Theo Gibb
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31#
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Rank:none
Posts:758
From: Great_britain 
Registered:30/06/2004
Time spent: 4850 hours
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(Date Posted:30/08/2007 12:48:15)
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon?
I had terrible piano lessons as a young child, put me of playing anything for 35 years. It was a very mechanistic teaching approach, and I remember having a mental block about sharps/flats/black keys. I could pick out a tune by ear, and enjoyed exploring the sound of chords. I met Benny Graham in the mid 90s and on his melodeon I saw a keyboard without black notes and though it would be easy. Benny lent me an old Hohner in C/C# and as soon as I picked it up it felt right.
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon?
Had the great good fortune to go to the first Folkworks Adult Summer School in Durham in 1995 where the tutor was Andy Cutting. Also taught myself from Mally's books.
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play?
Traditional country dance music, mostly Northumbrian/Borders, but with a seasoning of Scottish, Irish, Southern English, French, Swedish, Danish, Estonian
4. How do you learn tunes?
Any combination of: in sessions, from recordings, from workshops, from notation. I usually only learn a tune after I've listened to it being played.
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
Play in a ceilidh band. Formerly in Angels of the North, now in Sunniside Up!
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?
Hohner Club II in D/G, learning fiddle.
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"?
My day job is now repairing/tuning and renovating melodeons accordions and concertinas at The Box Place
I like to make new tunes to mark important events in the lives of people close to me.
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vielleuse
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32#
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Rank:none
Posts:102
Registered:17/05/2005
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:30/08/2007 14:37:28)
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon?
Blowzabella type stuff, French and English folk music. I was already playing the hurdy-gurdy, had got bored of it and wanted another challenge.
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon?
From Mally's Melodeon Method and by ear from tapes etc
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play?
It's still partly based on Anglo-French folk but has all gone a bit left field. We do a lot of improvisational stuff and write a fair bit of our own material, as well as arrangements for trad songs. It's more song-based than tune-based now. You could describe it as experimental, improvisational folk. The other half of the duo I'm in (www.myspace.com/saltandblue) is (a) not really a folkie and (b) half Icelandic, which lends our stuff a particular quality.
4. How do you learn tunes?
By ear mostly, can read music for the piano but not for the melodeon, so I have been known to pick something out on the piano and then figure it out on the melodeon. I'm not that bothered about learning lots of dance tunes these days though as such.
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
My duo primarily play at non-folk band nights - there's a vague circuit of quirky smalltime bands in London and we're on that. We've been on Resonance FM a couple of times. I also go to a regular French session and sometimes do floorspots at folk clubs.
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?
Castagnari Benny in ADG.
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"?
I'm primarily a singer and hurdy-gurdy player. I love drones and discords and carry that over when playing other instruments - most of the melodeon stuff I do now is quite drone-based. The instrument doesn't really lend itself to that very naturally so it's a challenge!
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Txbear
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33#
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Rank:none
Posts:85
Registered:23/05/2007
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:30/08/2007 19:23:29)
The single-row melodeon in C with all the stops is considered the 'standard' box for playing traditional Australian tunes
The single-row melodeon in C with all 4 stops is the 'standard' Cajun instrument as well. Maybe its why "Waltzing Matilda" sounds so good on my Cajun box. I need to learn some old Austrailian tunes now.
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Folkiekay
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34#
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Rank:none
Posts:85
Registered:30/06/2004
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:30/08/2007 22:20:01)
villeuse said:
4. How do you learn tunes?
"By ear mostly, can read music for the piano but not for the melodeon, so I have been known to pick something out on the piano and then figure it out on the melodeon"
That's the first time I've seen anyone say that. I am the same way. I can read music for the piano and violin both, but not for the melodeon. I never was able to remember what notes each button is going in and out - so never could read the music. It's a mental block or something with me.
I'm happy to see I'm not the only person who does it this way.
Kay
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D_mentias
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35#
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Rank:none
Posts:7
Registered:28/06/2004
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:31/08/2007 06:36:06)
1.Australian old time/bush music. My Gran palyed as did my Mum and siblings
2.Trial and error. Picked it up and had a go...I am sure I did much better when a kid! The Nariel book really helped with their number system.
3. Australian style, very simple bush music.
4.Mostly by ear, I can read music for a melodeon but it has to be in C i.e the music I play in other keys.(legacy of learning the Nariel book?)
5. Only participate when I go to festivals as I live in the bush.
6.Lily D/G, C/G rochelle concertina, Hohner 112 G,piano, PA(ouch) Panther GCF
7. I am a tune or melody person. Just love tunes. Can't play well just love trying. Have little time for lyrics.
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vielleuse
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36#
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Rank:none
Posts:102
Registered:17/05/2005
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:31/08/2007 13:30:28)
Reply to : Folkiekay
villeuse said:4. How do you learn tunes?"By ear mostly, can read music for the piano but not for the melodeon, so I have been known to pick something out on the piano and then figure it out on the melodeon"That's the first time I've seen anyone say that. I am the same way. I can read music for the piano and violin both, but not for the melodeon. I never was able to remember what notes each button is going in and out - so never could read the music. It's a mental block or something with me.I'm happy to see I'm not the only person who does it this way.Kay
It's because I learned to read music as a child when being taught classical piano, so can relate the dots to the keys, but all the folk instruments I've learned, I've learned by ear and haven't a clue where middle C is or whatever.
