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Author Topic: "Home Position" on instruments in different keys  (Read 1589 times)

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howard mitchell

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"Home Position" on instruments in different keys
« on: February 28, 2017, 09:55:26 AM »

I recently saw on another thread a reference to D/G players regarding "home position" as being in the lower octave and G/C players being more at home in the upper octave.

Combining this with other comments about playing boxes in different keys and just using the same fingering and, hey presto, out it comes in different key, I wondered about Eb/Bb instruments. I wonder where "home position" is for Eb/Bb players.

I have a G/C and mostly use the upper octave and this translates well going one tone up to an A/D.
I also play D/G and mostly use the lower octave and this translates well going down one tone to C/F.

I don't have an Bb/Eb (perhaps it's time to get one) but would I play it like an A/D up one tone or like a C/F down one tone?

As an aside, when playing a one row, I tend to play in the upper octave (LMMH) and I do use the upper octave on a D/G and C/F probably because they're LMM and not so squeaky and all of this of course is someway dependent on the particular tune being played.

Mitch

 
« Last Edit: February 28, 2017, 10:05:09 AM by Howard Mitchell-Borts (Mitch) »
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Saltarelle D/G, Hohner D/G, Hohner C/F, Dallape C/F, Hohner A/D, Gaillard G/C, Sagne D, Roland FR18D, Hohner Bb/Eb.

Thrupenny Bit

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Re: "Home Position" on instruments in different keys
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2017, 10:44:16 AM »

I play my BbEb as I would my DG, in the lower octave.
My BbEb is a 4th button start direct mirror of my DG, an equivalent Anahata layout but in BbEb if that make sense. 
I use that as I would my 4th button start DG, and enjoy the low rich sound from playing 'down below'.
Q
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Thrupenny Bit

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

george garside

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Re: "Home Position" on instruments in different keys
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2017, 10:48:59 AM »

I am not over keen on the idea of a 'home position' being in either the lower or upper octave depending on the tuning of a particular box.  Surely an experienced player should be equally at home  in both octaves  irrespective of the key(s) the box is in - otherwise its a bit like only being able to play half a piano!
george
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Chris Ryall

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Re: "Home Position" on instruments in different keys
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2017, 12:03:51 PM »

I use both octaves, an in several keys, albeit mostly chording in the more distant ones ;)

A 'home position' is really crucial to this. For example in Cm I put 3 fingers over a Cm chord inversion, little finger on the Eb, for note '9'-D I drop in index finger next to little.  For mid scale notes - drop index/middle onto my outer (C#=Db) row  where the notes I need are there as push/pull.  I'll also often run notes through and Eb chord shape into the Cm shape ...  essentially a run of Cm pentatonic, and so 'known to my fingers'

The detail is less important than that, as fingers move, another stays touching (or pressing)a button and you 'pivot' around that as a fulcrum.  This sort of trick is particularly important in 'off piste' keys - where hitting wrong button may be ... regrettable. 

I imagine the same applies to C#D and BC layouts?  The quints are much more forgiving, so long as you stick to their home modes.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2017, 12:05:36 PM by Chris Ryall »
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deltasalmon

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Re: "Home Position" on instruments in different keys
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2017, 12:35:08 PM »

I don't know that I'm understanding the "home position" fully. When typing the "home keys" are the keys that you rest your fingers on when you aren't typing. It's the base starting position. If this is the same thing on melodeon then I agree with George, this depends completely on the tune you're playing in. I don't rest my fingers on a few buttons and then reach to the others when I need them and revert back to the home position.

I suppose I treat the D row on my C#/D as my "home row" but that's only because most of the music I play is in the key of A/D/G. If I was playing in the key of Db then my "home row" would be the C# row.

But in general I move my fingers up and down depending on which notes I have to play. Don't really consider any part of the keyboard a "starting position"
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Sean McGinnis
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: "Home Position" on instruments in different keys
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2017, 01:07:57 PM »

I think the Home position refers to the starting octaves.
i.e. my 4th button DG start means that is the home position for playing G or D.
If the first note is D or G, then I'd play button 4 on either row depending on if in key of D or G.

I could play it up the keyboard using the next set of buttons an octave up where D and G fall, but that's not in the Home position.
Well, that's what I understand it as anyway!
Q
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Thrupenny Bit

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

Chris Ryall

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Re: "Home Position" on instruments in different keys
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2017, 02:15:17 PM »

For me it is where you rest your fingers 'default'  and have ways to get at various chord arpeggios or not runs from there. As such it also applies when playing melody, and even more so if improvising.

Some keys have more than one home position depending on the chord in play. For me 'Bb' likes all fingers outer row (a Bb sus chord) or in  triangle (Eb chord).  I'd find Eb7 EbMaj7 or Bb maj7 relative to those positions and have an easy, learned and practiced way to switch between the two. Bb bebop or blues are relative to the Bbsus position.

How about other instruments? I suspect most use this sort of method?
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