Which type of concertina

[kjillinois]

You can do a lot more keys and chords on English and you won't need multiple instruments- than an Anglo. As an Anglo player I'd opt for EC in a singing context. Listen to Steve Turner. Although John Kirkpatrick does great on Anglo!

 

Thanks for all the replies. The only player I know locally uses the concertina mostly for melody work. I've felt I must choose one type or the other so I can progress more rapidly, but maybe I will play awhile with both types. I do like to play by ear, but read just enough music to figure out a tune when I am learning it. Maybe with time, the english will become more natural and I will learn to play by ear using that system. I've never played a really expensive concertina. I'm almost afraid to try one, as I'm afraid I'll get the acquisition disease I keep hearing about.

 

new in illinois

 

if you would like to try an expensive concertina, i have a top of the line anglo you could try out, just to see what it's like--you won't run out of air very easily. i'm usually in either dekalb or st. charles, and i teach at murphy roche music irish music school in burr ridge--i also play at elgin public house at least once a month (that seems like it would be the closest to you). i happen to be playing there this sunday from 3-6 pm, so if you would like to stop by and try out my concertina, you're more than welcome. please let me know ahead of time (pm me), so i make sure i dont miss you if you decide to come.

 

i could also show you some rhythm and chording stuff, beyond just melody, to show you some of the capabilities of the instrument.

 

I would have loved to hear you play. I'm very busy in the summer, so maybe I can catch your show sometime during the winter. new in Illinois

[kjillinois]

Well, I play duet, but I don't think I'd recommend one for the usage you described. They're really for playing melody and accompaniment at the same time, or for playing simultaneous melody and counterpoint. You could use them for simpler purposes, but they're big, expensive, and rare enough that unless you're going to use their full capabilities, I think you might as well choose English or Anglo.

 

There's nothing about an English that would discourage learning by ear. I used to play Anglo, and it does have some advantages. The different notes on push / pull make the melody fit in a very compact space, and harmonies change "automatically" as you change directions playing the melody. It's also usually played with a more robust style, probably because of the ergonimics of the handle, and the way you need to learn to change bellows directions frequently and quickly builds up a more physical connection to the instrument. It's also good for folks who don't want to learn chord theory, and just play what sounds good -- it's set up to make simple harmonies easy, and there aren't as many wrong notes on the instrument. But at the same time, that makes playing complex or very specific chords more difficult. It's great for a simpler, more rough-and-tumble style.

 

But what you're describing sounds more like the English to me. Especially if your playing is jazzier, or more chromatic. It's very good at single-line melody, and very good at any sort of chording, the limitations start showing up if you try to play both at once. Of course, with any system, the limitations are an invitation to creative arranging.

 

If you feel really drawn towards playing full, solo arrangements of varying styles, and want to put in a lot of work, then you may want to start down the duet road.

 

I've heard stories of people who have started with the system they thought they'd like, but things only really "clicked" when they switched to another. I feel some of the work you put in on one system will help with another, having switched from Anglo to duet myself.

 

Does that help?

 

It does help and thank you for commenting. I'm leaning towards barinton english. Illinois