Melodeon.net Forums

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Welcome to the new melodeon.net forum

Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: Slipping left hand  (Read 3541 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Steve Minett

  • Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4
Slipping left hand
« on: July 03, 2015, 05:22:06 PM »

There have been a few posts recently about left hand position and slippage, so perhaps it will be useful to someone out there if I describe a very simple mod that I use (is it just me?).
On a two-row instrument with eight basses I use one finger per pair of buttons, so my LH stays more or less fixed on the end of the box.
Hohners (and some others too) have large holes in the end plate with fabric on the inside.  I pick a pair of holes about 60mm from the top, one either side of the LH strap. then thread a shoelace or piece of string down one hole and up the other and tie over the top of the strap.  You can unscrew the end plate to do this, or just use a bit of wire, paper clip etc as an improvised needle to thread the lace through without any dismantling.  You have to puncture the fabric but it doesn't show much. 
This keeps my left hand in a comfortable position for the bass and air buttons and I can tighten or loosen the lace for adjustment without undoing the little screws that secure the ends of the LH strap.  This method suits me better than a pad or cloth above the hand, as it keeps the leather strap wrapped comfortably around my hand without it being too tight.
Hope this helps somebody else.
By the way, I have never had a problem with the end plate coming loose or being damaged but worth checking that it is held on firmly before you do this.
Cheers.
Logged

John MacKenzie (Cugiok)

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2360
  • Fettling... Learning to reed and right.
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2015, 05:24:57 PM »

I was watching Sharon Shannon, at Orkney folk festival. She slips a sponge, between her left wrist, and the box itself. Seems to work for her.


John
Logged
There is no beginning to my talent :)



: Hohner Club Modell 1. Bb/Eb, de-clubbed : Early Hohner Pressed Wood A/D : 1930's Varnished wood G/C:  Hohner Erika C/F: Bandoneon tuned D/G Pressed wood: Koch F/Bb; G/C Pre Corso

george garside

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5401
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #2 on: July 03, 2015, 07:56:51 PM »

I have used the sponge method on borrowed boxes with non adjustable strap  but if its your own its easy enough to reposition the screws to shorten the strap.  I have also used a  footless sock  as a tube over the strap  with a roll of sponge inside

george
Logged
author of DG tutor book "DG Melodeon a Crash Course for Beginners".

Nick Collis Bird

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3785
  • Been squeezing melodeons for over 48 years (badly)
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #3 on: July 04, 2015, 05:25:04 AM »

I think Sharon uses the sponge to protect her wrist from the back edge, rather than as a strap fixer.
I maybe wrong of course.
Logged
Has anyone heard of the song. “ Broken Alarm-clock Blues” ? It starts   “I woke up this Afternoon”

Graham Spencer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3538
  • MAD as a wet Hohner........
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #4 on: July 04, 2015, 05:43:54 AM »

I have used the sponge method on borrowed boxes with non adjustable strap  but if its your own its easy enough to reposition the screws to shorten the strap.  I have also used a  footless sock  as a tube over the strap  with a roll of sponge inside

george

Also it's easy enough to replace a fixed strap with an adjustable one.

Graham
Logged
Among others, Saltarelle Pastourelle II D/G; Hohner 4-stop 1-rows in C & G; assorted Hohners; 3-voice German (?) G/C of uncertain parentage; lovely little Hlavacek 1-row Heligonka; B♭/E♭ Koch. Newly acquired G/C Hohner Viktoria. Also Fender Jazz bass, Telecaster, Stratocaster, Epiphone Sheraton, Charvel-Jackson 00-style acoustic guitar, Danelectro 12-string and other stuff..........

Squeezing in the Cyprus sunshine

Sally Jarvis

  • New Starter
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3
  • Play melodeon or whistle for morris and fun. :-)
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2015, 10:54:03 AM »

I tightened the strap on my Pokerwork but still had slippage so have placed an appropriately sized wad of soft fabric under the strap above my hand. Seems to help. I'm waiting for an Erica from Theo, will see how the different box shape changes things. :-)
Logged
Rather an instrument flitter, play guitar ukulele whistle keyboard but want to work on melodeon now.

