A friend of mine is an accomplished fiddler who is just taking up the B/C box. A couple of questions:
Are there some good beginner tunes that go more easily for starters?
Is it a good idea to learn tunes in C at first, even if they are not commonly played in C, or to start right in using the accidentals on the B row?
Any other tips?
I started with some tunes on the C row (tunes in G that have no F#s aren't that hard to find, as are tunes in D dorian, and there are some C tunes). After two or three weeks I felt ready to try some tunes that had an F#. After a few more weeks, I started working in the C#.
Learning to play in C is good for when those tunes come up, as well as for knowing the difference between B/C and C#/D. It's also handy for those times when someone lets you try their melodeon.
But I wouldn't wait too long before getting to the keys of G and D. The way you think about the bellows in C vs D is totally different, so it'll be easier to learn the other before the first is too ingrained.
Advice on thinking about the bellows:
In C, press when the note is in the C major triad and draw otherwise.
In D, press for EF#G and draw otherwise.
I don't have a good way of understanding G.
So for C you think harmonically - which chord is the note in - and for D you think melodically - what portion of the scale is the note in.
I wouldn't worry about the E and B which are available in the opposite direction on the B row until the rest is under control (several months, at least).
start playing simple tunes like My Darling Asleep very soon - get your head, arms (bellow control) and fingers (crossing rows) around the music.
It's not as difficult as it seems.
one other tip that may be useful: try playing all the tunes that you are working on at the moment on the index and 2nd fingers alone. I found when I did this exercise that my speed and finger combinations really improved.
Advice on thinking about the bellows:
In C, press when the note is in the C major triad and draw otherwise.
In D, press for EF#G and draw otherwise.
I don't have a good way of understanding G
so when youare playing in d 5 notes of the octave draw,and 3 are press,,
surely the only diference between g and d is the c# note.
so d a b are draw,c nat e f# g,are press.
I prefer to think about it in terms of different shapes that the scales take, and the common patterns of notes that crop up from tune to tune. These build up into a sort of "snippet library" that is at your disposal for learning tunes and playing the ones you know. I'd start off in G for sure, then D. C is 1. not that hard 2. not super common and 3. a very different way of thinking about bellows than D. And you're going to want to know D.
I agree with Mr Creeper about trying to play the tunes without using your pinky - you can always include it when really needed, and I find it clearly improves my agility moving around the buttons. I'm also a beginner on B/C (played D/G for a short time first), and two nice intro B/C jigs I've learned are:
Jim Ward's http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/793
and
The Old Favourite/The Clare http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/56
Don't avoid the F# - you'll be playing it a lot over the next few decades!
Get a diagram of the keyboard which will show you where all the notes are. Learn the different scales. Up and down. Up and down etc etc - Always start your lesson by playing the scales. Key C:- CDEFGABC Key G:- GABCDEF#G - Key D - DEF#GABC#D for starters. Eventually move on to the scales in Key A and Key F. Start learning simple slow tunes in Key C..'The Wild Colonial Boy' will do for starters, assuming of course that you know the tune. Pick a type of tune that you know. I teach 'Roddy McCory' as a first tune in Key G and The 'Dawning of the Day' as a first tune in Key D. With plenty of practice you should be able to play a tune in Key A in about three months.
Dickens said "surely the only diference between g and d is the c# note. so d a b are draw,c nat e f# g,are press."
Obviously. But I can't find any way of encapsulating that information in a natural, higher-level rule. It just seems like a random partition of the scale into two parts that the player has to memorize. Neither d a b nor c e f# g form anything familiar either harmonically or melodically.
Beginning B/C box
Beginning B/C box
A friend of mine is an accomplished fiddler who is just taking up the B/C box. A couple of questions:
Are there some good beginner tunes that go more easily for starters?
Is it a good idea to learn tunes in C at first, even if they are not commonly played in C, or to start right in using the accidentals on the B row?
Any other tips?
Thanks!
# Posted on October 20th 2008 by fiddlercjp
Re: Beginning B/C box
I started with some tunes on the C row (tunes in G that have no F#s aren't that hard to find, as are tunes in D dorian, and there are some C tunes). After two or three weeks I felt ready to try some tunes that had an F#. After a few more weeks, I started working in the C#.
