Why rhythm comes first on the Anglo

On most instruments, rhythm is something you layer on top of the notes. On the Anglo concertina, it is built into the mechanics. Every time you change bellows direction, you change the note available to you, and every change of direction is a small articulation – a natural place to breathe, accent, or lift. The dance rhythm you are playing does not just live in your fingers. It lives in your bellows.

Learning to recognise the common tune types – jigs, reels, hornpipes and waltzes – is therefore not dry theory. It is the key to choosing sensible bellows patterns, placing ornaments where they will tell, and making a tune sound like a dance rather than a stream of notes.

Jigs: the lilting six-eight

A jig is in 6/8. Count it as two main beats per bar, each dividing into three quavers: ONE-two-three, TWO-two-three. The strong pulse lands on the first and fourth quavers. Good jig playing is not about speed – it is about that rolling lilt, with a clear difference between strong and weak quavers.

On the Anglo, the most natural way to find that lilt is to let the strong quaver fall on a push where possible. Push notes tend to feel more grounded, so use them to mark the beat, saving pulls for the lighter second and third quavers. Try this on The Kesh Jig or The Tenpenny Bit: play the first quaver of each group with a firm push, and let the other two follow with less pressure.

Ornamentation should serve the rhythm. A cut or short roll on the strong quaver will lift the beat, while too many ornaments on weaker notes will clutter the lilt. Keep them sparse and rhythmic.

Reels: driving four-four

Reels are in 4/4 or 2/2, played with a steady, driving pulse. Count four beats to the bar, with a slight emphasis on beats one and three, or two beats with a strong first. The pace is brisk, and the rhythm is smooth rather than dotty.

Reels are where Anglo players must think hardest about bellows direction. At speed, every unnecessary change is a bump in the road. Plan your bellows so changes fall on natural phrase points rather than mid-run. Cross-row fingering – using the C row and the G row together – gives you more options to keep the bellows moving the same way for longer.

• Use the push for the downbeat where the fingering allows, to give the tune drive.
• Group notes into phrases of two bars, not single beats, so the bellows breathe with the tune.
• Keep ornaments tight. A crisp cut or a single-note triplet is usually enough in a reel; long rolls can drag the rhythm.

Hornpipes: swung and stately

A hornpipe is written in 4/4 but played with a swing, often notated as pairs of dotted quaver and semiquaver. It is slower and more deliberate than a reel, with a strong accent on the first beat of each bar and a clear sense of stepping. Think of The Boys of Bluehill or Harvest Home.

Because hornpipes move at a more relaxed pace, you have room for expression. Bellows can swell and ease into notes rather than just change pitch. Many players put a slight pull on the long or dotted notes to give them weight, and use the semiquavers as light, bouncing pickups. Ornamentation can be more generous than in a reel – triplets and rolls sit comfortably, provided they happen on the beat.

Waltzes: three-four with space

Waltzes are in 3/4, with the strong beat on the first of each bar: ONE-two-three. In a folk session, waltzes are often the calm end to an evening, but they still need a clear pulse. The third beat should not be swallowed – it is what gives a waltz its sway.

On the Anglo, waltzes are an excellent place to work on smooth bellows control. Because the tempo is slow, there is nowhere to hide an awkward change of direction. Aim to change bellows on the bar line or at a natural phrase break, and use the pressure of the bellows to shape the melody – a gentle push into the first beat, easing off through the second and third.

Ornamentation in waltzes should be lyrical rather than percussive. A soft cut, a slow slide into a note, or a little grace note before the beat will suit the mood better than a sharp triplet.

Putting the rhythms into practice

The best way to internalise these rhythms is to listen to them away from the instrument. Hum a jig while you walk, clap the beat of a reel, sway to a hornpipe. When the rhythm is in your body, your bellows will follow.

In practice, take a single tune you know well and play it through in each of the four rhythms – as a jig, a reel, a hornpipe and a waltz. It will feel odd at first, but it forces you to think about where the pulse sits and how your bellows can support it. Then return to the correct rhythm with fresh ears.

Above all, remember that the Anglo rewards players who let the instrument breathe. The bellows are not just a pump; they are your voice. Match that voice to the dance, and the tune will lift off the page.