Another Newbie!

[jksmom119]

Hi happy people!

I am new here (obviously).

I've inherited (among other things) a small concertina from my grandfather. It is a Scholer concertina, which I've since learned is not the best, but it is in immaculate shape and sounds great. It's an Anglo-German style with 20 buttons, not including the little thumb button.

My grandfather (who was a HUGE music person) bought it, but it was too small for his hands, so he gave it to my grandma, who can't read a note. That's okay, we love her anyway! I've been playing music since I was like 5, so she gave the instrument to me when my grandfather passed on.

ANYWAY. I'm at a total loss with this concertina. I'm used to flute and piano, so I can already read music... but I can't seem to get the hang of it. My question.. what is the best way to learn it? Best books to use? I currently have "The Best Concertina Method- Yet" but I am overwhelmed with the suddenness to learn all the buttons early on.

Any help or advice or whatever would be greatly appreciated! I'm tempted to write all the note names on every single button, but I don't really want to go that far!

Thanks for reading!

Take care.

-Kathleen

[Anglo-Irishman]

Hi happy people!

I am new here (obviously).

I've inherited (among other things) a small concertina from my grandfather.

...

Any help or advice or whatever would be greatly appreciated! I'm tempted to write all the note names on every single button, but I don't really want to go that far!

Thanks for reading!

Take care.

-Kathleen

 

Hi, Kathleen,

Welcome to Concertinaland!

 

A 20-button German, eh? That's what I started with at age 18

 

Well, I didn't start my musical career with it, just my concertina phase. I'd played a couple of instruments before, like you have. However - and this is my hot tip: one of my childhood instruments was the mouth organ, or harmonica. The simple kind without a chromatic slide. Having played that, I was able to play tunes on my new East German Anglo within an hour or so. Within a couple of days, I was harmonising the tunes pretty well. Anybody can play tunes on the harmonica - just get hold of one and mess around with it until the tunes start coming out. Then pick up your concertina again and see how easy - and how much more convenient - it is!

 

Forget note names - they only confuse you. The German concertina layout, which is used on the Ango, is intended for playing by ear and feel. All you need is the feel for that push-pull-push-pull-push-pull-pull-push sequence for the scale, starting on the middle button of either row on the left side. If you're already a musician, think in chord sequences: tonic is push, subdominant is pull higher up the row, dominant or dominant seventh is pull lower down the row. Exactly like the harmonica.

 

Just start off by playing tunes you know. You can name the notes later, if you're that way inclined. You can also learn chord shapes for accompaniment, like on the guitar, and you can learn to make interesting harmonies by playing across the rows. But at first, IMHO, it's a good idea to regard the 20k Anglo as a C/G harmonica sawn in half and fitted with bellows and buttons

 

Have fun!

 

Cheers,

John

[Pat Fahy]

Kathleen

 

I'm only slightly ahead of you but I have the advantage of living in Dublin, Ireland near a school of Irish music. You ought to decide what type of music you want to play and then find the teacher/book appropriate. Ther is slAssuming it is Irish trad then you will find a few schools of music. The best known as far as I can see is Noel Hill who travels around a bit (http://www.noelhill.com/nhics.html) and is giving classes in NY in August.

[m3838]

one of my childhood instruments was the mouth organ, or harmonica.

 

I agree. It's the best method. The book you have is pretty useless, I have it too. By far not the best, and, to my opinion, barely catches the level of acceptable.

After you played with $2 harmonica ( or if you live on grand scale, spend some whopping $25 on Hohner Special 20), get "Anglo Concertina Demistified" by Berthram Levy. That's what I consider some of the best tutors. Written for 30 button, but having 20 is good too, as all the tunes are diatonic, so instead of plaing in D, just transpose the tune to C or G, it'll sound better.

While I agree that Anglo is good for by-ear playing, reading with 20 button is a breeze, if you find the tonic. On C row push buttons are CEG-CEG, pull buttons (same buttons) will give DFAB-DFAB. Very low and very high are arranged with some "wholes" in scale to accomodate Four Draw vs. Three Push tones.

On G row it's accordingly GBD-GBD on push, and ACEF#-ACEF# on the pull.

The C row is the farther away from wrist strap, G is the closest (tinny sounding).

Tonic is third button of the row of 5. If you hold it with the "thumb" button up on your right side, count buttons from the left side bottom (close to your knee) up.

The "thumb" button is air lever, and you'll need to use it all the time to control the volume of air in the bellows - no big deal.

If you want little challenge, OK - play your Concertina and piano at the same time.

Other than that I don't see any challenges to get started.

[jksmom119]

Hey all!

Thanks for all the advice!

I never really had any luck with the harmonica.. I own a couple, even... My husband's better with that!

I will experiment with the concertina, and I'll look for the book you recommended.

Thanks again!

take care all.

kathleen