Anyone else out there who plays English concertina? Just curious. I seem quite alone with it. I love this little instrument and I think it’s a lot more handy than anglo or any diatonic squeeze box. I’ve tried some melodeon but it just seems impossible for me to learn!! Anyway, the EC suits any music style really, so I’m very satisfied with it.
If you’re out on your own, ET, it’s because we Irish musicians don’t like our instruments to be too logical! I’m glad you’re happy with your new acquisition. It’s a great little instrument - very versatile as you say and probably a lot less brain-frying to learn than a push-pull machine.
The tradeoff is that you might have to work a bit harder on getting a good punchy swing going in trad music, though - EC music can easily come out in a rather shapeless flow. Piano box practitioners face the same problem, but good players overcome this tendency.
Keep us posted!
Steve (from the rocking chair)
Hi Ennistraveler,
I play English concertina too, mostly Irish but also Scottish, Cape Breton, and whatever. I tried C#/D button accordion and I’m currently trying to learn the one-row melodeon, but I find it so much more difficult than the EC. How long have you been playing?
Rand
I think it should be possible to get a good swing also with the EC - it depends on how you work with the bellows, I guess.
I haven’t been playing long at all, only since last October, and nothing at all this spring or summer. I learned the fingerings and then I played the fiddle instead. But now I’ve started again, I brought it to a Swedish accordion event and people were so fascinated by this little thing, everyone wanted to look at it and hear it. Also, I was so surprised I could actually play along a little bit. So now I’m working hard to actually learn to play ok. Now I bring all kinds of instruments on those events since I can’t play the accordion. I’ve mostly played some back-up instrument, bouzouki or mandolin, but it’s nicer and handier to bring the concertina…
Can you recommend any Irish/Cape Breton tunes that are easy to learn on the concertina?
If you haven’t been there, you should go. There are plenty of EC players who manage the same jumpy beat that the Anglo is known for. There are plenty of Anglo players who manage the smoothness of an EC.
Certainly it can be done, and has. Enjoy!
My most constant music partner plays English. I think it’s probably harder to get the lilt than on the Anglo. But he probably would hyperventilate if he played Anglo-- he breathes in and out in time with the bellows.
We sure have a great time with tunes together. He’s just getting a computer now, so I’ll connect him to this site when he finally gets online, and you’ll have some company.
Try Connaughtman’s Rambles, that’s one of the first ones he learned.
Have fun!
Jennie
Do you think that it would be easier to play “fast” on an anglo? I mean, the fact that push and pull gives you different notes mean that your fingers have to cover less space to be able to play twice as many notes. I like the fact that on the anglo you can pretty much play anything without covering too much ground. The low A and the high G# and Bb make my fingers stretch a little bit, but beside those notes I don’t have to move my fingers much.
I think “fast” playing can be done on either english or anglo. In fact I bet a cheap english would be easier to play fast on than a cheap anglo, because the cheap anglos are usually clunky and hard to change direction quickly - that wouldn’t be an issue with english ones.
I think my anglo is kind of slow but then I hear a master player use it and I’m forced to admit that the bit that is slow isn’t the concertina. 
Try Connaughtman’s Rambles, that’s one of the first ones he learned.
Connaughtman’s Rambles is a great jig for the EC. Also try, The Lilting Banshee, Haste to the Wedding, Garryowen, Kesh Jig, The Sailor’s Wife (Scottish), Merrily Kissed the Quaker’s Wife.
Reels: The Merry Blacksmith, Siver Spear, Navvy on the Line.
Strathspeys: Captain Campbell’s, Fingal’s Cave.
Nice Cape Breton tune: Lament for the Death of Reverend Archie Beaton.
I think EC can really shine on the polkas: Ballydesmonds (1, 2, and 3), Des’s Polka, Egan’s, Maggie in the Wood, Farewell to Whiskey, Siege of Ennis, Scartaglen Polka, Nell Fee’s.
Waltz: Ootpik Waltz.
Slow tunes: Niel Gow’s Lament for the Death of his 2nd Wife, Roslin Castle (both Scottish).
Rand
I play English Concertina. I’ve played a couple of gigs with Weekenders and the Calicanto singers on English Concertina & fiddle. I also managed to sneak in some 8 string ukulele & rec****r.
I have an Anglo but don’t like to play it much.
I’d really like to get a Duet someday…
Any duet players out there?
I’ve been playing Uilleann pipes and just bought and English concertina, just because my mate bought one and it became a must-have! I love it. You can play Irish Trad very well on an English - absolute fact! Most Irish players choose the Anglo, more a matter of tradition I think.
There are lots of ways of getting the Irish “lift” you’re looking for. For example, in Jigs, play triplets (any three quavers) with different emphasis. You can slightly lengthen the first of the three in time, but keeping the overall timing of the three, playing the other two slightly shorter. You can also play the first two quavers very stacatto and the third longer and louder so that the emphasis is on the third quaver. Do it slowly and you’ll see what I mean.
No doubt experience Anglo players will now have my hide!
I got one recently but haven’t learnt to play it yet. A friend of mine says he can teach me some basics if I bring it to session next month.
Why? 
Don’t liker to play is different from don’t play, so I infer that you dislike the anglo for some reason.
Is it not a nice instrument (your particular one, or all anglos), or do you have trouble with the push-pull giving different notes?