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Discussions => General Discussion => Topic started by: 911377brian on September 27, 2012, 08:40:32 PM

Title: Squeezing in old age
Post by: 911377brian on September 27, 2012, 08:40:32 PM
 Gave up after playing for a year 25 years ago [could'nt do the left hand stuff], and started again in July this year around my 75th birthday, after a lovely little Hohner 1040 in D came into my life from Mike Rowbothams bench. Result, improved concentration and a huge desire to make up for lost time.Left hand is slowly improving [ Thanks to George Garside's 'Without the crap' books]. Downside is a nasty attack of MAD
; a toy melodeon in C fitted with Hohner reeds [enormous  fun] and another 1040 [in G ]about to roll off Microbot's bench . You're never too old.....     

Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: Lester on September 27, 2012, 08:51:58 PM
You're never too old.....   

 (:)  Neither are the melodeons!
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: sue higham on September 27, 2012, 09:41:29 PM
You don't stop playing because you're getting old.  You get old because you stop playing ;)
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: zippydw on September 27, 2012, 10:51:49 PM
I'm with you Sue.

A close freind started the piano...from scratch.. at 70. I told he she really should have tried B/C first :||:
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: Nick Collis Bird on September 28, 2012, 11:20:35 AM
I agree to a certain extent with the above but I have found in old age that things do start to seize up and I'm not just talking about the Melodeon here. Fingers for a start off.
About two years ago I had a set of Northumbrian Smallpipes made for me. I practiced every day for a year and even had lessons but could I get on with that bag of snakes? NO! The fingers and the coordination just wouldn't do it for me. I've now "lent" them to a friend and if he can get a tune out of them he's welcome to em. melodeon ? No problem my box just seems to play itself.
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: Strigulino on September 28, 2012, 01:42:50 PM
There is a lot to be said for using your retirement years and all that extra time you have, to do something fun to exercise fingers and brain.  University of the Third Age and all that. 

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=97835&page=1
http://retireathome.com/news/learning-a-musical-instrument-music-therapy-for-seniors/

That said, you might have to play tunes at your own speed. 

I fully intend to be a knitting, squeezbox playing, cat owning old lady in my twilight years.  Husband intends to be the kind of old boy who props up the bar at the local, drinks ale and tells tall tales to the young lads who adopt him as a mascot.
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: strad on September 28, 2012, 03:40:14 PM
I read University of the Third Age as University of the Tired age! I've been at that one for a few years now!

Nigel
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: Matthew B on September 28, 2012, 04:02:56 PM
I read University of the Third Age as University of the Tired age! I've been at that one for a few years now!

Well now if what I saw last time we played was you tired, I'd pay folding money to see you lively.
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: malcolmbebb on September 28, 2012, 04:17:31 PM
There is a lot to be said for using your retirement years and all that extra time you have
Most of my retired friends would challenge that. Few of them know how they found time to go to work.
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: Ebor_fiddler on September 28, 2012, 04:28:15 PM
I tried to get a University of The Third Age session going in York, but to no avail. I get the impression that unless one is a retired teacher or university lecturer, they don't really have anything for one here. Nevertheless my weapon of choice as a retirement project remains the melodeon (ANY!).

Love and Fishes,

Chris.
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: Bobtheboat on September 29, 2012, 07:50:51 AM
You're only as old as the box you squeeze!!! Oh... Erm.. If that's the case I've just doubled my age . No wonder I feel tired!!!
Glad you returned to the path of righteousness, enjoy! Bob
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: Rob2Hook on September 29, 2012, 01:57:01 PM
I fully intend to be a knitting, squeezbox playing, cat owning old lady in my twilight years.  Husband intends to be the kind of old boy who props up the bar at the local, drinks ale and tells tall tales to the young lads who adopt him as a mascot.

Got the box, cats and tankard.  Just coming to my sixtieth and unemployed - no-one seems to want a grumpy old git on their payroll!  I think the speed of playing is dependant on the use of the tankard...

Rob.
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: george garside on September 29, 2012, 02:14:27 PM
I have this year  my 7oth year on this planet,  taken the precaution of investing in a castagnari Lilly so that , if still around, I will still be playing when I'm 90.

Over many years of teching the box, both individualy & at workshops   the youngest of my students  was   14 and the oldest 82.. The average aage waslae fifties and most had never played an instrument before so I agree its never too late to start.

As to fingers getting knackered  I think that the more you use them ( just like any other of your bits) the less likely this is.  i.e. use it or loose it.  The only problem I have had with fingers has been ''trigure finger'' , where the finger locks in the bent position and cannot be freed from within so to speak.
This is purely a mechanical problem and  has been completely cured on 2 fingers by a small operation.  Another now awaits the same procedure.

george
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: ACE on September 30, 2012, 11:08:49 AM

That said, you might have to play tunes at your own speed. 


There is a saying in biker circles, 'The older I get the faster I was'. It could relate to melodeon players, but as you think you are playing slower you could actually be paying it proper. Most of us played like you had to be first past the finishing post when we first started, notes missed, left hand doing what it liked, and a strange belief that the faster the tune the better it sounded.

We have now all learnt that putting a bit of life in the tune is easier when you play the correct speed.
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: Rob2Hook on September 30, 2012, 12:15:01 PM
Absolutely, and of course with age and therefore practice its easier to play at speed so maybe we just don't notice anymore?  I find it interesting to occasionally play along to CDs of dance bands and tend to find that they play faster than I do, yet I have been accused of playing too fast myself.  I think there is a link between one's natural dance speed and one's pulse, so maybe my metabolism is slowing?  This ties in with why a nervous newbie at a session sets off at breakneck speed - that's the rate their pulse is going!

Rob.
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: george garside on September 30, 2012, 01:35:51 PM
?  This ties in with why a nervous newbie at a session sets off at breakneck speed - that's the rate their pulse is going!

Rob.

 so its ''the faster I play the quicker I'll get to the end  & be off the hook or some similer form of inner panic otherwise known as 'ting bricks!

We've all been there!
george ;)

george
Title: Re: Squeezing in old age
Post by: Rob2Hook on September 30, 2012, 11:00:26 PM
so its ''the faster I play the quicker I'll get to the end...

I thought that was setting the pace for morris - just as it starts to rain!

Rob.
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