Comments

Question for box players

Question for box players

Hi all..

I'm currently addicted to listening to these clips, along with loads of the others featuring Damien Mullane playing, he is a legend musician.

Two questions.

First off, Is he playing a b/c box here in the first clip?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1IHW0nTt8w

What about the second one below? Is this c#/d?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS1dW6gmWoo&feature=related

Thanks in advance..

# Posted on July 5th 2009 by T

Re: Question for box players

hello. in the first link, he seems to be playing a c-natural on the pull... pretty impossible to do with a b/c.

other than that, i can't help you except to say he has nice boxes in both clips. so the verdict is, get a nice box, and maybe an emo haircut.

# Posted on July 6th 2009 by polkageist

Re: Question for box players

What is he playing then if it's not b/c in the first clip?

# Posted on July 6th 2009 by T

Re: Question for box players

I am at work and can't access you tube-anti piracy IT department policy.

I am a b/c player, but have been transcribing things so I amd getting a bit of experience with good players doing not so typical keyed accordions. The good pplayers all play a variety of keys.

If silver bow is looking at the image at from a c draw (as though the c were on a b/c) it would not be a c#/d, but a Bflat box.

I have run into some Joe Burke recordings. Knowing him to be one of the true masters of B/C, I sat down to play along on some recordings and could not figure out what in the world key he was playing in. After much fooling around to establish his key, it became obvious that he could only be playing a bflat keyed box.

I beleive that would give you a c draw on the button that is a d draw on the b/c.

# Posted on July 6th 2009 by zippydw

Re: Question for box players

Joe Burke did some old recordings on a G/G# Paolo Soprani, hence the wierd keys and lower pitch. Playing B/C fingering would make D tunes come out in Bb.

Damien is a B/C player, though he also plays C#/D ocationally.

# Posted on July 6th 2009 by Larshansen

Re: Question for box players

First clip - I'm certain that's a C/C#...

Key is F minor (comes out as E minor on a B/C), and the second tune has that distinctive out-in-out Eb-G-Bb rising arpeggio (comes out as D-F#-A on a B/C) at the start of the second phrase...

Second clip - B/C... the key progression, D to F to C, is well within the scope of the instrument.

# Posted on July 6th 2009 by EeeJay

Re: Question for box players

Good stuff,
that makes sense Eee Jay.

There's a nice clip below of a g/g# box below, it sounds like a truck on the low notes!

Thanks for all the responses guys.

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhaltaslive_287_1_ned_kelly/

# Posted on July 6th 2009 by T

Re: Question for box players

to clarify zippy,

i was just listening to the pitch rather than which button his finger pressed, and then noted the direction of the bellows.

# Posted on July 6th 2009 by polkageist

Re: Question for box players

Yes indeed - Ned Kelly, good stuff!

Here's another clip of a C/C# flyin' along at full tilt...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi5oYNql5AE

Note the stylistic shape, twists and turns of the B/C... Also, the shouted key changes - which stick to brevity, ignoring the actual pitch...

# Posted on July 6th 2009 by EeeJay

Re: Question for box players

Silver bow- I did not have availability of the clip so was only speculating. I am just starting to experiment a bit with keyed boxes.....Herself will be very unhappy about that if my collection of whistles is a predictor of a new box collection ;-)

Larshansen- Thanks for the observation. I knew Joe Burke played a number of keyed boxes. He is a great box player (like everyone says 'Long live Santa Claus' !) That bflat My Darling Asleep on Morning Mist really threw me though. But the lower b fkat key really makes it sound full. On B/C with that tune played in D, the second phrase is way up the keyboard and sounds a bit squeeky.

I thought about a G/G#. I have heard prople talk about them, but I have never actually seen one. That b flat must drive other instruments crazy.

# Posted on July 7th 2009 by zippydw

Not a member yet? Sign up!

forgotten your password?

Frequently Asked Questions

Enter your email address to have your password sent to you.