Why a melodeon?

Subject: Why a melodeon?
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 07:28 PM

On an old "what's the easiest instrument to learn?" thread, I noticed several people nominated the melodeon.

I sing & play the whistle, & I've been wondering for a while about learning an instrument I could actually accompany myself on. Guitar's the obvious choice, but if I were to go for some sort of squeezebox instead, would people specifically recommend the melodeon? Is melodeon particularly easy to learn, as opposed to concertina or piano accordion, and if so why?

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Les from Hull
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 07:53 PM

It's easy if you play the harmonica, but some people get confused by the different not for each direction of air flow. And there are a lot more melodeon players than the ones who use it to accompany songs. Although I do that, I find it's a lot easier to use my bouzouki for song accompaniment. Now that's a lot easier than guitar as well, and it doesn't hurt your fingers (a surprising number of would-be guitar players give up because of this!).

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: curmudgeon
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 08:28 PM

A good quality beginners melodeon is a lot less expensive than an equivalent concertina.

I just did a quick perusal at "The Button Box" (USA) and noted that a decent me;odeon/button accordion can be had for less than $1000 USD, but a new Morse Anglo or English system concertina is around $1800 USD.

If you want more information, go to cconcertina.net- Tom

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 22 Jul 08 - 09:26 PM

I'd recommend reading the "Technique: Piano Accordion for The Recycled Muso" thread.

I don't want to repeat it all here - many of the techniques mentioned are transferable to the melodeon *** too.

The keyboard allows many useful skills, and if you learn that first, then the P/A is relatively easy to pick up.

A small 32 or 48 Bass one is sufficient for most Folk Music - though you are limited to the range of 'common' keys.

Small ones are lighter too.


Spell checker insists on 'melodrama' ... :-)

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Piers Plowman
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 02:15 AM

The sad truth is that no instrument is easy. The guitar would be a good choice. I love the sound of fixed-reed instruments, play the harmonica, and would love to buy an accordeon, melodeon, concertina, bandoneon, or anything similar. However, I think they are are generally rather loud and that might limit the kind of songs you can sing with them. Perhaps I'm just misinformed, in which case players of those instruments may feel free to set me straight.

A guitar with nylon strings shouldn't hurt your fingers too much. I didn't find the pain of learning to play a steel-string too bad, and that was before I bought a nylon-string guitar. I am now having pain in my hands, and it is connected with guitar-playing, but that's a different story. It seems that a lot of instruments are not particularly good for one's health, especially if played excessively.

One nice thing about the guitar is that one can play it and a (diatonic) harmonica at the same time. I'd love to find a chromatic one that could be played using a holder, but I've never seen one.

I just bought a penny-whistle the other day and have started learning the fingerings. I like it very much. Not sure how the neighbours feel about it.

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: GUEST,Woody
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 02:49 AM

The Tenor Guitar is a good choice. It has 4 strings rather than 6 giving it quite a different & IMHO more interesting sound than a standard Guitar, many chords only require 2 fingers, and you stand out from the crowd. It's also undergoing a revival at the moment.

In the UK the Ozark Tenor Guitar sells for £175 and is really nice (I've got one), there's also the Ashbury which is a similar price and looks to be good though I've not tried it.

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Rowan
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 02:53 AM

I suspect one reason for the several suggestions that melodeons are "easy to learn" is that they are deceptively simple in layout and operation. In this context I'm using the Oz sense of "melodeon", which is a diatonic instrument with a single row of buttons for the right hand and a pair of "spoon valves" for the left hand. They have the reputation that they can be played by ear more easily than other instruments that are more chromatic; if that's how you learn music then they'll work for you.

You don't need to be forever tuning them, as you do for stringed instruments. This can be an advantage if you haven't yet taught your ear how to listen for when an instrument is 'correctly tuned'; many people don't realise that training your ear is part of the process.

A diatonic button accordion that has more than one row of buttons on the right hand is often called a "melodeon" by some UK users. These present more of a challenge, partly because they present a wider choice of possibilities but they can also be picked up by ear, apparently, with greater facility than for more "conventionally" chromatic instruments.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Little Robyn
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 03:04 AM

If you're wanting to play and sing at the same time, I would think you'd find a concertina a little easier.
I play piano accordion and have on occasion tried to sing with it but it takes a bit more ooommph than the little 'tina. I also think a 'tina sounds better with voice and you can put in chords or a harmony.
Guitar would be my instrument of choice to sing with but I've also sung and played Geordie pipes which is a bit trickier, especially if you want to play a harmony while singing the tune.
Probably the easiest would be an autoharp - it can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it.
By the way, I find the melodeon diabolically hard - I need to concentrate like mad to get the right note and there's no way I could sing at the same time!

