New toy…
http://www.tradlessons.com/?p=127
Cheers,
Michael
Cute ! 
Turns out the software sampler synth I’m experimenting with has a scripting language that allows you to do pretty much anything with MIDI data. The AMC-30 concertina puts out a constant velocity for each note and then modulates the volume with MIDI volume control messages. This makes it difficult to use it with any sort of synth that switches between samples based on the note velocity.
Today’s experiment was to see if I can capture the volume messages and translate them into the next note velocity rather than using the constant value sent by the AMC-30. I also pass through and remap the volume messages. This allows me to play the multi-velocity sampled accordions and vastly extends the versatility of the instrument.
Pretty cool. I also was able to confirm that all this works on my laptop!
I’ll try and post something with the new, more expressive setup in the next few days.
No offense, but this is exactly why I am against midi instruments in Trad Music. The last thing I want to do is sit down in a session next to a concertina or an accordion and hear a flute or a fiddle. If you want to have an instrument that sounds like a fiddle, why not get a fiddle…
–
Bill
Its mostly just a really cool toy…
I plan to use it for recording and the occasional gig, but too much gear to drag around to use regularly at a session.
Bill, you need to think of other things midi instruments can do aside from imitate other instruments (and I don’t think anyone thinks they do a great job of that really).
You can use a midi concertina to sound like a concertina - but pitch it in different keys to accompany a singer. You can plug in earphones and practise silently on the train or during your lunch hour.
As Mike said, it’s a toy, not intended to replace but to complement your chose instrument.
The original reason I even considered it was that I recently sold my set of Uilleann pipes pitched in C. I was originally going to get a Bb/F concertina so I could still have something to play with the guys in the SoCal piping club when we have our flat sessions. The problem is, the key in favor often shifts from year to year. This year its C, next year it could be B or C#. So, with this, I can easily change and not have to have 3 alternate pitched instruments to keep and maintain. For normal sessions, I’m set with a standard Anglo, but for the occasional wedding or other gig where we’re using amplification anyway, might be useful to have a cello for a waltz or other tunes.