Tune of the Month for March 2010 - The Plane Tree/Mominette

[Chris Ryall]

OK. This works. I've coloured chords the same where they are on the same left hand buttons and simply a direction change.

A music
   Em.pull   | Em.pull   | C.pull    | Em.pull   |
   C* | A.bass.pull | D.push  | B push |

   Em.pull   | Em.pull  | C.pull   | Em.pull |
   C *| A.bass.pull  |  B Push  | Em.pull  |

B music
 C.pull | A.bass.pull | Dpush* | Em.pull |  
 C* | A.bass.pull | D.push | B push |  
 C .pull | A.bass.pull | Dpush* | B Push  |  
 C * | A.bass.pull  | B Push | Em.pull  |

Play Notes
You'll find the move from C to A.bass a bit brisk at first. But try to get it on the bar - it gives 'push' to the tune
When 2 bars keep the same LH buttons try to get that automatic and focus on RH smoothness
C* and D* mean you'll need to rock bellows a bt to get all notes in. A missed note doesn't matter!
Force yourself to find the tune on pull opposite that C.pull  A.bass.pull run in the 'B' music - it is all there!

Practice tips
1. Ignore the above and simply play E bass pull. See how much (95%) of the tune you can play against that!
2. Play just the left hand riff above (no right hand) until you have it solid. Try to get Clive's 'bounce'  
3. Fit the tune against the chord riff (exercise A now helps), don't rock bellows other than the *'d chords
4. You are now 'playing in chords'  

Theory notes
See how the B's precede those Em's  = 'dominant cadence'
The B => C is also a 'sort of' dominant (B substitutes for G7)
Though this tune is on the Em pull, D row, it's scale is from the G scale (no C#)! 'Aolian' mode
That is why C appears so often. Also why you only play A.pull.bass (the chord contains C#)
Essentially this riff emphasises the aolian C trying fo 'easy on the ear'

Yes, there are lots of other ways!!  Thus Endeth  the Lesson  
[edit] Gandy .. though minor chords riff are more challenging, they are 'in the end' much richer
[edit2]  Looks like a 'well done Clive' is in order but work Net nanny won't let me look

[Gandy]

OK. This works. I've coloured chords the same where they are on the same left hand buttons and simply a direction change.

Cheers, I don't find it easy to work out chords for minors, and I was getting a bit stuck on just Em and Am.

[Clive Williams]

On a related point, I was considering making another video of Schottische a Bethanie, but slowing it down and breaking it up to show the detail of how I play it since people seem to like my version. It's not actually that hard to play once you know how! Would that be helpful to anyone?

Clive

OK, folks - here they are. 3 videos covering my version of Schottische a Bethanie and how I play it. Hope you find it useful:

Part 1: Fingering and Chords
Part 2: Schottische rhythms, ornamentations on treble and bass
Part 3: More ornamentation - held notes; held chords; pulsed basses

Now please remember these show simply how I play SaB, not how it must be played by everyone. I firmly believe that there is no correct way to play a tune; you can play it however you want, so if you want to ignore a piece of advice and do something differently, please do.

For example, for this tune I don't play phrases completely 'in chords' like the method Chris shows in his very helpful notes - I play phrases all on the same row, but I do switch row for different phrases of music (I'll show you what I mean in part 1). Is that the right way to play this tune? Well, Chris and my techniques are *both* fine. Different effects, different strengths, different end result. Do it how it seems most natural to you.

Enjoy and please, please, please, post some videos/mp3's yourself to let us know how you're getting on!

Clive
PS: Yes, I know I'm looking off to the right in the videos, and not at the camera - that's where the microphone is! 

[zubz]

Clive & Chris - thank you both so much for the time and effort in making your contributions.
These are really useful tips & advice ... and as with all things melodeon, you both demonstrate different ways to make one piece sound fantastic.
Great stuff. Here's to a flood of video postings from everyone ... 

Chris

[Lin Erica]

yes ... thanks to both for such good help   

I dont have a videocamera, and even if I did I wouldnt know what to do with it!! so no postings, but Im trying to learn the jig version, and hope to be ready for melodeons and More, but there are 6 tunes to learn for that too!!!!
Lin

[ladydetemps]

but Im trying to learn the jig version, and hope to be ready for melodeons and More, but there are 6 tunes to learn for that too!!!!

similar problem for me...plus I have to try not to get confused swapping between melodeon and concertina.

