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Author Topic: The benefits of owning a box in another key  (Read 5679 times)

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Thrupenny Bit

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The benefits of owning a box in another key
« on: May 25, 2016, 08:28:08 AM »

Hi all,
I've recently acquired an old Hohner Erika in BbEb and discovering the benefits of having something other than a DG melodeon. I went for this key simply because of listening to a prominent player and really liking the sound so after borrowing a friends to see how I got on. I ended up buying my own.

My wife popped her head round the door last night as I was having a quiet tune before bed, and said how much more she enjoyed the sound, far more than my other two Castagnari's. A similar comment a few weeks ago from my daughter ' I normally don't like Hohners but I do like that sound....'.
I think the comments reflect a lower pitch ( 5 semi tones down ) from the normal DG tunes which is easier on the ear, certainly to me anyway!

I'm finding more benefits apart from just the different sound. I think it is affecting my playing in a positive way.
It has a slightly ( only slightly! ) slower action than my Hascy and I think it is improving my playing. I'm slowing my playing down, not trying to be too whizzy, and consequently putting more emphasis, light and dark etc into a tune and thinking more about the tune I'm playing.

I'm also playing the same tunes as I normally play on the DG, using the same finger patterns etc. Consequently I have to 'find' the notes and make sure it is the same pattern that I've transferred so I think my tune memory is improving too because I have to remember the note in the sequence then find the equivalent. I'm sure it is 'consolidating' my tune memory.

Is it just me, or have others out there similar experiences when playing a melodeon in another key?
.....or am  simply thinking too much??? :-)
cheers
Q
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Thrupenny Bit

I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

Theo

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2016, 08:34:37 AM »

Quote
hat sound....'.
I think the comments reflect a lower pitch ( 5 semi tones down )

Correction. BbEb is four semitones down from DG
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Helena Handcart

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2016, 08:35:50 AM »

Morning Q

Having spent yester'een happily home alone with two Liliputs (D/G and Bb/Eb), a Preciosa (C/F) and a borrowed pre-Pokerwork 'seashells' (G/C) I concur completely.

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Theo

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2016, 08:38:41 AM »

If only the English folk box players had gone for AD instead of DG back in the seventies we would all reap the benefit of the lower pitch,  and fiddle players would still be happy, and we would still be able to buy Hohners.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Helena Handcart

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2016, 09:12:07 AM »

If only the English folk box players had gone for AD instead of DG back in the seventies we would all reap the benefit of the lower pitch,  and fiddle players would still be happy, and we would still be able to buy Hohners.

Indeed. A/D is lovely - I had a gorgeous A/D Erica now owned by Gary Chapin of this parish. It would have been a great morris box....


Helena
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george garside

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2016, 09:29:28 AM »

as part of the aging process many of us don't pick up high pitched notes as well as we used to, hence the lower pitches like C & F  sound much 'richer'' to the ear. Which may have something to do with the ownership of either several boxes in different keys or  one that will play in them all!

george ;)
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2016, 09:44:53 AM »

Yes, thank you, 4 semi tones.... well it was early in the morning!

George, I know my top frequencies are greatly reduced so that has something to do with my perception. My daughter's much younger with hearing sharp as anything so the mellowness appeals across the ages.

Helena - thank you, glad I'm not the only one to feel this!

Essentially, it seems we are prisoners of the past, as Theo says.
The germ of DG must have been planted by Peter Kennedy even before the 70's ( early 50's was the first order of DG's I believe) but yes, the 70's was the start of the revival and generated many more players.
I've only played one AD ( DTN's Loffet Gret e Breiz ) and it was very nice, he could have left that one with me. For some unknown reason he declined.......
Q
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Thrupenny Bit

I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

John MacKenzie (Cugiok)

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2016, 10:01:46 AM »

Much more fun to be had, with a bit of variety.


