Tune Of The Month, April 2014: Zelda

[Jim Besser]

C-G Anglo concertina seems to be quite far from C-G diatonic accordion. Tunes which are easy on one can be much more tricky on the other and vice versa. For instance, zelda seems to be not a tune for concertina beginner but it is for diatonic accordion players. I think this tune has been composed by Philippe Plard not on the "paper" but directly on the diatonic accordion. The notes are "under" the fingers and the tune zelda is often used in diatonic accordion workshop.

 

About strong/weak or first/second beat, I don't understand how does it really work... At the start I thougt it was an error of composition (my apologize to Philippe!...). So I know when I start the tune but I don't understand what it happens after... But in any case, dancers don't care about it!.. We can see it on the flashmob video in Paris..

 

Here is my C-G diatonic accordion attempt. It was a good opportunity to take it out of its case...... Even If it has 18 keys at the left, I just use the 8 basics keys you have on each two rows and eight bass accordion.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oU7TviDsLtY

 

Very nice.

 

And I agree; it's surprising how many tunes that are relatively easy on Anglo concertina are difficult on diatonic accordion, with the reverse also being true. I like the way it sounds on both instruments despite the fact that they impart very different textures to the tune.

 

I just tried Zelda on my G/C 2 row melodeon - and yes, it's a lot easier and more natural.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Jim Besser

[sqzbxr]

Well, the C/G Anglo has its rows a fifth apart whereas the G/C melodeon's rows are spaced a fourth. When you also consider that the Anglo has the higher pitched row innermost and the melodeon has the lower row innermost, you really are comparing apples to oranges. Not to mention that the Anglo needs both hands to cover the core two octaves...

[RatFace]

The B section chord changes come on the second half of measures 2, 3 and 4. From Am to D to E and back to Am. Most of the tunes I play have important chord changes on the first beat of a measure... not Zelda. This makes the third phrase repeat of the notes A, B, C in the top of B measure 3 sound like the pickup to the B note, the one with the E chord in the second half of measure 3. That is to say... to me, it sounds like a crooked tune with the second measure of the B being a 9/8 measure.

 

Another tune that does exactly the same thing is "Spirit of the Dance": http://youtu.be/Ct-oGOAQAzk?t=3m6s

[Jim Besser]

 

The B section chord changes come on the second half of measures 2, 3 and 4. From Am to D to E and back to Am. Most of the tunes I play have important chord changes on the first beat of a measure... not Zelda. This makes the third phrase repeat of the notes A, B, C in the top of B measure 3 sound like the pickup to the B note, the one with the E chord in the second half of measure 3. That is to say... to me, it sounds like a crooked tune with the second measure of the B being a 9/8 measure.

 

Another tune that does exactly the same thing is "Spirit of the Dance": http://youtu.be/Ct-oGOAQAzk?t=3m6s

 

 

A great tune. I"m planning on using it tomorrow for a Maypole dance.

[sqzbxr]

In the second measure, A part: the fingering on the F-E-D run is tricky on a GD/Jeffries.

 

I can't really see in your video: do you use the same finger to go from the F to the E on the middle row, just sort of sliding down, or do you drop down to the E on the bottom row using a different finger? I always assume that hitting consecutive notes with the same finger is bad form, but often find that difficult to put into practice.

 

Playing Zelda in Am on the G/D works great for me except for that awkward run.

 

 

OK, having just gotten my Jeffries back, I'm just starting to tackle this tune. My solution is similar to Jody's, except that I play all three notes on the draw. Using Jody's button numbering from post #52, I play:

 

F = R4a middle finger, E = R4 ring finger, D = R3 first finger, then back to E on R4 with the ring finger and so on.

 

I don't use my little finger in this run because it's about 3/8" short due to an accident and shifting my hand to use the above fingering works better for me here.

[sqzbxr]

 

 

A great tune. I"m planning on using it tomorrow for a Maypole dance.

 

 

Great idea! If I make it back up to New Hampshire next month, I will be playing for at least one Maypole dance as well and will likely use Zelda at least once.

[Kelteglow]

I have copied the dots for Zelda and after hearing Jody play his version .I now wan't to play this on my G/D . I am not a melodeon player and can not see from the music which left hand cords to play or do you just use any Am cord that will harmonise ? Bob

[Jody Kruskal]

It's not too hard to make sense of this: http://www.cancoillottefolk.com/partitions/images/zelda.jpg

 

The chords are on the bottom. Just use the capitals, not the lower case letters. The A is really Am. That's it really.

 

Also, since I posted my youtube of Zelda I discovered that a much easier fingering for the melody is to shift my whole right hand up one button. That way I do not have to use that stupid pinky of mine. On the youtube you can see my right index finger wiggling around but getting no play... what a waste of a good finger! By shifting out of home position my G/D can play much better on this tune. Who knew?

[Graham Collicutt]

One very late effort with lots of mistakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PiwVWB2BQE

 

I had an idea, to convert a basic 2 row Lachenal to A/E. The donor reeds came from a 1900 ish Wheatstone McCann. 6 months later it is nearly finished. Still more tuning needed, I am attempting to use 1/6 comma meantone. I didn't have required reed for lowest A reed so used C#3 which would have be lowest note on 3rd row and put G4 reed on pull which works surprising well as chamber was meant for a G3 reed. The G5 reed replaces G#5 reed on A row on the right hand side.

 

Graham

[Jim Besser]

One very late effort with lots of mistakes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PiwVWB2BQE

 

I had an idea, to convert a basic 2 row Lachenal to A/E. The donor reeds came from a 1900 ish Wheatstone McCann. 6 months later it is nearly finished. Still more tuning needed, I am attempting to use 1/6 comma meantone. I didn't have required reed for lowest A reed so used C#3 which would have be lowest note on 3rd row and put G4 reed on pull which works surprising well as chamber was meant for a G3 reed. The G5 reed replaces G#5 reed on A row on the right hand side.

 

Graham

 

It's never too late!

[Jeff Jetton]

It's never too late!

 

Glad to hear you say that. Because...

 

https://soundcloud.com/jeffjetton/zelda

 

Not nearly as good as I would like it to be, but since it is now May, I figure it's time to abandon this one where it lay and move on to the next. :-)