Topic: Recommendations for a beginner box? (Read 12252 times)

Theo · « **Reply #20 on:** February 26, 2008, 03:43:55 PM »

Quote from: Ellie on February 26, 2008, 01:27:57 PM

Edit: Oh, and the EAMT thing - I think I had read that, but just assumed (perhaps naively?) that I would need to live in East Anglia for that - I'm sort of the wrong side of London!

No excuse I'm afraid, I'll be there, and I live in Gateshead. Rob Say, who will be there as a (concertina) tutor, is from Hexham.

But seriously it would be a great opportunity for you to talk to lots of MAD^* melodeonists

^* Melodeon Acquisition Disorder

Steve_freereeder · « **Reply #21 on:** February 26, 2008, 03:58:27 PM »

Quote from: Ellie on February 26, 2008, 01:27:57 PM

Edit: Oh, and the EAMT thing - I think I had read that, but just assumed (perhaps naively?) that I would need to live in East Anglia for that - I'm sort of the wrong side of London!

Ellie, I'm very actively involved in EATMT and I live in Sheffield. It's the music which counts! I think there are still places left for the Melodeons and More day in Mendlesham on 29th March. I'll be there as a tutor.

Later in the year, (I think it will be 8th/9th November this year) there is Melodeons at Witney - a fantastic whole weekend of workshops, playing, concert, sessions and overall great fun. It's not so far from Berkshire. M@W is the event for all melodeon players from complete beginners to experts. If you're lucky and can demonstrate a tenuous Sheffield connection, you will be invited to the Saturday evening Sheffield melodeonists and friends Italian meal!

Lots of people on this forum go to Witney.
http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php?topic=32.0

The website is here
http://www.whitecottagewebsites.co.uk/homweekends/
(see the melodeon section) but it has not been updated beyond March 2008 yet.

Put it in your diary. See you there then.

Matthew B · « **Reply #22 on:** February 26, 2008, 04:00:33 PM »

Ellie,

Welcome. Don't worry too much about the neighbors: nearly everyone loves accordion music, despite all the jokes. Drums, electric guitars and bagpipes seem to cause far more problems. I do most of my practicing in the back-yard when the weather permits (June through October). When the guy next door gets sick of hearing me make the same mistake over and over and over again, he strolls over with his guitar and a couple of beers, and we play a few tunes. What's not to like?

As for the quality of your first box . . . remember they're all cheap by most musical instrument standards. The best bespoke melodeon you can find is a fraction of the cost of a similarly "high-end" guitar. And every now and again you'll stumble across some amazing bargain or other. Which, of course, brings us back to that closet full of boxes that most of us spend a lot of time explaining to our spouses and loved ones.

Ellie · « **Reply #23 on:** February 26, 2008, 05:08:52 PM »

Right, I've done it! Ordered the second hand Erica from the musicroom

Thanks ever-so-much for all the advice, you've all been super helpful :) Maybe now I'll be able to concentrate on actually doing some WORK at work

That weekend of the EATMT at the end of March I'm already busy sadly

But melodeons at Whitney I shall certainly add to my diary :)

Québécois · « **Reply #24 on:** February 26, 2008, 06:10:37 PM »

:) Excellent! The Erica is a nice box, it will most probably be your musical companion for many years to come!

Steve_freereeder · « **Reply #25 on:** February 26, 2008, 10:59:19 PM »

Quote from: Ellie on February 26, 2008, 05:08:52 PM

Right, I've done it! Ordered the second hand Erica from the musicroom Thanks ever-so-much for all the advice, you've all been super helpful :) Maybe now I'll be able to concentrate on actually doing some WORK at work

That weekend of the EATMT at the end of March I'm already busy sadly But melodeons at Whitney I shall certainly add to my diary :)

Brilliant! Well done, Ellie. I hope the Erica turns out to be OK - it should be fine, coming from the Music Room. But let us know here if there are any problems or uncertainties. Someone is sure to be able to help.

press on regardless · « **Reply #26 on:** February 27, 2008, 09:39:35 AM »

Edit: Oh, and the EAMT thing - I think I had read that, bu just assumed (perhaps naively?) that I would need to live in East Anglia for that - I'm sort of the wrong side of London!
[/quote]

Ellie,

don't worry, it's just like playing footie for England. The Iceni put it about a bit so you are bound to have an East Anglian ancestor.

press on regardless · « **Reply #27 on:** February 27, 2008, 09:43:08 AM »

Paul are you going to fess up and tell how many boxes you have been through in your two years?

