Bill N Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 I've been playing Anglo for about 8 months now, and have recently tackled "right hand melody- left hand accompaniment" style playing, which I never thought I'd be able to do. Something clicked while working through "Constant Billy" with the Bertram Levy CD though, and I surprized myself. However, my wife started to laugh when I played it for her. She said I had the strangest look on my face- kind of an Elvis sneer! I realized that when I play 2 handed, my head automatically turns down and to the left, the left corner of my mouth lifts a bit, and my left nostril flares. No joke! Does anyone else experience Concertina Face, or have an explanation?
dwinterfield Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 No one has ever commented on my expression. However, a few yrs ago a fellow at Noel Hill camp from New Mexico asked about "concertina face". It seemed his friends suggested he had it. There's also a song floating around the net about octagonal zombies with their little square boxes.
Hereward Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 I've been playing Anglo for about 8 months now, and have recently tackled "right hand melody- left hand accompaniment" style playing, which I never thought I'd be able to do. Something clicked while working through "Constant Billy" with the Bertram Levy CD though, and I surprized myself. However, my wife started to laugh when I played it for her. She said I had the strangest look on my face- kind of an Elvis sneer! I realized that when I play 2 handed, my head automatically turns down and to the left, the left corner of my mouth lifts a bit, and my left nostril flares. No joke! Does anyone else experience Concertina Face, or have an explanation? I suppose a photo would be out of the question? Ian
Michael Reid Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Let's just say that the 'concertina face' phenomenon is known to people in my household, and to people at the session where I'm often found playing. But I can't quite picture it, myself.
Henrik Müller Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Let's just say that the 'concertina face' phenomenon is known to people in my household, and to people at the session where I'm often found playing. But I can't quite picture it, myself. Anybody remember the great, British, classical guitarist, Julian Bream? Surprisingly, he made the most amazing (guitar) faces. /Henrik
Robert Booth Posted January 10, 2009 Posted January 10, 2009 Over the years I've made a point to go see B.B. King as often as possible. Not the least of the pleasures involved is to watch the old man's face as he communes with Lucille, his Muse. Somehow the audio recordings seem to lack a dimention without seeing the music expressed as much in his face as on his beloved guitar.
Daniel Hersh Posted January 11, 2009 Posted January 11, 2009 Yeah, me too. A friend recently took a picture that included me (no, I will not share it) that I thought would be best captioned "concertina player, apparently in pain, with a fiddler". But she took other pics at an all-concertina session where we all looked relatively normal. Daniel Let's just say that the 'concertina face' phenomenon is known to people in my household, and to people at the session where I'm often found playing.
Takayuki YAGI Posted January 11, 2009 Posted January 11, 2009 Let's just say that the 'concertina face' phenomenon is known to people in my household, and to people at the session where I'm often found playing. But I can't quite picture it, myself. Me too. People say I have slack lips during playing . I have to be conscious of closing my mouth.. -- Taka
Dave Rogers Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 It's obviously a variation on the well-known phenomenon of "Melodeon Mouth". I know several guitar players who are similarly afflicted.
Simon H Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 I thought recently I'd put up a vid on youtube of myself playing a tune I'd finally mastered. It took me a few "takes" to get one where there were no mistakes. Then I realised the video was unusable due to the face. No contorted expression, just total blankness, unfocussed eyes, slack jaw and a demeanour suggesting total passive understanding of the horror of mankind's collective mortality ! So having practiced the tune, I'm now faced with practicing a face that can go with it that doesn't frighten everyone that sees it. Simon
LDT Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 I thought recently I'd put up a vid on youtube of myself playing a tune I'd finally mastered. It took me a few "takes" to get one where there were no mistakes. Then I realised the video was unusable due to the face. No contorted expression, just total blankness, unfocussed eyes, slack jaw and a demeanour suggesting total passive understanding of the horror of mankind's collective mortality ! So having practiced the tune, I'm now faced with practicing a face that can go with it that doesn't frighten everyone that sees it. Simon Just zoom in on the concertina and cut the rest off the picture...that's what I do.
PeterT Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 No contorted expression, just total blankness, unfocussed eyes, slack jaw and a demeanour suggesting total passive understanding of the horror of mankind's collective mortality ! Why not smile at the person behind the camera (or imaginary person if there is no-one). Alternatively, you can think of something pleasant while you are playing (which accounts for my occasional inability to count to two whilst playing A or B musics!). Regards, Peter.
Henrik Müller Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 ...Why not smile at the person behind the camera (or imaginary person if there is no-one). Alternatively, you can think of something pleasant while you are playing (which accounts for my occasional inability to count to two whilst playing A or B musics!) ... The person behind the bar - works fine. She a pro and doesn't mind - but I can't count either . /Henrik
AuldNick Posted January 12, 2009 Posted January 12, 2009 total blankness, unfocussed eyes, slack jaw and a demeanour suggesting total passive understanding of the horror of mankind's collective mortality ! Yes, yes....that's it exactly ! I’ve been told that, sometimes, I look like I’m intently reading ‘dots’ posted on the adjacent wall. Just as long as I’m not drooling! N
jaycott Posted January 14, 2009 Posted January 14, 2009 Ooh, this reminds me of a blog post I read a while back... a study was done where they monitored musicians brains while they were playing. They found that when they were really into whatever they were playing, the part of the brain that monitors self behavior basically shuts down. Maybe that explains your concertina face... just tell your wife it's proof you're creative... Let me see if I can find the link... Hey! Found two... http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/02...ivity-expl.html http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/19032
Hereward Posted January 14, 2009 Posted January 14, 2009 Ooh, this reminds me of a blog post I read a while back... a study was done where they monitored musicians brains while they were playing. They found that when they were really into whatever they were playing, the part of the brain that monitors self behavior basically shuts down. Maybe that explains your concertina face... just tell your wife it's proof you're creative... Let me see if I can find the link... Hey! Found two... http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/02...ivity-expl.html http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/19032 That explains a lot more than just funny faces I think. Ian
LDT Posted January 14, 2009 Posted January 14, 2009 total blankness, unfocussed eyes, slack jaw and a demeanour suggesting total passive understanding of the horror of mankind's collective mortality ! I’ve been told that, sometimes, I look like I’m intently reading ‘dots’ posted on the adjacent wall. I look like that (just reviewed some of my vid recordings..)but that's mainly because I am reading the music blutacked to the adjacent wall/door etc.
Bill N Posted January 14, 2009 Author Posted January 14, 2009 Ooh, this reminds me of a blog post I read a while back... a study was done where they monitored musicians brains while they were playing. They found that when they were really into whatever they were playing, the part of the brain that monitors self behavior basically shuts down. Maybe that explains your concertina face... just tell your wife it's proof you're creative... Let me see if I can find the link... Hey! Found two... http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/02...ivity-expl.html http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/19032 Very interesting, and heartening, articles. One reason my wife puts up with my practicing is her belief that learning an instrument at my age is good for neural health. This seems to support the idea that we are doing some two hemisphere "brain training" when we practice and play. There is something else going on as well though. The curled lip and flared nostril are almost like a sustained twitch. It feels like some kind of involuntary neural-muscular thing. \
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