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Old Leaky
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37#
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Rank:none
Posts:65
Registered:09/02/2006
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:31/08/2007 19:31:07)
Reply to : NorthernMelodeon
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon? IRISH TRADITIONAL a la Jackie Daly, Joe Burke etc.
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon? BY EAR, no tuition apart from a few workshops. Oh, there was also the much maligned (though I don't agree) "The Box - A Beginners Guide to the Irish Traditional Button Accordion" by David Hanrahan.
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play? Er, IRISH TRADITIONAL! So many tunes, so liitle time...
4. How do you learn tunes? BY EAR as I CAN'T READ, playing along with CDs (assuming the tune's in the same pitch or a key I can half figure out and muddle along with!)
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings? ONCE WEEKLY IRISH SESSION (The Islay Inn, Glasgow, Thursdays, 9.00pm)
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency? (1) VanderAa Compact Irish C#/D (23 key, long inside row, 12 bass); (2) Saltarelle Nuage C#/D; (3) 30 Key C/G Lachenal Anglo Concertina (my avatar!); (4) Saltarelle One Row Cajun in C; (5) More moothies (mostly 10 hole diatonics) in more keys than I can count!
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"? Er, WHIT KEY ARE WE IN?!
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Folkiekay
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38#
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Rank:none
Posts:85
Registered:30/06/2004
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:31/08/2007 22:51:55)
Reply to : vielleuse
It's because I learned to read music as a child when being taught classical piano, so can relate the dots to the keys, but all the folk instruments I've learned, I've learned by ear and haven'
And it's exactly the same for me. I've actually felt a little embarrassed around others when someone would ask me to play a specific note......like "Kay - can you play a D for me?".....well no, duh......<smile>
Kay
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Old Leaky
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39#
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Rank:none
Posts:65
Registered:09/02/2006
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:01/09/2007 00:00:10)
Reply to : Folkiekay
Reply to : vielleuseIt's because I learned to read music as a child when being taught classical piano, so can relate the dots to the keys, but all the folk instruments I've learned, I've learned by ear and haven'And it's exactly the same for me. I've actually felt a little embarrassed around others when someone would ask me to play a specific note......like "Kay - can you play a D for me?".....well no, duh......<smile>Kay
Er, I'm the same... I can identify/name notes and pick them out from the dots (slowly) when I'm playing concertina (I learned this way from the start) but with the boxes, and moothies, it's more intuitive i.e. I haven't a clue! "Did you say "A", sorry I may have given you an F#..."! I am getting better at it though.
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artidots
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40#
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Rank:none
Posts:8
Registered:16/10/2006
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:01/09/2007 10:29:26)
Reply to : NorthernMelodeon
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon ?
Cotswold Morris and Northwest Clog on the streets at Rochester Sweeps Festival led me eventually to abandon piano accordion for melodeon. I bought an excellent used Pokerwork D/G there and then from the festival stall of what these days is The Music Room and have been at it ever since.
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon ?
I studied every dot and comma of Mally's Absolute Beginners (the original one) and all the other books too, even the 3 row ones and the fingering systems, and followed his methods completely. Sadly I still have trouble in NOT playing bang bang bass, but I still have and recommend the Mally books and tapes.
3. What kind of music do you play now ?
After 10 years or so of Morris and English I got hooked on French traditional music at a celebratory weekend with Frans Van der Aa (still then in Holland, and yes I met Old Leaky friend there too). I now concentrate mainly on that and play mainly with a French Dance group reasonably locally apart from a few pub sessions with my old Morris friends, especially a particularly good fiddle player, apres Morris.
4. How do you learn tunes ?
I have a good tune memory but nearly always learn from the dots. At age 9 to 11 I was taught piano and come from a musical family so all the technical stuff became familiar at an early age. If I come across a tune I get really hooked on but cannot get any manuscript or tab, I scratch about with Mozart software until I can work up and print off a set of dots, then I sort out the row-crossing, fingering, and chord matching Mally style and learn the tune until it's in there. Very pedantic is me.
5. How frequently do you play in public ?
Less than I did. Once every month for the French dancing, the occasional pub session and village Ceilidh. Am contemplating a local Folk club fortnightly.
6. Which instruments do you play in order of frequency?
a. Loffet (G and B) 2 row 3 voice D/G (wonderful, and a 2 row 2 voice G/C 'G and B' is imminent) b. Castagnari Rik A/D/G a much loved old friend by now c. Wheatstone Aeola English treble concertina d. 'Monarch look-alike' 1 row melodeon in C self-made at the EATMT/Pariselle course earlier this year e. Morse Albion English baritone concertina f. Wheatstone 2E English treble concertina.
7. Anything else that would help others understand 'where you are coming from' ?
If I could start all over again I would confine myself to those wondeful Dipper Franglos and have the best of all possible worlds. In my youth I went from piano to serious chromatic harmonica then briefly piano accordion. Near retirement I picked up on English concertina which I still love for ensemble playing. Resuming piano accordion was a mistake for me and I no longer have one. I tried Anglo concertina and loved the sound but the onset of old age made me feel I had left it too late to start again so I let that go too. Melodeon gives me the most satisfaction by far, though I wish I was a much better player. Fast stuff is getting even more difficult as the old fingers stiffen and the brain and memory creak a bit.
