There is no "best" tuning, it depends what YOU want to play!
I play D/G and A/D/G melodeons because 95% of the music I play is written in those keys, and also because I play with fiddlers who play most of their tunes in those keys.
For Irish music many players use B/C and I have seen many who prefer C#/D for the same reason as above. For example, playing a tune in D on a B/C requires playing "backwards" and cross-row.
Being a B/C player, it's nice when you meet a tune that lacks F#s and C#s, so that it can be played without crossing the row - Blarney Pilgrim, Ship in Full Sail, the Moul Head (Orkney), there must be others too that I'm not thinking of. It makes me think I should have chosen C#/D so I could have played all D tunes like that.
Some tunes seem to suit the smoothness of B/C. Others could do with a bit more bounce, and that seems easier to do on a C#/D. However a lot of hornpipes have the arpeggio DFA which is a nice bouncy direction change on B/C.
Tunes in A are not easy at all on B/C. Why is this? It just feels somehow inside out or upside down.
I think in the end, as has been said before, whether you choose B/C or C#/D is personal preference. I doubt anyone takes two boxes to a session to change between tunes - you generally stick with one tuning and make the best you can of it.
After many repetitions of this question on this site, I've come to the conclusion that C#/D is better if you've never learned the piano, since as mentioned above you can play straight up and down the D row, which covers 70% of the traditional Irish tunes.
If you've played the piano, though, B/C probably makes more sense since it has a similar mentality to an upside down piano. By which I mean all the white keys are on the inside row and all the black ones on the outside.
I don't think it makes all that much difference if you're new to playing music - people seem equally enamoured with both systems.
Personally I'm not all that quick going up and down the row, so I prefer cross-row playing anyway.
Take a tune like the reel 'The Wise Maid' Key of D. I find the second part hard enough to master on a B/C# box. Whereas on a C#/D box it would be played straight up and down (Single Row Style)
On the other hand take a tune like Woodland Flowers for instance. When played as written by Felix Burns and not as Colman played it it has three changes of key..G...D.... and C. I'd imagine the C part would be tricky to get on a C#/D. Hence the reason why I stick to B/C fingering.
Bc versus c sharp d
Bc versus c sharp d
What box tuning is best for which tunes then session box players?
# Posted on March 29th 2008 by jazz fan
Re: Bc versus c sharp d
There is no "best" tuning, it depends what YOU want to play!
I play D/G and A/D/G melodeons because 95% of the music I play is written in those keys, and also because I play with fiddlers who play most of their tunes in those keys.
For Irish music many players use B/C and I have seen many who prefer C#/D for the same reason as above. For example, playing a tune in D on a B/C requires playing "backwards" and cross-row.
Opinions vary!
# Posted on March 29th 2008 by québécois
Re: Bc versus c sharp d
boring boring
# Posted on March 30th 2008 by mehitabel23
Re: Bc versus c sharp d
Every stage in life has its own appropriate and desirable things.
# Posted on March 30th 2008 by Bodhi
Re: Bc versus c sharp d
Being a B/C player, it's nice when you meet a tune that lacks F#s and C#s, so that it can be played without crossing the row - Blarney Pilgrim, Ship in Full Sail, the Moul Head (Orkney), there must be others too that I'm not thinking of. It makes me think I should have chosen C#/D so I could have played all D tunes like that.
Some tunes seem to suit the smoothness of B/C. Others could do with a bit more bounce, and that seems easier to do on a C#/D. However a lot of hornpipes have the arpeggio DFA which is a nice bouncy direction change on B/C.
Tunes in A are not easy at all on B/C. Why is this? It just feels somehow inside out or upside down.
I think in the end, as has been said before, whether you choose B/C or C#/D is personal preference. I doubt anyone takes two boxes to a session to change between tunes - you generally stick with one tuning and make the best you can of it.
# Posted on March 30th 2008 by buttons 'n' whistles
Re: Bc versus c sharp d
I swiched from b/cto c#/d.Finding c#/d much better but thats just my opinion.
# Posted on March 30th 2008 by dinn2
Re: Bc versus c sharp d
After many repetitions of this question on this site, I've come to the conclusion that C#/D is better if you've never learned the piano, since as mentioned above you can play straight up and down the D row, which covers 70% of the traditional Irish tunes.
If you've played the piano, though, B/C probably makes more sense since it has a similar mentality to an upside down piano. By which I mean all the white keys are on the inside row and all the black ones on the outside.
I don't think it makes all that much difference if you're new to playing music - people seem equally enamoured with both systems.
Personally I'm not all that quick going up and down the row, so I prefer cross-row playing anyway.
Eno
# Posted on March 30th 2008 by bc_box_player
Re: Bc versus c sharp d
Take a tune like the reel 'The Wise Maid' Key of D. I find the second part hard enough to master on a B/C# box. Whereas on a C#/D box it would be played straight up and down (Single Row Style)
On the other hand take a tune like Woodland Flowers for instance. When played as written by Felix Burns and not as Colman played it it has three changes of key..G...D.... and C. I'd imagine the C part would be tricky to get on a C#/D. Hence the reason why I stick to B/C fingering.
# Posted on March 30th 2008 by Free Reed
Re: Bc versus c sharp d
This topic has been done to death, as the following search will show:
http://www.google.com/search?&rls=en&q=site:thesession.org+C%23+B/C
In the end you just have to MUYOFM
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/16292/comments#comment337797
# Posted on March 31st 2008 by Jeeves Tones