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: GUEST,baz parkes
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 03:56 AM

Because it's there:-))

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 04:05 AM

Why a melodeon?

A bit like saying why a bodhran, or a banjo?

Unfathomable question to which there is no sensible answer!!

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: melodeonboy
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 04:24 AM

I do remember some well-informed person saying that it was difficult to play a melodeon really badly or really well.

I think it's a relatively easy instrument to get "up and running" on. In my own experience, I was accompanying performers on the melodeon within weeks of getting one for the first time, punching above my weight, certainly, but I was able to contribute something useful, if very basic. I doubt that I would have been able to do that with many other instruments. I can't imagine that I would have been able to do it with a fiddle or with pipes, for example!

Unfortunately, time has not made me a real master of the instrument, so perhaps the proposition in my first sentence is true!

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: treewind
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 04:41 AM

"difficult to play a melodeon really badly or really well."

Nice!
That's possibly the defining quality of any folk instrument.

Anahata

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 05:27 AM

Jimmy Shand ruined piano accordions for me; I don't really like the look or the sound. I'm thinking strictly buttons!

I suppose the real question is, if I wanted to produce a sound something like John Kelly's Polly Vaughan or Dick Miles's Willie o Winsbury (i.e. mostly chords, with the voice carrying the melody), are there good reasons for going for a melodeon rather than a concertina?

("Something like" is intentionally vague - I realise that John's playing harmonium on that song.)

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Leadfingers
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 05:37 AM

One point to bear in mind with the basic Melodeon is the limited key range available ! If your natural singing voice is NOT G or D , a standard Melodeon would be a bit awkward ! Thats whu so many singing Melodeon players carry two or three around .

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: greg stephens
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 05:49 AM

If you want to play dance tunes(British/Irish) the piano accordion is easy to play the notes in the right order, but unbelievably dificult to play with any bounce or style. The number of people who have succeeded in this area is minuscule. Go for the button accordion/melodeon option any time. If you want to play Irish tunes with fiddlers, a B/C or a C#/D is the thing...which one depends on a lot of factors. Differwent people swear by different tunings. For English tune sessions, a D/G would be the easiest option.
If you want to sing with it you'd have to experiment before buying. A lot of singers would find a C/F provides easier keys than a D/G, but that's entirely down to the range of your voice. Basically what Leadfingers says above applies: for song accompaniment, you'd be lucky to get away with one melodeon.

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: GUEST,martin ellison
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 06:10 AM

That's the trouble with melodeons - once you buy one you almost instantly need another, a bit like Chinese food. I'm one of these crazy people who have DIFFERENT D/Gs because some tunes sound better on one than the other!!
I sometimes wish that English tunes weren't confined to G and D (yes I know about East Anglia and "C"). C and F are lovely keys to play in.

Pip Radish - am I reading you wrong or do you think Jimmy Shand was a piano accordion player? He was all buttons - definitely not to my taste either but undeniably brilliant.

martin

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 06:26 AM

"would love to buy an accordeon, melodeon, concertina, bandoneon, or anything similar. However, I think they are are generally rather loud"

AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH! Only when played by the untalented... :-)


"the piano accordion is easy to play the notes in the right order, but unbelievably difficult to play with any bounce or style"

AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH! Only for the untalented... :-(

"The number of people who have succeeded in this area is minuscule. "

As I just said... :-P - oh and the 3 secret words ...

Practice! Practice! Practice!



"Jimmy Shand ruined piano accordions for me; I don't really like the look or the sound. "

AAAAAGGGGGHHHHH! .... and I am not really impressed by the "Omm Pah Pah Piano Accordion School" players either!

... and this is said by a guy who was once mentioned by the MC (rich-joy) as "Piano Accordion - WITH subtlety!"... :-P


If you read the thread I mentioned, you may just find that P/As are playable in styles that you never dreamed of - all around the world in MANY cultures - an EXTREMELY versatile instrument - as are also guitars...