[Lin Erica]

Quote; That is why C appears so often. Also why you only play A.pull.bass (the chord contains C#)

Hi Chris  Thread Drift alert!!    not being a musical theory kind of a person I need to ask :::: does that mean that I should not play the A chord in Bear Dance which is Em and I play on the pull, only the A bass???
Lin

[Lin Erica]

oops  one really must think before one posts ..... i play the E bass and chord so that doesnt apply 

[jb]

Quote; That is why C appears so often. Also why you only play A.pull.bass (the chord contains C#)

Hi Chris  Thread Drift alert!!    not being a musical theory kind of a person I need to ask :::: does that mean that I should not play the A chord in Bear Dance which is Em and I play on the pull, only the A bass???
Lin

poor old A major - the saddest most underused chord on the box.
I'm all for using it as often as poss, even (especially) against a C natural in the melody, like here in SaB.
Your friends may think you're crazy but inside you'll feel liberated.

[Anahata]

poor old A major - the saddest most underused chord on the box.
I'm all for using it as often as poss, even (especially) against a C natural in the melody, like here in SaB.

Yes!!!
Actually I don't think I'd use it there, but I wrote a tune where an A major chord is definitely The Right Thing against a C natural in the melody. Quite different though - the tune is D mixolydian and the  Amaj/Cnatural gives it the right blues-y scrunch.

obTopic: In that tune I use A minor faked in the standard way by playing A bass with C chord, actually Amin7.

[Gandy]

poor old A major - the saddest most underused chord on the box.

I don't see how you can really say that, it gets used a lot in both D and G tunes.

[Chris Ryall]

Hi Chris  Thread Drift alert!!    not being a musical theory kind of a person I need to ask :::: does that mean that I should not play the A chord in Bear Dance which is Em and I play on the pull, only the A bass??? :-\Lin

Bear Dance as usually played is on a scale  E¹ F#² G³ A⁴ B⁵ _ D^min7 Hmmm, no sixth note, all notes available on either D or G row    So it's not in either of our common Em modes. It's in both!

Should you ever impovise Bear Dancing - either C or C# would be legal. Ditto either chord. Tho' combining C.note+ A.chord;  or C#.note+C.chord might not sound entirely 'cool'

..back to "The Plane Tree"

[Johnjo]

Clive and Chris

Very many thanks to both of you.

Much food for thought.

[jb]

poor old A major - the saddest most underused chord on the box.

I don't see how you can really say that, it gets used a lot in both D and G tunes.

poetic licence

anyway yes I probably wouldn't use Amaj against the melody C nat in SaB/PT, but (a) there are a few other places in this tune where Amaj sounds good, and (b) Amaj+Cnat is a nice one to have up your sleeve in general.

[waltzman]

Clive,

Thankyou so much for taking the time to break down your incredible version of this tune.  I've never heard anyone do that wonderful back beat shuffle before and I've actually been able to learn to do it from your demonstration video.  This forum has been an incredible resource for me.  I'm going to have to get a recorder one of these days so I can post something.  Thanks again.

Michael

[Chris Ryall]

Amaj+Cnat is a nice one to have up your sleeve in general

.. along with those extra Aces when playing poker    I've deconstructed it and all of the notes of this chimera are in the F# "blues scale". So it'll work "in some fashion" playing blues F#, blues A , myxolydian A, pentatonic A - not un-useful! Might have a "passing" place in blues E and blues G too - the latter popular with guitarists

On bass C it'd be a C6^b9 chord - if such a beast exists!  The only other scale I've found was C# (or E or G or Ab) diminished - again not Traditional on melodeon.

Tip time: although full throated A chord sounds a bit ugly (to my ear) v this tune with it's "characteristic note" C natural - a quick tap on the A chord button is an easy cheat and adds A minor frisson while not disturbing the musical Force. But I do mean a tap!

If you really like Am - press A C and E pull basses together (straighten your index finger). Quite a low voicing, but it's all there. Now add in a G (next to E, outer row RH end) and you've a cool Am7 chord, and 3 fingers left to play tune ...  

More plaudits to Clive. Superb!

[Clive Williams]

Clive,

Thankyou so much for taking the time to break down your incredible version of this tune.  I've never heard anyone do that wonderful back beat shuffle before and I've actually been able to learn to do it from your demonstration video.  This forum has been an incredible resource for me.  I'm going to have to get a recorder one of these days so I can post something.  Thanks again.

Michael

Great to hear - thanks for the kind comments!

Cheers,

Clive

[Fidjit]

No time this Month. Been busy packing the car etc. etc. Have tunes to learn for Melodeons & More. Off to England tomorrow, Monday. Oh will I be glad to see some grass. 

[ladydetemps]

No time this Month. Been busy packing the car etc. etc. Have tunes to learn for Melodeons & More. Off to England tomorrow, Monday. Oh will I be glad to see some grass. 

just don't bring the snow with you.

[Gandy]

Time to dip my toe I think.  Here's an attempt at "Scottishe a Bethanie" played on a Hohner Echo III B/C/C#.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA0YAol2q8s