Which is easier to play, Concertina or Whistle?

[Jens_Hoppe]

Well, for me whistle is obviously easier than concertina, but I find anglo concertina to be reasonably easy as well (back when I had borrowed one, it didn't take me many days before I could start playing dance tunes on it - although in a tentative and slow fashion of course!).

That being said, how easy one finds these instruments depends to a large degree on how one's brain is wired: In the case of concertinas, some people find the anglo intuitive to play, while the english remains an incomprehensible, headache-inducing mystery (that would be me, for instance) while others feel the other way around. A concertina-playing friend of mine jokes that you have to be slightly spastic in order to play the anglo, and slightly schizophrenic in order to play the english.

The anglo is much more widely used in Irish music, but I can attest, having listened to some very good english concertina players, that the english works well for Irish music as well.

For the above reasons, I don't see any other solution than trying out both types for yourself, and see how they feel for you. And, I suppose, keep the various duet types of concertina in mind as well...

/Jens

[GaryKelly]

I have been told in the past that an English concertina is better for music readers as all the 'line' notes are on one side and all the 'space' notes on the other.

True. On the English, 'line' notes are on the left side, 'space' notes on the right. It's like playing musical ping-pong, and apparently this permits playing at impressive speed (not me, not yet!) - I heard a clip on line of an English player, sorry, a player of English concertina, playing Bach... well, have a listen:
http://www.concertinaconnection.com/partita3prelude.mp3

Interesting to note that some of my favourite hornpipes for the whistle seem to "fit" the English concertina ping-pong pattern almost as if they were written for the instrument...

[Dwight]

Sourdoh mentioned Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. What instrument is best for that? I have been looking for something that doesn't agrivate my CTS, is easy to learn, plays a variaty of music, can play low as well as high, and actually sounds good...

I have not found one instrument that meets all these requirements. My most recent final decision is to use whistle for high pitched music and ocarina for low.

I hadn't considered concertina. How does it do for CTS?

BTW- Have you priced used bassoons on e-bay? They are 5% the cost of a new one. Everyone gets CTS and sells the instrument on E-Bay

Dwight

[Whistlin'Dixie]

Sourdoh mentioned Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. What instrument is best for that? I have been looking for something that doesn't agrivate my CTS, is easy to learn, plays a variaty of music, can play low as well as high, and actually sounds good...

I have not found one instrument that meets all these requirements. My most recent final decision is to use whistle for high pitched music and ocarina for low.


Dwight

Dulcimer?

Mary

[Steven]

As has been alluded to if you can pick out the relevant information from several posts here, there are three major systems of concertina. Each is completely different than the other two. Therefore, you really can't lump them all together as easy or hard to play.

The anglo is most commonly used for Irish music. In that system, each button has two different notes, depending on whether you're pushing or pulling the bellows. This is similar to how a harmonica works, with different notes depending on whether you're sucking or blowing. The higher notes are on the right, and the lower notes on the left. Personally, I think I would find this system a complete brain twister.

The English concertina plays the same note on push and pull. As you go up the scale, you alternate hands (C on one side, D on the other, E on the first side, and on up). I've just started learning this system, and I find it pretty easy. Not as easy as whistle, of course, because there are 48 buttons instead of 6 holes. If you want to go from low D to high D, you don't just squeeze the bellows harder -- you jump to a different button, farther up, and on the other side.

Then there are various systems of duets (at least three). As far as I can tell, the differences among them are largely based on how the buttons are laid out). In all of them, you get the same note on push and pull, but the higher notes are on the right and the lower notes on the left, with a fair amount (often an entire octave) of overlap. This allows you to easily do things like play melody on the right and accompanying chords on the left, like on the piano (if you can normally do that easily).

Some people can play one system easily but can't figure out the others to save their life. Others can play two or even all three systems. However, I think they generally think of them as playing three different instruments.


Steven

[DanTheWhistleMan]

So is there a reason besides the holy tradition for players of irish music to stick to anglo?

[Sourdoh]

Dwight,
Regarding CTS, my main problem is the base joint of my right thumb. Probably too many hours at the computer.

I am learning the Treble English Concertina (as has been mentioned, same notes on the draw and push, alternating between hands). This has the same range as the violin, at least up to c3. The instruction books I picked up recommend placing the left end on one leg when playing seated and working the bellows with the right hand. I found that this was not a good idea for me, but placing the right end on my right leg and working the bellows with my left hand works great. I have also been practicing standing using a ribbon around my neck to take most of the weight. The only stress I have been getting is from using muscles that aren't accustomed to the exercise. No joint pain.