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Dick The Box
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 06:28 AM

Personally I would not recommend a melodeon for a beginner to accompany singing. Firstly (as mentioned above) the limited keys that one melodeon can play in means carrying multiple melodeons around which is expensive and a nuisance. Secondly, by the nature of how a melodeon works the sound is very bouncy (due to the constant changing in bellows direction) which is why it is great for dance music. It is possible to play smoothly but this requires skills such as playing across the rows and ditching the oompah bass in favour of a mixture of single notes, chords and gaps. As indicated, a good english concertina probably best (but expensive) as you can play in any key and it is subtle. Accordions are cheaper and also play in any key but you will have to fight against their natural volume (and size).

The advantage of a free reed instrument is that it requires no skill to form a note. You press a button and hey presto the note comes out. Most other instruments require some degree of skill in bowing, fingering, breathing or mouth shape to produce a note which makes the learning curve much steeper. However, a guitar, bouzouki or mandola will probably in the long term give a better accompaniment to a song. Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice......

Richard Ashe

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 06:32 AM

Dick The Box

I was once privileged to WATCH a button box player play music in the 'normal style' of a Piano Accordion - he just didn't know that it couldn't be done, you see, and if you closed your eyes, you could NOT tell the difference.... also he learned from his father...

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 06:40 AM

"Accordions are cheaper and also play in any key but you will have to fight against their natural volume (and size)"


AAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!   Bias again - caused by watching too many self taught untalented players.... (at least WAV hasn't yet taken up the Piano Accordion!)   :-P

AND - if you read that thread, you will see that I recommend small (32 & 48 Bass!) Piano Accordions for Folk Music...

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 07:28 AM

My apologies to Jimmy Shand!

Hmmm... what I'm after is definitely not bounce. Drone more than bounce, really. I've been knocked out by Dick Miles's stuff on Youtube and Sound Lantern; perhaps what that tells me is that the English concertina is the instrument for me. Or at least the instrument of my daydreams (I gather they're more expensive than Anglos or melodeons).

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: pavane
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 07:43 AM

Jimmy Shand was the guy who married an accordion bass with a melodeon keyboard. Three rows, fully chromatic if you can work out where all the notes actualls ARE.

John Kirkpatrick plays one, I think.

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: GUEST,martin ellison
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 07:46 AM

Pip - one of the most satisfying things about a melodeon is learning how to play it tastefully/quiet/inventively. I seem to want to play lots of slow, stately and chordal music at the moment. Of course it naturally leans towards "bounce" but just like the piano accordion players who can play with oomph, brio and rythmic panache, it takes practise and a little fight against its' initial tendency to chop the notes. I'm still learning but what a glorious sound when it works.
martin

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: the button
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 08:19 AM

Pip -- English concertinas are often cheaper than Anglos (30 key Anglos, anyway). This is because you aren't competing with hoardes of Americans whose great-grandmas once lived next door to someone who nearly drank a pint of Guinness buying up the world's reserve of decent Anglos to play Irish music on at 200 mph.

(Disgruntled Anglo player, who can't afford anything better than a Lachenal).

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 08:34 AM

"Jimmy Shand ruined piano accordions for me; I don't really like the look or the sound. "

I'm not sure how he could have done that without playing one! As pointed out above he played diatonic accordion and one of his nick--names was "King of the Melodeon-men".

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: treewind
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 09:31 AM

Indeed. Jimmy Shand used to play melodeon many years back, very well but not often recorded that I know of.

John K. does indeed play the "Shand" system, as did I once, a long time ago.

Anahata

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 10:56 AM

Pip, first you have to do Step 1. That is, determine whether you can sing and play an instrument at the same time. Some people can do it, some cannot. It seems to be something in the brain.

Before you spend money on an instrument for accompaniment, borrow a guitar or piano and see if you can sing and play at the same time. Obviously you will need a friendly person to show you a couple simple chords which you can try playing to a song you already know.

I can sing and play the guitar. I can't sing and play piano. On the piano, I get a few words out and then stop. I can't explain it - as I said, I think it's something about the brain.

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: bubblyrat
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 02:07 PM

Jimmy Shand was just about recorded to DEATH in the 1950s !! When I were a lad, you couldn't get away from him, The White Heather Club, and the (seemingly ) interminable strains of "The Blubell Polka " ( et al )----and very nice and pleasant it all was, too, I am glad to say, as it left me with an abiding love of all things melodeon and concertina ! I very much hope, Anahata, that Alison Fenner, the lady with the Duet concertina and Shirley Collins-like voice, whom you may remember from appearing at the " Seven Stars" (Maidenhead) venue ( ?), will be at our local (Marlow ) club venue tonight---I just LOVE her sound ! ( and yours and Mary's, of course !! ).
             Roger..

