Leyland Accordion Club Newsletter

Leyland Accordion Club Newsletter - February 2021

Published: Mon, 02/15/21

While we are unable to meet we continue to look back at the start of the club. This is the write up from the Ninth meeting of the club on the 8th July 1998.

“We opened our August meeting with Frank Scholes playing Grand old Duke of York and many other tunes, followed by Rebecca Postlewhite playing Granada, Triste Soiree and Fisarmonica Impazita. Rebecca was 18 years old the following day and received a rousing version of Happy Birthday, sung by the club members with Jeff Ward playing the accordion. Tom Bennett was up next while Rebecca had to disappear because her workmates had arranged a meal for her birthday, but she came to see us at the club first, now that's dedication. Tom played Blue Danube and Moonlight Serenade. Tom recently entertained at a 60th Birthday party, another semi-professional in the wings? Back to reality, George Hicks was up next followed by Andrew Figg, who played Sonata No. 1 in C, Pinnocchio and Kalinka. Jay and Jeff Ward then gave us three pieces including Tea for Two and Karioka. After a small break, which gave members of the Chester Accordion Club time to set up their equipment, we continued with Wendy Beautement and Ken Farran playing March Au Etoile plus one other. Ken Farran was the accordion player on 'Hetty Wainthrop on 29th August. It was time for our visitors from Chester to play as a group, it was a nine piece group who played Semper fidelis, What now My Love, I Love You So, Alpen Waltz, a 1960's medley and finally finishing with Arnbachaan March. I really enjoyed listening to our visitors from Chester, and a few days after the club I received a letter from Elsa Chatterton asking me to thank all the Leyland Club Members for making them all feel welcome, and that they enjoyed their visit to our club. They have also given us an open invitation to visit the Chester club which I hope we can arrange sometime. Peter Whiteley was next playing Ballad of Glencoe and Danny Boy, I was to follow Peter and someone was asking me a question when Peter played his last piece and it was only as I was getting ready to play that I suddenly thought that the tune I had the music for in my hand sounded familiar, like I had heard it recently, when I asked Peter he confirmed that the last piece he played was Return to Sorrento, so on to plan B, I played a Johnny Cash Medley consisting of I'll Walk the Line, San Quentin and Ring of Fire. With 29 accordionists on the list to play that night I decided to play just the one tune. Agnes Maclaren followed me but had to be persuaded to play, she wanted to follow someone who was rubbish so I said I would put her on after me. She did very well with her new MIDI setup which was seeing it's first outing that evening. Agnes gave us a Scottish Medley and was later accompanied by Richard on the Spoons. Jean Southern and George Hicks followed Agnes with amongst others Ozlo Waltz. Dugald Mcallum gave us a couple of tunes next including 'Jim Johnsons Highland Two Step', this just left time for Bill and Richard to finish the night playing us up to 11.10pm and hometime. A couple of players realising we were struggling to fit everyone in said they would stand down from the list. so Basil Berry and Bert Winstanley sorry, but we did try and cram 29 accordionists in to 3 hours and almost succeeded. The atmosphere was brilliant as usual and I look forward to this Wednesday when Tom Alexander promises to provide us with a great evenings entertainment. See you on 9th September for once again the most fun you can have with your clothes on. David Batty. “

David Batty

Hopefully that was an interesting blast from the past, now to move up to date with some items to keep you entertained during the lockdown.


Ksenija Sidorova New CD

Ksenija has released a new CD called “Piazzolla Reflections”

You can listen to her new album on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.

To find out where you can listen to Ksenija’s Album see the list on this link

https://lnk.to/Piazzolla_ReflectionsAr


Making A CD in Lockdown

(Michael Joyce – The Fettlers)

Michael Joyce has played at the club several times doing his Lancashire and Irish nights. I am regularly in touch with him and he has been sending me tracks he has been recording. I suggested he do a writeup of how he, and Bryn (the other half of The Fettlers) were recording and editing tracks from their respective homes, without meeting each other.

Michael said…. After investing in a 2020 iPad Air to replace the one I’ve had for 8 years, and having read that the 4th Generation iPads are very good for recording sound and videos, I decided to purchase one. Having not done much recording myself with plenty of time on my hands I thought I’ll give it a go and was really impressed on how good the sound was. The first attempt was done with the iPad balanced on a music stand and about five books in various positions to get something like the right angle. That was the set up for the Coridinio recording, after that I bought a iPad holder mount that clamps on to a music stand which is a big improvement from the books. I have a PA system set up in the front room with a speaker either side of the bay window all the time for practice and rehearsal , The midi side of the Accordion and The Ketron SD 40 go through the pa with the iPad positioned in the middle of the room so the sound is picked up from either side. During a chat with Bryn on the phone I was telling him about the new iPad and how good the recording was he said send it to me which I did, within a few hours he sent me the track back with the guitar on and it was really impressive so we have done quite a few up to now. The plan is to use the tracks to send out to promote our musical side and with the world changing maybe open up other avenues of work eg , Restaurants and Private functions etc.

Hope you found this interesting and that after the Pandemic we can return to the club and see you again soon.

Michael Joyce.

From Bryn I received the following…

Hello Bryn here, Michael's guitarist. Michael has asked me to explain the process, so here goes. Apologies if it gets/or is, rather convoluted.

STEP 1 Michael records the sound coming out of his pa speakers using the internal mics on his iPad, so it is live in the room. Whilst he is playing he has to imagine that I am playing in the room live as well, and therefore leave space for my contribution later on in the recording process.

STEP 2 He sends me the video to my email, the audio has accordion and expander sounds/drums etc.

STEP 3 I connect my laptop via the headphone out jack to my now very very old standalone hard disk multitrack recorder called the Korg D8. I record the audio to tracks 7/8 combined stereo track.

STEP 4 I record my guitar acoustic or electric guitar using my Behringer Vamp 3 which acts as an amp simulator with my electric or preamp with the acoustic, I record to track 1 and then make a 2 track stereo mix of all the audio to tracks 5 and 6.

STEP 5 I connect the line outs on the Korg to the line ins on my Casio px350 Privia digital piano, and using the internal USB recorder built into the Casio I record a WAV audio file of tracks 5 and 6 stereo master /mix to a USB stick. Nearly finished , honest !!😉

STEP 6 I load the USB WAV audio into the laptop and using the free online app Audio Trimmer, slightly boost the volume, and convert to highest quality MP3.

STEP 7 Last one, phew.😌 I send the MP3 as an attachment to Michael's email.

Hope this makes sense, I prefer standalone recorders to computer recording but that's probably just me. If anyone in Leyland Accordion Club wants any further info my email is bryn@brynfordmusic.co.uk mob 07538 931052. Cheers Bryn. PS check out my original tracks, www.brynfordmusic.co.uk 👍

To contact Michael about his accordion playing email michaeljoyce.uk@gmail.com

We have uploaded a video with two of the tracks the Fettlers have recorded this way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXnRrjIA1E4

Hopefully the above links in this newsletter keep you entertained this month while you can’t get to the club.

David Batty

Contact Details

Leyland Accordion Club is a club based in Leyland Lancashire England.

We have our concerts at

The Priory Club
Broadfield Drive
Leyland
Lancashire
England
PR25 1QN

Our postal address is

39 Wray Crescent
Ulnes Walton
Leyland
Lancashire
England
PR26 8NH

You can find our website at www.accordionclub.co.uk

Find out about UK festivals at www.accordionfestival.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/accordionclub

Join us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/accordionclub

All the best...

David Batty

Leyland Accordion Club