Rob
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Folkiekay
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41#
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Rank:none
Posts:85
Registered:30/06/2004
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:01/09/2007 20:26:23)
Reply to : Old Leaky
Reply to : FolkiekayReply to : vielleuseIt's because I learned to read music as a child when being taught classical piano, so can relate the dots to the keys, but all the folk instruments I've learned, I've learned by ear and haven'And it's exactly the same for me. I've actually felt a little embarrassed around others when someone would ask me to play a specific note......like "Kay - can you play a D for me?".....well no, duh......<smile>KayEr, I'm the same... I can identify/name notes and pick them out from the dots (slowly) when I'm playing concertina (I learned this way from the start) but with the boxes, and moothies, it's more intuitive i.e. I haven't a clue! "Did you say "A", sorry I may have given you an F#..."! I am getting better at it though.
I thought I was the only person in the world who worked at playing this way. It's nice to see there are others who have gone about it the same way. What's funny are the looks I get when people find out I don't know what notes I'm playing on a box. It's not a look of awe, but more a look of "can she really be that stupid?"......I'm able just to smile and go on. In the long run and whole scope of life, I've figured out that it doesn't matter what anyone thinks about anything I do..<smile>
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Andy Next Tune
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42#
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Rank:none
Posts:88
Registered:25/11/2005
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:02/09/2007 01:05:20)
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon? English folk and morris - William Kimber has a lot to answer for, as does John K's Plain Capers.
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon? Self taught. Originally only play by ear, but now will fill in the blanks by looking at the dots. Have even learnt the odd tune from the dots.
3. What kinds of music do you now play? English with frequent forays into anything else which will fit onto the melodeon, so hymns, carols, Glen Miller (2), Elvis Presley (2), 'listen with mother' specials e.g. Runaway train. Plus help from workshops has introduced some non-UK tunes into the fingers.
4. How do you learn tunes? By ear. If I can't 'hear' it , I can't play it. ABC rocks.
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
Morris whenever, so weekly practices and whenever we decide to dance out. Occasional sessions - looking for a good one.
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency? D/G Dino Baffetti Binci (Music Room special), Hohner Liliput (retuned D/G), Lachenal D/G Anglo concertina, D/G Pokerwork, 4 stop Hohner in G.
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"? I stopped playing for almost 20 years due to family commitments. Starting again in 2006, my fingers still 'remembered' the tunes. The drive and motivation to play is stronger now than ever. Why did I stop? What would my playng be like now if I had continued? Remember 20 years ago - no internet, no ABC, no CDs, no MAW, very few non-Hohner melodeons.
Great survey topic!
Andy
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Jeff H
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43#
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Registered:15/12/2003
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:02/09/2007 06:26:04)
1...Inspiring music..
Convoluted answer to a "huge" question.
I first decided to play Anglo concertina after hearing a street msuican in Monterey Calif.. as luck would have it a friend loaned me a Jeffries.. (spoiled right off the bat) looked up Paul Groff in Berkeley Calif for lessons.. showed up with the box .. his apartment was ceiling to floor with button boxes and some concertinas.. he played the concertian for me and then announced he was moving to Boston.. swell no concertina lessons.. but I preferred the sound of the button box and life took another direction ( in spite of scoring my own 38 button Jeffries for $300 with Orig case)
Cutrting to the quick I stared listening to and exploring the button accordion buying a sharped Bb 4 stop Saxon instrument from Paul for $25Inspirational music was all over the board... not in order but all outstanding, Andy Cutting, Tesi, Yann Fanche Perroche, Desauney, Raquekl Gigot, Denis Pepin, Bruneau, Perrone, Ottopassuna (sp)..Jackie Dakly Boozoo Iry LaJeune Santiago Jimenez Sr and Jr, El PArche
It's all good... but I decided to go with D/G as it seemed the most flexible of systems... having talked with Neil; AcRitchie of the Hobgoblin.. he got me into a Serenellini cloud
From there a Mory in G/C then about 50 more boxes in about 5 years... GCF C#/D B/C and single rows ahh the single rows !!!!!! Abnd so I started to focus on the one rows ordering a custom made Quebec box, 2 Custom mAde Cajun boxes a Castagnari MAx and on and on
Then one day I got my fill, like flipping a switch.. I quit.. sold most everything and walked off.. ( a variety of reasons)
Then I slowly got back into it.... and now focusing 1 rows and the older and more original of styles.. the better....but who is to say at this point
How learned.. A variety of ways.. Watson, the one and only one off.. Mallinson and listeneing and then the Pepin Video and another video of Bruneau and Dirks stuff and a mess of other not so inspiring stuff
but they all had merit. All the Caruhel Early stuff, Milleret Pignol a mess of other now out of print material.. and cds stacks and stacks of CDS
ANd standard music notation... which I would then tab out.. examples would be a book on Bruneau tunes... but have transcribed entire books of Irish (american) one row stuuf that was written but not in tab
Lots of trial and erroe and mass repitition,,,
What do I play.. Lots of stuff but exploring Early Cajun (before it got slick and commercial) Quebec, Scandanavian and American Fiddle tunes , Irish Tunes and some old Italian stuff..
Public.. last time I played in public was on Cannery ROw in Monterey Calif and knocked down $15 in 15 minutes borrowing a box from a street player who had made $15 in the last 3 hrs..
What instruments do I have currently..
Early 1950's Hohner 2 row 2 stopper in A... absolute gas to play talk about fun and funky....
mid 1950's 3 row Pre Corona Hohne rin near mint condition in GCF
My great Grandfathers early 1880's 2 1/2 row D/G
And my Castagnari Max in C is on its way back to me
I may off the GCF to concentrate on single rows which will be "parlayed" into a D or Bb single row..
