Ptarmigan Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Having recently bought myself a Wheatstone Tenor Treble Concertina I'm just wondering how many people out there actually regularly play one of these larger instruments? Has anyone ever checked the records to see how many were actually made? Also, if you do play one, do you use wrist straps, or not? Cheers Dick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Adey Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Having recently bought myself a Wheatstone Tenor Treble Concertina I'm just wondering how many people out there actually regularly play one of these larger instruments? Has anyone ever checked the records to see how many were actually made? Also, if you do play one, do you use wrist straps, or not? Cheers Dick Dick, A subjective impression in this response. For me, it's like when you get a different car, suddenly you notice others of the same model. No idea of the actual stats. Wrist straps are a must for me; they save stress on the joint at the base of your thumbs which is where lateral forces from bellows movement, the 'draw' obviously, can impose an appreciable burden, especially if you've already got a bit of arthritis there. They'll also help you cope with the weight of the instrument if you're standing. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Pierceall Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Also, if you do play one, do you use wrist straps, or not? Cheers Dick Yes and No but in most cases the former rather than the latter. There are a few pieces I play that require sans straps. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RatFace Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 I play a TT, always with the concertina resting on my leg (normally sitting down), and never with wrist straps. Whenever I've tried them in any form they restrict the cross-fingering possibilities so horribly. One nice thing about TTs is that the bellows don't move so much. My keep-the-bottom-of-the-bellows-closed technique pretty much relies on this... to the extent that now I have a pretty hard time playing anything beyond single-line music on a normal treble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Stout Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 I have four EC's I play regularly: a brass reeded treble I play quietly late at night, a German silver reeded baritone I like for its mellow, low tone, a Wheatstone model 21 I play when I need volume (as in when playing for 50 dancers with no amplification-- it doesn't need it), and a TT aeola I'm still learning to use the lower reeds on. I don't have wrist straps on either of the instruments which have the hardware already on them (the model 21 and the aeola came from the factory with wrist straps no longer with the instruments). If I'm only taking one instrument to a session or dance it will be either the Model 21 or the TT. If I'm traveling, the brass reeded treble and the TT are the ones I take for most flexibility. I always play seated with the weight of the instrument on my left knee-- I do my bellows control with my right hand for the most part. Rachel Hall also plays a TT without wrist straps. She also has a massive (and very heavy) Lachenal extended Baritone (64 buttons- the whole range of baritone to extended treble). If I remember correctly that instrument doesn't have wrist straps either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Ryan Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 I always play sitting down, TT resting on my left knee. never use the wrist straps. Tom Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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