I want to take up another traditional instrument, and was wondering what you all would suggest. I play whistle and flute. I don’t want anything that is hugely expensive. I’m thinking of bodhran, but I don’t know. Any suggestions would be really appreciated!
how about a concertina?
not too expensive, not too heavy to carry.
I don’t know how hard it is to learn but it would definitely force you to be more knowledgeable about keys…which is a good thing.
Otter
I thought concertinas were pretty expensive. I haven’t priced them because I’m not interested in buying one. I’d love to play one though. They’re great.
Steve
I was thinking about them, does anyone out there play one? I also thought they were kind of expensive, but if not, that would be great.
Hello staten!
I play guitar since ten years and whistle since two weeks 
.
Just want to say I also thinking on a Bodhran, and will most probably order one 18" tuneable very soon.
Guitar, whistle and bodhran, some nice tunes should pop out with this I hope
/Peter
I don’t know what you call expensive…
My Elderly Music catalogue shows them priced from $155 to $650. I don’t know about the quality though because I don’t play. I’m sure there are better more expensive ones…
I play guitar, whistle, and flute. I picked up a bodhran and have started to learn it for a couple of reasons.
First, I wanted to get a better feel for Irish rhythms so that it would be easier to implement those rhythms when playing whistle/flute or even guitar. By focusing mostly on just the rhythm I might develop a better sense of the timing and flow of Irish music. Even if I never play bodhran in sessions and only play along with CD’s it will help me play melody instruments better.
Second, many times a session is either rhythm or melody instrument heavy. Being able to switch between the two gives me more to offer in support of the music.
Third, I’m not good enough with whistle or flute to learn a tune on the fly. I usually need to hear a tune played through many times be for it gets through my thick skull. Playing bodhran along with the tune keeps me engaged with the tune making it easier to learn. I hope to learn bodhran well enough to also follow melodic changes in new tunes with variation in my bodhran play.
Finally, bodhran, was the next cheapist instrument to whistles, costing under $100 to start. Concertinas, I believe, start in the over $300 range as do harp, fiddle, and most other traditional insturments.
What ever you choose, here’s hoping it helps you further …
Enjoy Your Music,
Lee Marsh
[ This Message was edited by: LeeMarsh on 2002-04-18 14:13 ]
On 2002-04-18 13:41, 24BRIX wrote:
I don’t know what you call expensive…
My Elderly Music catalogue shows them priced from $155 to $650.
I went to the Elderly website and looked at them. The only one that mentions a third row for playing in D, A and Bb is the one for $650. If you don’t get the third row it looks to me like you’re limited to C, G and their modes but that wouldn’t include D major, a very important key.
At the concertina web site there were some listed for sale. They ran from $850 to about $4500. I guess those are the ones I had in mind.
Steve
On 2002-04-18 13:24, Otter wrote:
how about a concertina?
not too expensive, Otter
duh???
Please tell me where to get cheap concertinas!!!
Well, the GOOD news is that there are now several sources of relatively inexpensive anglo and english concertinas. Although they are made with accordion reeds, the reeds have been “modified” to sound very much like the “real thing.” I have a Jeffries (classic “best” anglo concertina) and have played (and have ordered) a Geuns-Wakker 30-button anglo in C/G from The Concertina Connection. It is amazing how realistic this little instrument (selling for around $1500.00) sounds! The Button Box in Mass. also sells a similar instrument, as does Frank Edgley. I can’t wait for my new Geuns-Wakker to arrive (in May).
ONE WORD OF WARNING!! If you are seroiusly considering the concertina, DO NOT, repeat, DO NOT buy one of the "Italian models, such as the Stagi or Bastari!! Attempting to play these little beasts will definitely put you off concertinas for life. The buttons tend to stick in, the tone is horrible, and they are rarely in tune. A fellow in Alabama at Homewood Music does modify this beast to enable one to actually play it, but your money is better spent on the new “mid-priced” instruments fro Geuns-Wakker, Frank Edgely or The Button Box. Happy Squeezin!
On 2002-04-18 14:17, Peter Laban wrote:
On 2002-04-18 13:24, Otter wrote:
how about a concertina?
not too expensive, Otterduh???
Please tell me where to get cheap concertinas!!!
Peter
on e-bay :$99 “buy now” . and the list goes on.just type the word “concertina”
Of course I know nothing about concertinas, I am just a whistle and flute player. But for a starter instrument, a used one is not a bad idea. That is what I meant.
Obviously you won’t find one anywhere for 10 bucks.
Otter
Try bones or spoons–cheaper than bodrhans, and mesmerizing in the right hands. I love the bakelite (plastic) bones I got from Elderly much better than the more expensive wooden ones.
Lisa
On 2002-04-18 17:02, ysgwd wrote:
Try bones or spoons–cheaper than bodrhans, and mesmerizing in the right hands.
If you want percussion, David Holt has a great instruction video on bones, spoons, hambone (hitting yourself. It’s free) and paper bags. On Homespun Tapes.
Steve
BAGPIPES!!
You would learn it in a flash! Everybody in a radius similar to the kill radius of a 40KT nueclear weapon would know your name. You would never have to buy a drink for yourself again and you would be legally entitled to wear a skirt and knife without fear of prosecution. Let me know how you get on.
People seem to hate people who
play bodhrans. Next they hate
people who play pipes. That
leaves the tuba.
Why don’t you try the violin? I started it up about six weeks ago and have found it to be THE best instrument there is, next to the pipe organ, flute, piano, and trumpet.
Actually, it is a wonderful instrument that can play more than one note, can play in ANY KEY, is very expressive, and can do all the onamentation a whistle can do. It can be a melody instrument, can be played very fast or slow, and can be played with a MUTE on the bridge, which will make it very soft, something a whistle has a hard time doing. And it is TUNABLE! Now try to beat that with any other instrument. JP
There’s no way you can get a good concertina off ebay (or anywhere else for that matter, unless you are ripping someone off) for $99.
A $99 concertina would be the concertina equivalent of a $1 tinwhistle made out of cardboard. For a quality concertina, start your search at about $1000. Not what I would call a cheap instrument!
Jens
On 2002-04-19 00:48, JohnPalmer wrote:
Why don’t you try the violin? I started it up about six weeks ago and have found it to be THE best instrument there is, next to the pipe organ, flute, piano, and trumpet.Actually, it is a wonderful instrument that can play more than one note, can play in ANY KEY, is very expressive, and can do all the onamentation a whistle can do. It can be a melody instrument, can be played very fast or slow, and can be played with a MUTE on the bridge, which will make it very soft, something a whistle has a hard time doing. And it is TUNABLE! Now try to beat that with any other instrument. JP
Hi Staten,
I’d second the fiddle, IF you are prepared to put in the years of practise it requires. The fiddle and flute are two instruments that you can’t have too many of in a session - whereas more than one Bodhran is too many IMO. Multiple squeezeboxes, guitars, bazoukis or pretty much anything is too many, but multiple fiddles sound great, and they are indeed the most versatile instrument around.
I got a cheap beginner fiddle for £75 for messing on, but a good one would cost a lot more.
Mandolin is a lot of fun. They can be very expensive, but you might find a good used one at a reasonable price. I play a nice imported Kentucky model that I got at an antique shop for $150. As a bonus, the fingering is the same as the fiddle, so if you ever decide to try that instrument, you will have a head start.
I have read that the harmonica is gaining some status in Irish music.
The fella from Gaelic Storm plays one.
I believe his name is Patrick Murphy.
When I was at the concert it looked like he was playing catpaws. Like the spoons.
Sounded great.
Laura