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[Nick Collis Bird]

First off Simon, welcome to the forum.  I’m in Swanage. But off to Tasmania , I’ll be out of contact for six weeks.
 You’re welcome to come round in Dec. Where I could probably give you a few tips.
  Don’t worry too much about books. Listen to melodion music , eg John Kirkpatrick or Bob Cann  and just feel the buttons, run up and down the scale etc. I don’t read music either. Have some tunes in your head and try to put them into those buttons, you’ll be amazed how quickly you’ll pick it up.
As for the clarinet oh wow, I have no idea.
  If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask any of our gang.

[Jack Campin]

Two ways to make the clarinet duet work better:

- you get a CF melodeon
- she gets a C clarinet.

There's probably not much in it price-wise.  John Packer import a reasonably good Boehm C clarinet.  (Albert-system ones off EBay are cheaper, but very unpredictable in features, condition and quality - not for a beginner).

[playandteach]

Whilst there are many good reasons to use a C clarinet, I would avoid buying anything without specific advice. In very general terms many issues on a melodeon are fixable by good melodeon mechanics (we tend to call them fettlers on this site). There can be serious issues with clarinets that mean fixes aren't really possible.

Please get in touch if you'd like further advice on clarinets - you can use the pm message system so that it doesn't clog the thread (it doesn't have to be me, there are several players here - including Steve Freereeder - but I'd hate for your wife to buy a C clarinet - especially used, without help). You can of course ignore any advice once you've heard it - or weigh up opinions, but it would be good to hear it first.
However, I do recognise that you've decided to hang up the duet idea to start with - so good luck with the early stages of melodeon playing.

[Jack Campin]

I suggested the JP precisely because it's available new from a firm that provides good support for its products.  I use old Albert ones myself but the guy in our klezmer group who uses a JP certainly has an easier time of it.

[playandteach]

Nothing wrong with what you've said Jack. And your description of the JP instrument as reasonably good is fair. What I'm saying is that we have many times here given advice on buying a melodeon, only to find that someone has found a 'bargain' on ebay of a different model / make. We know that can be a headache, and I think it would be even worse for a clarinet.
Hope this isn't too off thread now.
Simon, I also find that (awful as it may seem) videoing your early attempts will remind you of how much progress you are making. Don't expect things to be perfect, just be aware of the fact that you are getting better quickly.

[Simon Cragg]

The Melodeon was brand new, and the clarinet two weeks old, both appear to be working 100%!
So far....so good!

[exiletaff]

Hi Simon

Welcome. I lurk on here and follow most of the advice offered. Never too late to learn. I was exactly the same at age 70, no musical experience whatever, never played an instrument, couldn't read music.
I heard a melodeon on Utube and liked it, think it was Anahata.
After much reading and deliberation I went along to our local Morris team, Wickham, just north of Portsmouth to listen to a couple of chaps playing - hooked so bought a G/D pokerwork.
With lots and lots of encouragement from the Morris guys and all on this forum I have progressed far enough to feel confident enough to lead the music (most tunes) at our dance outs.
It has taken me 4 years and many many hours of practise.
Do NOT get put off playing when things go wrong, put the melodeon down, then, when the itch starts again, and it will,  spend a few minutes playing the scales shown in those recommended books, but don't overdo the scales it gets boring.
I didn't progress much at first but my son, who plays piano, kept on at me about learning what each button sounds like and how to get to it by practising scales for a few minutes each day.
It has worked for me. Don't overpractise, short and often.

Alun

[Gena Crisman]

Hi Simon,

Like Malcolm, I'm also local and live over in Poole. I bought my first proper box just over a year ago now from Southampton's Hobgoblin, and also bought that Dave Mallison Absolute Beginners book to go with it, and taught myself how to play from that + youtube. I worked my way through the book over many months to about the halfway point, just past where the staples were, before kind of moving away from it and doing a lot of my own things. While it does start you off with 'button 3' etc, it does push you towards reading sheet music by taking the button information away eventually. For some people, they're able to learn much faster by ear, and although there is a separate CD you can buy, you can also find pretty much any of the tunes in there being played by someone on Youtube (Lester's tune a day blog is a pretty good resource) although they aren't always exactly the same. Reading sheet music is a useful skill but far from being a requirement, and for many people it can be a difficult and unnecessary addition to learning to play.

While it's something you'd encounter later, the main thing I found frustrating about the book was, once I started getting more proficient with the basses, it would have been nice to be able to easily go back to the tunes I had already learnt from the book and have the bass keys I should be playing right there along side them. Sadly, that is not the case, and at that point I didn't really know how to do it well on my own. From where I am now, it seems like it would be trivial for me to do this, but going back to me some months ago, I would have appreciated just having the chords written in for me. One thing I did like is that there were sort of veiled lessons/tasks to master as I progressed through it, such as tunes that required me to correctly time unsynchronised left and right hand button presses, as well as dealing with rhythms I hadn't really played music in before, such as jigs. Two of the tunes in the book, Egan's Polka and Cock of the North, were actually kind of stumbling blocks for me for quite a long time because of those things. It also encourages good finger behaviour/techniques, of which I'm sure I only heeded so much. I think it's a decent book and it worked pretty well for me.