Sir John (Who is collecting keys)
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Etienne

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2016, 10:33:28 AM »

Completely ok with the effect of lower pitched melodeons on listeners. I recently converted a toy melodeon with a set of "real" reeds in G and everybody like it more than the one in C (also with same "real" reeds).
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911377brian

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2016, 12:53:00 PM »

Did the same as you Etienna and it sounds great in G....in truth I didn't do it, Microbot did it for me....
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Nick Collis Bird

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2016, 01:04:01 PM »

Bb/Eb. My ancient Hohner sounds like a church organ. I have it up on you tube somewhere but wouldn't know where to find it.  :-\.
It certainly is a lovely key/ keys
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Grape Ape

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2016, 01:24:10 PM »

BbEb is my favorite key.  It's sits perfectly in the middle, not too low on the low end nor too shrill on the high end, allowing for one to play both octaves equally, as well as playing between the octaves.
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John MacKenzie (Cugiok)

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #12 on: May 25, 2016, 01:38:55 PM »

It also discourages all but good guitarists etc, from joining in ;)

Sir (Curmudgeon) John
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: Hohner Club Modell 1. Bb/Eb, de-clubbed : Early Hohner Pressed Wood A/D : 1930's Varnished wood G/C:  Hohner Erika C/F: Bandoneon tuned D/G Pressed wood: Koch F/Bb; G/C Pre Corso

Helena Handcart

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #13 on: May 25, 2016, 01:42:27 PM »

It also discourages all but good guitarists etc, from joining in ;)

Sir (Curmudgeon) John

Sadly the washboard and spoons brigade can bugger up a good tune no matter what the key.  See also the lot that can't be bothered to learn an instrument so just buy a bodhran at a festival and join in regardless

[Edit: not all washboard and spoons players, but I'm sure you've sat next to the ones I mean]
« Last Edit: May 25, 2016, 01:48:38 PM by Helena »
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Martin P

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #14 on: May 25, 2016, 01:43:58 PM »

BUT, the majority of folk tunes seem to be in G or D with smattering of C and A. Of course many songs are sung in F Bb or C. So DG box seems logical, or is this "chicken & egg" scenario?
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baz parkes

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #15 on: May 25, 2016, 02:14:11 PM »

It also discourages all but good guitarists etc, from joining in ;)

Sir (Curmudgeon) John

Sadly the washboard and spoons brigade can bugger up a good tune no matter what the key.  See also the lot that can't be bothered to learn an instrument so just buy a bodhran at a festival and join in regardless
[Edit: not all washboard and spoons players, but I'm sure you've sat next to the ones I mean]

Shakey egg, ma'am...??
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Helena Handcart

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #16 on: May 25, 2016, 02:30:51 PM »

It also discourages all but good guitarists etc, from joining in ;)

Sir (Curmudgeon) John

Sadly the washboard and spoons brigade can bugger up a good tune no matter what the key.  See also the lot that can't be bothered to learn an instrument so just buy a bodhran at a festival and join in regardless
[Edit: not all washboard and spoons players, but I'm sure you've sat next to the ones I mean]

Shakey egg, ma'am...??

Only if it is 'amusingly' shaped like a piece of fruit.
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george garside

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #17 on: May 25, 2016, 02:43:25 PM »

BUT, the majority of folk tunes seem to be in G or D with smattering of C and A. 

BUT they can be played in any key you want  , particularly if playing by ear, as you can  simply 'transpose' them on the hoof without having to fart about doing a different  sheet full of dots

george
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #18 on: May 25, 2016, 02:44:51 PM »

Martin - yes for social or general playing with others DG is the only answer, unless it happens to be a Flat Session or you are playing just on your own.
It took me a while to bite the bullet simply for that reason but listening to a BbEb I couldn't get over the sound so bought one just for my own pleasure.
I'm now realising there are other personal benefits to be had even when just playing for myself such as ( hopefully ) improving my playing and also honing my tune memory.
Q

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Thrupenny Bit

I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

playandteach

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Re: The benefits of owning a box in another key
« Reply #19 on: May 25, 2016, 04:21:08 PM »

Hi all,
I've recently acquired an old Hohner Erika in BbEb and discovering the benefits of having something other than a DG melodeon. I went for this key simply because of listening to a prominent player and really liking the sound so after borrowing a friends to see how I got on. I ended up buying my own.

My wife popped her head round the door last night as I was having a quiet tune before bed, and said how much more she enjoyed the sound, far more than my other two Castagnari's. A similar comment a few weeks ago from my daughter ' I normally don't like Hohners but I do like that sound....'.
I think the comments reflect a lower pitch
My wife also prefers the Erika Bb/Eb to my Serafini G/C  - but of course that is going in the other direction pitch wise.
I'm also at a cross roads - I instinctively know what the basses are and some of the right hand notes - which means that I can sight read (not at the speed of my reading, but without referencing other helpers like Tab. I don't know whether to undermine this now by treating other key boxes as definite pitches or to safeguard my familiarity with the G/C layout by pretending the others are transposing boxes.
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