Post by IAN on Mar 29, 2019 9:05:56 GMT
My name is Ian, I'm 58 and I live in East Sussex, England. I retired in 2015 after 30 years as a London Firefighter.
I had played Hohner harmonicas, on and off since I was 18, but since retiring I have been teaching my Dad to play and as I live next door to him, we have a 2 hour lesson/session every morning. I also practice by myself for a couple of hours before that and then again in the afternoon.
For about 25 years my main instrument was the fiddle and I also play several other instruments. However, I very seldom feel the urge to pick any of them up now, with the exception of the one row melodeon for which I have just found a renewed passion. I am self taught on every instrument that I have and although I am musically literate, I am predominantly an 'ear player'.
My music making is informed by the field recording archives of 'Traditional' English fiddlers, melodeon and mouth organ players made in the last century. That is to say, jigs, hornpipes, waltzes, schottiches and polkas as played for social dancing and also popular song melodies. The biggest influence on me has been the Anglo concertina playing of Scan Tester, much of whose recorded work can be found in the British Library Sound Archives, for anybody who may be interested. I have also just discovered the marvellous YouTube channel of the Australian melodeon player Hector Awol, who has a very 'old fashioned' style that is excellent for playing along with on the mouth organ.
I only use Hohner instruments and apart from a detailed exploration of the solo tuned chromatic harmonica last year, I am now mainly playing the #56/96 C/G tremolo, the Vamper in C and G, a Super Vamper in C and a valveless 'Richter' #260 in C + accidentals. I have always tongue blocked and used chords.
Finally, I must say that I am delighted to have been accepted into this group and to hear the music being performed now, as it has always been for over a century.
Kind regards, Ian.
I had played Hohner harmonicas, on and off since I was 18, but since retiring I have been teaching my Dad to play and as I live next door to him, we have a 2 hour lesson/session every morning. I also practice by myself for a couple of hours before that and then again in the afternoon.
For about 25 years my main instrument was the fiddle and I also play several other instruments. However, I very seldom feel the urge to pick any of them up now, with the exception of the one row melodeon for which I have just found a renewed passion. I am self taught on every instrument that I have and although I am musically literate, I am predominantly an 'ear player'.
My music making is informed by the field recording archives of 'Traditional' English fiddlers, melodeon and mouth organ players made in the last century. That is to say, jigs, hornpipes, waltzes, schottiches and polkas as played for social dancing and also popular song melodies. The biggest influence on me has been the Anglo concertina playing of Scan Tester, much of whose recorded work can be found in the British Library Sound Archives, for anybody who may be interested. I have also just discovered the marvellous YouTube channel of the Australian melodeon player Hector Awol, who has a very 'old fashioned' style that is excellent for playing along with on the mouth organ.
I only use Hohner instruments and apart from a detailed exploration of the solo tuned chromatic harmonica last year, I am now mainly playing the #56/96 C/G tremolo, the Vamper in C and G, a Super Vamper in C and a valveless 'Richter' #260 in C + accidentals. I have always tongue blocked and used chords.
Finally, I must say that I am delighted to have been accepted into this group and to hear the music being performed now, as it has always been for over a century.
Kind regards, Ian.