Accordions

[axisandallies]

Hello.

 

How many concertinists also play accordion? I have the opportunity to get an accordion before a concertina and wondered how many of you all play the instrument as well? Also, should a piano-accordion lend any help to my learning of the concertina??

[stuart estell]

I play piano accordion - in fact I had an accordion before I plumped for concertina.

 

If you think you are heading towards English or Duet, then you can usefully learn bellows control from it. And the stradella bass buttons will certainly get your brain used to the idea of a keyboard that isn't linear in the way that, say, a piano keyboard is. Of course, not all of the keyboard skills you'll acquire on a piano accordion will translate directly to a concertina, but personally I don't think it would be time wasted.

[bellowbelle]

I play the piano-accordion, and in fact in the last week I've played it a few times, after letting it sit there for a while. I'm having trouble remembering how I played some things! (Sigh...)

 

It certainly doesn't hurt my English concertina playing to also play my accordion. Not really a requirement, though -- if someone started on the concertina and knew nothing about playing a PA, he/she would probably progress quickly....'where there's a will, there's a way,' I do believe!

 

I got my new Hohner accordion at Accordion Connection in New Hampshire. I just got a brochure in the mail from them, recently -- they're having kind of a 'party day' sometime soon, with some performers and workshop(s). I don't have the info with me, but maybe it's at the store's website.

[Richard Morse]

I played button accordion for several years before fooling with both English and anglo to ultimately wind up with Hayden duet.

 

I think my prior experience with BA helped considerably toward the anglo and Hayden (but not English), though for years tunes I first knew on the BA would compromise how I'd play them on concertina - I had a hard time breaking out of the mould of how I knew them.... OTOH, newly learned tunes on the concertina would take on a decidedly different character as the concertina is considerably more flexible - which allows me to express the tunes differently than is possible on the BA.

 

Now I'm able to play each for their own sake without getting mired in the other's propensities - though since getting the concertina, I've played less and less BA to the point that I hardly ever play it anymore....

Edited October 11, 2004 by Richard Morse

[bill_mchale]

If it is a diatonic or Irish Button accordion (similar to the diatonic, but the rows tuned 1/2 step apart to make it chromatic for melody) and you are looking at playing an Anglo, then by all means go for it. While the button layout is likely different, not to mention the way you will play the tune, it will start getting your mind around the in/out logic of the instruments.

 

BTW, I have been playing Irish Button Accordion for two years and fooling around on a Concertina for about a year. The Button Accordion is still my main instrument... but you never know...

 

--

Bill

[Helen]

I play the piano accordion and the anglo concertina. Although there is not a direct connection, I think the idea of bellows playing is helpful. And I think the two instruments are fun which is probably all that matters.

 

Go for it. Have a good time. Let us know the result.

[bushlass]

When I first tried to play pianno accordion as an adult I made no progress until a friend pointed out I didn't have to push the bellows in and out as much! I mucked around on buttons as a kid and didn't realize I had taken the action with me.

 

Now I have a harder time trying to play a tina or button but I will get there. Much easier to transpose.

[Jay Lamsa]

I played piano first, then english concetina, and most recently piano accordion. But as far as EC / PA relationships, I don't think one helped particularly with the other. I enjoy both, and now I'm finding I use the EC more for "classical" style music, and the PA for folk / contra / Irish.

 

Jay

[bill_mchale]

Piano Accordion for Irish Music? Its not too late to save you Button Accordion is the way to go, preferably B/C or C#/D. Ok, yes you can play good Irish Music on a PA, but its tricky, most Irish Music on PA is really played in sort of the show band style, so be careful whose style you try to emulate. I have met one person who played PA so it sounded like Button Accordion and it really rocked. That being said, why play an instrument that is at least twice as big as you need it to be

[JimLucas]

...why play an instrument that is at least twice as big as you need it to be

'Cause it has all the chords you need, so you can dispense with the guitarist?

[bill_mchale]

Chords we don't need no stinking Chords; they just distract you from the beautiful melody of Irish Music . That is all you play right.... Oh heaven you play something else? I am truely sorry, some of us are less fortunate than others

[wes williams]

Piano Accordion for Irish Music? Its not too late to save you

As much as I hate to admit it, there are some mighty fine PA players coming out of the North of Ireland in recent years! But they seem to be exceptions .....

[Peter Brook]

Piano Accordion for Irish Music?  Its not too late to save you

As much as I hate to admit it, there are some mighty fine PA players coming out of the North of Ireland in recent years! But they seem to be exceptions .....

PA is making a comeback in Scottish and Northumbrian music too in the last few years. Typically it seems to be played by a younger generation eg. Shona Kipling (Northumberland), and the all girl group Dochas (from the Western Isles).

[JimLucas]

PA is making a comeback in Scottish and Northumbrian music too in the last few years.  Typically it seems to be played by a younger generation eg. Shona Kipling (Northumberland),  and the all girl group Dochas (from the Western Isles).

Eh? What about Phil Cunningham and Karen Tweed?

Interestingly enough, it was a PA player from Ireland (not Northern Ireland) who first directed my attention to Karen.

[JimLucas]

...the beautiful melody of Irish Music .  That is all you play right....  Oh heaven you play something else?  I am truely sorry, some of us are less fortunate than others

Yes, indeed, those who play nothing else are less fortunate.

I've just been listening to The Chieftains' second album, again. Beautiful stuff!

[bill_mchale]

Jim,

Some people are jealous they wasted time learning lesser music before they discoverd Irish Music .

[JimLucas]

Some people are jealous they wasted time learning lesser music before they discoverd Irish Music .

There's something lesser than ITM?

....... (Parry and thrust! )

[geoffwright]

I played PA, BA and M (G/D) before AC and EC (work all those out).

 

What I found most helpful was that PA encourages you to play bass runs (providing you practise your scales) and these are readily available on AC (again, after scale practise).

PA is also useful for training the ear to what a major and minor chord is and how counterbasses work with chords to make inversions - all done with one or two fingers.

And on the subject of fingers, there is no better exercise for strengthening up your left hand fingers for AC than some PA bass scales (And vice-versa).

 

Yes, accordions and concertinas do mix, as long as you use the quietest stop and take the musette off, in fact, the blend is often better than some concertinas with accordion reeds.