Anglo concertina 20 button type helllllp

Subject: Anglo concertina 20 button type helllllp
From: GUEST,Sledge
Date: 28 Apr 03 - 10:56 AM

Hi Folks,

I've eventually bought a very simple (cheap, yes I know) 20 button anglo concetina, a book to give me the basics and I have a chunk of time to practice. However I've come across what I consider a fault with the book, "what fingers are generally considered to go where", this is not covered, so if anybody out there could pass on what are considered the conventually accepted patterns I would really appreciate it before really bad habits develope.

Cheers

Sledge

Subject: RE: Anglo concertina 20 button type helllllp
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 28 Apr 03 - 11:31 AM

You have probably picked out the best method by default! Index finger on the button closest to the top, middle finger on the next one down, ring finger on the third. Little finger moves from button 4 to the little used button 5. Same on both sides. Right thumb for the heavy breathing button :-) Use the same on both rows FOR NOW! Once you start crossing rows it can get more interesting but stick with single rows in the early stages. With a 20 button there is not much scope to cross rows or play multi-row chords anyway!

Hope this helps

Dave the Gnome

Subject: RE: Anglo concertina 20 button type helllllp
From: sledge
Date: 28 Apr 03 - 11:35 AM

Cheers Dave,

Thats one bad habit smothered at birth already.

Cheers

Sledge

Subject: RE: Anglo concertina 20 button type helllllp
From: treewind
Date: 28 Apr 03 - 06:29 PM

I never thought about it really.
Just use whichever fingers make it easiest.

In practice that comes down to what Dave said, but you should regard that as a 'home position' rather than a fixed rule. Don't be frightened to break those rules once you know your way round the instrument, and get used to playing the same pattern with different fingers where possible - it will come in useful one day!

Anahata

Subject: RE: Anglo concertina 20 button type helllllp
From: Ed.
Date: 28 Apr 03 - 06:45 PM

Sledge,

Do you play any other instruments and/or play by ear?

If so I'd suggest practising scales.

When I first took up the Anglo, I found the hardest thing was that the notes on the push-pull were reversed for left and right hands.

It makes perfect sense when you are used to it, but I found it a bugger at first, it seemed completely couterintuative.

Good luck.

Ed

Subject: RE: Anglo concertina 20 button type helllllp
From: Musicman
Date: 28 Apr 03 - 11:34 PM

i just find the whole push/pull thing a pain in the butt.. i deal with the chromatic english variety.. wheatstone treble and lachinal duet.... much easier for the simple minds..... and mine too...!!

Subject: RE: Anglo concertina 20 button type helllllp
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 29 Apr 03 - 12:33 AM

G'day Musicman (and Sledge .. if only in passing,

The purpose of the push-pull (harmonica) arrangement is the easy availabilty of big (if not complicated), strongly rhythmic chords for dance music. This is why the German and Anglo-German concertina was for so long such a beloved instrument of the customers - the dancers ... certainly here in Australia.

It also made learning the instrument a (near) non-task: kids almost all played harmonicas ... and so, when Dad (Uncle, Aunt, Mum ... whoever) eventually let them play the concertina they already had the tunes/tunings firmly learnt on harmonica. Once they fell into the simple, natural rhythms of the "vamp" chording they could play easily.

That is: they could play dance music:

- It doesn't matter what key dance music is in ... as long as it is in good rhythm.

- Nobody dances to sharps and flats ... they may make some tunes sound prettier to the musicians, but the dancers don't bother.

- They had to do a lot of adapting if they wanted to play for singing ... for a start, their voices might not be happy in the keys of their concertina ... and they had to conquer a lot of old harmonica habits - like huffing and puffing along with the tune ... that fought against them singing, That said, a lot of good old players did it quite well!

That's the tradition of my country ... and that's why, about 25 years back, I sold my same note each-direction, chromatic concertina (Lachenal-made, Wheatstone system Duet) to fund a button accordion and an Anglo concertina ... and now have a considerable number of each!

There's nothing wrong with people playing any other thing they want .. but I enjoy playing in my traditions ... and the push-pull instruments are such great fun - and they always have something more for me to learn and enjoy.

Regards,

Bob Bolton (so enjoy your Anglo, Sledge!)

Subject: RE: Anglo concertina 20 button type helllllp
From: sledge
Date: 29 Apr 03 - 05:29 AM

Thanks all

Sledge