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 02:32 PM

Leeneia has it about right: when you are learning an instrument, you need ALL your powers of concentration on the instrument: only when you can play it AND carry on a conversation at the same time are you ready to sing with it as well. (This has echoes of other threads!)
I play B/C button box, but don't use it to sing with, as usually either the singing or the playing goes out the window if I try to do both at once! I play a number of instruments, and it is easily the most complicated, mainly because of the push and pull. I'm gradually finding my way around other keys than G,D,C,A majors(yes I have G sharp!), A,E and B minor: the notes are all in there, (unlike the G/D melodeon), it's just finding them on the hop!

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 02:40 PM

Why not? If you like 'em, buy one. If you want to hear a fine accordion player, Mr. Sam Pirt of Yorkshire is about as good as it gets.

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: greg stephens
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 02:47 PM

Engl;ish concertinsa are defintiely the easy one if your aim is drones rather than bounce. But of course, there is a lot more drone to had out of the two sides of,say, a D/G box, because there is a much bigger range of reeds. They just takes a bit more finding!

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 03:56 PM

Pip,
It's perfectly easy to make a reasonable song accompaniment with that easiest of instruments, the melodeon. Tony Hall has done this most of his life and I've never heard any complaints about him. It is very true as earlier stated that it is 'difficult to play it really badly or really well'. And there are melodeons in DGA. But as others have said if you want to play chords and drones then a cheap 48 button wooden ended quiet English concertina is perfect, and as Button said, button for button, or reed for reed, English concertinas are much cheaper than equivalent model Anglos simply because of supply and demand.

As a middle of the road player/singer I accompany my singing on both Anglo and melodeon and the different sounds they produce make for variety. But, as with any instrument you need to get the feel of the instrument, i.e., get to the stage where your fingers are playing the tune and not your conscious mind, before accompanying song successfully.

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Crane Driver
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 04:51 PM

So many people ask "is the [whatever] an easy instrument to get started on ....?"

IMHO, the question should be "will the [whatever] be versatile enough for all the things I may want to do once I've got beyond being a beginner?"

Learning an instrument because it's 'easy to get started on' won't necessarily help you transfer to the instrument you will need later, if your 'simple' instrument doesn't cut it at higher musicianship levels. Decide what sort of instrument you want to be able to play eventually, and start on that. It may be harder to start with, but at least you won't have to start all over again once you reach the limitations of the instrument.

I am not saying that any of the instruments mentioned here are too limited, because I've heard excellent music from all of them. My own choice, of course, is duet concertina. I could never sing and play guitar at the same time. Something in the brain, quite right.

Andrew

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 06:44 PM

"it takes practise and a little fight against its' initial tendency to chop the notes"

"English concertinsa are defintiely the easy one if your aim is drones rather than bounce."


AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! again!

The INSTRUMENT has nothing to do with it.

The PLAYER...

Like the car doesn't drive fast and dangerously, it's the nut that holds the steering wheel....


If when YOU play an instrument, you get a 'bounce', then YOU are doing it!!!!!

I DON'T GET A BOUNCE! (unless I want to!)

But, then I had years of strict keyboard tuition on all sorts of keyboard instruments, including pipe organ (which CAN be made to 'bounce' quite nicely!) BEFORE picking up a Piano Accordion.

As I repeat, those who can only play any instrument 'with a bounce' simply DON'T KNOW HOW TO PLAY "LEGATO" !!!! - a skill 'hammered in' to all normal keyboard students who 'learn properly'!!! :-)

:-P

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Rowan
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 07:14 PM

Well, I thought the question was "Why a melodeon?" and I restricted myself to attempting to answer Pip's original query as to why so many had suggested one, as an easy instrument to learn, in the other thread. All the stuff about other free reed instruments is well and good, and most of it I can sympathise with.

To "declare my interest" I play Anglo, and sing with it, although I found it's breathing was so different to mine that it took me a while to get to the singing bit. I also play melodeon(s) as the term is used in the Hohner catalogue and in Oz. I have lovely old ones that have very fruity tones and I can play them loud, softly, as accompaniment to my singing and for dances. But, with limited space, I take only the Anglo when travelling.

