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Author Topic: I played a Streb last night  (Read 4360 times)

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Alan Morley

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I played a Streb last night
« on: July 27, 2011, 11:53:54 AM »

Streb

I have been turned to the dark side of melodeon playing......

Whilst at a regular monthly session in Horsley Woodhouse, Derbyshire last night the session leader Andy Martin let me get my hands on his Streb.

He had it at a session in December last year and I wasn't at all interested in it at the time.
Because of all the discussion on here about Streb and Roland, I looked at the box with renewed interest, and when most people had left the pub at around 11-30 I got my hands on it.

The first thing that really suprised me was just how responsive it is to bellows movement and pressure and the lightness and feel of the buttons. Playing triplets and rolls was no problem and in fact felt easier than a normal box. It wasn't what I had expected at all and was really impressed with the playability of the thing. Then I started pressing switch keys to select the sounds....

Again - what a shock, the voices actually sound like a melodeon - the only limiting factor as far as I could see was the fact that it was being played through the onboard speaker. With a small built-in speaker it seems to restrict the quality of the sound and lacked any depth and fullness - I'm sure that this would be remedied by plugging into a decent acoustic amp and tweaking the tone settings.

The Pokerwork sound was like a Pokerwork, and the cajun box setting was not bad either - I wish I'd had more time to mess around with it.

Bottom line - I'm converted..

Alan
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Sandy Flett

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #1 on: July 27, 2011, 12:40:04 PM »

I have messed about with midi accordions, midi-bass melodeon and keyboards for many years. I was also enthusiastic at each new beginning, but the thing that has always beat me in the end is that the samples you hear are the same everytime and my ear soon tires of hearing them, whereas the sounds from an acoustic instrument are, to a greater or lesser degree, different every time you play.

For many years now I have banished midi to just give me a a bit more of a bass thump for the ceilidh dancing, but am at this very moment working on phasing even that out and going back to being completely acoustic.
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Alan Morley

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #2 on: July 27, 2011, 12:59:17 PM »

I have messed about with midi accordions, midi-bass melodeon and keyboards for many years. I was also enthusiastic at each new beginning, but the thing that has always beat me in the end is that the samples you hear are the same everytime and my ear soon tires of hearing them, whereas the sounds from an acoustic instrument are, to a greater or lesser degree, different every time you play.

For many years now I have banished midi to just give me a a bit more of a bass thump for the ceilidh dancing, but am at this very moment working on phasing even that out and going back to being completely acoustic.

After playing the Streb, I'd have thought you can get more 'bass thump' with one of those and a good acoustic amp. Most of the dancers wouldn't know the difference anyway as they don't know or care what they are really hearing as long as they can dance to it...

It's like guitarists like me agonising over the right guitar / amp / effects to get a perfect sound - but the punters not caring as long as you play Mustang Sally or The Proclaimers 1000 miles...
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Québécois

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #3 on: July 27, 2011, 03:20:50 PM »

Bottom line - I'm converted.
For me it's not about being 'converted', it's about appreciating what acoustic and electronic instruments can do, since they cannot really be compared.

I don't have a midi melodeon, but I use other instruments that have electronics in them. For example, nothing replaces the sound of a real piano, yet digital pianos and keyboards have features that offer  possibilities that even the best acoustic piano will never have.

I will most likely get a midi melodeon sometimes, but it will not 'replace' my good old acoustic boxes.


« Last Edit: July 27, 2011, 03:49:59 PM by Québécois »
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Alan Morley

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #4 on: July 27, 2011, 03:41:37 PM »

I'm converted, but not from a 'real' melodeon....

I'm 'converted' in that for ages I have felt very 'anti' electronic melodeons and swore I'd never have one.

Having experience the Streb - I'd certainly find a good use for one as an alternative to my good old Erica and the ISIS.
Even just to play in different keys to accompany vocals or play ceilidh stuff without worrying about feedback from mics strapped to the Erica.

'Converted' as in now I see how I could use one...


Alan
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Québécois

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #5 on: July 27, 2011, 03:52:25 PM »

Electronics can be fun and offer lots of possibilities!

The key changes is definitely what I would use the most in a midi melodeon, followed by sound changes (i.e. dry, wet, etc).
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michik

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #6 on: July 27, 2011, 04:05:58 PM »

What I think:

electronic melodeon = riding a stationary bicycle indoors
real melodeon = riding a real bike outdoors
« Last Edit: July 27, 2011, 04:07:39 PM by michik »
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Michael Knapp ~ Vienna ~ Austria
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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2011, 04:24:40 PM »

Are they still being made? I'd heard that the chap who makes them is no longer doing so?

