A concertina can be described as a free reed instrument, with bellows that are similar to accordions. It is lighter and easier to play than the accordion.
Traditional Irish music uses 30 key concertina a lot. Here are some tips for beginners who are trying to master this instrument.
1. Decide what type of slot machine you prefer. The most popular varieties are Anglo German or English.
2. Finger rings will be required to play the concertina. You will need a finger ring depending on the type of concertina.
3. A set of simple or more specific books can be purchased for your concertina. Anglo concertinas can be purchased as “Del Rey’s Deluxe Concertina Book”.
4. Begin with the easiest songs first, before you tackle the harder ones.
5. YouTube is a good place to start learning how to play the concertina.
More information:
An Anglo Concertina is great for Irish folk and folk music. Pushing on the bellows will quickly change the note. English is more versatile with additional buttons
The range of the concertina is approximately the same as that for the violin. You can play the sheet music of the violin on the concertina.
Anglo concertina are somewhat more expensive than Anglo due to the higher number of buttons and reeds.
There are 2 types of major concertinas
English concertina. Invented in 1897 by Wheatstone. The English concertina usually has 48 keys. Some models have 56 keys.
Anglo concertina
Tips to buy concertina
You have the choice of purchasing new or used concertinas. When buying used instruments, you should bring someone with an in-depth knowledge about the instrument. A bad idea is to buy an instrument that’s more than 60-years old. That is perfectly acceptable as most of the best instruments are between 60 and 70 years old. When it comes to purchasing old instruments, you should be aware that there might be problems that are not apparent to the casual eye. However, they may cost a lot to fix. If you intend to play with a group, check that the instrument has ‘concertina’ pitch.
Different types are available for different styles of music. An English concertina will allow you to play with others. Anglo scale can be used for folk dances or morris.
You can ask your dealer to take off the ends of the concertina and look inside. You might find anything, even wood worms. Some dealers may disagree on doing it.