Melodeon.net Forums

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Welcome to the new melodeon.net forum

Pages: 1 2 [3] 4   Go Down

Author Topic: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons  (Read 16440 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Accordion Dave

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 380
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #40 on: May 23, 2009, 02:55:17 PM »

I just got a phone call... Free breakfast at the German Club on Memorial Day, just for playing some tunes on the accordion.

I got a good "practice session" in last night, on the south shore of Cayuga Lake. Some folks from either China or Japan were snapping my picture, and another group of 8 to 10 people listened to my impromptu concert until sunset. 

I will take a piano accordion and a couple of 2-row diatonics to the German Club on Monday.

For additional variety I will also take along an electronic keyboard to simulate the old Solovox sound that Frankie Yankovic made famous.

I don't need to "switch" to a particular instrument. I like the variety.
Logged

HallelujahAl

  • Guest
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #41 on: May 23, 2009, 04:10:58 PM »

Quote
don't need to "switch" to a particular instrument. I like the variety.

That's great to hear Accordion Dave! I too think that variety is so important. Your comments also remind me that I've put a 'Wish List' request in to Theo for a members blog area. Your posting, as well as being relevant to the topic, is the kind of blog item that I think should be shared and made available within this forum. Its really good to hear what people are upto in their melodeonising/accordionising lives. What do you think? Please let Theo know as well as me.
AL (:)
Logged

Theo

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 13730
  • Hohner Club Too
    • The Box Place
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #42 on: May 24, 2009, 12:22:11 PM »

I've split the later part of this topic into a new thread on blogs in the Wish List section.

I feel like Cnut holding back the tide of thread drift. :D

Please fell free to continue discussing piano boxes here.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2009, 12:25:09 PM by Theo »
Logged
Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

Proprietor of The Box Place for melodeon and concertina sales and service.
Follow me on Twitter and Facebook for stock updates.

Rob Phillips

  • Good talker
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 86
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #43 on: May 24, 2009, 08:34:30 PM »

Logged

HallelujahAl

  • Guest
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #44 on: May 24, 2009, 08:37:20 PM »

Quote
Wrong choice. Wish I could turn the clock back.

http://files.blog-city.com/files/A05/141484/p/f/the_accordion_gets_you_chicks.jpg

Or..."let's dance while the geek with the wardrobe on his chest plays for us"
 :D
Logged

rees

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4734
  • Windjammer
    • Wesson Accordions
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #45 on: May 25, 2009, 12:45:55 AM »

Logged
Rees Wesson (accordion builder and mechanic)
Gungrog, Welshpool, Wales, UK
www.melodeons.com

BruceHenderson

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 262
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #46 on: May 25, 2009, 02:50:47 AM »

  Wrong choice. Wish I could turn the clock back.
http://files.blog-city.com/files/A05/141484/p/f/the_accordion_gets_you_chicks.jpg   
Hilarious....  :D 

   Yes, but judging from the clothes, that was back before the railway come and before sex was invented!
Logged
I love one-rows!  Four reeds kick butt!!!!

ladydetemps

  • Emote Wizard
  • Forum Librarian
  • Hero Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3768
  • Castagnari Tommy D/G, Hohner 1 row 4 stop in C
    • My Youtube Channel
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #47 on: May 25, 2009, 11:31:55 AM »

At least you didn't start a concertina's V melodeons thread.....now then I'd have to make a choice. ;)

HallelujahAl

  • Guest
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #48 on: May 25, 2009, 03:35:23 PM »

Quote
that was back before the railway come and before sex was invented!

Or vice versa :o
AL
Logged

Ebor_fiddler

  • Chris
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2340
  • Hohner 1040 C One-Row, Sandpiper D/G, Liliput C/F
    • Ebor Morris
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #49 on: May 25, 2009, 10:15:27 PM »

And it only seeems to get you girls under the age of consent anyway!  >:(
Logged
I'm a Yorkie!
My other melodeon's a fiddle, but one of my Hohners has six strings! I also play a very red Hawkins Bazaar in C and a generic Klingenthaler spoon bass in F.!! My other pets (played) are gobirons - Hohner Marine Band in C, Hohner Tremolo in D and a Chinese Thingy Tremolo in G.

David Pike

  • Member
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 10
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #50 on: May 25, 2009, 11:13:31 PM »

I played PA for three or four years before changing to the melodeon. Playing mostly with Morris teams, I found it is generally the case that melodeons suit the dance style better. However anyone who has seen the Westminster MM who generally dance to excellent PA players will realise this is not always so.

