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Hi folks, I am new to this board and in the process of buying a concertina.

 

As I can't get involved in any technical discussion or ask real questions until I get an instrument... I will ask a lame personal question...

How long have most of you have been playing and why did you start playing in the first place?

Why do you keep playing?

 

 

 

Just passing the time until I can play along with you.

Alden

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Hi folks, I am new to this board and in the process of buying a concertina.

 

As I can't get involved in any technical discussion or ask real questions until I get an instrument... I will ask a lame personal question...

How long have most of you have been playing and why did you start playing in the first place?

Why do you keep playing?

 

 

 

Just passing the time until I can play along with you.

Alden

 

Hi, Alden,

And welcome to the forum and to the concertina.

 

You chose the right time to come here - while you're still in the process of buying. Here you will soon find out that there are not only good and bad, and expensive and cheap concertinas, but also radically different button systems, each of which is of advantage for a particular kind of music! So don't rush it! :o

 

As to how long I've been playing: Anglo concertina for over 40 years; Crane duet concertina for just over 2 months. :) (two of those radically different systems ...)

 

Why I started playing? As a child, I absorbed so much music that I just had to let it out. First on mandolin and banjo, which happened to be in our house anyway, and later Anglo, because I'd always loved the sound of the concertina.

 

Why I keep playing? Same reason, basically. And because it's fun, and a challenge.

 

Cheers,

John

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Greetings Alden,

 

I've been playing for less than a week, which is tantamount to saying I can play the scale of C and not much else yet but I did play melodeon a bit before. It helps me lessen the stress I can't avoid any other way and will expand my contact with eccentric people I suspect (and believe me, because I think only dead fish swim with the stream, I mean no insult here).

 

At the moment the challenge seems almost insurmountable but I soldier on knowing, based on my experience with the melodeon, that I can learn to play it if I don't give up.

 

Best of luck and do let us know what instrument you end up with.

 

Ian

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(and believe me, because I think only dead fish swim with the stream, I mean no insult here).

 

Ian

Great expression Ian, duly noted and stored for regular use!

 

(HI Aldon. Wonderful instrument the 'box. You won't regret it. I took up the duet when my accordion began to feel cumbersome and limiting.)

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I play concertina because it's possibly the most charming of instruments, possessing an exotic quality compared with my de rigeur strings.

 

 

What a nice response. I keep asking myself the same question. I have tried to play anglo in the

past, but never made much progress. Then about a year ago I bought a used Morse English

and found it much easier to play. Maybe I am better suited to English, or it is just easier to learn,

I don't know, but recently I purchased a used Morse anglo because I thought if there was ever

any hope of me playing an anglo, it would be with a Morse or similar quality instrument. So

far I haven't been disappointed. I enjoy playing both of them. I don't know if I will ever be

smooth or fast enough to play the anglo in public, but I am perfectly content sitting at my kitchen

table, drinking my coffee, letting the dogs in and out, and playing my concertina. There's just

something about the concertina that keeps drawing me back to it.

 

Hollis Landrum aka bluzdulcimer

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I play concertina because it's possibly the most charming of instruments, possessing an exotic quality compared with my de rigeur strings.

 

 

What a nice response. I keep asking myself the same question. I have tried to play anglo in the

past, but never made much progress. Then about a year ago I bought a used Morse English

and found it much easier to play. Maybe I am better suited to English, or it is just easier to learn,

I don't know, but recently I purchased a used Morse anglo because I thought if there was ever

any hope of me playing an anglo, it would be with a Morse or similar quality instrument. So

far I haven't been disappointed. I enjoy playing both of them. I don't know if I will ever be

smooth or fast enough to play the anglo in public, but I am perfectly content sitting at my kitchen

table, drinking my coffee, letting the dogs in and out, and playing my concertina. There's just

something about the concertina that keeps drawing me back to it.

 

Hollis Landrum aka bluzdulcimer

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I always loved the tone of the concertina. I practically grew up listening to Keith Kendrick all the time.

 

I played piano accordion (and guitar, mandolin ....) and then met me better half who also played a 120 bass PA.

 

Two hernia ops later I HAD to take up something lighter, and English was the obvious choice, to still give the volume to compete with an accordion.

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How long have most of you have been playing and why did you start playing in the first place?

Why do you keep playing?

I've been learning since end of august....started playing coz I had a dream I could play (yep really three times in a row..thought my subconcius is telling me something)...plus I've laways wanted to play a instrument but I've not had sucess with strings or wind instruments.

 

I keep playing coz I payed £165 for this concertina so I'm gonna get my moneysworth...and I want to be able to join in with music.

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How long have most of you have been playing and why did you start playing in the first place?

Why do you keep playing?

I've been learning since end of august....started playing coz I had a dream I could play (yep really three times in a row..thought my subconcius is telling me something)...plus I've laways wanted to play a instrument but I've not had sucess with strings or wind instruments.

 

I keep playing coz I payed £165 for this concertina so I'm gonna get my moneysworth...and I want to be able to join in with music.

