Subject: RE: Tech: Concertina- Bandmaster 20 button
From:
GUEST,Rowan
Date: 10 Jul 06 - 09:12 PM
Others may be able to tell you how to play, better than I can, but this could get you started. Apologies if it seems very (too?) basic but I'm assuming you know nothing about the instrument.
Never having seen this brand I don't know whether its rows of buttons are straight or curved but there should be two rows, each with five buttons, on each side. If you put your hands through the straps so that the concave of the curved rows is facing you rather than facing away from you, you're holding it correctly. There should also be a single button near the right thumb, used to control air flow in and out of the bellows while you're playing (or putting it away). Most learner start by playing while seated. Ideally, you should not allow the bellows to rub on your knees, to prevent wearing of the bellows.
Holding the instrument properly and with a bit of air in the bellows, the 'top' three fingers of each hand will naturally rest against the 'top' three buttons on each side of the instrument. Make sure they're on the same row on each side, ie the row nearer you or the row further away. Push in the bellows and, with the ring finger of your left hand, depress the 'middle' button of the row; this gives the tonic of the scale. On the same button, pull the bellows and the next note up in the scale will sound.
With the next finger (the 'rude' one) depress the next button up the left side of the instrument and push the bellows in; on the same button, pull the bellows. This gives the next two notes going up the scale. Ditto with the index finger of the left hand on the top button gives the next two notes up the scale. Now for the right side.
With the index finger of the right hand on the top button (in the same row) of that side, keep pulling on the bellows; still on the same button, push on the bellows. This gives the next two notes up the scale; the first is the leading note and the second is the tonic again, one octave above the one you started with.
With the next finger (the other 'rude' one) depress the next button down the right side of the instrument and pull the bellows out; on the same button, push the bellows. This gives the next two notes going up the scale. Ditto with the ring finger of the right hand on the third button down, gives the next two notes up the scale. Now for the tricky bit.
With the little finger of the right hand on the fourth button down, pull the bellows out. Move the little finger to the fifth button down and keep pulling the bellows out. These two operations give the next two notes up the scale, the last one being the leading note an octave above the earlier one I mentioned. Move the little finger of the right hand back to the fourth button from the top and push the bellows; this gives the tonic again, two octaves above the one on the left hand side.
Both rows have the same pattern and the nearer row will have the higher scale, a fifth above the lower scale on the row further away. This pattern allows you to get a selection of chords by pushing the bellows in and having all your fingers depressing all the available buttons in a row. Pulling the bellows out while doing this can lead to consonant or dissonant chords, depending on what your index fingers are doing. Melodeons and mouth organs both use similar patterns, if that is any help to you.
Alan's advice works up to a point but I found early on that the tunes I wanted required me to use both hands to play melody. Later on I found I was doubling lots of notes by playing the octaves and this had come from learning to play with both hands, so to speak. Some parts of Australia have this doubling as a regional style but that may not be really relevant to you.
Bon chance!
Cheers, Rowan.
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sj
