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[forrest]

  A while back, I had offered for sale a nearly new Weltmeister Cajun 4 stop in C. As it turns out, I find that it has attached itself to me. You see, it's one of those boxes that has a quantity of songs already installed, and the box keeps teaching them to me. So, I have to keep it around until it's empty. Could take a while.....but to the point. I have heard mention of Cajun players sometimes specifying a bit of wet tuning on the medium reeds. This sounds very appealing, in that you could get your dry cajun sound by stopping the one medium set, (thereby losing a bit of oomph, but saving air as a bonus). Also, you would have a bit more versatility in the voicing, so perhaps the repertoire could become a bit more inclusive. This idea appeals to me, my uncertainty lies in deciding how much tremolo would be good. I could also sharpen the 3rds a bit.

    So, I am putting this question out for discussion, and I know that I will get some wonderful and hopefully useful answers. I am prepared to conduct the job myself, having tuned a few boxes myself (only my own!!) As far as I know, there are no devices, sites, or downloads where one can experiment with wet or dry, only some odd samples. I have recipes for various beating patterns, from dry to extremely wet, but no way to hear them save file away. Does anyone out there have a good conservative starting point? Is this a good idea? Should I sell this pristine box and seek a D tuned Irish style? Any advice welcomed, thanks........................................jwf 


   

[triskel]

I have heard mention of Cajun players sometimes specifying a bit of wet tuning on the medium reeds.

Yes, Marc Savoy sometimes tunes them that way - the Bb he made for my friend Gerard Dole has one middle reed set +5 cents, if I remember correctly.

This sounds very appealing, in that you could get your dry cajun sound by stopping the one medium set, (thereby losing a bit of oomph, but saving air as a bonus). Also, you would have a bit more versatility in the voicing, so perhaps the repertoire could become a bit more inclusive. This idea appeals to me, my uncertainty lies in deciding how much tremolo would be good.

I can assure you that it does sound very appealing  , though I got him to tune my new D box even wider to +15 cents, seeing that it's for Irish music, not Cajun, but I still have the option of playing it "dry".

I could also sharpen the 3rds a bit.

You could  , but I'd recommend flattening them, about 15 cents (for Cajun, or maybe half that for greater versatility), though you could maybe sharpen the 4th a bit...

[forrest]

I can assure you that it does sound very appealing  , though I got him to tune my new D box even wider to +15 cents, seeing that it's for Irish music, not Cajun, but I still have the option of playing it "dry".


........ but I'd recommend flattening them, about 15 cents (for Cajun, or maybe half that for greater versatility), though you could maybe sharpen the 4th a bit...

   Hey thanks for the reply Stephen.....+5 seems pretty mild for a C4 but +15 would probably get some attention. I would assume that the +15 (tremolo) would be for the D4 and taper down as you went up the scale?

.....the thirds on my box are about -16 already, (factory tuning) and I certainly like them that way for solo, but I'm not sure how well they would sound with other instruments. Haven't ever tried sharpening the 4th yet....

[Johnnie Johnston]

Hi

I would suggest getting Marc's DVD  called   Gospel According to Marc Savoy 2...

He has his complete way of tuning Cajun box's on one reed block  The rest be all the same.. You decide how much if any vibrato you wish on the on the vibrato block Usually the 3 stop from your chest..  Very simple tools you can make.. I made them not hard..  He explains everything in detail with closeups of what he is doing..

He has lessons on songs cajun tunes.. Watching a Master like Marc is an awesome experience in itself..

You can order if from his web page .. Google ---- Gospel According to Marc Savoy 2   and you will get there..

I recommend it to everyone thats getting started with a cajun box playing cajun tunes..

Johnnie

[rees]

On a Cajun accordion the M tremolo reed is 2 stops from your chest. 3 stops is the low reed.

Tremolo is 3 stops from your chest on a Hohner.

[Johnnie Johnston]

Hi.. Dang.. I did not see that..  should have been 2 instead of three.. Thanks for pointing that out..