Most fun to play the old D/G with handmade reeds in brass frames.. only once before have I heard this elusive tone and it was from a lowly 2 row plywood mid 30's Italian box...celestial
What other instruments... hmmm another big question
I started playing fingerpicking ( not fingerstyle) guitar back in the very early 60's and was considered "
hot" bu most peoples standards by age 19.. then I walked off and didn't paly for years.. thoguh over the years I still played a bit . I ahve owned over 100 guitars I am down to a 1959 guold and a 1977 Fender Strat HArd tail in mint condition..
I took up banjo in 1971 and played at least 2 hrs a day sometimes 6 for 5 years ,, then walked off selling my 1925 Gibson Ball bearing
around 1980 I took up mandolin taking a couple lessons from Tiny Moore of Bob Wills fame then the sucker up and died on me.. so I quit..
But I started self teaching classical mandolin in 1989 and got a bit good by 93... ( I also owned about 53 mandolins including one from Jethro)
and about that time I also acquired a very fine FF Professional style (custom made for me) banjo where I intended to learn classical banjo.. which I then gravitated toward melodic clawhammer (
Then..... As I had changed form 25 years as a corporate drone to being a self employed furniture maker/folk artist.. I managed to slam my right hand into a shaper.. removing a few digital bits of my anatomy
2 operations and 2 years after beign told I would never use my right thumb index or middle fingers again.. I fooled them all and as part of my therapy I got another guitar
However... about this time I offed all my mandolins and banjos....
So... "where I am coming from " ( in spite of the prepostion at the end of a sentence : ) )....... that is the deciding moment of playing instruments with buttons.. aha !!!
free reeds......... the rquired finite dexterity of striking strings at the precise moment in the precise place would greatkly be reduced to vague hitting of large buttons....
a matter of practicality....
Another category that I might propose... Goals
Learning more about the various accordion playing cultures, their music and instruments and imporving my skills while searching out those elusive cool tunes and players...
and example but not on the box was trunning ito a one legged ( blown off in WWII) toungue blocking straight harp player who has lived in the Eastern Oregon desert and been playing the harp fopr over 65 years... tlak about a score.... he is a step next door neighbor in law.. so I'll have a chance to get together with him again.... that's the stuff that interests me most... that and the roots of any style of music..
I am not so fond of "slickness"
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Mike Gott
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44#
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Rank:none
Posts:264
Registered:05/06/2005
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:02/09/2007 14:47:54)
1. What kind of music inspired me to take up melodeon? It wasn't actually music that led me to melodeon. As a child in Lincolnshire we lived next door to an old chap called George Dinnie who played 1-row and who as a younger man had been one of those people who played down the pubs for sing-alongs, step dancing etc. He gave me an old 1-row which my non-folkie parents weren't too happy about as it had been in his loft and was in a right old state - but it was my first melodeon. George died when I was about 10 and the melodeon got forgotten about as I went off down a Northern Soul route for my teens. I got back into playing after I got press ganged into the local morris side when I was 22.
2. How did I learn? Self taught with help from various people along the way.
3. What do I play now? Predominantly English though I'll always break the rules. I also lead the band for a North West Morris side.
4. How do I learn tunes? By ear. I keep meaning to try to improve my school recorder group level reading skills a bit but never seem to find the time.
5. How fequently do I play and where? The morris commitment gets us all over the place, I was playing for them at Towersey the other week and will be at Bromyard and Otley in a few weeks. I've played on stage at the old Sidmouth a few times but then have also stood in deserted pub car parks in Lancashire doing the same thing for nobody. We performed in Bruges earlier this year which was good. For non-morris I like doing the George Dinnie bit and playing a 1-row (my favourite melodeons) down the pub as long as the locals don't mind. I've started playing in sessions a bit over the last few years, but don't do it much.
6. Which Instruments? For morris, a battered G/D Erica. For myself and when out in the pub either my Hohner 4-stop G or 3-stop D 1-rows when in company or my Excelsior/Baton Rouge 4-stop C 1-row when doing my own thing.
7. Where am I coming from? I suppose I empathise most with players like old George and the likes of Oscar Woods and Bob Cann, the sort of working class folks who just played for fun and relaxation down the pub after a day's work more than the technically adventurous players who have latterly grown out of the folk scene. And I still love Motown and Northern Soul.
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Montcombroux
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45#
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Registered:30/04/2006
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:02/09/2007 19:00:05)
Interesting and informative topic!
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon?
Traditional music of all kinds. It just speaks to you, more than any other kind of music
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon?
Self-taught from Milleret et Pignol and from what I dredge up fron the internet
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play?
Some English (Northumbrian), French, and anything else that fits my instrument and has a good tune.
4. How do you learn tunes?
Sheet music and listening to CDs, MIDIs or Mp3s. In this part of the world, melodeon players are thin on the gorund - so not much chance to see and hear live music for this instrument
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
Never, not good enough, for one thing
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?
Castagnari Lilly G/C. I also play a silver Boehm flute
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"?
I consider myself a man with zero musical talent but I enjoy playing simple music for my own entertainment. My dogs love it too (listening, that is. I've not got around to teaching them to play). I took up the melodeon late in life, two years ago at age 68.
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Old Leaky
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46#
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Rank:none
Posts:65
Registered:09/02/2006
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:02/09/2007 21:44:17)
Reply to : Montcombroux
In this part of the world, melodeon players are thin on the ground - so not much chance to see and hear live music for this instrument
Er, if you think you're badly off, you should try Scotland, mate!
