how much do you use the bass side?

tedrick · Post by **tedrick** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 2:47 pm

OK. So I'm enjoying learning the box -- but everyone asks me about playing the left side as accompaniment --

I'm sorry but it's all my brain can handle to play the melody with the right hand -- trying to throw in the left hand and some bass causes immediate crash and burn --

should I feel guilty about not working on learning to play the left side of my box?

lixnaw · Post by **lixnaw** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:16 am

Welcome to C&F! I had the same problem. Try to play with very small bellows action, i think you're using up all of your air and there's non left for the basses. Once you've mastered that there'll be plenty time left for the basses, don't worry.

TaylorMartin · Post by **TaylorMartin** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 8:35 am

tedrick wrote:OK. So I'm enjoying learning the box -- but everyone asks me about playing the left side as accompaniment --

I'm sorry but it's all my brain can handle to play the melody with the right hand -- trying to throw in the left hand and some bass causes immediate crash and burn --

should I feel guilty about not working on learning to play the left side of my box?

I am right there! Right now the left side buttons are for decoration!

I am hoping that once I figure out the treble side, the left side will follow. It is fun learning though.

TM

tedrick · Post by **tedrick** » Sat Sep 15, 2007 1:37 pm

Hey TM - we're birds of a feather - I'm playing a Dancemaster too -

http://bp0.blogger.com/_58oS-vwub84/Rhh ... 0_4972.JPG

http://bp2.blogger.com/_58oS-vwub84/Rhh ... 0_4973.JPG

it's been the only bb I've played, so I can't really compare it to less expensive or more expensive boxes -- I bought it from a guy who was upgrading to a Paulo --

are these boxes on the loud side?

TaylorMartin · Post by **TaylorMartin** » Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:07 pm

tedrick wrote:Hey TM - we're birds of a feather - I'm playing a Dancemaster too -

http://bp0.blogger.com/_58oS-vwub84/Rhh ... 0_4972.JPG

http://bp2.blogger.com/_58oS-vwub84/Rhh ... 0_4973.JPG

it's been the only bb I've played, so I can't really compare it to less expensive or more expensive boxes -- I bought it from a guy who was upgrading to a Paulo --

are these boxes on the loud side?

Wow, you have a pretty one! Mine is a 23 button. This is also my first box, but I think that it is loud. One of the things that I appreciate about my box is that I got to discuss it with the guy that made is, and could specify how I wanted it. You can't do that with most accordions.

Good luck with yours!

TM

Martin Milner · Post by **Martin Milner** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:45 am

What tuning are you playing, and what style?

There's a guy who plays at a session near me who never uses the basses, but he's a wizard on the melody end.

I play Englisgh style on a DG for Morris dancing, and if I didn't learn the bass end at the same time as the melody, I'd have to re-learn the tune to add the basses.

tedrick · Post by **tedrick** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:27 am

Hi Martin -
Thanks a lot for your response -- I am a total novice -- my box is a b/c box and what I'm primarily interested in is session playing -- I admire the players who lay down insanely fast melodies -- to me it sounds as though they aren't really throwing much bass in --

My main goal in picking up the instrument was to be able to play tunes for my girls, who are step dancers to dance too --

I enjoy mybutton box, but I'm wondering if the piano accordion might be easier to do left hand stuff with, since you're playing the same notes push or pull....

any thoughts are appreciated --

lixnaw · Post by **lixnaw** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 12:09 pm

lixnaw wrote:Welcome to C&F! I had the same problem. Try to play with very small bellows action, i think you're using up all of your air and there's non left for the basses. Once you've mastered that there'll be plenty time left for the basses, don't worry.

You probably didn't see my last post

if your trying to play as loud as possible, you won't have anything left for the basses and different kinds of ornamentation.
There's a big difference between sessions and playing for dancers, your rythm has to be rock sollid if you're playing for dancers. Try and learn a tune and play it very slowly, that's the best way to build a steady rythm. Don't worry about basses or speed yet, that'll come in time. Don't set your goals too high either, there's not many musicians that can play for step dancers, i couldn't do it, but i can start tunes in sessions, still working on your rythm won't do no harm.

tedrick · Post by **tedrick** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:56 am

Thanks Lixnaw - no I saw your post -- thanks -- my problem is I don't have the coordination (trumpet player) to do left and right hands --

good points re: dancers --

my girls give me THE LOOK when I mess up halfway through a number ---

Thanks for the encouragement --

lixnaw · Post by **lixnaw** » Wed Sep 19, 2007 2:57 pm

Remember mistakes are human, and it's your first instrument, everyone has a hard time in that situation. Or maybe try out a Cs/D box somewhere, you might like it's layout better

P/D

tedrick · Post by **tedrick** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:20 am

Just checked out Damien Mullane on the Comhaltas web site --

wow am I inspired to start learning how to use the basses!!!

fantastic!

http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/comhal ... en_mullane

buttonbox · Post by **buttonbox** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:09 am

Since I'm self-taught (played harmonica for years, one or two classes with John Williams), I never had a clue what to do with the left hand to actually make sense with what was been played on the right hand. About 6 years ago, a local B/C player who was switching to uilleann pipes gave me a little advice:

On an 8 button bass/chord, there are only a max of 4 pair of chords/bass that can be played on the pull and 4 pair on the push. You're either going to hit the right button or not. Just do it. You'll know soon enough if it's the right one or the wrong one (you'll shudder at the disonance).

A little humourous, a little bit of truth. Some people play the left hand religiously with each note, and others tend to use the left hand to accent and emphasize a portion of the tune. I follow the latter method because I grew up in a family that frequented the local Polish American Club and I don't care much for playing oom-pah music when I'm trying to play Irish.

tedrick · Post by **tedrick** » Fri Sep 21, 2007 2:06 pm

yeah -- that's what I noticed with Damien Mullane -- he just throws a left hand note in every once and a while -- very subtle/tasteful --

Thanks for the tip -

MatthewVanitas · Post by **MatthewVanitas** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 5:19 pm

How does this advice change for those of us playing two-spoon melodeons?

I've got a 1-row 2-stop Hohner, and feel pretty solid playing basic melodies and chords on the right side, but can't think of a lot to do with the two spoons for bass/chord on my left.

Should I just watch a lot of clips of Cajuns and see how they use it? Do the Irish and Breton folks using the one-row get much use out of the two spoons?

If I don't end up using them much, I almost fancy trying to convert them to drones to play the 1st on both push and pull, and the 2d on push/pull (to cover minor tunes). Obviously that'd be a ways down the road, but I can't quite figure what to do with them in the meantime.

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how much do you use the bass side?

how much do you use the bass side?

Re: how much do you use the bass side?

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