I met him in 1983. I must have got to play it on a visit to his house, since I played with most of the "toys", as Paul used to call them. Regards, Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 I did once get a Bb/F Lachenal to see if I had a use for one and found that I didn't. C/G baritone is my choice for singing and G/D for playing, for the reasons given by Jody above. The Lachenal? It eventually ended up gutted and converted to a MIDI anglo. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Digby Posted October 24, 2006 Share Posted October 24, 2006 ....and it can be seen at the bottom of Page 17 of the booklet that accompanies Anglo International, where I erroneously identify it as the one Fred is playing. It isn't and I have already apologised for this error, but I am pleased to do so again lest the mistake becomes too embedded. I'm afraid I lack the technical knowedge to add further images to this note! (I've been trying for hours!!) Best wishes, Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Harrison Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Hi Steve........my computer is wheezing and about to croak so this has to be real quick. I used to have a C/G and a G/D ( both Jeffries) and I came to the conclusion that Bb/F was the ideal key for MY purposes . A month or so ago I got my long-waited for Dipper. It's mean-tone tuned Bb/F and it surpasses my expectations.It's a great key........you'll love it !! Don't quite know what you mean by "not as useful for traditional settings" I think the current trend of playing tunes in G or D is far from traditional.... Cheers Robin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 I think the current trend of playing tunes in G or D is far from traditional.... It's the tyranny and glory of the fiddle, says I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 Don't quite know what you mean by "not as useful for traditional settings" I think the current trend of playing tunes in G or D is far from traditional.... Cheers Robin Well ... it depends what you mean by traditional. I'm happy to accept that a much wider variety of keys were formerly in use (I'm talking England right now, I don't know enough about Ireland or the US or Europe to pontificate) but traditions change and evolve. The current concentration on G and D does at least mean that musicians in a more homogenous and far more mobile society can meet and play together easily. Still, this is a whole 'nother thread. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Stout Posted October 25, 2006 Share Posted October 25, 2006 I think the current trend of playing tunes in G or D is far from traditional.... It's the tyranny and glory of the fiddle, says I. In many traditions fiddles play in all kinds of keys. Scottish music uses a lot of A major, and lots of Marshall's music is in flat keys. Some of my favorites are in Eb. Some O'Carolan tunes are in G minor. In Cole's 1000 fiddle tunes hornpipe section 29 are in Bb, 20 in A, 17 in D, 8 in G,6 in F, 2 in C, and one each in E and Gm. In my local session the whistle players are the ones most limited in keys, though they tend to bring whistles in a large variety of keys so they can play sets in just about anything, just can't change in the middle easily without changing instruments. One singer is fond of C# minor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted October 26, 2006 Share Posted October 26, 2006 (edited) In my local session the whistle players are the ones most limited in keys, though they tend to bring whistles in a large variety of keys so they can play sets in just about anything, just can't change in the middle easily without changing instruments. My friend, poet Jonah Winter plays in any key you like, all on one C whistle. Amazing! Too bad he moved to Pittsburgh PA. The fiddlers I play with around here (US - East coast and the South) play in D and G, A modal (2 sharps), A major, Em, Am, Bm, C, E, Dm, Bb, and are listed here in decreasing order of popularity (in my experience). Other keys you mention are pretty much unheard. The fiddlers seem to like the open strings for harmony and double stops and miss them when they are not so readily available. I think that American fiddlers use this double stopping more than some other styles I've heard and played. Edited October 26, 2006 by Jody Kruskal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken_Coles Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 My friend, poet Jonah Winter plays in any key you like, all on one C whistle. Amazing! Too bad he moved to Pittsburgh PA. Don't believe I've run into him yet, though I haven't gotten out much this semester. Will say hi if we meet. Now, now, Pittsburgh aint' all bad (only in sports). Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted October 27, 2006 Share Posted October 27, 2006 Don't believe I've run into him yet, though I haven't gotten out much this semester. Will say hi if we meet. Now, now, Pittsburgh aint' all bad (only in sports). Perhaps you might run into his spouse Sally Denmead, a remarkable singer. Neither one plays the Bb/F concertina though, as far as I know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevejay Posted October 29, 2006 Author Share Posted October 29, 2006 Thank you all for the responses I might consider a Bb/F when the time comes. Or a G/d.. First reaction is the Bb/F to keep thinks nice and bright sounding I haven't sought out others to jam with partly my fault, and partly time constraints. If I purchased a Bb/f anglo I'm bound to find a guitarist to jam with, it's a law somewhere. Hope he/she has a capo, since the key of F is not usually a favorite with guitarists, but meat and potatos on a Bb/F anglo. Still, a Bb/F in the Jeffries layout seems a nice instrument to have as an amatuer soloist. Long story short, I need a trip to the Button Box one day to try out different concertinas and tunings. The other factor is resale value which might be a bit less, but I'd be buying to enjoy, not to invest. Be well, don't argue about concertinas Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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