Theo, this is worse than asking a women her age, but here goes.

5 (ish)

well have you ever known an addict tell the truth?

Actually I'm going to start a new thread on this and as I'm amongst friends I might come clean. it could help

Ellie · « **Reply #28 on:** February 29, 2008, 05:28:30 PM »

Well - it arrived today!

Had to show everyone at work of course (they all kept calling it an accordian

). It *is* loud, but it sounds great - have figured out the scales already :) Happily I have a soundproof summerhouse to practise in for this weekend at least

Thanks once again for all your advice :)

Québécois · « **Reply #29 on:** February 29, 2008, 05:52:01 PM »

:) Well, we all know what you will be doing this week-end!!!

george garside · « **Reply #30 on:** February 29, 2008, 07:25:33 PM »

Quote from: Ellie on February 29, 2008, 05:28:30 PM

Well - it arrived today! Had to show everyone at work of course (they all kept calling it an accordian ). It *is* loud, but it sounds great - have figured out the scales already :) Happily I have a soundproof summerhouse to practise in for this weekend at least Thanks once again for all your advice :)

well done Ellie - your now on your way to becoming addicted! If you want it to play quieter just don't squeese it as hard! The erica has quite a good range of volume & the bellows is the volume control.

george

Ellie · « **Reply #31 on:** March 01, 2008, 09:44:22 PM »

Easier said than done!

Ok, so first stupid question - scales, fine, am getting the hang of the odd ins and out. But the left hand strap seems very loose, so although the push is fine, I'm finding myself stiffening the left hand to pull in a rather awkward way - is this normal, or should the strap be tight enough to pull without putting pressure on the hand? I'm guessing it's possible that the leather has stretched, given that it's second hand? I tried stuffing some bubble wrap in next to my hand to make the strap tighter, and it seems easier to play like that...

george garside · « **Reply #32 on:** March 01, 2008, 10:14:07 PM »

Quote from: Ellie on March 01, 2008, 09:44:22 PM

Easier said than done!

Ok, so first stupid question - scales, fine, am getting the hang of the odd ins and out. But the left hand strap seems very loose, so although the push is fine, I'm finding myself stiffening the left hand to pull in a rather awkward way - is this normal, or should the strap be tight enough to pull without putting pressure on the hand? I'm guessing it's possible that the leather has stretched, given that it's second hand? I tried stuffing some bubble wrap in next to my hand to make the strap tighter, and it seems easier to play like that...

It is possible that the bellows strap has been lengthened/adjusted for a thick armed person! It is your arm that should be through the strap, not just the hand. Try putting arm through roughly so that where your watch would be is under the strap - this enables your fingers to come round in a sort of U shape to play the bass. If it still isnt 'gently tight' it should be possible to repositin the strap by removing the 2 small screws that retain it to the top of the box and effectively shorten it by making a couple more holes in it. You may find that there are already some other holes in the strap if somebody else has had a go at adjusting it - if so try using these.

george

Ellie · « **Reply #33 on:** March 01, 2008, 10:38:31 PM »

And here I thought *I* had thick wrists

The strap sits just about at the end of my thumb joint and just before the wrist - if I put it any further through then I'd have trouble reaching the bass buttons (I have quite big hands!). I'll look into getting a couple of extra holes in the strap then, thanks :)

Steve_freereeder · « **Reply #34 on:** March 02, 2008, 07:54:54 AM »

Quote from: Ellie on March 01, 2008, 10:38:31 PM

And here I thought *I* had thick wrists The strap sits just about at the end of my thumb joint and just before the wrist - if I put it any further through then I'd have trouble reaching the bass buttons (I have quite big hands!). I'll look into getting a couple of extra holes in the strap then, thanks :)

That sounds about the right position for your hand.

George's advice was good. But before you make any changes, try experimenting by wrapping various thicknesses of fabric, e.g. duster, scarf (or bubble wrap!) around the LH strap and seeing what sort of tightness suits you best.