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NorthernMelodeon
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47#
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Rank:none
Posts:346
Registered:27/06/2004
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:02/09/2007 21:58:40)
Reply to : Jeff H
So... "where I am coming from " ( in spite of the prepostion at the end of a sentence : ) )
Yeah, but "whence do you come" doesn't really mean the same thing, does it? "From where do you come" is for pedants. Besides, this forum is for melodeons, so let's leave the prescriptive grammar to the English concertinas!
-Andy
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Montcombroux
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48#
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Registered:30/04/2006
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:04/09/2007 02:59:06)
Besides, this forum is for melodeons, so let's leave the prescriptive grammar to the English concertinas!
========================================================================
I agree. As Churchill once said 'Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put'
Michael
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Jeff H
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49#
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Registered:15/12/2003
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:05/09/2007 03:42:29)
Apparently melodeon.net is a "levity free zone" !
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NorthernMelodeon
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50#
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Rank:none
Posts:346
Registered:27/06/2004
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:06/09/2007 04:59:26)
Reply to : Andy Next Tune
Great survey topic!
I was a pleasure to read this thread -- I think it gives some sense of each active forum participant's angle on the melodeon. I guess there are still some out there who didn't write a response yet, but it's never too late.
-Andy
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Matthew B
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51#
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Rank:none
Posts:39
Registered:17/10/2005
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:06/09/2007 17:27:02)
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon?
I bought a box long before I heard anyone else play one - I was about 10 yeas old: I just thought it was a really cool looking object, it was cheap enough to buy with my pocket money, and it made an enormous amount of noise without needing to be plugged in.
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon?
I'm not sure I can really put this question in the past tense, but ever since I got the box I've been sitting around noodling, taking advice wherever I can find it, talking to professional and amateur players whenever I can, and now and again posting questions here.
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play?
Anything that amuses me, anything I can figure out, a bit of what one "ought" to be able to play (jigs and reels, morris, etc), cheesy old accordion standards (Santa Lucia, Beer Barrel Polka, Danny Boy . . . ) anything else that takes my fancy at the time.
4. How do you learn tunes?
As I'm not paper trained, by ear, from CDs (thanks to this board I now have some slow-down software), ABC, by copying chords from fakebooks, from guys called Pete, whatever.
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
Rarely, now I have kids. But I can still be tempted by offers of money.
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?
Hohner clubs (C/F), Nuage D/G, Pokerworks (A/D G/C), Falcon (D)
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"?
Despite all the predictable jokes and ribbing, I have found over the years that if you pull out a squeeze-box, and bang out a tune, nearly everyone seems to enjoy the music. People smile when they hear an accordion. Sometimes they sing, sometimes they dance, and sometimes they just buy you drinks. Whatever the case, someone with a box of any description is a party waiting to happen. This seems to cut across a lot of different cultures. I really like that.
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pitleyfalley
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52#
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Registered:09/09/2003
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:06/09/2007 19:05:35)
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon?
Dad was in a morris side - we had the old cassette versions of the Morris On Albums - then I went to Uni, met a freind who was into folk music, remebered the albums and found CD versions on Amazon - then we joined a morris side - then he bought a melodeon, then did the student thing of running out of money, I paid ?00 for a D/G Scarlatti 18months ago and took it from there, .
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon?
Self taught by ear mainly, I could play some tin whistle but not a lot and cant really read music. Sitting around in sessions and then working out the tunes at home, and a lot of help from fellow melodeon players in the morris sides im in (mainly Silurian Border). At first it was simply sitting down and pressing notes till it sounded right.
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play?
Nearlly all English Morris music, and general English Folk but starting to get into some more Folk Rock type stuff.
4. How do you learn tunes?
By ear, or sitting down and painfully working out the dots bit by bit. Normally manage to get the tune somewhere near right and then fine tune it with a couple of more experianced players (i.e. this bit aint quite right, which notes should it be?!)
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
Morris Weekends (Bromyard and Upton still to come this month), morris practices and the odd session.
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?
D/G Delicia Popular (just bought off ebay) before that a D/G Scarlatti and did play a very old very battered Pokerwork which id borrowed off a freind for a time.
Chris
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tony gibbons
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53#
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Rank:none
Posts:36
Registered:14/01/2006
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:08/09/2007 20:37:13)
Reply to : NorthernMelodeon
Hello Melodeonistas,In light of the OT ramblings on another thread, I thought it would be a good idea to have a kind of survey that would allow us to see who is here (even lurkers!) and what their interests are. I propose these questions, feel free to answer any or all. The purpose is to get to know each other (again)! If it sparks interest in a side topic, that would be a good occasion to start a new thread.1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon?2. How did you learn to play the melodeon?3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play?4. How do you learn tunes?5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are comin
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon?
When a student in Leeds I saw/heard Johnny Handle play Melodeon with 'The High Level Ranters' in a folk club of which I was a member and regular singer. Later I picked up a D/G belonging to a friend, who had just bought it but couldn't play it, picked it up and played the tune of the song 'The Candle-light Fishermen'. We were both amazed at the fact that I could do so having not tried playing one before.
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon?
It was then a case of buying one and teaching myself to play any tune that came into my head.
Other than Johnny Handle there were no other players around for me to see so for many years I taught myself. Some years later I was encouraged to learn some Morris tunes in order to play for a Morris side and things really went like mad from there. A morris tour in Devon for a week alobgside a Piano Accordion player got me into playing tunes for country dance. I was a music reader anyway and keen on getting my hands on any written music available.