Sure, the English and duet concers have attributes I admire, as do piano and various accordions (as defined by Hohner and the Oz usage of the term) but Robin is right in his assertions (and his frustrations); I've moaned at the sound of oiano accordions played by people with fingers that can't hit only one key at a time but must slur everything. I've also watched Mike Heagney (now passed on) go through every piano accordion in Lamberti Bros' shop in Melbourne, searching for one that had the lightness of touch that would enable him to articulate every grace note in high speed (strict tempo. mind) Scottish and Irish reels.

It's the player that makes the music and melodeons make great music in the hands of great players; it's just that I think they have been suggested so often because so many have been deceived into thinking of them as simple and easy to learn.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 07:19 PM

Crane Driver

"IMHO, the question should be "will the [whatever] be versatile enough for all the things I may want to do once I've got beyond being a beginner?"

Learning an instrument because it's 'easy to get started on' won't necessarily help you transfer to the instrument you will need later, if your 'simple' instrument doesn't cut it at higher musicianship levels."

"I am not saying that any of the instruments mentioned here are too limited, because I've heard excellent music from all of them"

You have said it so well!

I have a 'Hero' - a Chinese 8 Bass (about 15 key) Piano Accordion, and I can get things out of that little 'toy' that have surprised many 'experts'... as I said, it's got something to do with the nut that holds the steering wheel... :-)

Far too many punters believe that the instrument has something to do with making music... they do nothing when sitting on the shelf...

If you have ever watched Ted Eagan perform on his empty cardboard beer carton, you will understand... :-)

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 23 Jul 08 - 07:44 PM

Thank You Rowan.

I used to be good once, but I'm out of practice now.... :-P

:-)

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Dick The Box
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 06:37 AM

Foulestroupe

I am biased against accordions but only in as much they are one of the easiest instruments to play badly. I agree with your point that it's the player not the instrument - Karen Tweed for example blows my socks off. However, I still maintain that if you are not a good player, or new to the instrument, then you can cause a lot less aural damage with an english concertina compared to a piano accordion. Personally I would rather hear most songs accompanied on a concertina than an accordion, but then that is my choice. My original post reflects my personal tastes and the fact that I am an experienced melodeon player but in the end it's just advice and the reader can take it or leave it.

Richard Ashe

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: treewind
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 06:51 AM

Hello Bubblyrat/Roger
Yes, Jimmy Shand was recorded to death in the 1950's - he was a top-of-the-pops best seller - but was he playing plain diatonic melodeon or the B/C/C# button accordion at that time? The latter, I thought, but ICBW.

Anahata

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 09:09 AM

Other folk who sing while playing melodeon to great effect: Jim Bainbridge, Pete Shepheard, Pete Coe, John K (doesn't just play).

Does anyone remember Atarah Bentovim? She used to do these musical lecture/demonstrations for kids: she had this theory that everyone could play something, and if you didn't get on with playing your instrument, you were just learning the wrong one!

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Marje
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 01:08 PM

I use melodeon to accompany songs sometimes, but it's a bit limiting because of only having 2 keys, which may not be suitable for all your songs. Oddly enough I find that I can sing + play, but can't talk + play at all.

Despite allegations to the contrary, it does have a natural punchiness that comes from the push/pull action (that's what makes it a good choice for dance music), but you can override this to some extent by using more chords and drones for accompaniment.

As to whether the melodeon is easy: I think it divides people more than any other instrument. You either take to it or you don't. Try to borrow one and see what you make of it. If you can soon play tunes by ear quite easily, you'll be fine. If you have to write the letter-names on the buttons and can't play without staff notation, it'll be a struggle.

If you really want an instrument mainly for song accompaniment, English concertina would give you the full range of keys and notes that a diatonic instrument doesn't have. Again, try to borrow one and see how it goes. I borrowed one and found I couldn't get on with it at all, whereas with a melodeon the basics all fell into place very quickly.

Good luck!
Marje

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Acorn4
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 01:38 PM

Why a melodeon?

Because it's there!

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 03:19 PM

You try to cross over there a concertina and you'll find out why-a-no-concertina.