Nick Collis Bird

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3785
  • Been squeezing melodeons for over 48 years (badly)
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2015, 12:55:18 PM »

Hi and welcome to the forum Sally. Yes it's a common problem. Do you play sitting down or standing up? If sitting down, balancing the bass end on your knee might help. If standing up then your pad idea might be ok, but you shouldn't need that,it's just a case of getting that strap tension right.
Logged
Has anyone heard of the song. “ Broken Alarm-clock Blues” ? It starts   “I woke up this Afternoon”

boxer

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 380
  • B/C Pokerwork - ultimate ceili box
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2015, 02:46:56 PM »

I've seem Mally using the Shannon sponge method
Logged
Nuage, Tommy, Cairdin, 
Double Ray DLX 21x12, Black Dot,
Pre-Erica, Pokerwork
plus various stringed things

arty

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1442
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #8 on: August 09, 2015, 03:48:44 PM »

I tightened the strap on my Pokerwork but still had slippage so have placed an appropriately sized wad of soft fabric under the strap above my hand. Seems to help. I'm waiting for an Erica from Theo, will see how the different box shape changes things. :-)

Sally, I don't have any answers I'm afraid but would recommend an adjustable bass strap, which you can get from Charlie Marshall. They aren't expensive and they are easy to fit - you can do it yourself. If you are waiting for an Erica from Theo, why not get him to fit one before sending it.
I don't know how much of a learner you are but I used to have exactly the same problem when I started and it went on for the first couple of years. Then, the problem just went away. All I can think of, is that I started to relax - I wasn't 'gripping' the box anymore and I wasn't 'trying' so hard. Instead of 'forcing' the box to do what I wanted, I was just 'guiding' it, being gentler and not playing so loud.
I can't tell you how to do it, all I can say is that that is what happened to me. You'll get there, just by putting in the time all these little problems will go away!
Good Luck  (:)
Logged
Pre-Pokerwork C/F, Castagnari Laura G/C, Beltuna Sara 3 A/D, Castagnari Sander Special D/G

Lester

  • MADman
  • Mods and volunteers
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9107
  • Hohners'R'me
    • Lester's Melodeon Emporium and Tune-a-Rama
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #9 on: August 09, 2015, 03:59:36 PM »

If sitting down, balancing the bass end on your knee might help.

Balancing the bass end on your knee may well stop your hand slipping but it will also prevent you ever playing your box successfully.

Nick Collis Bird

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3785
  • Been squeezing melodeons for over 48 years (badly)
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #10 on: August 09, 2015, 04:42:18 PM »

Agreed.
Logged
Has anyone heard of the song. “ Broken Alarm-clock Blues” ? It starts   “I woke up this Afternoon”

malcolmbebb

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2609
  • In dampest Dorset, on the soggy south coast.
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #11 on: August 09, 2015, 07:43:03 PM »

This was mentioned in an earlier thread, I think it's worth another mention. It's a non-sticky sticky material  :o that I use on the left hand of my Dino Baffeti BPII.
I found my hand still slipping on the smooth plastic finish even with the straps tighter than I liked. I have had a small piece of a similar material on for some months now, and it works well. When it stops sticking, wash it under the tap, pat it dry, and away again.
Logged
Dino BPII.
"Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire."

boxer

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 380
  • B/C Pokerwork - ultimate ceili box
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #12 on: August 09, 2015, 08:16:55 PM »

When I mentioned this before on a similar thread it was frowned on by experts, so here goes:

On some of my boxes I've fixed panels of self adhesive cork sheet (as used to stick to the bottom of heavy vases etc to protect polished surfaces) to the left hand end plate to give grip.

If no longer required it can be pulled off and any adhesive residue remove with white spirit.

