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[The Happy Wanderer]

The "Slovenčina , Poľština , a Taliansky!" you see under my profile picture is my heritage. For some reason, I put it in Slovak. I do speak Googletranslatorish, which is often incorrect, which is why it couldn't translate your Polish. Perhaps I should change that text under my profile picture to something else to avoid confusion.

Today, I woke up with my shoulder feeling much better, but when I was combing my hair, it started hurting worse than before I even started resting it. I have decided to start practicing for 30 minutes, then moving up to an hour. Eventually I will probably do 2 or more hours, but for now, I decided to take it easy, and build up shoulder strength.

[Lester]

Even after 30 years of playing I still suffer from stiffness when learning new tunes, this is due to me tensing up with the concentration required. I expect you will find that as you are able to relax as you gain familiarity the pain will go away.

[Sebastian]

I do speak Googletranslatorish, which is often incorrect, which is why it couldn't translate your Polish.

Ah, I see! Alas, it wasn't Polish, but a close language not (yet?) supported by Google.

[TomBom]

Ah, I see! Alas, it wasn't Polish, but a close language not (yet?) supported by Google.

Sorbisch?

[Sebastian]

Sorbisch?

Wendisch.

[Sebastian]

I wonder if Tufty Swift's little book for the one-row might be of help? I have a copy of the pdf on my computer, but it's too large to attach here, or I would so do.

Chris B.

Available here

Wonderfull! Thank you!

[The Happy Wanderer]

Despite planning to practice for only 30 minutes, I wound up practicing for about an hour and fifteen minutes. The melodeon is too fun to only use for thirty minutes.

As a matter of fact, my shoulder actually hurts less now, after playing the melodeon.

[The Happy Wanderer]

I have been practicing for about an hour each day now, and my shoulder hurts no longer. I have also noticed that my fingers are getting used to the buttons. I assume I will get better at sounding out songs out when I am totally accustomed to the melodeon keyboard.

[Sebastian]

I have been practicing for about an hour each day now, and my shoulder hurts no longer. I have also noticed that my fingers are getting used to the buttons. I assume I will get better at sounding out songs out when I am totally accustomed to the melodeon keyboard.

[The Happy Wanderer]

I have been practicing daily, with practice averaging around 40 minutes. I feel like I am improving, but I still have strap issues. I have been trying to stop the left hand from sliding by putting a piece of foam between the strap and my hand (as I am afraid I may cause damage by adjusting the strap), and I have tried putting a rubber band around the thumb strap. However my thumb still slips, and my left hand still slides up a bit (but it slides slower). Would it be possible to make a new left hand and a new thumb strap from cloth?

[Steve_freereeder]

I'll try to answer the LH strap queries together...

I have been practicing daily, with practice averaging around 40 minutes. I feel like I am improving, but I still have strap issues. I have been trying to stop the left hand from sliding by putting a piece of foam between the strap and my hand (as I am afraid I may cause damage by adjusting the strap), and I have tried putting a rubber band around the thumb strap. However my thumb still slips, and my left hand still slides up a bit (but it slides slower). Would it be possible to make a new left hand and a new thumb strap from cloth?

Yep, I have the Weltmeister with the button basses. Unfortunately it's left hand strap is fixed in place, and cannot be adjusted without a replacement strap. However, I assume I could try to put some sort of thing behind the left hand strap to make it a bit bigger, tightening it's grip. Foam might work, but I don't know.

To stop your left hand slipping upwards, one thing you could try is angling the bellows and LH end downwards, like in my avatar picture. That way, gravity partly helps keep your hand in the middle of the strap.

However, if your LH strap is really loose and/or if you have small hands, it is far better to shorten the strap just a little. Unless you are really really clumsy  , you won't cause any damage!

If it's anything like the photo which Sebastian posted earlier, the LH strap should be secured at both ends by a pair of screws. Remove the screws from the underneath end of the strap. The screws will pass through a couple of holes in the strap. All you need to do is to make another pair of holes in the leather strap a short distance away from the original holes. Use a sharp pointy thing to make the new holes in the leather strap and then simply replace the screws in through the new holes. You might need to cut off a small section of excess leather if the end of the strap is now too long to fit properly against the end of the instrument, but if it's OK just leave it.

When making the new holes, it is surprising how little adjustment is needed to make a significant difference in the tension. A gap of  5 mm to 10 mm from the original holes will probably be OK. It's better to make the gap small to begin with: say 5 mm. You can always increase it again if it's not enough. That's why it's best to do this on the underneath end of the strap - a bit of trial and error won't show.

I also have a fear, which I do not know if it is irrational or not. I am afraid of accidentally moving the bellows without pressing a button. Many videos I have watched warn you not to move the bellows without a button pressed. I am afraid that when I am playing, I will accidentally move the bellows without pressing a button. Is this possible to do this by accident?

