How long to learn concertina

This is why I do not subscribe to the "if you want to play x music then you should play y concertina system" argument. I think the same is true of any musical instrument. A good example here is my partner Anne, who is currently fulfilling a life-long dream to learn to play the fiddle. She is finding it very hard, much harder than the English concertina when she first learned that, but her love for the instrument and consequent determination is keeping her hard at it and I am certain she will master the beast in time.

I do think that if you have the right mindset for the instrument then both the English and the anglo can give you a quick hit in terms of early progress that can be quite encouraging. But to get good on them requires hard work. But this is the same for any musical instrument. Even the voice requires decent and ongoing practice to sound good. I find it strangely reminiscent of learning to type.

However, imagine learning to type on a keyboard split in half and held sideways in two parts, 48 keys instead of Sometimes you might even have to press more than one key at the same time.

And do it all with emotion. And yet the human brain is capable of all that and so much more. My stock answer when I've been asked whether the concertina is easy to learn or not is based on my experience. Its an easy and rewarding instrument to begin with i. This and the sound is what keeps its interesting though.

I think that there is a "logical" link between Anglo and MacCann for those of us who play "by ear". Keyboard layouts are obviously completely different, but if you play outside the basis Anglo "home" keys, you have to go hunting for those sharps and flats.

But, like Anglo played English style almost all the melody is on the right hand. The one which I can't fathom is the Jeffries Duet , which is supposed to be an "opened out" Anglo. But then, as you say, it depends how the mind works. Here's the suggestion; when Anne is out of the house, sneak her English out of the case, and have another try. Key of C is an absolute doddle. Then try D, and let your ears tell you where to look for those sharps. The important thing is not to think, otherwise "melody on the right takes over".

PS - you could post "English" progress under the code name "Madge Report". Read, and eat, this message! Umm, just a minor nitpick.. There is the space key, two shift keys, a caps lock key, tab, 9 distinct punctuation keys not counting those that appear on the number keys , 10 number keys, etc.

And of course there are times when you need to press 2 keys at the same time. The key layouts whether anglo, english, or other may be harder than a piano, but probably easier than a clarinet for example, where you need combinations of fingers on both hands to make one note. The hardest part of really playing any instrument are things like dynamics and phrasing and there's no instrument that gives you a shortcut path to getting them right.

There are those who say that you should try different concertinas and find the one that works for you. There are others who say decide on the music you want to play and find the concertina that best fits that style. Both make good points but have their flaws. You can purchase a concertina from a music shop, a maker, a dealer or second hand.

Accordion reeded instruments are cheaper but the instrument will sound like an accordion rather than a concertina. A wooden ended concertina will sound more mellow and sweet, a metal ended concertina will sound a little louder and brighter in tone. Sitting on a chair with a straight back and feet firmly on the ground, thighs parallel to the floor, hold the instrument out directly in front of you, lower the instrument onto your two knees, then tilt the concertina slightly so that the left wooden end of the instrument sits behind the kneecap of your left leg — the squishy bit.

This is where your concertina will be anchored, the other side does all the movement. Something is wrong here. Most likely your posture. If you experience pain anywhere when practising, stop immediately. Try to avoid sudden jolts when playing, move smoothly and slowly when pressing buttons and changing bellows direction. A good idea is to divide up your practice into three segments giving a certain amount of time to each eg.

A forty-minute practice slot could be divided into 10, 20 and minute segments. Apart from providing guidance on concertina technique and offering insight into the culture of the music, online lessons offer goal-centred learning. Learning tune by tune until you build up a significant repertoire is very satisfying and keeps learning challenging and fun.

Learning as part of a community allows you to share your successes with others of a similar standard and interests. Ploughing away on your own, you can very often get bogged down in technicalities. With online learning, you can also take things at your own pace while remaining motivated, disciplined and inspired. Learning by ear is the most natural way to learn music.

Although it can be challenging at the very start. It makes sense that you should learn music through your ears rather than your eyes right? If you buy an instrument in any other key and attempt to learn Irish repertoire in the standard keys you may succeed but your journey will be much longer and more laborious than it need be.

Also, choosing an instrument in a different key will move notes commonly used in Irish music from the middle of your instrument top section of buttons on the left and right to the bottom section of buttons which are difficult to reach as they fall under your baby fingers rather than your first, second and third fingers.

An accordion and a concertina are different instruments. An accordion is generally bigger than a concertina, it is rectangular and has melody on one side and basses or chords on the other. There are many different types of accordions.

A concertina is smaller, has hexagonal ends and has only melody buttons on each side. The rows can be imagined a little like three harmonicas sitting beside each other. Generally speaking, playing push, pull from the bottom left upwards towards the bottom right of the instrument will give you ascending notes. Try not to aim for speed, aim for beautiful mellow playing with good technique. Your music will gradually increase in speed as you become more capable on your instrument.

Trying to play faster than you are able can develop bad habits which you will end up trying to undo later on. Detailed questions and discussion on the course can be found in the Community Forum, available to paying members only.

Before doi…. In it, Edel will continue her stud…. This is a well known traditional reel …. Home Courses Concertina Basics. Learn Concertina Online - For Beginners. Access on all your devices.

Cancel anytime. Press the key down while opening or closing the bellows to play them. Start with middle C in one of the middle rows of the concertina. The note you selected will play as long as the bellows are moving. Find C1 on the opposite side of the concertina as middle C.

Play C1 followed by C to hear the difference between the octaves. Watch video tutorials for a better understanding of notes and placement. Look up introductory concertina videos to watch how someone else plays the concertina. These lessons will go over how to properly use and hold the instrument, basic notes, and how to play simple songs. Look for various videos online from different instructors.

Some lessons are usually free on sites like YouTube but will offer further lessons for a small fee on their website. Having a visual reference can be really helpful for beginners. Part 4. Practice your major scales. Start with middle C on your concertina and work through the 8 notes, or octave, up to C1, or high C.

Depending on the type of concertina you have, you will either alternate which hands play the notes or work down the rows of keys to play your scale. Work through the scales for each octave slowly to master them.

Hold down multiple buttons at the same time to play chords. Combining notes is an important part of music, especially if you are playing an accompaniment on a concertina.

Look for sheet music or watch tutorials online on how to play the songs. Practice playing the song slowly at first, and as you perfect it, start playing it faster. Purchase a song book for concertinas to learn more. Find books filled with sheet music specifically for the concertina you own so you can easily pick them up and play them. Did you know you can get answers researched by wikiHow Staff?

Unlock staff-researched answers by supporting wikiHow. Yes No. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 7. The concertina is good, but the tin whistle helps you to branch out to other instruments similar to it, like flutes. Not Helpful 6 Helpful 5. You can either play the notes and have someone on a piano, guitar, etc. Or, if you are good enough, you can sing and play at the same time. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 5. Each instrument is shaped differently.

Accordions are rectangular, while concertinas are hexagonal. Accordions usually have piano keys on one side and buttons on the other, and concertinas only have buttons on both sides. There are some accordions that have buttons on both sides, in a similar way to the concertina. They also sound different: The accordion sound is usually more smoother and "faded" in effect and is similar to a violin or an air-based machine such as an electric fan.

The concertina has a fuller, brighter sound like an oboe despite its smaller size. Not Helpful 2 Helpful 1. Parker garlough. However, it may be rare to find a concerto arranged for a concertina.