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[Anahata]

in trying Hunt the Wren/The Fatherby Jig (per Anahata - Youtube) I cannot make the change!

That is a particularly awkward one: a key change, different row, and a big leap down to a low B on the G row right at the start of the second tune, so you need to work out your fingering in advance over the change.

[Little Eggy]

3 things I've read elsewhere on this forum -
1. Mel Biggs - it's good to be able to isolate phrases/ bars and practise them individually
2. Classical pianists practise by focusing on the tricky bars and practising them in isolation
3. Mally 'Practise, practise, practise and when you're sick of practising, do some more"

[Howard Jones]

It is easy to panic in that situation, when you know you're approaching the change of tune with no idea how the next tune starts.  I find the same can happen when singing, half way through a verse I realise have no idea how the next verse goes.  Panic will surely completely erase the memory cells.  I find the trick is to stay calm, not think too hard about it, and when you reach that point the next tune or verse will suddenly appear in your mind.  It takes practice to build up confidence that this will happen and to remain relaxed, but I find it works.

Usually.

[george garside]

perhaps it helps not to think about going from one tune into another as ,particularly with dance music, there just isn't time so to do!   The key lies in learning to play the instrument rather than  just particular tunes.  If you have complete command of the box  and have the tunes firmly secured in the memory  auto  pilot will do the rest

george

[Lester]

perhaps it helps not to think about going from one tune into another as ,particularly with dance music, there just isn't time so to do!   The key lies in learning to play the instrument rather than  just particular tunes.  If you have complete command of the box  and have the tunes firmly secured in the memory  auto  pilot will do the rest

george

This is not necessarily true, twice in recent months when playing for rapper using tunes I have played many many times for practice I have changed from the Oyster Girl to Oscar Woods only to find myself playing something entirely different. Luckily disconnecting the brain allowed the fingers to carry on until I recognised the tune they were playing and could relax (Cock of the North as it happens)

[Chris Ryall]

Joins are fun.  basically seek out the note of chord that changes most, ideally a dominant (7 or sus) chord of some nature

eg to go from G to D the big change is that Am chord becomes A7. That’s minor to major, but on a DG you can reinforce this by playing full chord A C# E G on the right. A powerful dominant. Useful if you are leading in a session, as it is a string signal. NB no 7 chords on the left.

For a subtler change, just play a C#, anyhow, but a nice way is to weave in a run eg B=>C=>C#, al there on the pull. It is technically just a tune variation, but the moment you play a C# the listener’s brain changes an will interpret further notes as being in the key of D.

Changing “down” you can use the same trick with a D,C#,C.   

Changes from eg G to Em are also common. Slightly more complex as our box offers 2 Em keys. Dorian, with D row notes, or modal where the C is natural, G row notes. I tend to just hit Em on the left end and … just carry though to the new tune on right. No linking notes. Take courage at first, but it works. Minors are more forgiving than majors 

[george garside]

the fingers can't carry on unless being instructed so to do by the brain!   It controls everything from breathing  to going for a pee. What I was alluding to is something on the lines of  that we don't send conscious instructions to the mouth as to what  is needs to do in order to produce a particular sound be it a word or part thereof or  the sounds of a song  ,  the mechanics of forming a sound are done entirely on autopilot'  But the desire to make a particular sound eg word or parts thereof is a conscious choice.  The ultimate aim, particulary of by ear players is to be able to 'think' a tune or part thereof including the next tune in a set whilst leaving it to 'autopilot' to operate the box so that it produces the right sounds  ( notes and gaps etc) in the right order.   

Certainly if I try to think about which fingers go where /bellows direction  /bellows pressure (dynamics etc) the whole thing goes pearshaped whereas just 'thinking' the tune and leaving the mechanics of it to 'autopilot' works much better for me.
, 
george

[Guy]

  A pet hate of mine is playing a mixture of  4/4 and 6/8 tunes for the dance 'Cumberland square eight'   that is popular in some quarters. 

george

I couldn't agree more! Glad to find a fellow pet hater, George...

Cheers,
Guy

[Little Eggy]

[/quote]
This is not necessarily true, twice in recent months when playing for rapper using tunes I have played many many times for practice I have changed from the Oyster Girl to Oscar Woods only to find myself playing something entirely different. Luckily disconnecting the brain allowed the fingers to carry on until I recognised the tune they were playing and could relax (Cock of the North as it happens)
[/quote]

Ooh yes. I often play Cock o the North/Oyster Girl/Uncle's Jig and I often end up back in Cock o the North because I've not been concentrating properly.  I find I have to be confident and familiar with the tunes, but nervous enough to keep my focus.