Howdy everyone! I'm currently the proud owner of a B/C Honer black dot button accordion...something like that, anyway, I'm not entirely sure of the proper name. Anyway, I'm looking to get a new one of the G/D variety. I've heard that's much easier for Irish music, seeing as the majority of Irish tunes are in those keys. Is there any truth in that? Also, should I be looking at 3 row? My current one has 2 rows but I've been hearing a lot of hype about getting one with 3. (I'm a self taught teenager so I'm making sure I'm getting my facts straight before I go and spend a billion dollars!) On that note, anyone have any suggestions as to which ones I should be looking at? Thanks!
If you have a BC, and plan to play mostly irish or scottish music, and are used to BC system, just stick to it. If you're interested in using basses a lot, and playing some other stuff try another system. But my feeling is, if you're familiar with a system, it gets awkward trying to use different systems. Some manage it quite well (John Kirkpatrick for instance)... personnally I use a 3 row-18 basses, and I'm so used to it I play any kind of music (mostly scottish actually), Maybe if I were a newbie, I'd take BC... (but I like too much using the left hand...). the suggestion I'd make would be to go on with your BC box, you'll need a few years till you get around all the possibilities...
I'm not an accordion player, I'm a concertina player so maybe this isn't really the same thing but i figured i'd share my experience.
I play mostly Irish music on the concertina and even though most irish music is written in the key of D and G I've opted (like many others) to go with a C/G anglo over a G/D anglo. I've tried both (though I started with the C/G) and did not find the G/D to be any easier. You'll have to learn cross-row playing which might not be as intuitive as "down the rows" playing but I don't think its any more difficult to learn. Perhaps it's the same as with the accordion. Sticking to one row to play a tune has fewer buttons and might be a little less confusing but by starting out learning to play "across the rows" you have more room to play anything outside the home keys and you'll save time if you decide to play tunes in different keys later.
B/C has been the standard tuning system for Irish trad. for almost the past 60 years. D/G is OK but you'd basically be limited to tunes with one or two sharps. This covers a lot of the repertoire to be sure but I'd find it way too limiting.
I'd say B/C is harder to get started on than D/G, and you'll need to make a serious commitment to the instrument if you want to get anywhere. But I agree with everyone - stick with the B/C and get stuck into it. There are lots of tutorial materials and teachers around.
Stick with what you've got. It is a good instrument, in one of the two most commonly used tunings for Irish music. Don't get distracted by reports that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Any box, in any tuning, takes a lot of hard work to master. So, get busy, and enjoy the journey. Accordions are cool!
New Button Accordion?
New Button Accordion?
Howdy everyone! I'm currently the proud owner of a B/C Honer black dot button accordion...something like that, anyway, I'm not entirely sure of the proper name. Anyway, I'm looking to get a new one of the G/D variety. I've heard that's much easier for Irish music, seeing as the majority of Irish tunes are in those keys. Is there any truth in that? Also, should I be looking at 3 row? My current one has 2 rows but I've been hearing a lot of hype about getting one with 3. (I'm a self taught teenager so I'm making sure I'm getting my facts straight before I go and spend a billion dollars!) On that note, anyone have any suggestions as to which ones I should be looking at? Thanks!
# Posted on February 10th 2012 by irishdancer102
Re: New Button Accordion?
Start looking around on Google to see why you don't want a D/G for Irish music, and stick with the perfectly good accordion you have.
# Posted on February 10th 2012 by Dragut Reis
Re: New Button Accordion?
If you have a BC, and plan to play mostly irish or scottish music, and are used to BC system, just stick to it. If you're interested in using basses a lot, and playing some other stuff try another system. But my feeling is, if you're familiar with a system, it gets awkward trying to use different systems. Some manage it quite well (John Kirkpatrick for instance)... personnally I use a 3 row-18 basses, and I'm so used to it I play any kind of music (mostly scottish actually), Maybe if I were a newbie, I'd take BC... (but I like too much using the left hand...). the suggestion I'd make would be to go on with your BC box, you'll need a few years till you get around all the possibilities...
# Posted on February 10th 2012 by Nikita Pfister
Re: New Button Accordion?
irishdancer, you are right: dg is much simpler and much more intuitive to start/play than bc.
# Posted on February 10th 2012 by nemethmik
Re: New Button Accordion?
I'm not an accordion player, I'm a concertina player so maybe this isn't really the same thing but i figured i'd share my experience.
I play mostly Irish music on the concertina and even though most irish music is written in the key of D and G I've opted (like many others) to go with a C/G anglo over a G/D anglo. I've tried both (though I started with the C/G) and did not find the G/D to be any easier. You'll have to learn cross-row playing which might not be as intuitive as "down the rows" playing but I don't think its any more difficult to learn. Perhaps it's the same as with the accordion. Sticking to one row to play a tune has fewer buttons and might be a little less confusing but by starting out learning to play "across the rows" you have more room to play anything outside the home keys and you'll save time if you decide to play tunes in different keys later.
# Posted on February 10th 2012 by deltasalmon
Re: New Button Accordion?
B/C has been the standard tuning system for Irish trad. for almost the past 60 years. D/G is OK but you'd basically be limited to tunes with one or two sharps. This covers a lot of the repertoire to be sure but I'd find it way too limiting.
I'd say B/C is harder to get started on than D/G, and you'll need to make a serious commitment to the instrument if you want to get anywhere. But I agree with everyone - stick with the B/C and get stuck into it. There are lots of tutorial materials and teachers around.
# Posted on February 10th 2012 by Jeeves Tones
Re: New Button Accordion?
Most trad players use B/C or C#/D. I've seen the odd C/C#.
# Posted on February 10th 2012 by Patrick Murray
Re: New Button Accordion?
you'd be mad to abandon your black dot
just work hard at it
# Posted on February 11th 2012 by millionyears_bc
Re: New Button Accordion?
Stick with what you've got. It is a good instrument, in one of the two most commonly used tunings for Irish music. Don't get distracted by reports that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. Any box, in any tuning, takes a lot of hard work to master. So, get busy, and enjoy the journey. Accordions are cool!
# Posted on February 11th 2012 by AlBrown
Re: New Button Accordion?
I have a b/c box and have a chance to get a c/g box what should I do. The c/g is a better quality box.
# Posted on May 10th 2012 by brendadavis