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Little Robyn
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 04:05 PM

As Marje said - "I borrowed one and found I couldn't get on with it at all, whereas with a melodeon the basics all fell into place very quickly."
The opposite was true for me. A 'tina was easy, the melodeon was almost impossible without even trying to think about song words!
I found a toy melodeon for a few dollars in a junk shop a couple of years back. I does work properly, it's just very small and basic. Even so, the *#+!!! thing frustrates me and it's now consigned to the music cupboard. I might just give it to my grandaughter (aged 2) to play with. If you lived closer, I'd give it to you!
The best advice is try before you buy.
Robyn

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: oggie
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 05:20 PM

"would love to buy an accordeon, melodeon, concertina, bandoneon, or anything similar. However, I think they are are generally rather loud"

Concerning the bandoneon part... Unless you have big hands and an illogical mind don't! There are parts of a bandoneon that resemble an Anglo but they are limited, you can play in any key BUT where the note will be may bear no relationship to it's neighbours. Also if you get an argentinian (ie tango tuned) bandoneon it will be tuned to A442.

Yes I do play one but I'm also a masochist! It also means that I can no longer play a melodeon or concertina because the fingerings are so totally different.

Steve

PS I have small hands so I only play a four row 126 tone box, the full 144 boxes are fearsome beasties.

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 05:36 PM

All I know about the bandoneon is that Astor Piazzolla did wonderful things with it. But he was a virtuoso, which is something I'll never be on any instrument I take up now - probably not on the ones I already play, either...

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Acorn4
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 06:42 PM

A friend of mine borrowed a melodeon recently but said:-

"The problem was I found myself breathing in and out with it"

I think he might have had a lucky escape!

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 07:35 PM

"does have a natural punchiness that comes from the push/pull action"

I repeat - that's only because the player has NOT practised LEGATO.... :-) AND IS A SLOPPY PLAYER.... :-P


Pianos are a percussion instrument by design and construction, playing 'legato style' is also hard work.... :-P


Richard Ashe (and others!)

1) The spelling is "Foolestroupe" it comes from my "Troupe of Medieval Fooles" see my home webpage in my profile to understand! :-)

2) Actually I respect your opinions about 'badly trained unpractised half baked wannabe pseudo-musos' destroying the reputation of a worthy instrument.... :-) because they largely coincide with mine... :-)


"maintain that if you are not a good player, or new to the instrument, then you can cause a lot less aural damage with an english concertina compared to a piano accordion"

Actually, I can't disagree too much, but "if you are not a good player, or new to the instrument" then a 'tina can still be a WMAD...

(Weapon of Mass Aural Destruction).... :-) and I have a Duet as well .... :-)

which I DON'T play in public... :-P


Robin

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Rowan
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 07:38 PM

I use melodeon to accompany songs sometimes, but it's a bit limiting because of only having 2 keys, giving breath to potential confusions concerning what type of instrument is called a "melodeon".

Marje is using the definition common in the UK (which is why I specifically referred to the Hohner catalogue and Oz usage) but, following her usage, a two row B/C instrument (diatonic, and called a button accordion in Oz) would give all the keys, but I've not heard too many people sing while playing one; most players of them seemed more interested in Irish reels. Her usage could also apply to the three row B/C/C# instrument (each row diatonic, fitting it into the "melodeon" categorisation) that most of us on the thread have been referring to as the British Chromatic Accordion aka Shand model aka that thing wot John Kirkpatrick played.

In Oz, melodeons have only one row, potentially limiting Marje's range even more but it seems all diatonic squeezeboxes have the same effect on players' breathing and concentration. "The faraway look on the face of the accordion player" is a phrase in Shirley Andrews' book "Take your partners", a history of colonial and bush dances and dancing in Oz; the phrase comes from an item collected at a time when melodeons (single row) and button accordions (two or three row instruments, usually in C/F or G/C/F) were prominent music providers for such occasions.

While I can sing while playing a button box, I almost always have that same "faraway look" of concentration while playing and I've frequently noticed it on others who have even more experience than I.

And, as with Marje, I found the basics of the melodeon fell into place quite quickly once I'd started on the Anglo version of the leather ferret.

Cheers, Rowan

Subject: RE: Why a melodeon?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 24 Jul 08 - 08:04 PM

Ah, the faraway look............. My tutor's wife commented on this, once when I was playing; "Youre getting that look that X has when he's playing".
As Rowan has said, you've got it all there on a two-row B/C button accordion: apart from the keys I mentioned above (24th July 9.09am), tonight I was playing in E major (found the G# and the D#) and F (found the B flat). Have even been known to play in F#major when the singer couldn't quite reach G.
As for "punchy action", I was taught to use the bellows smoothly, almost imperceptibly, but then I don't use a lot of L hand, in common with many B/C players. My favourite tunes are nearly all slow airs, (maybe a reflection on how fast I can play!)often those originally written for fiddle.