Hi folks,
It is not very stimulating neither for myself nor for the possible readers if I continue this discussion all by myself but there is an analogous debate going on at www.concertina.net General forum on 'Bellowsing - in out or fanned' - and since I am hindered to comment there I say a few more words here instead.

Dick Miles, also present here, said in that other forum concerning "fanning":
"is Goran Rahm a virtuoso?"

I can tell you: certainly NOT !! I don't play any musical instrument to any decent standard but I have juggled with almost every thinkable common musical device and that possibly gives some experience too :-)
Now - in the end when talking about these matters neither individual skills nor degree of "authority" is of any significant importance as the main issue is the importance of physical/anatomical facts and those can be investigated on an objective basis.

Dick then said: "do whatever you want,
wear out your bellows,the concertina repairers will be laughing all the way to the bank,it is no guarantee that your playing will improve either".

Reply continued: Wrong... one thing IS "guaranteed"...it IS a *fact* that it is physcially impossible achieveing the same degree of stability and thus control (=efficiency and precision of bellowsing) by working the bellows "straight" as doing it by "fanning" (conditionally that this is done with support, keeping one part of the bellows closed).This is simple mechanics and has nothing with degree of skill to do.The playing will in *some* respect *improve* for every(!) player by adopting better working conditions.

This in turn does NOT mean that the 'method' necessarily is suitable for all musical purposes or occasional circumstances, but it remains a fact that it is crucial establishing as much stability as possible at first and *after* that making the specific compromises necessary for performance in the special situation... IF the very best conditions are sought for perfection.

Compare riding a bike.Hardly anyone would suggest doing that better without a steering-rod and a saddle or riding a horse without rein, saddle and stirrups...even though it 'can' be done with aquired skill.

IF musical performance were a competitive atheletic sport (thanks it isn't...) all this would be obvious for everyone since in competitive games the elite always is using the (same) for the moment very best availabe equipment and technique and the thrive for progress is always present since results can be easily measured.

This is no hinder for improvement also for 'us' however since we can always "compete" with ourselves and all it takes is systematically trying out the different equipments and techniques and finding some objective ways to evaluate the results.Listening to others may be important, but only to get the impulses for a change, the factual results have to be judged individually, by comparing ones own performances independently of those done by others.

Goran