On the ease of learning, one thing that convinced me I should at least give it a try is that I am a reasonably good typist. So my hands are accustomed to working in patterns between the two. One of the reasons I didn't choose the Anglo is the need to coordinate bellows direction with buttons to get the right notes. I found that once I got a good instruction book I was able to start playing recogniziable tunes after a very short period, although slowly. I am working my way up to speed on some ITM, ragtime, and Bach.

-Keith

[Steven]

So is there a reason besides the holy tradition for players of irish music to stick to anglo?

Well, they say that the frequent bellows direction changes give a lift and bounce to the music that's good for dance tunes. Personally, I think an awful lot of it is also just the holy tradition of it, but that's a matter of some large debate. Many anglo players say you can't possibly play an English for ITM, because it doesn't have that bounce that's a necessary part of the music. Other people then counter by saying the music doesn't have that sort of bounce with all instruments, just the concertina, so if you can just view the English as a different instrument (or at least playing in a different style, closer to flute or fiddle), it's perfectly legit.

There have been extensive discussions (read: arguments) about this recently both on Concertina.net and The Session.

There, you're 2 cents richer, having gotten mine.


Steven

[DanTheWhistleMan]

Soon I´ll be a millionair . Seriously, thanks Steven and I´ll check out the other discussions.

Daniel

[HDSarah]

Sourdoh mentioned Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. What instrument is best for that? I have been looking for something that doesn't agrivate my CTS, is easy to learn, plays a variaty of music, can play low as well as high, and actually sounds good...

I have not found one instrument that meets all these requirements. My most recent final decision is to use whistle for high pitched music and ocarina for low.


Dwight

Dulcimer?

Mary

HAMMERED dulcimer, to be specific. Just be sure to develop a hammer hold that keeps your wrists in a straight, relaxed position. I find that playing my hammered dulcimer bothers my bad wrist less than anything else I do. Hammered dulcimer is also easy on fingertips (you don't need any), neck, shoulders, and back -- I can play for hours straight without getting sore anywhere. I think it's the most orthopedically gentle instrument of all. (Except, of course, if you get a really big heavy one and then try to carry it around! )

Sarah

[Wombat]

So is there a reason besides the holy tradition for players of irish music to stick to anglo?

Might be the name; Anglo is short for Anglo-German.

Most likely it's just about quirks of supply of cheap instruments at the time it first became popular. You can be fairly sure that the original concertina players in Ireland didn't try all three systems and choose the one that worked best. For that reason, perhaps the easiest way to develop an original style on concertina is to play an English rather than an Anglo. But you would still probably be influenced by Anglo players.

[Liam]

Ok.. just found the thread... I will give you my take on it.

I would say that the concertina is intermediate in difficulty between the whistle and the button accordion. It doesn't require the complicated fingering that the accordion does since you have two hands to span the notes, but at the same there are alot more distinct buttons to keep track of than the whistle has holes. In addition I would say that the whistle is easier for irish music in part because most irish whislte players play D whistles and the keys of D and G are pretty easy; When trying to figure out a tune, there are fewer wrong notes on the instrument to try. In contrast the most popular button accordions and concertinas have their home row in the key of C which means playing across the rows is necessary to play in D and G.. of course both instruments come in variations where the home row is in D.. but they have their own complications.. and the D/G Anglo is somwhat rarer.

Oh I forgot the English... Never really tried it.. so can't comment on it. But I have heard several people play very credible irish music on it. The Anglo became the choice of irish muscians initially because English concertinas were much more expensive back in the day (As opposed to now ) being they were targeted at the Middle Class as opposed to the working class Anglo.

Anyway, all this being said, I would say easy is only a matter of getting started. I think to achieve true mastery of any instrument requires years of work and it would be impossible to say that say Mary Bergin didn't have to work as hard as Billy McComiskey to master their respective instruments.

--
Bill

[Pat Cannady]

Unless you have respiratory problems, whistle is easier by far.

[BoneQuint]

So is there a reason besides the holy tradition for players of irish music to stick to anglo?

There are certain ornaments you can do with changing bellows direction on the Anglo that you can't do on the English. But my guess of the main reason would be marketing -- the English had a "parlour room" image and was associated with classical music. The Anglo (-German) was seen as more of a "folk" instrument. It's certainly easier to play simple or improvised diatonic accompaniment on the Anglo.

[Dwight]

Thank you Mary and Sarah,
I don't know why I hadn't thought of that. My music research budget is shot for this month, so I will have plenty of time to read up on them before buying anything. I have an old friend who plays them and this will give me an excuse to call her up.

BTW- I highly recommend the home physical theropy program form http://www.aboutcts.com/ . It has saved a number of careers without risky surgery. My only grip is that it doesn't work unless you actually do the exercises. I do them thoughout the day when I have a minute that would have been waisted anyway.

Dwight