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play?
Anything that I can play on the instruments that I have. Sometimes I will try out tunes on the piano for speed and if they look complicated. I can sight read but it is quicker on the piano.
I play English, Irish, Scottish, American and Playford mainly. Used Piano Accordion for regular playford workshops some years ago and some of those tunes go quite well on D/G box but I now also play a C/C# which allows me to increase the Playford range on Melodeon. Many years ago I was musician for a Scandinavian dance team (playing PA) and I'm always on the lookout for any good tune from Scandinavia, France, Spain, Germany etc.
I also enjoy playing sing-along tunes, oldies etc. & some pop songs if I can, that can be good fun. Oldies come in handy at barn dances where the client group is on the older side.
4. How do you learn tunes?
All ways: Usually from the dots; by ear from other players working with them bar by bar or phrase by phrase; over a period of weeks at sessions - listening/trying out bits (quietly so as not to annoy - something that guitar players should do at first at sessions with new tunes until they understand what is going on,)playing CD's, tapes, records over and over again until bits sink in.
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
Virtually every weekend. Since starting to play PA I've always gathered musicians around me to form bands. My present band has been running for more than thirty years and I've always played Melodeon for that. I prefer it for dancing to PA, has more punch and drive.
We play for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, some public events, private parties, PTA's, We've done a first communion party in a pub back garden and I will soon be playing for my first Wayke.
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?
Castagnari D/G (student model -all I could afford at the time) Hohner de-clubed Club retuned to D/G, Hohner Primatona C/C#, Paolo Soprani B/C/C#. Sonola 120 bass Piano Accordion. I've had many Hohner Polkerworks in the past and the last one is waiting an overhaul when I pluck up the courage and no-how to do it. I would like to get my hands on a Castagnari Morey perhaps when I win the lottery!! as if!
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"
I started Piano lessons at age 8. Had a mouthorgan from about 11 but haven't played it for years. Taught myself guitar age 17, Will try to play anything penny whistle, fiddle, bohdran, (not very well) have had a go on clarinet and trombone but gave that idea up. Always fancied concertina.
Love all forms of music except RAP (is that music??). Sang in church choir from early boyhood. Sang solo and harmony in folk clubs from age 17.
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otisluxton
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54#
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Rank:none
Posts:81
Registered:15/08/2006
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:08/09/2007 22:02:08)
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon?
Initially watching Tim Van Eyken with Waterson Carthy at my local folk club. Then i bought 'bellow' by john spiers and john boden. This made me swap the old piano accordion for a real instrument. :P
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon?
Learnt a few basic scales with Mally's 'beginners guide to melodeon'. then listened to a few tunes on the 'bellow' album such as princess royal (the first tune i ever learnt to play) and a few other tunes on that album.
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play?
English country dance  , a few morris tunes, lots of french stuff, Andy Cutting toons, Stepdance music, tunes that friends write, self penned toons, and getting into quebecois.
4. How do you learn tunes?
Mainly by ear, or watching people, or getting peeople to show me little bits.
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
I usually busk at least once a week, and play at lots of sessions, and regular gigs.
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?
D/G Castagnari Tommy. C/F Declubbed Hohner Club (in need of a big overhaul and tune) - I also play guitar (mainly DADGAD or other alternative tunings, and I also sing.
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"?
Urm, i dont really understand this question, but ill say a few things. When i picked up a friends hohner pokerwork for the first time, i couldnt understand it at all. it made no sense, and to make the thing sound musical was beyond me (it still is) but there was something that attracted me to the box. It was like breathing, and felt natural. the push and the pull is like inhaling and exhaling, sometimes you run out of breath and fuck up, and the times you get it right, are just flooks!
Oat
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Lin Erica
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55#
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Rank:none
Posts:224
Registered:01/08/2005
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:09/09/2007 14:05:46)
Hi all
brill thread Ive enjoyed reading it Heres my two pennyworth
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon? I morris dance, I got a bad knee, I panicked at the thought of being morris-less, our musician thrust a melodeon in my arms and said go away and learn how to play that, so I did!!!
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon? lots and lots of combinations of different ways - taught myself to read dots, bought Mallys tutorial, bought loads of cds to listen to, had 10 lessons from an excellent music teacher, asked loads of questions from my musical friends (and strangers) went to workshops at folk festivals
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play? mostly English country dance tunes
4. How do you learn tunes? from the dots and cds and listening at sessions
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings? sessions - about twice once a month , with the morris side as and when
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency? D/G melodeon, descant recorder
keep playing everyone
Lin
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nm free reed
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56#
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Rank:none
Posts:1
Registered:28/02/2007
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:10/09/2007 09:22:13)
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon? - Morris dance tunes
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon? - I got a few pointers from accomplished English style player, but mostly self-taught with the occasional workshop.
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play? - English country dance tunes, morris, contra dance tunes, English session tunes
4. How do you learn tunes? - ideally a combination of by ear and musical notation. I pick up tunes from albums, other players and I learned a bunch from Nick Barbers book/CD combo.
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings? - perhaps five or six times a year for English Country Dances and a Morris Ale.
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency? D/G Lily, D/G+ acc Pastourelle II. I love the speed and weightlessness of the Lily as well as it's sweet single reed-ness. I use the Saltarelle for it's mellower, meatier, sound, and to play those ECD tunes with lots of flats.
