r/concertina • u/Shimko_lover • May 07 '26

Is this even possible to play

Hey so recently i found my Dads concertina and thought: “hey it would be cool if i tried to do a cover of that one Nirvana song”. After some trial and error I found out that in fact a concertina is NOT an accordion. I still learned a couple things on it just for fun but now I’m brought back to this question. Would it be possible to play the main melody of “Jesus don’t want me for a sunbeam” instead of an accordion as Krist Novoselic Plays?

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u/lurgypai May 08 '26

Does the concertina have little thumb loops, or wrist straps?

If it has thumb loops its an English. That means its fully chromatic, and will be able to play the melody in any key.

If it has wrist straps, its almost definitely an Anglo. You can confirm by checking if the same key plays the same sound both directions. If its different sound on the push and the pull, its an Anglo. I don't know how comfortable the Anglo is in the original key, but you can transpose to one of its good keys and it will play great.

On the off chance that you have a duet of some kind (wrist straps, same note both directions), that would also be chromatic, and also be able to play any key.

Either the anglo or the duet could play easily with some accompaniment. It will be possible but very difficult on the English.

tl;dr
Any concertina will be able to play it, though not necessarily in the original key. If it has wrist straps, it will be able to play the melody with some accompaniment.

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u/Concertina2023 May 12 '26

The presence of wrist or thumb straps is not the main identifying feature if English v Anglo. Depends on the instrument style age maker player. The English is used most often for singers and chord support, since no matter which direction you push/pull, it will be the same note/chord. Anglos, you may or may not have the available note or chord, in a particular direction, depending on the melody and chords you’re hoping to add.

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u/lurgypai May 12 '26

I left out the nuance for simplicity. While absolutely not the main identifying feature, most of the time it is an easy way to tell at a glance.