Learning to play in C is good for when those tunes come up, as well as for knowing the difference between B/C and C#/D. It's also handy for those times when someone lets you try their melodeon.
But I wouldn't wait too long before getting to the keys of G and D. The way you think about the bellows in C vs D is totally different, so it'll be easier to learn the other before the first is too ingrained.
Advice on thinking about the bellows:
In C, press when the note is in the C major triad and draw otherwise.
In D, press for EF#G and draw otherwise.
I don't have a good way of understanding G.
So for C you think harmonically - which chord is the note in - and for D you think melodically - what portion of the scale is the note in.
I wouldn't worry about the E and B which are available in the opposite direction on the B row until the rest is under control (several months, at least).
# Posted on October 20th 2008 by GaryAMartin
Re: Beginning B/C box
start playing simple tunes like My Darling Asleep very soon - get your head, arms (bellow control) and fingers (crossing rows) around the music.
It's not as difficult as it seems.
one other tip that may be useful: try playing all the tunes that you are working on at the moment on the index and 2nd fingers alone. I found when I did this exercise that my speed and finger combinations really improved.
# Posted on October 20th 2008 by Brown Creeper
Re: Beginning B/C box
Advice on thinking about the bellows:
In C, press when the note is in the C major triad and draw otherwise.
In D, press for EF#G and draw otherwise.
I don't have a good way of understanding G
so when youare playing in d 5 notes of the octave draw,and 3 are press,,
surely the only diference between g and d is the c# note.
so d a b are draw,c nat e f# g,are press.
# Posted on October 20th 2008 by Dick Miles
Re: Beginning B/C box
accordion whiz & teacher damien connolly's wonderful b/c box book & dvd are also highly recommended:
damienjconnolly@hotmail.com
# Posted on October 21st 2008 by ceemonster
Re: Beginning B/C box
I prefer to think about it in terms of different shapes that the scales take, and the common patterns of notes that crop up from tune to tune. These build up into a sort of "snippet library" that is at your disposal for learning tunes and playing the ones you know. I'd start off in G for sure, then D. C is 1. not that hard 2. not super common and 3. a very different way of thinking about bellows than D. And you're going to want to know D.
# Posted on October 21st 2008 by kjay_bc_box
Re: Beginning B/C box
Don't feel that you have to start with dance tunes, the airs of songs will do just fine to start. And Gary makes good points above. Enjoy.
# Posted on October 21st 2008 by AlBrown
Re: Beginning B/C box
I agree with Mr Creeper about trying to play the tunes without using your pinky - you can always include it when really needed, and I find it clearly improves my agility moving around the buttons. I'm also a beginner on B/C (played D/G for a short time first), and two nice intro B/C jigs I've learned are:
Jim Ward's http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/793
and
The Old Favourite/The Clare http://www.thesession.org/tunes/display/56
Don't avoid the F# - you'll be playing it a lot over the next few decades!
Cheers - Martin
# Posted on October 21st 2008 by Martin_BC
Re: Beginning B/C box
Get a diagram of the keyboard which will show you where all the notes are. Learn the different scales. Up and down. Up and down etc etc - Always start your lesson by playing the scales. Key C:- CDEFGABC Key G:- GABCDEF#G - Key D - DEF#GABC#D for starters. Eventually move on to the scales in Key A and Key F. Start learning simple slow tunes in Key C..'The Wild Colonial Boy' will do for starters, assuming of course that you know the tune. Pick a type of tune that you know. I teach 'Roddy McCory' as a first tune in Key G and The 'Dawning of the Day' as a first tune in Key D. With plenty of practice you should be able to play a tune in Key A in about three months.
# Posted on October 21st 2008 by Free Reed
Re: Beginning B/C box
Thanks for all these thoughtful ideas!
# Posted on October 21st 2008 by fiddlercjp
Re: Beginning B/C box
Dickens said "surely the only diference between g and d is the c# note. so d a b are draw,c nat e f# g,are press."
Obviously. But I can't find any way of encapsulating that information in a natural, higher-level rule. It just seems like a random partition of the scale into two parts that the player has to memorize. Neither d a b nor c e f# g form anything familiar either harmonically or melodically.
# Posted on October 21st 2008 by GaryAMartin