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"?
I'm longing for a lighter weight version of the Pastourelle II (perhaps a Castagnari Benny?). I'm on the list for a Streb, in order to have an easier time in those unfriendly keys--- along with a lighter instrument. Just spent a week learning a few things from Doug Eunson at Goderich Celtic Week, very inspiring. I'd never played in a session with English tunes (only Irish around here). It was great!
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Steve_freereeder
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57#
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Rank:none
Posts:405
Registered:01/07/2004
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:10/09/2007 10:44:17)
This is an interesting thread and I thought it was about time I got round to adding my contribution....
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon?
I heard someone busking in Llanelli, South Wales, playing mostly English tunes on a Hohner one-row. Soon after, I bought a 2nd-hand D/G pokerwork, was introduced to recordings of John Kirkpatrick and I was completely hooked.
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon?
Mostly by ear, having found the push-pull action of the melodeon quite intuitive. I became friends with the busking person mentioned above and learned a small repertoire of tunes from him. With a few others, we formed a small ceilidh band and met for regular practices, which really improved my playing rapidly so that in a relative short period of time (a few weeks) I was able to play on stage. So I was sort of thrown in at the deep end.
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play?
I will have a go at anything, from renaissance music to rock and jazz, but my roots are firmly anchored in English traditional music, especially East Anglian and music from the north of England. I also frequently play Welsh and French traditional music.
Irish music? I love it and will certainly have a go at it, but it is not 'in my blood' as it were, so I am acutely aware that my playing of Irish music is but a poor imitation of what it should be like, therefore I tend to leave it to those who can play it properly.
4. How do you learn tunes?
A mixture of learning by ear, backed up by the written music if it is available, which I find especially helpful for complex tunes. But once the tune is fixed in my head and in my fingers, the dots go away and I can start putting some proper life into the tunes. If I am trying to learn a really complex tune from a recording, I will listen to it over and over again and transcribe it into written music a few notes at a time, with prodigious use of manuscript paper, pencil and rubber, testing it out a bit at a time usually with a whistle or descant recorder, until I'm happy that I've got it right. By that time, I've generally got it into my head anyway and can transfer it to melodeon without too much trouble. That's how the field recordings for the about to be published (!) East Anglian Tune book 'Before the Night was Out' were transcribed.
I also find workshops (at festivals or Witney etc.) of enormous value in learning tunes and technique, particularly when given by the top players. I have learned so much from people like John Kirkpatrick, John Spiers, Brian Peters and Katie Howson. In recent years the latter two people have had an especially important influence on my playing and I owe them a great deal, so a big, public, thankyou is appropriate at this point!
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
I play as guest musician in a couple of ceilidh bands, so will generally have a gig roughly once every two or three weeks. I also play for a dance team, so in addition to weekly practices, we get out and about quite a bit in the summer months. I also play in sessions again perhaps every two or three weeks or so.
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?
Mostly Castagnari Lilium and Sander in D/G, with occasional forays on to Castagnari Max in D or C.
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"?
Have been a 'classically trained' musician since starting to play clarinet at age of 10 and have over 40 years orchestral and band experience, mostly on clarinet but occasionally saxophone and flute. I am convinced this sort of background with its exposure to all types and genre of music can only help and does not hinder one's grasp and feeling for traditional music.
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-risto-
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58#
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Rank:none
Posts:185
Registered:23/02/2006
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:17/09/2007 14:27:36)
Reply to : NorthernMelodeon
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon?
I transcribed some accordion tunes and adapted them for mandolin, tunes and sets like Mouth of the Tobique by Sharon Shannon etc. Previously I had disliked all accordion music, specially the Finnish style of playing, but suddenly I realised that there is a different vein of accordion music which I do like. I started playing classical guitar at the age of 11 but then had an elbow operation which made my first and second fingers weak and almost unusable. Sometimes I have to quit playing guitar and mandolin for weeks because of the pain. The accordion is different and does not cause any pain. As I have decided to live up to the age of 110 (and of course also after my body has been buried) I will still have 56 years of good time with the accordion:-)
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon?
Haven't yet but progressing. From the beginning of July when I finally got my new Morgane back from bass repair from Germany I have learned about ten tunes. The first thing I did was to learn the keyboard so that I can play from the dots.
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play?
At present learning Irish tunes. There are some South American traditionals I had in my repertoire for mandolin and I will give them a try later.
4. How do you learn tunes?
I slow down and transcribe tunes from records or DVDs and write them down, then learn them by using the record as my teacher.
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
We had a guitar+mandolin duo for a few years but broke up a year or so ago.
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?
Hohner Morgane B/C, Acoustic guitar, Mandolin, Classical guitar, Tenor banjo which I haven't touched for a long time though
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"?
Being an engineer I always want to see the insides of things, applies to everything. When I was a kid I used to break all my toys because of this.
PS. When I was trying to find a teacher for B/C accordion, one of our top rank players said that he doesn't know a single B/C player in this country who masters B/C and teaches it.
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ButtonUp
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59#
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Rank:none
Posts:12
Registered:14/09/2005
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:18/09/2007 16:17:52)
Great thread! 
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon?
Principally the desire to play Cajun tunes, having discovered The Boat Band and their wonderful music some years before. However, my Dad is a Morris Dancer and therefore I have had Morris tunes going through my head since I was born, and possible before that! I have always enjoyed a wide selection of music, but my heart has always been in folk and acoustic. I gravitated back to the folk scene, following an increase in my awareness of the events that were happening locally and became hooked on the idea of learning to play an instrument so that I could join in. Choosing the melodeon as the instrument for me was a combination of many of these things, and the influence of great players such as Tony Hall, John Kirkpatrick, Tim van Eyken and John Spiers. The intention was to learn to play for my own amusement at home, I never intended to play out.
