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Author Topic: Brand New Melodeon Player  (Read 3472 times)

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Mick

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Brand New Melodeon Player
« on: September 02, 2016, 02:28:35 AM »

Hello all,

Just wanted to check in as a new player and member.  Been a mandolin player as my main instrument for about three decades now but I've been playing piano accordion for about two years now and bought my first button box--a Hohner Pokerwork in G/C this summer.  Admittedly, I was a bit baffled by the multitude of key options on two-row and three row instruments.  I'm from Texas and grew up listening to Tejano music as much as country or soul or rock. Not quite ready to jump into that sound but after a bit of time, maybe so.

Absolutely entrancing instrument. I think if I had found this when I was 16 instead of the mando I wouldn't have looked back.

I got a copy of Pignol-Milleret Méthode to build some fundamentals.  I'd appreciate any and all recommendations on learning.  Yes, finding teacher would be ideal, but in my current situation, learning from video and books is the likely path for awhile.

A great looking forum, here.  Lots to learn and enjoy.

Mick
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Nick Collis Bird

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2016, 07:20:25 AM »

Hi Mick and welcome to the forum.
Look up teachers in the link section. Mel Biggs gives Skype lessons, best of luck. :||:
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Baron Collins-Hill

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2016, 02:57:52 PM »

Welcome!

I also found the melodeon after playing the mandolin for many years. Perhaps a natural progression. They are loads of fun, that's for sure! Keep us posted on your progress!

Thanks,
Baron
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Mick

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2016, 03:43:28 PM »

Thanks, Nick and Baron!

Skype lessons.... I hadn't thought of that, but I use it (or other systems) for so many other things.  I'll look into this.

Just learned "Le branle des vieux" from Norbert and Stephane's book.  Simple place to start, sure, but what a knockout.  Not versed at all in regional French musics (besides some Breton stuff) so this is going to be a fun adventure.  Morvan is close enough to the Cote d'Or for the burgundy lover in me. 

I have a hunch my mando is going to be needling me for more attention....

Mick
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playandteach

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2016, 04:57:28 PM »

I applaud your key choice. I'd recommend finding out about Delicq as soon as possible. Lots of beautiful tunes by him.
I'd also recommend three straight forward tunes (not by Delicq) to start with - Valse Triste, En Avant Blonde and Valse a Ollu
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Mike Carney

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Play
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2016, 06:10:12 PM »

Welcome! Look forward to hearing more.
Mike  (:) :||:
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Mick

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #6 on: September 04, 2016, 08:22:08 PM »

I applaud your key choice. I'd recommend finding out about Delicq as soon as possible. Lots of beautiful tunes by him.
I'd also recommend three straight forward tunes (not by Delicq) to start with - Valse Triste, En Avant Blonde and Valse a Ollu

Thanks!  I somehow found my way to some YouTube videos of Delicq's playing.  Very nice stuff. Hauntingly beautiful. I will try to get a proper copy of some of his recordings.

I'll check out the tunes you recommend.  Straightforward is good for me right now.  I'm still getting used to the diatonic nature of the bellows (not to mention the buttons) as I am still playing piano accordion.  In my mind I am thinking of them as distinct instruments.

Hard to put into words how cool I find the melodeon to be.  Maybe it feels more of a full body experience?  (Holding a 120 bass PA is a full body experience but in a different manner.) 

more to come,

Mick
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Ebor_fiddler

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #7 on: September 05, 2016, 12:54:44 AM »

You'll need a mirror to practise the obligatory "melodeon face", which usually presents itself as if you are "straining at stool" as they put it in Elizabethan days.  >:E
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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.

Lyra

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #8 on: September 08, 2016, 09:26:15 AM »

Recommend Mel's Skype lessons for those in faraway parts. Works surprisingly well - the skype thing, the Mel thing wasn't a surprise at all  >:E
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Chris Ryall

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #9 on: September 08, 2016, 01:36:09 PM »

The forum's 'list of teachers' took a bit of finding - it is on the front page rather than 'pinned' in this teaching section

Mods - should it not be linked in both? -  ::)

Anyway - it's here http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/page,teachers.html

There should be one near you. It also helps to put at least regional info in your profile. :|glug
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Theo

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #10 on: September 08, 2016, 01:58:23 PM »

Chris - it is pinned second post from the top of this forum, and the pinned post includes a link to the list of teachers.  Maybe Clive saw your post and pinned it today.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Chris Ryall

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #11 on: September 08, 2016, 03:01:43 PM »

'Instructions to how to submit teacher info' are pinned 2nd place

Cannot find the list itself anywhere in there. And this board is the intuitive place to look?

