Any CBA players here?

[Shivred]

I have yet to hear of a CBA player who plays celtic music.
But since the CBA is a pretty darn good instrument, I'd like to know if anyone here plays, or have at least tried to play, continental button accordion?

I don't know, maybe the thing barely exists on the british isles, hence the term "continental"?

[MTGuru]

A friend of mine plays bayan, and used to session with us occasionally. IIRC, he learned to play ITM in an Irish pub in Istambul.

http://www.rowshanmusic.com/accordion.htm

I'd guess there are Spanish CBA players who play Galician music, and French CBA players who play Breton. Both "Celtic".

The "C" is commonly understood as Chromatic, not necessarily Continental, and I think there's quite a mix of PA and CBA throughout Europe. But PA and diatonic happen to be more popular in the places where Irish and Scottish music is played.

[groxburgh]

Hi
Yep - I use one for ITM It's a 3 row C-system "continental" with a 12 button left hand so it's quite small and light weight.

Regarding the naming and meaning of CBA The way I understand it there are 2 different systems that get called CBA
A Continental Button Accordion - same note push and pull like the PA, with 3 or more rows (row 4 would be a repeat of row 1, and row 5 a repeat of row 2) Two systems "B" and "C" one being a mirror image of the other the different systems being popular in different parts of Europe.
or A Chromatic Button Accordion - (could also be the same as above or could be) a B/C/C# box - common in the British Isles eg Jimmy Shand?????
Or maybe I've got this wrong!

Cheers
Graeme

[Bretton]

Hi
Yep - I use one for ITM It's a 3 row C-system "continental" with a 12 button left hand so it's quite small and light weight.

Graeme

Hi Graeme. Could you (or anyone else who wants to chime in) tell me/us more about your box? What brand is it? Are those types of CBA's commonly available (3-row and only 12 buttons on the left hand)? Do they have a particular name?

I was thinking about trying out a CBA, but have no idea where to start...had just started trying to figure out of I needed a B or C system, and was wondering if there were any small-ish ones available. I really don't plan on playing chords/bass notes all that much, just melody, so wouldn't mind having few buttons on the left.

Thanks!

-Brett

[accordion_player]

Here's a good Chromatic Button Accordion player: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRX4uHr5UZI

Brett: I don't think there's a special name. You just say 3-row Chromatic Button Accordion with 12 basses.

Question: How do people play triplets on CBA/PA accordions? I have always used three fingers, but I've realized that this is hard to do in tunes with faster pace. Is it more common for people to use two fingers?

[groxburgh]

My CBA is an older Excelsior but I don't think they make that model any longer. In fact a quick browse around on the net doesn't come up with any very small ones - the Hohner Nova still only goes down as small as a 48 bass. I guess it would be easy to get one made - there are plenty of small 3 row diatonic accordions with 8 or so basses: you'd just need get the reeds set up as a CBA.

As to where to start. My advice is to find one somewhere even if it's a bigger 5 row, and see if the way the fingering is arranged would suit you. This is what I did. Despite some attempts to try to learn ITM on B/C and C#/D plus the a PA and the fact I also play piano - it wasn't really working for me. Then I got a 5 row CBA and my fingers just fell into place. I found the little 3 row one soon after. Actually I've just started playing it again after a break while I concentrated on flute and it still "just works" for me - however it might not "work" for you!
On mine the 12 basses were arranged as a Stradella: with bass and major chord Bb F C G D A, but I've got rid of the chords and now just have 12 bass notes
Ab Bb C D E F#
. Eb F G A B C#
but I don't really use them much


Regarding the posted video of Graham Irvine; isn't he playing a B/C/C# box?

Triplets: I usually use 3 fingers almost held together and just run them across a button as a single stroke. Or sometimes I'll use two fingers as you'll see Graham Irvine doing.\

Cheers
Graeme

[accordion_player]

Regarding the posted video of Graham Irvine; isn't he playing a B/C/C# box?

Triplets: I usually use 3 fingers almost held together and just run them across a button as a single stroke. Or sometimes I'll use two fingers as you'll see Graham Irvine doing.\

Cheers
Graeme

I think you're right. Still he plays a chromatic button accordion. I guess that's where the distinction between continental and non-continental comes in.

So then it's possible to do triplets with two fingers. I'll have to practice that.

Thanks

[groxburgh]

I just found this discussion on the CBA at "thesession"
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/d ... 6/comments

It's well worth a read.
Cheers
Graeme