I also watched Daddy Long Les' older learning to play the melodeon blog videos from several years ago now, which helped me out with some other tunes to play, as well as gave me a window into the mind of someone else who sort of didn't know exactly what they were doing. The downside of that was, months/years later, he worked on correcting the bad habits he'd developed learning on his own, and then naturally blogged about them down the line, so, if you do just copy his older videos you'll probably pick up some of those same bad habits, so, I'd say definitely check out his actual lessons. I think he has a sticky thread in one of the subforums.

While following the book and watching youtube, I pretty much kept to myself. After I'd got about that far, I started looking for local folk groups and joined one of the morris sides in the area, thinking I'd obviously get to talk to other melodeon players. Turns out though that the group I joined, Anonymous Morris, didn't have any active melodeon players, so, that was all fairly difficult! It all worked out though, and just being with other musicians and eventually finding and talking with other players had me learning a lot of stuff really fast. To be honest, I might have been a bit off put if I'd dived right into a crowd of competent players without being able to play a little bit, but I think I waited much later than I really should have. One thing that someone said to me, when I was struggling quite a bit, and which ended up helping me a lot was that, 'we're all learning' - even the people who felt like very accomplished players were working on something they find difficult. Helped me adjust my perspective!

If you like morris dancing and english music, joining a morris side can be pretty rewarding, but if you're just looking to play music and not worry about learning to play for dancers, Malcolm's right that there isn't that much in the way of sessions, at least that I know of. As he mentioned, the Branksome Railway Hotel has an English session this coming Wednesday (1/month, every 2nd Wednesday) and doesn't cost you anything although parking can be a pain, and there'll be probably at least 4 or 5 melodeon players. There's also a regular session run by The Folk Orc in Swanage and Christchurch, but there is a cover charge for that one, and I haven't gone so I don't know what it's like.

Best of luck!

[Graham Spencer]

True, Graham, but if Simon is like me he may want to learn the first few tunes without having to make choices. He's got his box already, avoiding one big choice dilemma. He's found a great forum and had sound advice about teachers.  I  wouldn't be surprised if he wants to put those sorts of choices in the hands of Mel or Les for a while.
I was trying to learn Salmon Tails over the weekend and was really hindered by choice.

I wouldn't disagree at all. I just think it's a good thing to be aware that the first fingering patterns you learn are not the be-all-and-end-all of melodeon playing, and finding alternative fingerings that suit you as you progress is not in any way "wrong".

Above all, play and enjoy

Graham

[Simon Cragg]

Hi Simon,

Like Malcolm, I'm also local and live over in Poole. I bought my first proper box just over a year ago now from Southampton's Hobgoblin, and also bought that Dave Mallison Absolute Beginners book to go with it, and taught myself how to play from that + youtube. I worked my way through the book over many months to about the halfway point, just past where the staples were, before kind of moving away from it and doing a lot of my own things. While it does start you off with 'button 3' etc, it does push you towards reading sheet music by taking the button information away eventually. For some people, they're able to learn much faster by ear, and although there is a separate CD you can buy, you can also find pretty much any of the tunes in there being played by someone on Youtube (Lester's tune a day blog is a pretty good resource) although they aren't always exactly the same. Reading sheet music is a useful skill but far from being a requirement, and for many people it can be a difficult and unnecessary addition to learning to play.

While it's something you'd encounter later, the main thing I found frustrating about the book was, once I started getting more proficient with the basses, it would have been nice to be able to easily go back to the tunes I had already learnt from the book and have the bass keys I should be playing right there along side them. Sadly, that is not the case, and at that point I didn't really know how to do it well on my own. From where I am now, it seems like it would be trivial for me to do this, but going back to me some months ago, I would have appreciated just having the chords written in for me. One thing I did like is that there were sort of veiled lessons/tasks to master as I progressed through it, such as tunes that required me to correctly time unsynchronised left and right hand button presses, as well as dealing with rhythms I hadn't really played music in before, such as jigs. Two of the tunes in the book, Egan's Polka and Cock of the North, were actually kind of stumbling blocks for me for quite a long time because of those things. It also encourages good finger behaviour/techniques, of which I'm sure I only heeded so much. I think it's a decent book and it worked pretty well for me.

I also watched Daddy Long Les' older learning to play the melodeon blog videos from several years ago now, which helped me out with some other tunes to play, as well as gave me a window into the mind of someone else who sort of didn't know exactly what they were doing. The downside of that was, months/years later, he worked on correcting the bad habits he'd developed learning on his own, and then naturally blogged about them down the line, so, if you do just copy his older videos you'll probably pick up some of those same bad habits, so, I'd say definitely check out his actual lessons. I think he has a sticky thread in one of the subforums.

