IMPROVEMENTS IN CONCERTINAS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I JOHN HILL MACCANN of 30 Morley Street & 37, Morley Place Plymouth in
the county of Devon Musician & Concertina maker do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN CONCERTINAS to be as follows:-
They are fitted with a complete chromatic scale continuing from the left hand
side to the right hand side so that all the treble notes are on the right hand side,
the bass or lower notes being on the left; so that the melody can be entirely
played on one side leaving the other hand at liberty to play the accompaniment (as
in the pianoforte). There are six rows of keys which are simply arranged so that
each finger has its proper row. They are double action the same notes sounding
whether the bellows are pressed or drawn & have hand straps as being more
convenient for holding than thumb straps. They are made in either shape
hexagonal or square with 39 to 58 keys.

page_text: I, JOHN HILL MACCANN, of 30 Morley St, and 37 Morley Place Plymouth, in
the County of Devon do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CONCERTINAS, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Adding a complete number of Flats and Sharps, to the Natural Notes so as to
form a complete Chromatic Scale from the Second C below the Treble stave, to the
Second C above, which can be extended in a similiar manner either above or below.
That the Naturals which are in four rows are in the centre of the Instrument, so
as to be convenient for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th finger's to perform upon, and
so that they may be fingered without in any way interfering with the Flats and
Sharps.
To these four rows of Naturals I have so arranged that the Flats and Sharps are
placed close by the side of their corresponding Naturals, which thus gives the
performer the advantage of their position any time he may require to use
such notes.
That altho' Flats and Sharps have been added to the Concertina but in such a
manner as to interfere with the Natural Scale of the same, which in my Scale is
not interfered with in any such way, such system being necessary in Concertina's
and all Instruments of such Class.
The Duet Concertina's are double action, that is sounding the same note whether
pressing or drawing the bellows, and that having added a complete and perfect
scale of Semitone's independent and separate from the Naturals it makes the
Instrument equal to the English Concertina with these advantage's, viz, Owing to
the Notes on the Left Hand, being tuned an Octave lower than the Right, and the
Compass being from Second C below the Stave to C in the Space it acts as a Bass
to the Treble which is on the Right Side and gives the Left Hand an Independent
Scale.
*The Right Hand Scale being from G in the Stave to Second C above (or further)
contains the Treble notes, having also an Independent Scale from the other side
which gives the Right Hand liberty to play any Melody independent of the Left
and leaving that hand at liberty to play a proper accompaniment similar to the
pianoforte, also, that owing to having bandles to rest the Hand upon, with Hand
Straps for support it gives the four fingers on each side full liberty to act on its
respective rows of Studs with a firm grip and support for the Instrument, which
cannot be done with such ease with the Thumb straps and finger Rests.
Thus I call my Invention the Improved Chromatic Duet English Concertina
which as all the requisites of the Ordinary English Concertina with the advantages
before stated.
The Improved Chromatic Duet English Concertina's may consist of, from,
39 Keys, 2 Octaves and 6 Notes, to, 58 Keys, 4 Octaves, which can again be
extended in the same manner either above or below, which scale of fingering may
be made in any size or shape Instrument where extension of Compass may require.
Fig's 1 & 2 shows the position of the Studs or Keys, on the Left and Right Hand

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Adding Sharps and Flats to the Natural notes of a Concertina so as to form a
complete Chromatic scale, and arranging the Keys in the manner and for the
purpose above described.
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