There were a number of models, I think. I saw/heard one once and thought it was a clever idea.  One neat thing was that changes in bellows pressure actually changed the volume, although that was only available on a smallish number of the voices available.  I also like the idea of being able to play to myself using headphones, though I suspect my family would like it even more!
A downer was that it took a number of large conventional batteries.
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Tufty

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2011, 04:33:23 PM »

I had a chance to try a Streb earlier in the year on the Leeds Morris "Dales Tour". I was pleasantly surprised and would have one just for the ease of switching keys - this evening I will have to cart a D/G, a G/C and a C/F to a French session to keep the gurdyist happy. With a Streb one box would do the lot! However, I would still keep my "real" instruments. I think there would be a market for a small, 2 row job, with a wood finish. The Roland is just too big and red for my taste.
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summerstars

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2011, 04:39:15 PM »

I had a chance to try a Streb earlier in the year on the Leeds Morris "Dales Tour". I was pleasantly surprised and would have one just for the ease of switching keys - this evening I will have to cart a D/G, a G/C and a C/F to a French session to keep the gurdyist happy. With a Streb one box would do the lot! However, I would still keep my "real" instruments. I think there would be a market for a small, 2 row job, with a wood finish. The Roland is just too big and red for my taste.

If you were on the Dales tour, you could have asked and had a play with my Roland - which isn't RED - it is Black
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Alan Morley

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2011, 04:55:22 PM »

What I think:

electronic melodeon = riding a stationary bicycle indoors
real melodeon = riding a real bike outdoors

It's like an acoustic guitarist insisting that electric guitars aren't real guitars...and they don't sound like a 'proper' guitar.

There is certainly a slot for the Streb, as I have come to realise after playing one.
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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #11 on: July 27, 2011, 08:19:59 PM »

electronic melodeon = riding an e-bike outdoors!
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michik

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #12 on: July 27, 2011, 08:52:31 PM »

electronic melodeon = riding an e-bike outdoors!


Only if automatic accompainment is activated ;-)
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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #13 on: July 28, 2011, 12:30:45 AM »

I had a chance to try a Streb earlier in the year on the Leeds Morris "Dales Tour". I was pleasantly surprised and would have one just for the ease of switching keys - this evening I will have to cart a D/G, a G/C and a C/F to a French session to keep the gurdyist happy. With a Streb one box would do the lot! However, I would still keep my "real" instruments. I think there would be a market for a small, 2 row job, with a wood finish. The Roland is just too big and red for my taste.

If you were on the Dales tour, you could have asked and had a play with my Roland - which isn't RED - it is Black
Sorry, I had only knowingly seen red ones so would not have recognised your as such.
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brianread

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2011, 11:57:43 AM »

I use my streb all the time in the band, mainly because of the ease of plugging in, and tracking key changes made by our (agile fiddle playing) leader!

I had to play with the pressure parameters to get it "responsive" enough to give me some dynamics, also I had to work hard to balance the bass and the treble end to my liking.  I use a small amount of "chorus" and vary the reverb (on the front control) according to the hall size and circumstances (instrument mix, etc).  I use the Pokerwork sound for G/D and A/E (i.e. most of the time), and the Mori for C/F.  I also have 3 "non standard" voices patched in so that I can play (eg) "Happy Birthday" using an Organ sound, but always play the dance tunes using the melodeon samples.  I also use the volume control, depending on my feel for my input into particular sets of tunes, and I have a foot switch so that I can isolate myself from the PA for "twiddling".  I have the internal speaker on all the time, as I have found our monitor set-up often does not deliver enough feedback to be sure my fingers are in the right place.

I sometimes set myself up to play my castag through a mic as well, but only to give myself a break!

Sometimes I do feel as if I am playing a switch box rather than a melodeon, but my fingers still seem to work ok!

My only problem with it is that I have (so far) been unable to add an air button at the top (remember I am lefty), which means I loose the ability to use all four fingers on the bass end.  I don't see this as a problem as no-one is going to be impressed by my clever use of basses during Cumberland Square 8!
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Brian Read
D/G Oakwood (new model), D/G, C /F, Bb/Eb and E/A Liliputs,
A STREB!!,
2.5 D/G Self made Emmanuel Pariselle, D/G Pokerwork,
and Wolverton Advanced G/D Anglo Concertina and C/G  1937 Wheatstone.
all played "lefty" with mostly an extra air button, except the Concertinas which I play the conventional way round.

