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Author Topic: Playing in D on a G/D Anglo  (Read 6192 times)

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swig

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Playing in D on a G/D Anglo
« on: January 03, 2012, 09:58:35 AM »

I've been playing a G/D Marcus for about a year now as a change from melodeon. I play in octaves, mostly in G so I can cross row, and then put in occasional 2 note chords, thirds and fifths on the left hand. I've now been given the opportunity to join with a whistle player and a mandolin player to play  mainly Irish music, mostly in D. Any tips for developimg my style etc. I'm happy playing up and down the D row but it sounds a bit thin. Thanks, Matt
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Lester

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Re: Playing in D on a G/D Anglo
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2012, 10:02:18 AM »

You may well have more joy on concertina.net with this query.

Steve_freereeder

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Re: Playing in D on a G/D Anglo
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2012, 10:41:50 AM »

I've been playing a G/D Marcus for about a year now as a change from melodeon. I play in octaves, mostly in G so I can cross row, and then put in occasional 2 note chords, thirds and fifths on the left hand. I've now been given the opportunity to join with a whistle player and a mandolin player to play  mainly Irish music, mostly in D. Any tips for developimg my style etc. I'm happy playing up and down the D row but it sounds a bit thin. Thanks, Matt
I play a G/D anglo too. You will no doubt come in for some stick from the Irish traditional music purists who will tell you that the only instrument permitted for ITM is the C/G anglo, and who play in D across the rows in a very fluid melodic style with scarcely a harmonising note or chord to be heard. My one-word answer to this is not really fit to be posted in a family-friendly public forum, but suffice it to say that it starts with B and and ends in S. The G/D anglo can actually play ITM rather well, especially in the key of D, and gives you the opportunity to add uillean pipe regulator-type chords, which are much more awkward on the C/G.

On the G/D, the trick to avoid the 'thin sound' which you mention is to develop your playing in the key of D by using the G-row as well, and also crossing to the accidental row, especially the LH side button 4 pull D. Try to avoid simply playing up and down the D-row, by playing your D tunes mostly on the RH side, using both the G- and D-rows. This then gives you the opportunity to add LH chords - especially pull chords of D on the G-row and A on the D-row.

Hope that helps initially, although as Lester has said, you will probably get more responses from Concertina.net (but be prepared for some flak from the purists). Somehow c.net is more confrontational and it never seems such a friendly place as here.
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Steve
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mory

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Re: Playing in D on a G/D Anglo
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2012, 07:00:33 PM »

I play a CG but I love getting my hands on GD for Irish tunes great fun, by the way try and get to hear William Mullely  http://www.itma.ie/itmashop/product/mullaly/    all played on the 4 buttons left and 4 right of a D row it may open your eyes/ears and wot Steve said too,    well this bit anyway,     quote   The G/D anglo can actually play ITM rather well, especially in the key of D, and gives you the opportunity to add uillean pipe regulator-type chords,
« Last Edit: January 06, 2012, 09:00:43 PM by mory »
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ACE

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Re: Playing in D on a G/D Anglo
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2012, 01:23:41 PM »

I am thinking of getting a D/G Marcus,  what is the feeling on here regards quality etc.
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Saltarelle Horizon, Dino mini, Lachenal g/d anglo

pgroff

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Re: Playing in D on a G/D Anglo
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2012, 12:22:36 PM »

swig and all,

I agree that playing Irish tunes on a G/D anglo concertina can sound great.  A couple of my favorite concertina players in California use the G/D system as their main instrument for Irish traditional music, or at least they did when I lived there.  As already pointed out, the G/D offers opportunities for playing many tunes in the most popular session keys (G, D, E minor, A minor, various other modes) either up and down the rows (mostly one row at a time) or "cross-fingered" (meaning using two or more rows).  You can easily play a lot of tunes in a low register, an octave below a fiddle, which can sound great.  All assuming you have a good sense of how the music should sound and put in your time learning to control the instrument.  Yes, harmonies comparable to the drones and regulators are available though I would say no more so than on a C/G instrument.

As mory noted, there is a lot more traditional precedent for playing Irish music using "G/D fingering" than some realize.  Mullaly was not the only great traditional player to play most of his tunes up and down a row like a (1-row) melodeon player.*  Many settings of tunes from very traditional players, sadly no longer with us, such as the late John Kelly senior, Kitty Hayes, and Mrs. Crotty, were played up and down the C row of a C/G concertina and could be played on the D row of a G/D (or of a D/A) to put them into more session-friendly keys.  On the other hand, a couple of sets from Mrs. Crotty's recorded repertoire, including possibly the most iconic set of concertina tunes often broadcast on the radio throughout Ireland years ago, were played in a cross-fingered 2 row style in a way that would put them in "normal keys" on a G/D concertina.  Her "Wind that shakes the barley / Reel with the birl" and another set (2 hornpipes) were both played on a C/G instrument but pitched a fourth above their more typical keys (as these tunes would more commonly be played by other instruments).  Then, some very famous players of today have used the same ("G/D") fingering extensively, but playing on an Ab/Eb instrument, to play a lot of tunes 1/2 step above concert pitch.**  If you learned those latter settings and fingerings, the G/D concertina would be what you would need to play them along with whistles, pipes etc that are pitched in D.

I do love the C/G concertina (as well as other keys such as Bb/F) and it works great.  It has its own advantages.  Like the B/C accordion, the C/G concertina system has become a sort of standard for teaching the young and it is very versatile.  But for what my opinion is worth, IMO any objection to playing a lot of Irish music on a G/D concertina would be due to the way it's played, not to the choice of key system for the instrument.

*I actually have long thought that Mullaly was playing on the D row of a D/A concertina, not a G/D.  But I have read that Jackie Small has researched this question and he argues that Mullaly played a G/D instrument.

** Some of these players, and others, also use a C#/G# concertina to achieve this.  But the Ab/Eb instrument works well for both "Eb" pitch and for "Bb" pitch (or Ab pitch for that matter!).


PG

(edited in an effort to make the explanation clearer)
« Last Edit: January 17, 2012, 11:44:49 PM by pgroff »
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oggiesnr

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Re: Playing in D on a G/D Anglo
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2012, 07:18:50 PM »

I have to confess that many years ago when I had a cheap East German G/D concertina I played in D straight up and down the row starting on the bass side.

Steve
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pikey

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Re: Playing in D on a G/D Anglo
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2012, 01:17:35 PM »

i've just taken ownership of a s/hand marcus anglo in c/g.

Build quality is excellent, with good action and nice sounding reeds.
It's not as good as a Jefferies, but it is on a par with the bone buttoned Lachenals for action, and IMHO the reeds sound much brighter than said Lachenals..

And it's much better than a Hohner/Bastari/similar.
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Still squeezing after all these years.
Mostly on hohners , with a couple of Dinos and a smattering of anglos - and now a Jeffries duet

malcolmbebb

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Re: Playing in D on a G/D Anglo
« Reply #8 on: September 01, 2012, 01:12:34 AM »

I have a Marcus D/G. Nice box.
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Dino BPII.
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pikey

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Re: Playing in D on a G/D Anglo
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2014, 05:28:11 PM »

I now have a DG AC Norman, and it's even better than the Marcus! The only slight issue is that the lower reeds lose pitch if pushed hard.
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Still squeezing after all these years.
Mostly on hohners , with a couple of Dinos and a smattering of anglos - and now a Jeffries duet
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