While following the book and watching youtube, I pretty much kept to myself. After I'd got about that far, I started looking for local folk groups and joined one of the morris sides in the area, thinking I'd obviously get to talk to other melodeon players. Turns out though that the group I joined, Anonymous Morris, didn't have any active melodeon players, so, that was all fairly difficult! It all worked out though, and just being with other musicians and eventually finding and talking with other players had me learning a lot of stuff really fast. To be honest, I might have been a bit off put if I'd dived right into a crowd of competent players without being able to play a little bit, but I think I waited much later than I really should have. One thing that someone said to me, when I was struggling quite a bit, and which ended up helping me a lot was that, 'we're all learning' - even the people who felt like very accomplished players were working on something they find difficult. Helped me adjust my perspective!

If you like morris dancing and english music, joining a morris side can be pretty rewarding, but if you're just looking to play music and not worry about learning to play for dancers, Malcolm's right that there isn't that much in the way of sessions, at least that I know of. As he mentioned, the Branksome Railway Hotel has an English session this coming Wednesday (1/month, every 2nd Wednesday) and doesn't cost you anything although parking can be a pain, and there'll be probably at least 4 or 5 melodeon players. There's also a regular session run by The Folk Orc in Swanage and Christchurch, but there is a cover charge for that one, and I haven't gone so I don't know what it's like.

Best of luck!

Thanks for all the info. Luckily I know a couple of people in the Dorset Buttons which might help in the long term. Having done a LOT of research on books etc. I am going to scrap the idea of the Mally book and get the simpler George Garside booklet which on the face of it seems more "me". In the first instance, I just want to learn as much as I can about my new "toy" and get to grips with a couple of simple tunes which I can show off at family parties........easily pleased really!.

[Little Eggy]

Similar experience to Gena... I started a year ago with a borrowed old Pokerwork and then bought a new Scarlatti at Bristol Hob Gob. I have since caught MAD and now have a Pariselle and an Erica (both from Theo at The Box place - beware looking at his website as you may end up buying numerous lovely boxes!!!!)  I started with Mally's tutor ; Easy Peasy Tunes and 2 X Morris tunes books.  I am lucky enough to have two indulgent folk clubs who don't mind me battling through my latest "learned' tunes.    I just LOVE the sound of the melodeon.  I have found that you simply cannot be anything other than happy and joyful when playing a tune.
I have acquired other tutorials e.g. Ed Rennie, and am about to get some coaching from someone who leads a local session as I feel I may be picking up some poor habits.
I have bought numerous CDs' including those that accompany Mally's books.  I also use YouTube a lot to familiarise myself with the tunes before I try to learn them. 
I like to practise every day.  I have a few tunes that I run through a few times. Then I have some tunes I've nearly mastered but aren't ready to go public with. I then have a few I'm learning. 
A great tip I picked up from Tony Croft's book Melodeon Classics is to highlight your music scores with green (push) and pink (draw) to help get the bellows direction right.  I've been finding this very helpful in getting to grips with some of the slightly more intricate tunes.
Good luck on your journey.  I've played guitar for years but don't think I've ever had as much enjoyment from it as I have the melodeon.

[Winston Smith]

" I just LOVE the sound of the melodeon.  I have found that you simply cannot be anything other than happy and joyful when playing a tune."

Now, there's man after my own heart! (But I wonder how he finds the time, what with his 6 children and onerous responsibilities in Parliament?)

[Chris Rayner]

Have you seen this?  https://halswaymanor.org.uk/event/eds-box-club-2/. Should be handy enough for you.

[Simon Cragg]

What a shame!
All these workshops etc. seem to be miles away from me here in the sunny Purbecks. Maybe one day I will find an event nearby. So much help on this forum and not one sarcastic comment so far........thanks to all who are helping me.

[Nick Collis Bird]

What a shame!
All these workshops etc. seem to be miles away from me here in the sunny Purbecks. Maybe one day I will find an event nearby. So much help on this forum and not one sarcastic comment so far........thanks to all who are helping me.

Oh yes there is Simon, it’s not Purbecks it’s Purbeck. I don’t think we have the Isle of Wight’s ..... yet.

[malcolmbebb]

Behave yourself Nick, he may not have met the    side yet.

But unfortunately this area is not well represented for workshops etc and travel is required. In general such events are socially and musically worth the effort, but effort and cost are still involved.

I believe Ed is running some more beginners' workshops, but those are near Sidmouth so still over an hour's drive from Wareham.

[Nick Collis Bird]

True Malcolm, but Robin Plowman runs a session up at the Square & Compass in Worth Matravers monthly. T’would be worth a look for Simon 

[Simon Cragg]

Cheers for that Nick...Square and Compasses......perfick!
In the Purbecks as well!
Just thought of another mundane question. I am sure my Melodeon is a 3rd button start, but can somebody who knows about these things confirm please?.

[malcolmbebb]

Cheers Nick - do you know which night? An excuse to visit the Square and Compass is always welcome.

[Steve_freereeder]

Just thought of another mundane question. I am sure my Melodeon is a 3rd button start, but can somebody who knows about these things confirm please?.

As you have a Scarlatti D/G melodeon it will almost certainly be 3rd button start. I would be very surprised if it were otherwise.
An easy way to test is to play a scale starting on the 3rd button of either row. You should get a major scale by using the sequence:

3 push/pull, 4 push/pull, 5 push/pull, 6 pull/push.

If you don't get a major scale, then try starting on the 4th button instead. But I doubt it will be like that.