It works for me on the Pokerwork and Black Dot
Logged
Nuage, Tommy, Cairdin, 
Double Ray DLX 21x12, Black Dot,
Pre-Erica, Pokerwork
plus various stringed things

Sally Jarvis

  • New Starter
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3
  • Play melodeon or whistle for morris and fun. :-)
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #13 on: August 10, 2015, 11:32:58 AM »

Hi and welcome to the forum Sally. Yes it's a common problem. Do you play sitting down or standing up? If sitting down, balancing the bass end on your knee might help. If standing up then your pad idea might be ok, but you shouldn't need that,it's just a case of getting that strap tension right.
I normally play standing, and am comfortable wIth that other than the bass end. Have 2 shoulder straps to keep the box steady. I do have quite small hands, being a small person, and I think it's just that there's so much space above my hand if I don't put an'obstacle' in the way.
Thanks for the welcome, and looking forward to the monthly tune to learn in addition to sharing melodeon chat.
Very much looking forward to the Erica!
:-)
Logged
Rather an instrument flitter, play guitar ukulele whistle keyboard but want to work on melodeon now.

Steve_freereeder

  • Content Manager
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 7511
  • MAD is inevitable. Keep Calm and Carry On
    • Lizzie Dripping
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #14 on: August 10, 2015, 12:41:27 PM »

I normally play standing, and am comfortable wIth that other than the bass end. Have 2 shoulder straps to keep the box steady. I do have quite small hands, being a small person, and I think it's just that there's so much space above my hand if I don't put an'obstacle' in the way.
Thanks for the welcome, and looking forward to the monthly tune to learn in addition to sharing melodeon chat.
Very much looking forward to the Erica!
:-)
Another tip if you have small hands is to allow the LH end to droop down (see my avatar picture). Contrary to what some people might say, this is not bad practice. It actually helps because gravity and friction combine to keep your left hand in place and not slide up the bass end strap. I have quite small hands too and I never have any problem with hand slippage doing it this way.
Logged
Steve
Sheffield, UK.
www.lizziedripping.org.uk

Nick Collis Bird

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3785
  • Been squeezing melodeons for over 48 years (badly)
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #15 on: August 10, 2015, 02:32:27 PM »

I totally agree with Steve, alter the angle as illustrated get the right tension and you should be OK.
I'm a small person also. Try one strap only and use the angle that Steve suggests. Should work fine Sally.
Logged
Has anyone heard of the song. “ Broken Alarm-clock Blues” ? It starts   “I woke up this Afternoon”

Nick Collis Bird

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3785
  • Been squeezing melodeons for over 48 years (badly)
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #16 on: August 10, 2015, 02:37:46 PM »

I'll add a rider to that. One strap hanging from your right shoulder angled as in Steve's avatar should (like a violin) become part of your body. Although I note he wears two straps  8)
Logged
Has anyone heard of the song. “ Broken Alarm-clock Blues” ? It starts   “I woke up this Afternoon”

Sally Jarvis

  • New Starter
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3
  • Play melodeon or whistle for morris and fun. :-)
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #17 on: August 11, 2015, 03:15:56 PM »

Thanks for the suggestions.  :|||:
I managed to shorten the bass strap on the super fun Erica but will try your suggested drooping end position, Steve. The Erica is already more comfortable than pokerwork for me.
Logged
Rather an instrument flitter, play guitar ukulele whistle keyboard but want to work on melodeon now.

Mike Gott

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 285
  • Melodeon and hairy arm
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #18 on: August 12, 2015, 06:45:54 PM »

Photo of a modification that I made on my Erica to stop this problem a few years back. Its just a bit of brass strip screwed onto the left cover.

 

Mike
Logged
"Traditional music was for entertainment, it wasn't for a further education class" (Bob Davenport)

Rivington Morris, Bolton, Lancashire.

Nick Collis Bird

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3785
  • Been squeezing melodeons for over 48 years (badly)
Re: Slipping left hand
« Reply #19 on: August 13, 2015, 04:22:53 PM »

Mike, I like the engineering but why? You now have two extra screw holes which if you pass the box on might be superfluous. Why didn't you just remove the two (preferably the bottom ) strap screws, push two more holes into the strap and then replace the originals?  :-\
Logged
Has anyone heard of the song. “ Broken Alarm-clock Blues” ? It starts   “I woke up this Afternoon”
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
 


Melodeon.net - (c) Theo Gibb; Clive Williams 2010. The access and use of this website and forum featuring these terms and conditions constitutes your acceptance of these terms and conditions.
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal