Learning how to play: accordion playing with Melvin Combden, Seldom-Come-By

• Main Authors: Power, Maureen, Osborne, Evelyn, 1975-
• Other Authors: Combden, Melvin, Melvin Combden lives on Fogo Island in the community of Seldom-Come-By. Born in 1944, he was originally from Wild Cove, which was resettled by the government during the 1950-60s. He has three children, two boys and a girl. His wife, Velma, is also from Fogo Island. Melvin is a builder and is currently building punts. He also teaches traditional row punt building at the Fogo Central Academy High School. He used to fish with his father and his brother out of Seldom-Come-By, but when the fishery closed he took a course in carpentry in order to get his trade papers. Melvin's father was a boat builder which is how he and his brother, also a boat builder, learned the trade. Melvin picked up the accordion as a young boy in Wild Cove and continues to play today, including at festivals on Fogo Island.
• Format: Moving Image (Video)
• Language: English
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: Music and song; Combden; Melvin; Playing by ear; Improvisation (Music); Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/ich_cn/id/720

People tend to play differently. Melvin Combden plays by ear, trying to recreate the tune he hears. Evelyn Osborne believes that after learning a song, a person often changes it. Melvin agrees, sometimes he changes notes to make the tune sound better.