My Concertina Has Arrived....

[Tassie Devil]

My concertina finally arrived – seven days to get from one part of the country to the other - sheesh… Anyway, I’ve now had a whole 4 days with it and the dog has already stopped hiding in the corner! (although the really high notes still raise an eyebrow).

 

It’s a Tedrow, as I mentioned in last weeks post, a couple of years old, but still looks fairly new. The only sign of use is on the palm rests (correct name?). All the notes sound fine and the balance between left and right is good. What surprised me is the dynamic range. From reading other reviews (of not just Tedrows), I had come to the expectation that accordion-reeded concertinas are loud, but lack dynamic range. Well, this is not the case with my Tedrow, it certainly can be played loud and produce a nice ITM-type honk, but also can be played softly with a more gentle touch on the bellows. Nice…

 

The note sequence is a ‘standard’ 30 button C/G Wheatstone-type, except for the L/H top row where the second from bottom is a G# on the pull rather than a (more normal?) Bb. I could not find a satisfactory diagram of the button sequence to have in front of me while stuttering through a tune, so I’ve drawn up my own, which I’ve attached as a PDF in case anyone is interested. It’s in both colour and black and white, depending on your printer. If anyone would like a different sequence, just let me now and I’ll do a new layout for them (it’s very easy to change the letters now the basic chart is done).

 

Anyway, back to a bit of practice – the dog is outside on the veranda, baking her brains in the morning sun, so she’s safe.

Tedrow_Key_Layout.pdf

Edited April 4, 2004 by Tassie Devil

[Ken_Coles]

I wouldn't say acc-reed instruments don't have dynamic range (though maybe I gave that impression in that old article?). They do. But they are not quite as sensitive or easy to speak on the soft end as a good vintage instrument. But then, they are a lot cheaper, too. Of course, Rich Morse and Bob Tedrow were debating this at length here recently, so maybe we are all mixed up.

 

Jody Kruskal and I discussed this topic a bit last weekend in New York.

 

Anyway, have fun.

[Guest]

Hi Keith,

 

Congratulations on your new concertina! If you're ever in Melbourne, don't forget to drop me a line

 

Cheers

Morgana

[Henk van Aalten]

Keith

 

Congratulations and have fun!

 

Henk

[JimLucas]

The note sequence is a ‘standard’ 30 button C/G Wheatstone-type, except for the L/H top row where the second from bottom is a G# on the pull rather than a (more normal?) Bb.

Nice diagram. Odd about the low G#, but that's not the only difference, unless you made a mistake in your diagram. You have the G#/Bb directions reversed in the RH. So you have three G#'s, with the middle one push and the other two pull, and your two Bb's are in opposite directions.

 

I would guess that chords in flat keys were not the original owners greatest concern.

 

Maybe Bob T. remembers the instrument and can tell us the reason for the anomalies?

Edited April 4, 2004 by JimLucas

[Tassie Devil]

Well spotted Jim! - the G#/Bb were reversed. I've replaced the attachment with the corrected version.

[RustyBits]

I’ve now had a whole 4 days with it and the dog has already stopped hiding in the corner!

 

My 3 dogs don't hide. . . they sing.. LOUD. It just about ruptures my ear drums. They like to howl in unison when I play. Whenever I play I let them sit in for the first tune, but then they have to go.

 

I haven't figured out if they howl because they like the music or because the hate it.

[Steven]

My 3 dogs don't hide. . . they sing.. LOUD. It just about ruptures my ear drums. They like to howl in unison when I play. Whenever I play I let them sit in for the first tune, but then they have to go.

 

I haven't figured out if they howl because they like the music or because the hate it.

My dog sings along when I play too, but very quietly. It's the softest little howl I've ever heard (and this coming from a 50-pound boxer). She clearly is doing it because she likes the music, because she wags her tail like crazy at the same time.

 

This is an instance of the concertina being a huge advantage over the whistle and wooden flute (my other instruments). It's really hard to play the flute when you're laughing at your dog!

 

Steven

[Rhomylly]

Tassie, you didn't perchance recently trade in a 30 button Stagi Tedrow Turbo to Bob for your new baby, did you?

 

Edited for post-tionol crispiness-induced typos.

Edited April 5, 2004 by Rhomylly

[Tassie Devil]

Hi Rhomylly,

 

No, the Tedrow is my fist Concertina - I'd never even picked one up till it arrived last week!