Tutorial for 5 row button key continental accordion
Robert Lamb Watson
I've been playing a 5 row button continental accordion for approximately 30
years. My current box is a Guerrini 120 bass, however, I still have my
original Paolo Soprani 5 row 120 bass. Being an ear player, and self
taught, I've never discovered the recommended way in which to play the
right hand. I use all four fingers plus thumb to hit the buttons, rather
like a piano accordion player would do. However, on the very rare occasion
when I've seen a 5 row continental button box player on TV, I've noticed
that, invariably the person plays the right hand using only the four
fingers with the thumb braced against the keyboard. Is this the norm?
Also, can anyone tell me where, or how to obtain a 5 row continental button
accordion tutorial?
--
--
Bob Watson,
Mos...@msn.com
JHB NIJHOF
Robert Lamb Watson (Mos...@msn.com) wrote:
: I've been playing a 5 row button continental accordion for approximately 30
Mind you, I am a piano accordion player. As far as I understand it,
whether the thumb is used or not depends on the region:
Scandinavians do use it and Russians don't, or vice versa.
[Hans, what is common usage in Sweden?]. The two books I have for
a free bass accordion both do prescribe the thumb for the right hand
(not for the left hand).
As for tutors, I don't know. There must be
quite a few in Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish, and I am fairly
certain that Hohner publishes a few in German; and the chromatic button
accordion is popular in France and Russia as well, so there are
bound to be French and Russian tutors as well.
However, be sure to get a tutor that fits your accordion:
there are two systems for the 5 row button accordion, or three
if you count the Finnish one separately: B-system and C-system.
In the C-system, the frequency increases by half a note going
diagonally down from the outside to the inside, see
http://accordion.simplenet.com/diskant.html ;
for the B-system, they increase going down from the inside to the outside
(I think). The Finnish system is the B-system shifted starting on a different
row than normal.
Jeroen
Hans Palm
Robert Lamb Watson <Mos...@msn.com> wrote in article =
<01bc8268$4acd27e0$LocalHost@MSN/Mossend>...
> I've been playing a 5 row button continental accordion for =
approximately 30
> years. My current box is a Guerrini 120 bass, however, I still have =
my
> original Paolo Soprani 5 row 120 bass. Being an ear player, and self
> taught, I've never discovered the recommended way in which to play the
rather
> like a piano accordion player would do. However, on the very rare =
occasion
> when I've seen a 5 row continental button box player on TV, I've =
noticed
> that, invariably the person plays the right hand using only the four
norm?
> Also, can anyone tell me where, or how to obtain a 5 row continental =
button
> accordion tutorial?
Most players are using all five fingers, at least here in Sweden.
Back in the old days, this was not the case. It was considered
to be a bad habit to use the thumb. Don't stop using your thumb!
I only know of tutorials in Swedish so I guess I can't help you.
You may check out http://accordion.simplenet.com/diskant.html
that has a link to a picture taken from an old Swedish accordion
tutor. There are fingering patterns for Major and minor scales.
Hans Palm
Sweden
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Please visit 'Hans Palm's Accordion Page' at
http://accordion.simplenet.com/
V=E4lkommen till 'Hans Palms Dragspelssida' p=E5
http://accordion.simplenet.com/dragspel.html
lo...@boi.hp.com
: years. My current box is a Guerrini 120 bass, however, I still have my
: original Paolo Soprani 5 row 120 bass. Being an ear player, and self
: taught, I've never discovered the recommended way in which to play the
: like a piano accordion player would do. However, on the very rare occasion
: when I've seen a 5 row continental button box player on TV, I've noticed
: that, invariably the person plays the right hand using only the four
: Also, can anyone tell me where, or how to obtain a 5 row continental button
: accordion tutorial?
: --
I've seen both. My guess is its somewhat like the old question of which
finger you play the fundamental note with on the bass side. Some use
the middle finger, some use the ring finger.
A fairly popular tutorial I've seen is the one put out by Honer. The
fingerings there tend to use the thumb only on the first row. I've also
an exercise book in French that uses it everywhere, much like you've
described your own playing.
Try calling the dealers listed in the FAQ. Most will probaby have the
Honer book. The French book I have was a special order job I had Stanley
Darrow pick up for me. You could try him.
Stanley Darrow
American Accordion Musicological Society
334 S. Broadway
Pitman, NJ 08071
Best of Luck,
Mike
-- lo...@boi.hp.com
Tom Cunliffe
>I've been playing a 5 row button continental accordion for approximately 30
>years. My current box is a Guerrini 120 bass, however, I still have my
>original Paolo Soprani 5 row 120 bass. Being an ear player, and self
>taught, I've never discovered the recommended way in which to play the
>right hand. I use all four fingers plus thumb to hit the buttons, rather
>like a piano accordion player would do. However, on the very rare occasion
>when I've seen a 5 row continental button box player on TV, I've noticed
>that, invariably the person plays the right hand using only the four
>fingers with the thumb braced against the keyboard. Is this the norm?
>Also, can anyone tell me where, or how to obtain a 5 row continental button
>accordion tutorial?
>--
Hi Bob
I am new to this instrument but am a pupil of John Tilt, of Surrey,
England. John I think is second to none and is a "musician" of
quality. He is teaching me to use the thumb (1) for many of the
notes in row one, like C and A but not slavishly - i.e. where it is
sensible to use say fingers 2,3,4 across the first three rows then
that is what we do. The thumb can also be used in other rows to - the
1,2,3,4 shape being quite good for run like D, E, F , G in rows 2 and
3.
But a typical C scale would be 1, 2, 3, 2, 3, 1, 2, 4 - there are
plenty of variations on this. The idea is apparently that using the
thumb keeps the hand in the right position (i.e. at 90 degrees to the
keyboard) rather than the elbow up in the air that happens when using
only the fingers.
I think judicious use of the thumb is very useful although John tells
me that "Russian" fingering treats the thumb as a pretty useless
appedage and so the C scale would be played using fingers 2,3, and 4
in rows 2, 3, and 4. There are some great players like this but they
end up on the low notes with their elbows halfway to heaven - which is
not ergonimcally sensible.
I am a beginner but with an excellent teacher and am only passing on
what I've been told.
Tom Cunliffe
Guildford
Surrey
England.