So i have been practicing for about 3 weeks and i have a couple tunes down with the bass side. I also learned a lot of tunes just on the piano side. Is it common for people to play tunes with just the piano side? And, what kind of rhythems, with the bass side, do poeple encorporate with tunes? Most of the tunes that i have learned i just use the off beat with the occasional slur of beats.
Is there any way to do others and what are things that i should practice to get good at them? And does anyone have tunes they think are good for accordion beginners to learn so that they can become more familiar? I would greatly appreciate any tips or help that people could give THANKS!!!!
Arrgh! Don't get hooked on playing the off-beat, it's great for cajun, but just kills the lift in ITM, believe it or not. You should get the lift in the tunes by accentuating the first and third beat in a bar (reels) and the first and second main beat inthe bar (jigs and hornpipes). Try dancing sets and you'll see what I mean.
I've been playing for over 30 years now, and luckily I had a
background in choral music, so I hear harmonies all the time. Yes, yes, yes, play the left hand with the right, it's a waste of half a good instrument otherwise, but DON'T over do the basses - keep your left hand as light as possible.
I've a whole list of suitable harmonies for several common session tunes, easily sent to you as a Word file attachment if it'd be any help. Give me your normal email address so that I can send it - Jeremy's emails don't accept attachments. My email is petemay@ireland.com
You need to get the basses as staccato (short) as possible, with minimum chords, to the point where it is heard more as a tap of the button than an actual note. That way, it is pretty unobtrusive.
It is really worth learning the bass side well. You can learn to put in bass runs etc. It shouldn't be louder than the piano side but should be heard. If you are learning it will also help with your timing of tunes. It would be worth getting a tutor book.
I've heard the advice (given to me as a PA player) to learn the melody by listening to good fiddle players, and learn to work the bass by listening to what guitar/bozouki players do.
i'm getting fairly comfortable on the right-hand melody side, but still on the left I fight with finding appropriate chording combinations and/or rhythms. More time, I guess, but I'm still working mostly on the melody. Coming from flute/whistle that's all I'd been playing up until that time.
Now, before I came to ITM, I played PA as a youngin' mostly on church music, so I knew the bass layout, just didn't have dexterity on the right hand. Now my right hand is improving, and I can't figure out what to do with the left any more.
You will be amazed at the richness a good strong bass line adds to any reel, jig, hornpipe or waltz. Bass is a must for playing solo, and adds to the rythm your bass or bahran player is laying down. It's dance music. It must have a good strong beat.
Re: Only tap on the bass keys. If you are going to do that, take out the reeds on the left side and give them to someone who will actually use them.
More on accordion
More on accordion
So i have been practicing for about 3 weeks and i have a couple tunes down with the bass side. I also learned a lot of tunes just on the piano side. Is it common for people to play tunes with just the piano side? And, what kind of rhythems, with the bass side, do poeple encorporate with tunes? Most of the tunes that i have learned i just use the off beat with the occasional slur of beats.
Is there any way to do others and what are things that i should practice to get good at them? And does anyone have tunes they think are good for accordion beginners to learn so that they can become more familiar? I would greatly appreciate any tips or help that people could give THANKS!!!!
AJ
# Posted on September 28th 2005 by berserker
Re: More on accordion
Sorry can't help you much here but a friend in our youth ceildh band uses both for some tunes and then just the piano side (keyboard) for others.
Sorry i couldn't be of more help,
sam
# Posted on September 28th 2005 by flamin fiddler
Re: More on accordion
oh yeah there are loads of tune books and tutor books for piano accordian try this:http://www.the-music-room.com/system/index.html
# Posted on September 28th 2005 by flamin fiddler
Re: More on accordion
Arrgh! Don't get hooked on playing the off-beat, it's great for cajun, but just kills the lift in ITM, believe it or not. You should get the lift in the tunes by accentuating the first and third beat in a bar (reels) and the first and second main beat inthe bar (jigs and hornpipes). Try dancing sets and you'll see what I mean.
I've been playing for over 30 years now, and luckily I had a
background in choral music, so I hear harmonies all the time. Yes, yes, yes, play the left hand with the right, it's a waste of half a good instrument otherwise, but DON'T over do the basses - keep your left hand as light as possible.
I've a whole list of suitable harmonies for several common session tunes, easily sent to you as a Word file attachment if it'd be any help. Give me your normal email address so that I can send it - Jeremy's emails don't accept attachments. My email is petemay@ireland.com
Keep at it!
# Posted on September 29th 2005 by petemay
Re: More on accordion
You need to get the basses as staccato (short) as possible, with minimum chords, to the point where it is heard more as a tap of the button than an actual note. That way, it is pretty unobtrusive.
# Posted on September 29th 2005 by geoffwright
Re: More on accordion
It is really worth learning the bass side well. You can learn to put in bass runs etc. It shouldn't be louder than the piano side but should be heard. If you are learning it will also help with your timing of tunes. It would be worth getting a tutor book.
Good luck.
# Posted on September 29th 2005 by lynzbox
Re: More on accordion
I've heard the advice (given to me as a PA player) to learn the melody by listening to good fiddle players, and learn to work the bass by listening to what guitar/bozouki players do.
i'm getting fairly comfortable on the right-hand melody side, but still on the left I fight with finding appropriate chording combinations and/or rhythms. More time, I guess, but I'm still working mostly on the melody. Coming from flute/whistle that's all I'd been playing up until that time.
Now, before I came to ITM, I played PA as a youngin' mostly on church music, so I knew the bass layout, just didn't have dexterity on the right hand. Now my right hand is improving, and I can't figure out what to do with the left any more.
# Posted on October 3rd 2005 by N9YTY
Re: More on accordion
You will be amazed at the richness a good strong bass line adds to any reel, jig, hornpipe or waltz. Bass is a must for playing solo, and adds to the rythm your bass or bahran player is laying down. It's dance music. It must have a good strong beat.
Re: Only tap on the bass keys. If you are going to do that, take out the reeds on the left side and give them to someone who will actually use them.
# Posted on October 11th 2005 by lakedanger