Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
I'm about to get a new Castagnari which will either be a Keanebox from NY or a Kriss III direct from Italy. If I get the Kriss I can specify any layout I want in treble and bass.
I recently found my current box lacking the high D when I was learning a slow air. Seems this is normal for B/C. I'm looking for advice about whether to replace another reed (maybe the F# in the B row) with the high D for that odd occasion. Is there enough need to worry about it? Would another reed be better to replace?
Any opinions about that, and also whether to go for the usual McComiskey bass (as seen in the layout below) or the Joe Burke style (Ds and Gs in both directions) will be very welcome.
This standard layout is the same as my current B/C (except for the 2 extra buttons):
Thanks in advance. As usual, I'll be away from the net from about 1600 - 2300 GMT (sleeptime in Australia). I'll probably ask on melodeon.net and C&F as well.
Re: Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
Good point Jeeves Tones. I think that one I posted is called the McComiskey configuration. This one is the older 'Paolo Soprani' system: http://old.melodeon.net/layouts/BC23tradbass.gif
and Joe Burke's bass sytem looks like this:
(top of instrument)
outside inside
chord D/D E/A
bass D/D E/A
chord G/G C/F
bass G/G C/F
(As seen at http://squeezehead.com/keyboard-layouts/basses/LAYOUTS.html)
So Joe Burke's has Gs and Ds on the same buttons push and pull.
Re: Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
I have the Joe Burke Bass on my 8 bass and the John Williams arrangement on my 12 bass. If you plan to use basses they are both far superior to the Soprani system. You do run into the issue though if you are out and about without your box and someone invites you to play with a borrowed box, the borrowed box likely will be Soprani which is standard on most 8 button basses.
On the treble side, I have a high D instead of an high f#, and a push A instead of a d#. The D is nice, but the push high A give you alot of flexibility.
Re: Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
When I saw the title I had visions of you taping a tin whistle to the side of your box Martin. I'm so disappointed to have musunderstood. Even more so when in my excitement I misread zippdw's opening remark as "I have the Burke Brass on my 8 bass".
Re: Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
Everyone here knows I can't type worth a Tinkers Dam.
When I started engineering school, the standard of technology involved how sophisticated your abacus was....I exagerate, but only slightly. We got very excited over the smell of bamboo slide rules!
So computers were a late-in-life skill acquisition
Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
I'm about to get a new Castagnari which will either be a Keanebox from NY or a Kriss III direct from Italy. If I get the Kriss I can specify any layout I want in treble and bass.
I recently found my current box lacking the high D when I was learning a slow air. Seems this is normal for B/C. I'm looking for advice about whether to replace another reed (maybe the F# in the B row) with the high D for that odd occasion. Is there enough need to worry about it? Would another reed be better to replace?
Any opinions about that, and also whether to go for the usual McComiskey bass (as seen in the layout below) or the Joe Burke style (Ds and Gs in both directions) will be very welcome.
This standard layout is the same as my current B/C (except for the 2 extra buttons):
http://info.melodeon.net/files/site/BC23modernbass.gif
Thanks in advance. As usual, I'll be away from the net from about 1600 - 2300 GMT (sleeptime in Australia). I'll probably ask on melodeon.net and C&F as well.
# Posted on September 16th 2009 by Martin_BC
Re: Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
If the choice is between a note you'll never need (high F#) and one that you'll need occasionally (high D) then don't hesitate - do it.
BTW the layout you linked to _does_ have D and G basses in both directions, so it's not clear what you are asking for opinions on.
# Posted on September 16th 2009 by Jeeves Tones
Re: Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
yes get the high D put in ,, I play kriss 4 voice which are currently not made anymore but i should of got the high D added
# Posted on September 16th 2009 by today
Re: Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
Good point Jeeves Tones. I think that one I posted is called the McComiskey configuration. This one is the older 'Paolo Soprani' system:
http://old.melodeon.net/layouts/BC23tradbass.gif
and Joe Burke's bass sytem looks like this:
(top of instrument)
outside inside
chord D/D E/A
bass D/D E/A
chord G/G C/F
bass G/G C/F
(As seen at http://squeezehead.com/keyboard-layouts/basses/LAYOUTS.html)
So Joe Burke's has Gs and Ds on the same buttons push and pull.
Looks like the high D is a goer then. Cheers!
# Posted on September 16th 2009 by Martin_BC
Re: Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
I have the Joe Burke Bass on my 8 bass and the John Williams arrangement on my 12 bass. If you plan to use basses they are both far superior to the Soprani system. You do run into the issue though if you are out and about without your box and someone invites you to play with a borrowed box, the borrowed box likely will be Soprani which is standard on most 8 button basses.
On the treble side, I have a high D instead of an high f#, and a push A instead of a d#. The D is nice, but the push high A give you alot of flexibility.
good luck
# Posted on September 16th 2009 by zippydw
Re: Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
When I saw the title I had visions of you taping a tin whistle to the side of your box Martin. I'm so disappointed to have musunderstood. Even more so when in my excitement I misread zippdw's opening remark as "I have the Burke Brass on my 8 bass".
- chris
# Posted on September 16th 2009 by ramblingpitchfork
Re: Buying a new B/C box - should I get a high D put in?
Everyone here knows I can't type worth a Tinkers Dam.
When I started engineering school, the standard of technology involved how sophisticated your abacus was....I exagerate, but only slightly. We got very excited over the smell of bamboo slide rules!
So computers were a late-in-life skill acquisition
# Posted on September 16th 2009 by zippydw