The main reason I changed was that at a basic level (and I'm very basic !) the melodeon is far easier to play unless you have other keyboard experience. The bass side of the melodeon almost looks after itself (at the basic level) while the PA which offers considerably more possibilities on the left hand requires more thought (and practice). I find you can pick up tunes on the melodeon simply by watching which buttons people are pressing. The complexity of of the fingering on a PA means this is much more difficult to do. Also there are always many notes on the PA keyboard which are in the wrong key !

I did attempt to play both for a while but in the end concentrated on the melodeon and sold a very nice (and light)  Fantini 30/72 three voice PA to Becky Price who is a superb player and well worth checking out in 'Boldwood'.

David   
Logged

Accordion Dave

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 380
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #51 on: May 26, 2009, 01:30:19 AM »

I got to try a Slovenian Steirische Harmonika with Helikon bass today at the German Club. I want one of those for Christmas!
Logged

HallelujahAl

  • Guest
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #52 on: May 26, 2009, 07:57:52 AM »

Quote
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I got to try a Slovenian Steirische Harmonika with Helikon bass today at the German Club. I want one of those for Christmas!

Yes, those Helikon Basses are wonderful. I'm restoring an old Heligonka which I got from Lars of this forum. I can only describe the bass notes as sounding like a Tibetan call to prayer!

I played, and still do play PA these days. But, although I can technically do much more on a PA it just doesn't hold the same amount of fun for some reason ??? It bemuses and confuses me.
AL
Logged

Accordion Dave

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 380
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #53 on: May 29, 2009, 03:40:28 AM »

Hallelujah Al:

Congratulations on obtaining a box with Helikon bass.

These are the accordions that the Slovenians play. I hope to get to Euclid, Ohio again this summer to visit The Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame.

It is about 6 hours west of here and one of my favourite destinations.
Logged

HallelujahAl

  • Guest
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #54 on: May 29, 2009, 08:03:28 AM »

see my Heligonka restoration projeckt  (:)
AL
Logged

David J

  • Regular debater
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 185
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #55 on: May 29, 2009, 01:43:16 PM »

I have been forced to "play" a piano accordion occasionally to check that my repair efforts have been successful.  The experience left me feeling weighed down, how could anyone want to try making music with the equivalent of a small wardrobe strapped on to their chest?

Agree with Theo. I have just traded in a 72-bass PA for a Dino Baffetti. It was too heavy, too loud for any session, and too coarse sounding. Bought it on a whim 3 years ago because I played the piano accordion as a youth; just wish I had discovered the melodeon 30 years ago. But, it's never too late!
Logged
Luukinen Elene III, Baffetti Binci, and an increasing number of Hohners

Martin J

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 902
  • Poole, Dorset
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #56 on: May 29, 2009, 06:59:12 PM »

I got to try a Slovenian Steirische Harmonika with Helikon bass today at the German Club. I want one of those for Christmas!
The trick is to play without bass to an ususpeckting audience and then start the second or third phrase with the lowest bass you have.  Electrifying  >:E
Logged
Castagnari, Weltmeister, Giustozzi, Streb, too many Hohners.  No Strings Attached ceilidh band

Randal Scott

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 396
  • Western USA
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #57 on: June 19, 2009, 05:36:41 PM »

I too enjoy ALL sqzboxes (including concertinas--both anglo and english); no need to choose between them.  PA suffers from a schmaltzy stereotype image problem derived from Lawrence Welk and everyone's awkward youth.

Alll that needs to be said to justify the hip aesthetic value of PA, in addition to the examples provided by GbH, is: cajun, zydeco, rhythm & blues  8)

Is there a more compact, complete, sonorous instrument than the 24-48 bass PA?  If I had to entertain a group of people on a dance floor for three hours with only one instrument--I would choose PA.
Logged

boxlad

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 289
    • Ray Ó Díomasaigh
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #58 on: June 19, 2009, 06:01:27 PM »

Quote
If I had to entertain a group of people on a dance floor for three hours with only one instrument--I would choose PA.

I take it you mean that as part of a stand-up comedy act or something  ;D ;D
Logged

Randal Scott

  • Respected Sage
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 396
  • Western USA
Re: Piano Accordions vs Melodeons
« Reply #59 on: June 19, 2009, 07:50:53 PM »

Quote
If I had to entertain a group of people on a dance floor for three hours with only one instrument--I would choose PA.

I take it you mean that as part of a stand-up comedy act or something  ;D ;D

I"m afraid that what I find humorous would be of limited entertainment value to a general audience.
Logged
Pages: 1 2 [3] 4   Go Up
 


Melodeon.net - (c) Theo Gibb; Clive Williams 2010. The access and use of this website and forum featuring these terms and conditions constitutes your acceptance of these terms and conditions.
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal