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[Accordion Dave]

It looks like there are two topics going here.

On the subject of fingers slipping off buttons, I always try to wash my hands before playing and keep a clean towel handy.

It is difficult to play when food is consumed during the gig, due to the resulting grease slick.

Also avoid scratching your head, the oils and perspiration from your hair can result in button slippage.

My problems with slippage seem to occur after letting someone else play my accordion. The chicken grease from their fingers makes playing a slippery proposition.

I wonder how people can function with greasy fingers.

I remember I had just bought a book. A fellow grabbed it to see what I was reading. The book now has a permanent orange stain from the cheese doodles upon which he was snacking.

[HallelujahAl]

On the subject of fingers slipping off buttons, I always try to wash my hands before playing and keep a clean towel handy.

Simple alcohol-based hand cleaning gels (I use Palmolive) are readily available (bit like the stuff you use before you go onto a hospital ward). They help cut out the grease transfer from finger to button, and thus prevent slippage - clean the hands and help keep the skin dry - and thus help keep the buttons all clean and hygenic. Might help you?
AL

[george garside]

its also important to keep the buttons as well as the fingers grease free if the buttons are greasy its a waste of time cleaning the fingers!  I  keep a little aspirin bottle of meths in my pocket for both purposes when playing particularly if potentialy sticky refreshments are provided in an interval

george

[Mike Gott]

.......I  keep a little aspirin bottle of meths in my pocket ...
george

Good grief, George! I didn't realise things had got this bad.....

Anyhow.....On the Erica which I use for morris - i.e. played stood up - I made a little strip from brass that fits across the bass end strap at the top end of the detatchable wooden end piece onto which it is fitted by screws. This holds the strap down and stops your had creeping up. This is a bit hard to explain, really, but if you have a magnifying glass it should show up on the avatar photo. My turn next for the bottle of meths, George.

Mike

[HallelujahAl]

I  keep a little aspirin bottle of meths in my pocket

Well done George! Admission is the first step

[ladydetemps]

That's even easier, you fix it under either one of the feet, or one of the bass end cover fixing screws - don't have to take the strap off. 

thanks....found a peice of ribbon and used that...it mch better now...no slippage..might sew on some padding though so as not to cut of blood circulation.

[Lin Leighton]

Hi LdT

As I said over on the recordings thread I felt we ought to continue our topic  under this heading before we get thread drift policed!!! ha ha

I tried the ribbon technique last night at a session.  The plus side was that I could relax my hand sufficiently to enable me to reach my pinkie across to the "C" bass, which normally is very difficult.  The negative side was that it made it more difficult to get the bass strap on and off , and also  my fingers, wrist and arm were very hot as the evening was hot , and the ribbon chaffed my skin after a while and hurt, so I had to stop using it.  However I am now wondering if a wrist band would do the job as well.  I will look int that and repot back.

referring to your comment about meeting and comparing hand sizes, which would be a lovely idea, its not very likely ( no comments please lads!!) as you are a long way away from me.

best wishes
Lin

[ladydetemps]

I tried the ribbon technique last night at a session.  The plus side was that I could relax my hand sufficiently to enable me to reach my pinkie across to the "C" bass, which normally is very difficult.  and also  my fingers, wrist and arm were very hot as the evening was hot , and the ribbon chaffed my skin after a while and hurt, so I had to stop using it.  However I am now wondering if a wrist band would do the job as well.  I will look int that and repot back.

Yes the heat does make it chaiff more...I'm thinking of sewing a little cushioned pad to the bit of the ribbon fround my wrist to stop that....got some quilting material left over I can use.

The negative side was that it made it more difficult to get the bass strap on and off ,

Yes I found that too..I keep forgetting I've got the wrist strap and getting stuck. lol!

[ladydetemps]

My new improved version



with padding sewn last night.
no more chaifing from the strap

[Sandy]

Not suggesting this is a correct method for stability as I am self taught. Your left thumb seems to be waving in the air (as mine did when first learning).  I now tend to use the lower length of thumb as an anchor point to the box and hover the thumb top over the air button. This in turn puts most strap pressure at one point on the back of the hand in line with the wedding ring finger. So there are two strong points of pressure for me to control the box rather than it spread across the strap. Whatever method you find best, I expect it will take a little time to train the fingers/thumb and hand muscles.

cheers

Sandy
 
p.s. Really well done for your videos and approach to learning. I think I spent the first two years hiding in the kitchen with 'absolute beginners' book.