Recommend the list (or at least a link to it) be considered for top billing on thei board
If poss thatm and the 'home' link (does anyone ever go 'home'?) should point to the same data

I digerss, but cannot raise this on the 'locked' how to apply ;)
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Theo

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2016, 03:05:01 PM »

'Instructions to how to submit teacher info' are pinned 2nd place

Cannot find the list itself anywhere in there. And this board is the intuitive place to look?

Recommend the list (or at least a link to it) be considered for top billing on thei board
If poss thatm and the 'home' link (does anyone ever go 'home'?) should point to the same data

I digerss, but cannot raise this on the 'locked' how to apply ;)

The link is in big large blue letter like this:


Melodeon teachers page


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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Nigel

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2016, 04:14:42 PM »

Recommend Mel's Skype lessons for those in faraway parts. Works surprisingly well - the skype thing, the Mel thing wasn't a surprise at all  >:E
Hello Mick. I completely agree with Lyra about Mel's excellent tuition using skype. I believe that she covers GC melodeons even though she only mentions DG on her website.
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vof

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #14 on: September 08, 2016, 04:30:57 PM »


The link is in big large blue letter like this:


Melodeon teachers page


Theo: I think the problem is that the words look like a heading and unless you are used to checking for links by moving your mouse pointer around and checking for it changing to a hand, you may not discover that those three big blue words are the link. And especially problematic with a touch-screen without a mouse pointer.

I think it may be more obvious what you mean if the page looked like this:

Click or touch here to see the list of melodeon teachers.

Vince
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Vince O'Farrell
Dino BPII; Hohners: Pokerwork D/G (fettled by Theo; 4th button start, Viennese tuning, and thirds stop by Mike Rowbotham); red Erica G/C; couple of 1040s in C and G project boxes.

Theo

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #15 on: September 08, 2016, 05:01:59 PM »

I never considered it could look like a heading as there is only one line following it!   Anyway I have changed it now to make it completely obvious.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Chris Ryall

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #16 on: September 09, 2016, 10:48:24 AM »

Ta  (:)
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Randal Scott

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #17 on: September 10, 2016, 06:01:22 PM »

Welcome mick - won't be long until you begin to apply your box to latin styles, I predict - the syncopation and rhythmic figures are a natural on DBA.
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Maggie

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #18 on: September 29, 2016, 10:34:53 PM »

Hi. I am a new member too, living in La Creuse, central France - learning to play a G/C accordéon diatonique, as they call it here.  Pignol/Milleret methode was how I started.
Luckily, I found an excellent teacher and am now building a repetoire of French traditional tunes, as well as meeting other musicians - I used to stop playing whenever I messed up, had to get rid of that habit!
A book I really like is published by the Trad Magazine - accordéon diatonique volume one.  There are other volumes, but with over a hundred tunes in this book, all with fingering for G/G it is a good start.  You can find the book here: http://www.librairieorfeo.com/claviers/accordeon/accordeon-diatonique/d-accordeon-diatonique--vol-1-tab-1-1000000011203-v.html
For me, finding a good teacher has helped enormously.  I have only been playing for a year, but now happily giving a tune or two in sessions and ...... will be joining (tentatively) the group playing for a bal traditionnel in our local town this coming weekend.
Good luck - I hope you enjoy learning some French tunes.   :|||:
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Mick

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Re: Brand New Melodeon Player
« Reply #19 on: October 03, 2016, 07:53:47 PM »

Merci, Maggie.

The book you recommend looks good.  I will try to get a copy. 

I am still working through Norbert and Stephane's book, but the early lessons are sensible enough that I am trying out other tunes already. 

Still, I am enjoying learning the "French" tunes.  And why not?  I've only been at this a couple months but feeling like progress is coming along.  Threw off my piano accordion playing for little while but that is working its way out as well with practive. Crazy about the instrument, though.  It is really mesmerizing in many ways, body and soul. 

I only have a modest Hohner Pokerwork, which I love the sound of.  Can only imagine what an exceptional instrument will be like.  (In a year or so.....)

Mick
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