To answer your earlier query, don't worry too much about this. Yes - you will encounter some resistance if you try to move the bellows without any buttons pressed. The odd little bit of accidental push or pull pressure won't hurt at all. So long as you don't deliberately and forcibly try to do this you won't cause any damage.

[Mcgrooger]

It might be worth saying that after playing 2 row melodeons for years I only recently acquired a one-row. I've found it much harder to play than a two row, and much harder to be physically comfortable with so I'm not surprised you're getting shoulder, hand or any other physical problems.  Musically also, it feels to be a much more 'specialist' instrument to me than a 2(+) row.

[The Happy Wanderer]

I don't think the strap is that large on my hand, only slight. I don't exactly have small hands, since I have an easy time reaching just over an octave on the piano. I guess I should try holding my melodeon like you are.

Thank you for helping me understand that bit about the bellows. I no longer fear accidentally breaking the bellows.

I actually don't find playing the one-row melodeon difficult. I find it much easier than the guitar, or wind instruments. Perhaps this is because I have never tried a two-row?

[Steve_freereeder]

Thank you for helping me understand that bit about the bellows. I no longer fear accidentally breaking the bellows.

Bellows are actually quite strong and (barring malicious attacks with a knife or screw driver blade  ) it would normally take a great deal of over-pressure to cause any damage.

The main hazard to bellows is constant rubbing against hard/sharp items of clothing: belt buckles, clothing buttons, etc., are particularly notorious. So try to avoid these, or cover them up. If you play sitting down, try to rest one end of the instrument on your leg, rather than draping the bellows across your thigh. Similarly, when playing, ensure that the bellows closure straps (if fitted) do not chafe against the bellows folds but are turned away so they lie across the wooden ends of the instrument.

Also, don't play in the rain!

[rees]

......... or the bath 

[boxcall]

Hi Happy,
I was wondering if on the thumb strap, you have enough thumb sticking though strap?
I don't use the strap, but I can and when I do the strap is passed the first knuckle.
Like this  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocCwzvSHXpE
and also wondering about how your holding it? resting on leg sitting, standing,etc.
Marc holds treble end on right leg in video.

[The Happy Wanderer]

I put it flat on my right leg, and I rest the right hand side against my torso. The thumb strap is quite large, and I put my thumb flat against the side of the keyboard. In the video, Marc Savoy has his thumb facing the camera, if I were to do the same, my thumb would just slip out. Is there something wrong with my thumb strap?

Also, Marc Savoy's melodeon has an interesting left hand strap. It appears to have some form of padding in it. Is it possible to add a similar padding to a plain left hand strap?

[Theo]

I also have a fear, which I do not know if it is irrational or not. I am afraid of accidentally moving the bellows without pressing a button. Many videos I have watched warn you not to move the bellows without a button pressed. I am afraid that when I am playing, I will accidentally move the bellows without pressing a button. Is this possible to do this by accident?

That is a complete myth.  I have no idea why it is repeated in so many books. If you press the bellows hard enough with no buttons pressed all that happens is that the air pressure inside will lift the pallets and allow the air out. There is a theoretical risk if you pull the bellows very hard that the bellows can collapse inwards,  but you have to be very rough to do this, and I've even seen it happening during feel loud playing. 
I've seen and repaired just about every sort of damage you can imagine happening to a squeezebox, and I've never seen damage that could be due to moving the bellows without pressing a button.

So you can relax.

[boxcall]

I put it flat on my right leg, and I rest the right hand side against my torso. The thumb strap is quite large, and I put my thumb flat against the side of the keyboard. In the video, Marc Savoy has his thumb facing the camera, if I were to do the same, my thumb would just slip out. Is there something wrong with my thumb strap?

Also, Marc Savoy's melodeon has an interesting left hand strap. It appears to have some form of padding in it. Is it possible to add a similar padding to a plain left hand strap?

I don't think there's anything wrong with your thumb strap, but thought you were having some trouble with slipping?
And no right or wrong way to do it IMO you got to find whats comfortable.


You can get padded adjustable straps and change out the one you got.

[Matthew B]

Is there something wrong with my thumb strap?

Possibly there is a problem with your thumb?  Is it an unusual shape?  Post a picture: enquiring minds need to know!

Marc Savoy's melodeon has an interesting left hand strap. It appears to have some form of padding in it. Is it possible to add a similar padding to a plain left hand strap?

For some idea of bass straps of all kinds look here: http://www.cgmmusical.co.uk/CGM_Musical_Services/Bass_Straps.html.  I'm guessing that most of these were imported to the UK from other places, so you may want to look for a local supplier. 

If there's a leather-worker in your neighbourhood you may even be able to get one custom-made more cheaply.  My local sporran-maker just helped me out with a bass-strap repair for the price of a pint of beer.