2. How did you learn to play the melodeon?
I bought a Pokerwork Melodeon thinking that I could teach myself, and having spent many months trying to and not getting very far, I started lessons with a great melodeon player (Hello Les) who had the patience and stamina to get me, and another beginner (Hello Sue) started. I would not be playing now if it wasn't for these 2 great people. I think that it is only fair to say that many many hours were spent practising to learn my first tune (Buttered Peas) and many many people were long suffering during this process. I received a round of applause (seriously) from the next-door-but-one neighbours when I cracked the first tune!!!!
3. What kinds of music do you now play?
I still cannot play a Cajun tune - any suggestions how to crack this style of playing - any volunteers to teach me? I love playing English and French tunes and play these mostly. I am dabbling with classical tunes as something a little different. The session standard tunes remain somewhat elusive, although I am trying to learn more of these. The problem is that they are always played so very fast. Recently I have added several of Andy Cuttings tunes to my portfolio.
4. How do you learn tunes?
Last week I would have said "always from the dots", but last Friday I could not get Jan Lucas' Schottische out of my head (from the playing of Clive Williams/Vivant/GiG CB), and learnt it on my box AND played it out on Monday!!!! This really is a first for me. I usually learn from the dots (from more than one source if possible) then throw them away and from hearing the tune played (not always possible either). I have invested in a large number of tune books and I am also very grateful for the tune sources on t'internet (I am from Yorkshire), my frequent visits are to the Sheffield Uni CeilidhSoc, Bernard Loffets site and the world wide ABC tune pages (although ABC notation is, as with others, a mystery to me). I like to understand the chords early on in a tune to get the pushy-pully bit in place - the right hand then falls into place.
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
I played out by myself for the first time on Jan 1st this year at my local folk club - The Sun Inn in Stockton-on-Tees, and have been playing my tunes there ever since. I was never destined to be a performer though. I try to join in the session Nurdle there before the club starts and in the interval, but as I said earlier, many of the "standards" are elusive to my fingers. I have visited a couple of other clubs and played, but not regularly. I always take my Pokerwork on holiday with me, so I have played in many parts of the UK, Greece, Mexico, Holland, Belgium and The Czech Republic and haven't been deported yet! My Dad and I often play duets, with him playing the mouth organ.
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?
Hohner Polkerwork D/G, Excelsiola D/G (with extra octave!), Pokerwork One-Row 4 stop in G (I want a one-row in C). Piano - these days just to put tunes in my head to learn on the melodoen.
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"? I learned to play the piano as a child, gave up lessons when I was 15 years old and hardly played again since. It just wasn't the right instrument for me. However, I am eternally grateful for learning the life skill of reading music, which has enabled me to learn to play a new instrument starting 2 decades later. I can frequently be found reading a tune book and "hearing" the tunes that are written. I am very jealous of people who have the skill to learn to play tunes by ear as I cannot, and not for the want of trying. I also have no idea which button is which on the melodeon, but I can pick them out from the root notes. I never look at the key board and generally play with my eyes shut. I remember a tune in patterns: circles, squares, triangles and lines rather than the actual notes.
I shall stop there as I think I have put my melodeon anorak on again!
Looking forward to meeting those of you who will be at Witney this year. This will be my second year there. Confirmed places on A2 and B4.
Claire
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Tyker
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60#
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Rank:none
Posts:58
Registered:16/06/2005
Time spent: 0 hours
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(Date Posted:18/09/2007 21:29:37)
1. What kind of music initially inspired you to take up the melodeon? ffice ffice" / onload='javascript:showImageWidth(this,600,600)' class='AutoImageWidthTopic' style='cursor:poionter'>
When dancing with a defunct rapper side , Keele , and hearing pokerworks
played at ?Days of Dance' and Morris Ring gatherings put the the idea in my head. Did something about it 25 years later ! So English dance music was the stimulus.
2 .How did you learn to play the melodeon?
Started with Mally's book but did not reach the end .
3. What kinds of music do you _now_ play?
English , Irish , French . If I like the tune I'll try it .
4. How do you learn tunes?
Use dots but move on from them as soon as possible . Have large assortment of books but prefer to know the tune first. Many ABC files.
5. How frequently do you play in public, and in what kind of events/settings?
Have never played in public . Just play for myself.
6. Which instruments do you play (in terms of key), in order of frequency?
Saltarelle Cheviot (C#DG at the moment) , Castagnari Tommy D/G (to be sold in the future).
House instruments are : Uilleann pipes practice set , many tin whistles ,
Piano , Irish bouzouki , English concertina , fiddle , bodhran , full drum kit. I only play whistle but learn no new tunes .
7. Anything else that would help others here understand "where you are coming from"?
At junior school, all singing was of English folk songs . (What an enlightened teacher ) . Also performed maypole dancing , Morris (one dance) and Mummer's play (local version) . Also, when doing English Lit O-Level, the poetry was ?English and Scottish Anonymous Ballads'. Steeleye Span were on a Sunday lunch-time programme where someone was making an Appalachian dulcimer. ?Twa Corbies' was performed by them which was great as I had studied the same version for O-Level .Was hooked from then on.
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