C#/D with D/G bass ?

Don Roberts · Post by **Don Roberts** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:52 am

Hi all, well after a couple of weeks trying out this C#/D, I am begining to realize some advantages with this system particularly if one wants to use rolls, cuts etc.
My question is with regards to the bass side. I can play a three part base using the four bottom buttons but can't make much sense out of the top four buttons. If I decide to order a box in this C#/D is it possible or advisable to request a D/G bass ? Which I hear is more user friendly ? Most of the material I play is in D or G anyway.
Thanks for your comments

StevieJ · Post by **StevieJ** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 2:58 pm

The top four buttons would _normally_ be A push / E pull and F# push / B pull.

For these to be useful for Irish music you need to have a stop to remove the thirds, or have the thirds taped over so they don't sound. Otherwise they will all be major which is, I agree, not very useful.

No knowing whether this is what you actually have.

A standard D/G bass setup, if it's like the one Martin posted a drawing of here http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=56546 would be much _less_ useful - you have a number of chords going in the wrong direction (e.g. the C push, the D pull, and the E push) - cbig waste of buttons!

The standard C#/D 8-bass setup, provided you can remove the thirds, would be better than this - you have the keys of D, Amaj/min Emin and Bmin pretty well covered.

For playing in G, though, you are missing a very important chord - C. You could think about scrapping the F#/B pair and getting F/C instead.

But then Bmin is a lovely key for the C#/D box. The other option is to go for 12 basses - more weight and expense though, and actually quite hard to find in a standard 2-row box.

If I were you, I'd stick with the standard setup (if that's what you have) provided you can remove the thirds (with a stop, or by taping) and live without the C for the time being (a thirdless A makes a tolerable subsitute in some cases).

Great players like Tony MacMahon, Dave Munnelly and Eoin O Sullivan make do with 8 basses and in fact do great stuff with them!

Don Roberts · Post by **Don Roberts** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 4:41 pm

Hey thanks for your response. I was sure there was some reason why this set up wouldn't be that great and I don't understand completely but I'll take your word for it.
I rented a Weltmeister 510 to better understand the C#/D system and of course it doesn't have any stops so I am limited with the base.
At least I know why everyone seems to recommend a stop to remove the thirds on the bass.
When I get around to buying a box I hope to know more of what to ask for. Meanwhile, it's great fun to convert tunes that I have been playing on single row to double row.
Thanks Again,
Don

Ro3b · Post by **Ro3b** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:16 am

StevieJ wrote:The top four buttons would _normally_ be A push / E pull and F# push / B pull.

A standard D/G bass setup, if it's like the one Martin posted a drawing of here http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=56546 would be much _less_ useful - you have a number of chords going in the wrong direction (e.g. the C push, the D pull, and the E push) - cbig waste of buttons!

Hm, I just had a little revelation about why my bass is set up the way it is. My Casti is a 12-bass Fazzy that was originally in G/D, and the previous owner converted it to C#/D. When I got it the basses (I realize now) were still set up like an 8-bass G/D, plus the A/E and F#/B buttons on top. Like this:

Code: Select all

A/E    D/A    G/D
F#/Bm  B/Em   C/C

The only change I made was to have the G/D plates flipped so the chords would go in the right direction. I still need to fool around with it though. I find the way the chords lay out to be pretty clunky; I'd much rather have the D/A and D/G buttons stacked (like the regular C#/D layout) rather than side-by-side. And B and F# minor, not major. Having C both ways is nice, though.

StevieJ · Post by **StevieJ** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:40 am

Ro3b wrote:Having C both ways is nice, though.

Really? That's the one chord I have that (so far) I haven't wanted to have in the other direction (push in this case) at some point - I'm intrigued as to the situations where you find a C push useful.

I have F/C and love using a big fat chord of F in those rare tunes where I can - continental waltzes in Am/Dm and the like, and some Irish tunes like Chief O'Neill's and The Broken Pledge, esp. if an accompanist is using F chords. Borderline tacky maybe but it makes people sit up and take notice, and always gets a complicitous smile from the accompanist

Ro3b · Post by **Ro3b** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:04 am

Really? That's the one chord I have that (so far) I haven't wanted to have in the other direction (push in this case) at some point - I'm intrigued as to the situations where you find a C push useful.

Mainly using the C as a passing tone under a D chord, i.e. a D7 with a C in the bass, resolving to G. Probably isn't as useful as having an F on the push though.