Subject: RE: Squeezebox window-shopping
From: Pip Radish - PM
Date: 06 Aug 09 - 06:18 PM

"I'm not really bothered about getting good enough to play tunes on the concertina - I've got whistles for that. The goal will be to learn to play it well enough that I can concentrate on singing. I think that'll be enough of a challenge to keep me going."

Of course, people do accompany themselves on all sorts of instruments. I've even been guilty of it myself. However, it's very far from ideal from the point of view of voice production. I know from personal experience that sitting down and holding my left arm out to play the guitar is not good for it and I'm willing to bet that hanging a heavy object around one's neck isn't, either.

I heard a program about Jacques Brel on the radio and one of the people he worked with, probably either François Rauber or Gérard Jouannest, suggested he should stop accompanying himself on the guitar. He was then able to sing and move about on stage much more freely.

Having said that, I hope you're happy with whatever you finally decide on. Not that it has to be final, of course. It's great fun learning new instruments.