Martin J

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #15 on: August 01, 2011, 11:14:58 PM »

I have a streb and I have had a Roland.  Certainly I find the streb to be absolutely fantastic.  It's like Ronseal, it does what it says on the tin, which is also massively more than an acoustic instrument can do.

Stem the howls of protest.  I have 9 acoustic boxes as well.  Yes, the streb melodeon sounds are very good - in fact no, superb.  Balance is no problem, I use two channels in the mixer, one for bass and one for treble.  If I want to tweak one or the other it's easy.  Selecting what you want is a doddle and easily done even whilst playing. But, now comes the golden payload - it's the other sounds that are just fantastic.  If you can't see us when we play the Prince of Denmark March then you'll think it's real McCoy.  Streb trumpet and brass ensemble, Kawai piano to strings and a real acoustic Tuba.  The audience just cannot believe it's all coming from us.  Some of the synth variations just add magic to singing performances.

The trickiest bit for me so far is the Piano.  The sound is very good, not Kawai standard but in a mix no one knows the difference.  No, it's the playing.  Melodeon fingering just isn't piano fingering so I'm having to learn to emulate piano playing.  I'm getting there slowly.  It's very true of all other instruments.  In Prince of Denmark I have to be very careful not to play double notes as trumpets can't.  If you want to mimic a harp you need to emulate that finger picking run they use a lot.

We get strange looks when the pianist drops back onto piano accordion but the piano is still playing (streb) - great fun.

Then there's the response, just epic.  The touch needs a bit of getting used to, not quite as much sensory feedback as the sprung buttons of an acoustic.  Silent practice.  Mixed instruments.  Key changes.  Draw the third whilst playing.  Built in speakers. Chorus or reverb on a rotary knob. And midi as well !!!  Jackpot.

Do you get the feeling I love my streb.  Of course I do, it's opened up a whole new world of opportunity for me and the band.  I use my real boxes for more than half of each gig but our variety now is unbelievable.

Just for Brian.  Dynamics.  Turn instrument vol to max when going through PA and you have a greater range of dynamics than any acoustic box.

Next personal project, get the streb to play the Kawia via midi.  This is the longest post I've ever done.  I better stop.  PM me if you would like to know more. It's great.  ;D ;D ;D
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brianread

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #16 on: August 02, 2011, 06:18:55 AM »

NSA, that is interesting that you are using non melodeon voices. My fellow band members are quite traditional (and we have a problem with rehearsals), so I'll have to stick to the melodeon voices I think.  I don't think they even realise I am using reverb and chorus!

We also do not have enough PA channels to split my treble and bass.

However I'll try the full volume to enhance the dynamics.

Thanks for your comments.   
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Brian Read
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and Wolverton Advanced G/D Anglo Concertina and C/G  1937 Wheatstone.
all played "lefty" with mostly an extra air button, except the Concertinas which I play the conventional way round.

Martin J

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #17 on: August 03, 2011, 01:16:01 PM »

Again for Brian.  Maplin knock out a little Beyringer mixer for about £100 which you can use as a personal mixer then send your line out to the main desk and the monitor to yourself.  It even has effects built in and phantom power so you can use condenser mics for your acoustic box.  You will be able to tailor the sound perfectly and also hear yourself.  A small quality combo serves very well as fold back.
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brianread

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #18 on: August 03, 2011, 01:27:30 PM »

Again for Brian.  Maplin knock out a little Beyringer mixer for about £100 which you can use as a personal mixer then send your line out to the main desk and the monitor to yourself.  It even has effects built in and phantom power so you can use condenser mics for your acoustic box.  You will be able to tailor the sound perfectly and also hear yourself.  A small quality combo serves very well as fold back.

I have some reservations about introducing any more equipment on the stage, every extra connection means another place for things to go wrong!  However, thanks, I'll look into it.
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Brian Read
D/G Oakwood (new model), D/G, C /F, Bb/Eb and E/A Liliputs,
A STREB!!,
2.5 D/G Self made Emmanuel Pariselle, D/G Pokerwork,
and Wolverton Advanced G/D Anglo Concertina and C/G  1937 Wheatstone.
all played "lefty" with mostly an extra air button, except the Concertinas which I play the conventional way round.

Martin J

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Re: I played a Streb last night
« Reply #19 on: August 03, 2011, 11:04:47 PM »

I have some reservations about introducing any more equipment on the stage, every extra connection means another place for things to go wrong!  However, thanks, I'll look into it.
Good point.  After too many libations I can't remember what goes where  ???
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