 

 

Ooh, err LDT. I see that this is your 396th post since August 2008. With so many posts to your name, I am surprised that you find the time to play! Are you aiming for the Guinness Book of Records? :unsure:

 

Chris

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Hi folks, I am new to this board and in the process of buying a concertina.

 

As I can't get involved in any technical discussion or ask real questions until I get an instrument... I will ask a lame personal question...

How long have most of you have been playing and why did you start playing in the first place?

Why do you keep playing?

 

 

 

Just passing the time until I can play along with you.

Alden

 

Welcome to eccentrics anonymous, Alden.

 

1) I like music. Especially English country dance and morris dance tunes. :)

 

2) Couldn't for the life of me master playing a wind or stringed instrument. :(

 

3) However, I have always loved the sound of free reed instruments, after hearing Larry Adler play his harmonica when I was a child.

 

4) Then, later in life, I found myself feeling envious of the musicians I encountered playing for morris and in trad English sessions......

 

5) .....so decided to have a go at learning to play an instrument myself so that I could join in and chose the English concertina for it's unique sound, small size and portability.

 

6) That was a little over 3 years ago and I have not regretted it. I found it easier to master the basics than I imagined. You press a button, squeeze and you get a note.

It's that simple. Press several buttons one after the other in the right sequence while continuing to squeeze and voila, you have a tune! A musician at last!!

 

7) Now, after lots of practice, and having learnt several popular session tunes, I am confident enough to join in sessions and even lead a tune. I feel creative. I express myself with my playing. I have learned a lot about concertinas and the different types. Oh, hail to the God, Wheatstone!! A lot about music, especially traditional folk music from other countries, too. And, as an added bonus, I have made several new friends and lots of acquaintances, and even a new partner! And what would us eccentric concertinaists do with out this amazing forum. I have found it an an invaluable source of help, learning and good humour. :)

 

Chris

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Thanks for the welcome everyone.

 

 

My reason for starting this, and playing anything at all is my grandfather. He passed away the summer before last but was a big bluegrass player in the area. He could play almost anything he picked up. Though his main instruments were guitar and fiddle, family legend has it that the first thing he learned to play was concertina presumably from his father or grandfather. Nobody else in the family seemed to want to follow after him and take up music, so after he died (actually I was playing guitar for a little while before that) I decided to keep the tradition going. I really don't like playing bluegrass or country western so I am not planning on following directly after him, I am sure he would understand.

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Ooh, err LDT. I see that this is your 396th post since August 2008. With so many posts to your name, I am surprised that you find the time to play! Are you aiming for the Guinness Book of Records? :unsure:

1hr a day practice weekdays (sometimes 2 if there's nothing on tv) and 2-4hours at the weekend. Easy.

 

369...pah! That's nothing! YOu should see some of my post counts on other forums. 1000-2000 posts on some of them.

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Ooh, err LDT. I see that this is your 396th post since August 2008. With so many posts to your name, I am surprised that you find the time to play! Are you aiming for the Guinness Book of Records? :unsure:

1hr a day practice weekdays (sometimes 2 if there's nothing on tv) and 2-4hours at the weekend. Easy.

 

369...pah! That's nothing! YOu should see some of my post counts on other forums. 1000-2000 posts on some of them.

What would happen if work didn't get in the way? :unsure:

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Ooh, err LDT. I see that this is your 396th post since August 2008. With so many posts to your name, I am surprised that you find the time to play! Are you aiming for the Guinness Book of Records? :unsure:

1hr a day practice weekdays (sometimes 2 if there's nothing on tv) and 2-4hours at the weekend. Easy.

 

369...pah! That's nothing! YOu should see some of my post counts on other forums. 1000-2000 posts on some of them.

What would happen if work didn't get in the way? :unsure:

To my post count or my practice? :blink:

 

Practice probably get four hours a day with 4 hours for internet surfing I think.

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Ooh, err LDT. I see that this is your 396th post since August 2008. With so many posts to your name, I am surprised that you find the time to play! Are you aiming for the Guinness Book of Records? :unsure:

1hr a day practice weekdays (sometimes 2 if there's nothing on tv) and 2-4hours at the weekend. Easy.

 

369...pah! That's nothing! YOu should see some of my post counts on other forums. 1000-2000 posts on some of them.

What would happen if work didn't get in the way? :unsure:

To my post count or my practice? :blink:

 

Practice probably get four hours a day with 4 hours for internet surfing I think.

If I'd asked the same question of a professional player, I would have expected a similar answer. For the "surfing", the more specific response would have been "networking".

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Hi Alden

Welcome to the net. I hope you choose the right instrument for you.. Try to find people near where you live and ask lots of questions and try the boxes out.

 

I'm 69 in December and started out on mouthorgan at about 7 as I remember. I always wanted a concertina as people were still playing them on radio and live at parties.

 

Then guitar tool over and I later got a melodeon. Finally I could afford an Anglo about 5 years ago and it has become a passion. If I'd realized I'd have got a cheaper beginner's instrument and traded up later as I now do.

 

Listen to lots of records and also other instruments and i'm sure you'll develop your own style.

 

All the best

 

Mike

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