The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #173968 Message #4219778
Posted By: GUEST,Steve Shaw
25-Mar-25 - 05:12 PM
Thread Name: Concertina techniques for Harmonica
Subject: RE: Concertina techniques for Harmonica
Haha! Nice connection, Dave!
I don't really play much Irish out and about these days, Dick, because my deteriorating hearing in sessions leaves me all at sea, but I still can play the chunes! I'm playing (and "singing") in a grand shanty group these days, after they sadly lost their accordion player to cancer last year. Even with dodgy hearing, you can't help hearing what's going on when they're in full flow! I play mostly tremolo harmonicas with them, a new enterprise for me (it's more in keeping with the sound they had before). Different muscle memory required! The main ornamentation these days is little sideways cuts that I can also make sound like a sort of fake roll if I'm on form. I know the move you're talking about, a bit reminiscent of what the great Tommy Peoples used to do. It's all good.
I know it's slightly off-topic, but a really good tremolo man to listen to is Noel Battle. In fact, I bought my trems from his best mate up in Mullingar, Dave Hynes!