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Author Topic: Practicing on rainy days...  (Read 2190 times)

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Lisa Wielunski

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Practicing on rainy days...
« on: April 05, 2018, 12:14:55 PM »

Hi!

I’m less than a week into learning the melodeon, and I’ve been practicing down in a parking lot by the train tracks (since I live in a small apartment).

My question is, how ‘wet out’ is too wet? Like if it’s raining, is it safe to find a covered picnic area and play there?  And do I need to be worried about super-muggy days?


Thanks!!

Lisa W
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george garside

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #1 on: April 05, 2018, 12:30:29 PM »

Hi Lisa and welcome to melnet

as a general rule don't play where it is wet or damp  and that applies even more if you have an expensive instrument.

Having said that many 'morris' musicians  do have to play in the damp or even occasional rain   and in my morris days I kept a battered old hohner pokerword for that purpose  which already had rust on the reeds when I bought it cheaply.

The reeds are steel and  will rust if played in damp conditions.  If you have no choice but to play in slightly damp conditions  play it in warm dry conditions as soon as possible to draw warm dry air though .  The other thing is the bellows aare made of paper and cardboard !

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

Grumpy

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #2 on: April 05, 2018, 12:43:20 PM »

Hi Lisa, I'm certainly no expert but in a perfect world don't get any water on a melodeon, however, when playing for Morris it often rains (In England Morris Dance =Rain Dance !) so the instrument does sometimes get damp/wet. IMHO the important thing is to dry the instrument ASAP, that means wiping as much surface water off as possible and then leaving it with the bellows extended as much as possible in a gently warm (NOT hot) dry place. Personally I think you are quite safe, even if its raining to play undercover. Also, of course remember to ensure that the case/bag in completely dry before storing the instrument away. If its possible only place the melodeon in its case when you are about to transport it, it likes being out in the air and it helps you in any free moments to practice even if, as you say your in a flat you can to some extent play "air style". Also its worth speaking to the residents around to see if there is a safe time when they are happy to allow you to practice at home.
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Chris D, Surrey, UK
Getting old but still learning. Pokerwork G/D, Saltarelle L'Elfique G/D, Castagnari Lilly G/D and Hohner Liliput Declubed G/D + English concertinas, mandolins, recorders, tin whistles and other items unknown to household managment

Lester

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2018, 12:48:44 PM »

Hi Lisa

I think George is being over cautious, I have played boxes outside in the rain mostly under an umbrella and no harm has come to my boxes. Like Chris said make sure to leave it with bellows extended if they got wet and also worth playing the box indoors to vent some dry air through the reeds etc to be on the safe side.

Lisa Wielunski

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2018, 01:34:40 PM »

Thanks all - this is great guidance. 


PS Lester I’m a big fan of your videos on YouTube- they’ve really helped me figure out how to jump in and start playing around!
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2018, 04:23:03 PM »

A pokerwork, or similar have metal linkages which don't seem to suffer, thought the bellows will, if they get very wet.
Beware of getting boxes with wooden linkages, though. Changes of humidy (I believe, either way) can lead to buttons sticking down.
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Greg Smith
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rees

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2018, 04:46:23 PM »

.... and don't leave it in the case if it is the slightest bit damp.
It eventually creates an awful smell that is familiar to fettlers one and all.
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Rees Wesson (accordion builder and mechanic)
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Lisa Wielunski

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2018, 12:23:03 AM »

Good advice - Thanks much!
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Rob2Hook

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #8 on: April 08, 2018, 10:31:51 AM »

I still seem to get on with my neighbours despite my melodeons!  The cat doesn't agree, she hates it, but I have a general rule that I don't do anything noisy (even the washing machine) before 9am or after 9pm.  Mind you, I have been known to stop the car in a lay-by and try out a tune that just popped into my head - easier in the passenger seat!

Rob.
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Barlow

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #9 on: April 08, 2018, 03:55:30 PM »

A little off topic, but maybe not.

At the beginning, I used to play under the bed covers at night (yes, yes, I was very single at the time). I did this because I would have the urge to play in the middle of the night and I thought the duvet would muffle any sound anyway (there were others in the house and I have neighbours too). Then it was explained to me that putting a cold instrument into a warm atmosphere might/will cause condensation on the cold metal reeds and so eventually possibly rust.

So I wonder to what extent is bringing a cold instrument into a warm house have any negative effects?

I still practice in bed but not under the covers. I don't have any flat mates anymore.
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Lester

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #10 on: April 08, 2018, 04:07:03 PM »

So I wonder to what extent is bringing a cold instrument into a warm house have any negative effects?

Lester's Sad Tale of the Castagnari Shaky Egg

One Christmas we were dancing out in the evening for the shoppers to collect some money. I had left my Castagnari Lilly in the car boot all day when I was at work, we met up at the pub where it was nice and warm and I took the Lilly in with me. After a quick alcoholic stiffener we braved the cold once more and I played what was intended to be a loud draw chord on the treble end and all the reeds fell off, hence Castagnari Shaky Egg :o

Moral of the story don't let your box go through extremes of temperature quickly or disaster may ensue.

boxer

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #11 on: April 08, 2018, 06:47:23 PM »

re the off post issue:

If you take a box from storage in particularly cold conditions and put it in a warm moist atmosphere, some of that moisture will condense on the reeds and the reed plates.  The immediate effect is that some or all of the valves will stick to the plates so tightly that the valves don't lift when the key's opened and the bellows moved, so the reed is mute.  As the box warms up and the moisture disperses you'll hear an amazing selection of groans from the instrument, before the valves can lift fully and the reeds can speak properly.

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Nuage, Tommy, Cairdin, 
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Lisa Wielunski

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Re: Practicing on rainy days...
« Reply #12 on: April 14, 2018, 03:19:31 AM »

Fell off?!  Talk about a surprise ...!
 
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