anyone play a melodeon, accordian or concertina?

VimFuego

no doubt will get howls of derision for even asking this, but here we go.

 

Thinking of taking one of the above up, main reason is I'm starting to get a bit of arthritis in my fretting hand, probably a result of boxing in my younger days so I thought something like a squeezebox would help me alternate playing, one day guitar one day squeeze box. Plus I like the fact that it is different from a guitar in that you can do that long, drawn out note thing. And they're a band in a box, which I like.

Anyways, if anyone does know much about any of them and can give me an idea of which they prefer and why, that'd be spiffing.

not_the_dj

I'm a big fan of Chris Sherburn who plays an Anglo Concertina, although as I understand it they're different to play from the English Concertina....it's a while ago but I sat in on a Concertina workshop once and it was a different world.

The Anglo gives a different note depending on if you're pushing or pulling, whilst the English gives the same (so maybe the english is easier?).

IIRC to play a scale on the English the notes alternate from one side to the other.

Personally I find Concertina's much "cooler" than Melodeon's or Accordians....although check out Martin Green who runs his Accordian through a pedalboard most of us would be envious of ;-)

VimFuego

yeah, I think I kinda almost understand the difference between anglo and English. TBH, listening to some stuff on youtube, I think I prefer the sound of the concertina over the melodeon and accordion.

Col_Decker

The pianist in my band has an accordion. He can't play it to gig standard yet but he's working on it. Cost him £50 iirc.

EricTheWeary

They are expensive new, but I guess bargains to be had second hand. I quite fancied a Cajun style squeezebox at some point. The plethora of variations of accordions is rather confusing.

VimFuego

pricewise they're fairly pricey, though student models can be had for about £200 or so, dunno what they're like though. Professional models are couple of grand, but I guess you don't need an amp, so it kinda compares to guitars. I was looking at fiddles (alright, violins) and one shop down this way, the cheap models start at £500 and professional ones go up to £fuckmeIcouldbuyahouseforthat.

Nomad

I tried violin for a while, but couldn't get the vibrato going. Fingering was generally okay but I could never get a note to wobble. Mine was a cheapie beginner outfit for about 70 quid or so a few years ago.

Nomad

Nice accordion tune here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftXG_JS53v8

horse

VimFuego said:

no doubt will get howls of derision for even asking this, but here we go.

Tell me about it...

I'm no expert, but do play piano accordion in our band. First took it up to learn something different a few years ago to distract from stresses of work, but has got me a niche in a decent band.

In the band I only play the piano side, sometimes mimicking what a hammond organ might do, sometimes going for more of a violin type approach. It can smooth out the live sound in a similar way to keyboards. I use one of these mics with it http://www.microvox.demon.co.uk/accpage.htm

Playing it solo with the bass / chords going is pretty satisfying too once you get the hang of it, and goes down well with drunk people. The bass / chord buttons side of things might not be great for your fretting hand though if you're getting some arthritis - it's a bit like using an old typewriter but with smaller keys.

Rocker

There are two main types of accordion - piano and button.  The piano type has piano type keys and plays the same note whichever way you operate the bellows.  The button type has rows of buttons [two rows are usual but available with three or five] and the note is half a tone sharper when opening the bellows.  Two row instruments are referred to by their tuning as B & C or C# & D.  I understand the C & C# tuning is popular these days.  Both types have bass buttons operated by your left hand [same hand that operates the bellows].

A melodeon is an accordion with one row of buttons [that is my understanding of the term and I could be wrong].

An interesting alternative is a concertina.  The melody is played using buttons half of which are played by each hand.  Slightly sharp sounding instrument but with a unique voice.

When I was young I learned to play a two row Paolo Soprani accordeon by ear.  TBH I doubt if a lot of the sounds I made could be described as music but there are lots of very capable players.  Especially for trad Irish music.  I have no experience with piano keyed accrodions, they were not generally used to play trad Irish music anyway.

Paolo Soprani is one of the better accordions.  Hohner make cheaper but quality instruments.  Serious trad Irish players play Paolo Soprani or better instruments.

EricTheWeary

Looking at this for the first time in a long time, the authentic Cajun squeezebox is a diatonic melodeon which is played like cross harp harmonica ( ie you'd need a C melodeon to play a blues based song in G). So, you'd need a bunch of them to cover a set. That would get expensive quick!
Back to the penny whistle idea...

VimFuego

pretty much every tune we play is either in the key of D or G (which makes it easy on us guitars) as virtually all "English" melodeons are in those keys. 

jonnybradford

I think the terminology changes between Ireland and England. 

In England Melodeons have buttons for bass and treble and are generally 2 or 3 rows on the treble side. 

As Vim mentions a lot of English sessions use D/G melodeons.

As I understand it, The workhorse session/morris box is the Hohner Pokerwork D/G melodeon.

Hobgoblin have some good information at http://www.hobgoblin.com/info/categories/420/melodeons/

The Musicroom in Cleckheaton http://www.themusicroom-online.co.uk/ has a large selection, new and second hand. The folk who work there are very knowledgeable and easy to get on with. 

chillidoggy

Vim, can I ask about the arthritis? How does it manifest itself, only I think I may be starting to suffer. Presumably pain in the knuckle joint? Is it on extension, or all the time?

VimFuego

well, It's mostly a kind of toothachey pain, mostly confined to the hand itself (though it is all of the hand rather than just the knuckles) though occasionally I get a throbbing up my left arm as far as the elbow (I have a feeling this is not the same thing). My left hand kinda feels stiff a lot of the time as well. Whether this is arthritis or not I don't know, but I do know it is connected to playing as if I take a day off or only have a light day I don't get the pain. It's not a bad pain, it doesn't keep me awake or anything nor do I need to take pain relief but I know it's there and it is a bit of a worry (don't really want to lose the use of my hands). Getting old sucks.

chillidoggy

Sounds like you have a much bigger problem than me, there. And I'd be worried about that, if I were you. Mine is an aching knuckle, which hurts if I move it beyond a certain point. I might see if I can blag an appointment with the GP. Course, it would be the fretting hand, wouldn't it?

VimFuego

heh, last time I went to the Docs (well, it wasn't me, it was mrs f, I just sat in the waiting room while she saw the quack) I got the worst flu ever. I thought I was gonna die at one point, I sweated so much I soaked the duvet right through. One of the problems of living in one of Gods waiting rooms is the place is awash with every germ and virus known to science. But I'll see how it goes, it's eased off a bit the last few weeks, mostly cos I've eased back on the playing.

I think my hand problem is related to when I mashed up a finger when chopping wood (got the finger caught between the axe handle and the chopping block, don't chop wood when you're fatigued) and it took forever to heal.