A concertina is similar to an accordion in that it has a bellows. It is lighter, more compact and harder to perform than the accordion. Irish traditional songs are often performed on the concertina. Here are some tips if you are a novice and trying to master the concertina.
1. Choose which type of poker you will play. The English and Anglo German versions are the most popular.
2. To play the concertina you’ll need finger rings. The finger rings that you choose will be determined by the type of concertina.
3. Purchase a basic set of books, or even specific ones to your concertina. If you play an Anglo Concertina “Del Rey Deluxe Concertina Book”, is the perfect option.
4. First, start with some simple songs.
5. YouTube is a great place to learn about the concertina. There are many tutorials from talented players to give you some ideas on how to perform.
What you need to know:
An Anglo Concertina is great for Irish or Irish folk music. Just pull/push the bellows to quickly change the tone. English concertinas have more buttons and are more versatile. The range of a concertina is roughly the same as that of a violin. The concertina is able to play sheet violin music. English concertinas cost a bit extra than Anglo concertinas, as they have more reeds.
There are 2 main types of concertinas.
English concertinas usually have 48 keys. Some models even have 56. The English Concertina usually has 48 keys. But some models can have up to 56.
What to look for when buying a concertina
You have the choice of purchasing a used concertina or a brand new one. If you’re buying used, make sure to have someone with some knowledge of the instrument with you. It’s possible to end up buying a 60-year-old instrument or more. This is perfectly fine, since the finest instruments are in that range. If you buy old instruments there could be problems that aren’t visible but expensive to fix. If you want to play with others, ensure that the pitch of the instrument is concertina and not old. Different types concertinas are used to play various types of music. English concertinas work well for groups. Anglo scales are great for folk dances or morris. There’s no harm in asking the dealer, when purchasing concertinas, to take off the ends so you can look inside. You might find everything from wood worms to anything else. Some dealers may disagree on doing it.