Melodeon.net Forums
Discussions => Teaching and Learning => Topic started by: Gary on March 03, 2019, 01:32:10 PM
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I see only one rows in cajun clips, Is a two row suitable ? because i just cannot justify another box, my last one row purchase proved not suitable and I sold it on.
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Short answer, no - you need a one-row with four voices (LMMH) to get that Cajun sound. However, you would have the same notes there on a two-row, so you could certainly try, it just won’t ever sound quite right.
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... you could certainly try, it just won’t ever sound quite right.
Another reason it won't sound right (i.e. authentic Cajun) is because a proper one-row Cajun box is tuned differently. The thirds and sevenths in the scale are tuned flat from equal temperament by about 15 cents. This makes for sweet sounding chords on the RH side, especially when played in 'Cajun' position - e.g. playing in the key of G on a C box. You just won't get this on a normally tuned two-row box.
But Cajun tuning will sound a bit odd when used in standard, non-Cajun style tunes.
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As well as my one-rows in C and B flat, I play Cajun and Zydeco on two row melodeons in A/D, C/F and D/G.
None of them are "Cajun tuned".
30 years in the Joe Le Taxi Zydeco Band and it's never been a problem.
Also, on a two row box you get an extra blues note. e.g. on a D one-row played in A you have G as your blues note (flat 7th) but on a D/G box played in A you also have the even bluesier note C (flat 3rd).
Try a pull run of C, C#, E - that's the blues right there.