Best way to learn the irish concertina?

Hello everybody!

Since a couple of years I’ve played guitar in a small irish session group in switzerland. Now I would like to learn a melody instrument, that i can switch from time to time. One of my favorits would be the irish concertina! My problem: It is unpossible to find someone how can teach the concertina in my home counrty. And there is also not one single shop which sells this instrument and where i could try it. Thats why i’d like to ask you guys some questions:
1) I would have easily access to accordion-lessions (piano/button accordions) at the local music schools. How close are those instruments to the irish concertina? Could an accordion teacher help me with the concertina, even if he has no experience with that instrument? Or is it easy to switch to concertina, after i’ve learned the first steps on the accordion?

2) Is it a good idea to learn the concertina just from videos and books? I don’t have any experience with comparable instruments so far.

3) Buying a concertina without even try it before is quite a challenge 😉 But i can’t fly to ireland during the next couple of month. So what is your opinion about the Wren Anglo concertina 2 (https://mcneelamusic.com/the-wren-anglo-concertina-2/) for playing jigs and reels?

Thanks a lot for your answers,
Dani

Caitlin just started up concertina lessons on her website, looks good to me: https://www.irishconcertinalessons.com/

I would not recommend going for accordion lessons, the instruments are too different. I play accordion myself and after 5 minutes or so I can play a tune on a concertina, but getting the concertina style playing, ornamentation and traversing the concertina is just completely different.

Playing the button box might help with the concept of a bisonic instrument that sounds different notes on the push-pull. But the button placement and fingering is sufficiently different from the concertina that there is far from 100% crossover.

My first choice for a new hybrid Anglo concertina would be a Morse (there is one on eBay now, not mine, for $2,000 - €1,750). It uses accordion reeds rather than real concertina reeds. I would also deal directly with John O’Connor, who runs Custy’s Music in Ennis, Co Clare. He is honest and fair. He would accept a a return if the concertina didn’t suit you. He sells lovely concertinas made by Jose Claro, in County Clare, or those made by Ralf Schlimm, from Germany, which uses real concertina reeds. These are lovely instruments and might be easier to access since they are made in the EU.

I don’t think you’d do better than The Online Academy of Irish Music as far as learning the instrument. The tutors are all wonderful players and experienced teachers. https://www.oaim.ie The first few lessons are offered at no charge. There are also lessons offered on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axi6TrtNd_4

play video

Good luck and have fun. I love the instrument.

Thanks a lot for your fast answers! Both links to the online lessions look very good!
@David Levine: All the instruments you suggested are very nice. But the prices are also quite high - especially if I can’t test ahead if the concertina is the right instrument for me. What are the big disadvantages from the cheaper beginner instruments, such as the wreng anglo 2? Is it just a matters of the sound?

Dani - you need to have a look at the next discussion posted above this.

Hi Dani,

The Wren is fine for starting out on. It would get you started, and you can then upgrade/trade it in for a better concertina if you like.
Going to an accordion teacher would be fine for learning tunes only, but not technique, which is important from the start. You’d need some concertina instruction at the start to learn the basics for a few months. Taking both the accordion lessons (for repertoire) and the concertina lessons (two links above) at the same time might be your best option. But start with the online first to get the technique. There are free lessons on both websites for you to try out before you subscribe.
Hope that helps!
C

The best way to learn any sort of music on any sort of instrument is to play every day for a few minutes.
Five minutes a day works: two hours at only the weekend don’t!
Pick it up and just get used to holding it, don’t worry about how bollox it sounds, it’ll improve! And try and play with or mix with other musicians.

If you have an iPad or a large iPhone, you might find my ConcertinaXL iOS app useful:

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/app/concertinaxl-30-button-c-g/id366616314?mt=8

I’ve just signed up to Caitlin ’s lessons and they are excellent. Another good resource is “ The Concertina Diaries” from www.irishtunebook.com

Should add for the merits of otherwise of starter concertinas, have a look through relevant discussions on the concertina net forums.

Hi all and thanks for your answers!
I will check in the concertina net forums if they have other suggestions for a beginner instrument. But i think, as Caitlin said, the Wren would be fine for the first steps.
Sadly i don’t have a iPgone, but the online lessions are perfect for for me! So i will probably order a concertina soon and make my first steps on the instrument in a few weeks! 🙂

How deep can this groove get? The best way to learn a concertina, or any other instrument (or skill of any kind) is to get a good teacher. What you get from one will speed you along and stay with you. Fortunately we live in this age of technology that lets us do it on line and in real time. Tied for second place would the most excellent OAIM (and/or good on line programs as mentioned) and festival type workshops with the caveat that the instructors do something besides just knocking out yet another tune or two. I might include finding better players who are willing to sit with you in the kitchen, share a Guinness, and teach you something they know. My thanks to those who have done just that for me.There are no shortcuts, ya gotta pay your dues.

For what it’s worth: My teenage son bought a $100 concertina on EBay, without ever having laid hands on one, and an instructional video from Homespun Tapes. After a year or so he felt ready to take the big plunge and bought a beautiful instrument from Frank Edgley. Fast forward five or six years - he plays beautifully, and has a sizeable repertoire. So it is possible to start out on a very limited budget. Also, I am a big fan of Online Academy of Irish Music.

As said above the Concertina Diaries book is excellent, it comes with a C.D with the tunes on which are linked from the book and it also has a list of resources which are a great help.

Hello Dani,

You could try Accord et Musique, who are based in Lyons. I bought my Morse from them.

http://www.accordetmusique.fr/concertinas/ceili.html

I also endorse the videos on OAIM, the free ones are great to just see if you can…..

Kevin