20 key vs 30 key - tutor book help?!

[Anna]

Hello all,

 

A long, long time ago, I took you lovely helpful board people's advice, and got myself a Rochelle Anglo 30 key entry level concertina.

 

Hoorah!!!

 

I then moved house, lost the tutor book which came with my instrument, couldn't make any sense of how to play a scale or how to get the keys to work in some sort of chromatic fashion I could make sense of without the book, and fiddled around with my dulcimer for a year instead.

 

I really wanted to learn to play my concertina, so I asked The Music Room folk shop if they could recommend an alternative tutor book (a replacement Rochelle book is a whopping £25). They told me to get a Mick Bramich book because he's a clear-writing guru. I asked which one they would recommend to an absolute beginner, and they said his Absolute Beginners' Concertina book, which is written for a 20 key Anglo, but that it didn't matter, because the first two rows nearest my hands would be the same notes as a 20 key Anglo. They know I have a Rochelle because I told them I did, and because I bought it from them.

 

I thought they knew their stuff. But I have my Bramich book, and the notes he says to play are absolutely not the in the same order as the keys on the first two rows - or any two rows next to each other - on my Rochelle.

 

Help?! Is this the wrong book for me? Did they mis-advise me? Any tips on what to get to learn to play my instrument? And are concertina key layouts an inexact science, varying from make to make, instrument to instrument?! I'm just as confused as I was 18 months ago!

 

Thanks,

Anna x

[catty]

Any tips..?

 

Put your wrists through the straps, push and pull on the bellows while pressing various buttons with fingers that seem logical to you until what you hear sounds pleasing to you. If you've not yet done so, try playing by ear. It won't hinder your formal study and will only enhance your overall musical development.

Edited December 6, 2008 by catty

[Ken_Coles]

I thought they knew their stuff. But I have my Bramich book, and the notes he says to play are absolutely not the in the same order as the keys on the first two rows - or any two rows next to each other - on my Rochelle.

 

Help?! Is this the wrong book for me? Did they mis-advise me? Any tips on what to get to learn to play my instrument? And are concertina key layouts an inexact science, varying from make to make, instrument to instrument?! I'm just as confused as I was 18 months ago!

 

Thanks,

Anna x

 

Anna,

 

Layouts on anglo do vary, and are an inexact science. I remember some oddity in the layout given in that book, but I don't have it handy. I think I mentioned it in a review I posted ages ago in the Learning area of the static side of Concertina.net. He had the F# on push instead of pull, or something like that.

 

I should think the Rochelle is a standard layout...folks can anyone point to the correct diagram for this particular box?

 

Hang in there, we'll help you sort it out.

 

Ken

[Leo]

Hi Anna

 

I play an English, so I'm no help, except the Concertina Connection website http://www.concertinaconnection.com/

 

Says that it's a "traditional Wheatsone layout" http://www.concertinaconnection.com/rochelle%20anglo.htm

 

This is also from their site: http://www.concertinaconnection.com/rochelle%20lay%20out.htm

 

Not quite a tutor, but at least you have a picture of the buttons. Hope it helps.

 

Thanks

Leo

[Kelteglow]

Hi Anna I started with Mick Bramich's book and you do have to check which Keyboard your Anglo has .There is the Jeffries Layout or the Wheatstone Layout .Another thing to consider is what type of music you wish to play There is the Irish style

which Mick Bramich teaches ( the melody played useing left and right sides of the concertina as one keyboard)or.The English style (this uses the Left side of the Anglo for Cordal Accompanyment and the right for the melody).

[JimLucas]

I started with Mick Bramich's book and you do have to check which Keyboard your Anglo has .There is the Jeffries Layout or the Wheatstone Layout .

Mick Bramich has written more than one book, and I think you're talking about a different book than the one Anna has.

 

On a 20-button box there should be no difference between Wheatstone and Jeffries. The differences are in the "extra" notes that you get with more than 20 buttons.

[michael sam wild]

Hi Anna

 

I'd draw a hexagon with circles forthe buttons then go along the buttons pushing and pulling and check againsta tuner or a piano or ketboard. Diagrams in books often vary from the actual instrument. I had to amend Mick's book to fit in with my concertinas.

 

All the best

Mike

[Matt]

Hi Anna,

I've had my Rochelle for less than a week, so my advice isn't grounded in much experience (yet!), but I've been comparing the Rochelle tutor with Bertram Levy's "Anglo Concertina Demystified" book and CDs (it's been recommended here) and I will say that Levy's tutor seems easier to learn from. I believe there's a review of it at this site.

 

Good luck and happy squeezing!

 

(By the way, I love my new Rochelle. I already worked out "Happy Birthday To You" as a surprise to my wife, whose birthday is tomorrow!)

 

 

Cheers,

Matt

[Anna]

Hi Anna,

I've had my Rochelle for less than a week, so my advice isn't grounded in much experience (yet!), but I've been comparing the Rochelle tutor with Bertram Levy's "Anglo Concertina Demystified" book and CDs (it's been recommended here) and I will say that Levy's tutor seems easier to learn from. I believe there's a review of it at this site.

 

Good luck and happy squeezing!

 

(By the way, I love my new Rochelle. I already worked out "Happy Birthday To You" as a surprise to my wife, whose birthday is tomorrow!)

 

 

Cheers,

Matt

 

That's so sweet Matt! I hope she loves it. Thanks to the rest of you. I'll have to do the piano cross-reference thing I think.

 

Anna x

[polutropos]

Any tips on what to get to learn to play my instrument?

 

Hi Anna

Well I've only just ordered a Rochelle, so that leaves me a bit blind. However, I'm reading all and everything in preparation and as I read your post I thought of something I read last night. It may or may not be of any help to you but I bookmarked it for myself. It's kind of chaotic but well packed with information and I suspect a good guide to getting a handle on the anglo. See what you think. I was going to copy it into Word and edit it into a workable guide for my own use, maybe you can do the same:

 

http://reader.feedshow.com/show_items-feed...a067c5773775876

 

When I first started looking into concertinas I was a little bemused by the various systems, but figured well it's only like the difference between a 6 or 12 string guitar or bass guitar. I was then fully baffled to learn that there isn't even a common keyboard layout. I think anyway we just have to learn where the notes are and enjoy it.

 

With all this in mind, Tutor books and all that, I came across this, which I think is sensible advice: http://www.mally.com/mallyadvice.asp

 

Anyway, all the best ...

[michael sam wild]

I found B. Levy's book very helpful but he does stress the key of C , which while it is obviously on eof the the home keys of the C/G, does not match what people play on C/G concertinas in most sessions I go to. It is used for G in a lower octave and D, Dm, Am, Em, and A

 

Open for debate

 

Mike

[catty]

I'll have to do the piano cross-reference thing I think.

 

Good for you--that will be of great help to you in familiarizing yourself with your concertina.

Edited December 6, 2008 by catty