Most of the more 'up-market' melodeons have a LH strap adjustment system, either a knurled wheel adjustment nut, or a velcro adjuster. If you are confident about making some minor alterations to the wooden exterior of the melodeon, you can buy and fit an adjuster conversion kit here:
http://www.cgmmusical.co.uk/index_files/Page1204.html

A velcro-adjustable strap consists of two shorter halves of leather strap which overlap each other by a few inches. The overlapping sections are fitted with the two velcro strips, thus enabling easy and rapid adjustments to the overall length. Some of the smaller Castagnari melodeons use this method.

Québécois · « **Reply #35 on:** March 02, 2008, 03:19:26 PM »

Quote from: Steve_freereeder on March 02, 2008, 07:54:54 AM

Most of the more 'up-market' melodeons have a LH strap adjustment system, either a knurled wheel adjustment nut, or a velcro adjuster. If you are confident about making some minor alterations to the wooden exterior of the melodeon, you can buy and fit an adjuster conversion kit here:
http://www.cgmmusical.co.uk/index_files/Page1204.html

Warning: This kit requires some procedure for its installation, there are instructions on Bernard Loffet's site on installing such a thing:
http://diato.org/trucs/courr_mg/image001.htm
Instead of gouging the accordion's box, we can use a spacer and longer screws to fit the plate .

Ellie · « **Reply #36 on:** March 02, 2008, 08:48:17 PM »

Well, we went for the 'poking holes with an old sail needle' option, which seems to have worked fairly well - much easier to play now!

Rob2Hook · « **Reply #37 on:** April 01, 2008, 12:54:06 PM »

Oh! A woman melodeon player with her own sail needle - have I died and gone to heaven? No, Basingstoke!
I also live in a mid terrace and my neighbours only hear me on the odd occasions their televisions break down! I do remember the grand-daughters on one side learning to polka around the garden whilst I learnt Walter Bulwar's #2 up in my bedroom. Consider which room in your house gives greatest separation from a neighbour's living or bed room. Who cares if they can hear you in their kitchen?

Anyway, congratulations on your first melodeon. I just realisded you are in Reading, so there is quite a strong Morris scene around you, all to the good once you get going. Unfortunately, there is no longer a branch of EFDSS in Reading - Aah! Memories of weekend dances in a Nissan hut ... There are, however a number of things worth considering. I believe there is a session at the Cross Keys, Wallingford, which will give you both a challenge and outlet. In addition, most Morris evenings end up with a bash to let the musos let off steam. I was lucky enough early on to have the box players of my own side start tunes suitable for me to join in, and later to push me into starting a tune or two myself. For blowing your mind, the pub sessions at festivals are the thing.

Look forward to seeing you out and about, if you should ever bump into either Basingclog or Hook Eagles (see Eric the Eagle).

I have also been delighted to find a player on this forum who is also a yacht surveyor who knows the class of boat I own and her builders.

Best of luck, Rob.

Ellie · « **Reply #38 on:** April 02, 2008, 12:47:50 PM »

Sorry to disappoint Rob, but I'm not a sailor (if only because of lack of time and money

)

No idea where the sail needle came from either, but I'm certainly not throwing it away!!

Last I heard Basingstoke was more akin to hell

No problems with the neighbours yet - I think my housemate's fiddle is a little more excruciating, and I'm less nervous about playing about playing front of her, which is all good :)

I have actually joined a local morris group (the Hurst Morris People), so come September when I can join in properly I'm hoping to be able to alternate between playing and dancing

Thanks for the tip about Wallingford - perhaps I'll make a trip in a few months when I'm a bit more confident

. I'll keep an eye out for assorted morris men over the summer!!

Rob2Hook · « **Reply #39 on:** April 08, 2008, 01:52:47 PM »

Hell? I heard the answer to policing the Reading area (wall to wall pubs - no longer shops) was to ring-fence it and abandon it till first light! Neither town has much to recommend them anymore...

For some unknown reason, neither of my sides seems to have any fixtures with HUMP. Come to think of it, we never do! Perhaps this is just a bridge too far. Shame, I haven't had a pint in the Castle in years. It used to have a delightfully dismal public bar, damp in the winter, with a bar billiard table. The Saloon was kind of twee parlour, but sometimes necessary due to cold and damp.

Maybe see you guys at Winchester? or the Bunkfest?

News:

Author Topic: Recommendations for a beginner box? (Read 12252 times)

press on regardless

press on regardless