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Author Topic: Playing together with a piano  (Read 4672 times)

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Eshed

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Playing together with a piano
« on: December 29, 2017, 11:25:18 AM »

So I've been invited by a friend who plays the piano (actual piano, not a PA) to play together.
Does any of you have experience playing melodeon+piano?

Other than the obvious key limitations, are there things that work better, things that work worse?

Currently my suspicion is that I will mostly use the right side without using the left, but obviously I may be very wrong.
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Hugh Taylor

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2017, 11:44:26 AM »

Sounds great fun. I play in a band with a keyboard player and make the following suggestions -
1. For some parts of the tune, forget your left hand, and let the piano concentrate on the harmonic structure.
2. For other parts, let the piano play melody only or improvisations, and you play chords on your left hand and let the right hand also either play chords or counter melody based around those chords. Obviously the chords you play will be dictated by your box, and will generally be less creative than the piano - depending on the piano player of course.
Mixing it about like that should give both of you lots of scope for creative playing.
Enjoy!
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Lester

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2017, 11:47:40 AM »

arty

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2017, 11:50:28 AM »

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playandteach

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2017, 12:10:29 PM »

Used as a melody instrument with piano playing standard piano writing - broken chords etc. it can work well. Especially with another instrument.
There's a Rutter Suite (Antique) which has a first movement that should transcribe well for GC melodeon. It's originally for flute and piano, so if you reduce the piano part to accompanying figures, the melodeon can take the piano melody line. I suspect there are many pieces like this that will work.
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Anahata

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2017, 03:09:41 PM »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNSWbdN4200 (there's a banjo too)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFHYIu7uHv4  (C one-row and piano only)
(same place, different years and bands)

I wouldn't fret about chords too much. Keep it simple and reasonably obvious (not much choice about that on a melodeon) and listen to each other and you'll be fine.
Also playing with a piano is great with a one-row, because then you just let the piano player worry about the chords  (:)

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2017, 03:12:55 PM »

Currently my suspicion is that I will mostly use the right side without using the left, but obviously I may be very wrong.

Just to pick up on that - no, I like the extra colour you get from the melodeon LH. By all means leave it out some of the time for contrast, but it should definitely play its part! As I implied above though, make sure you agree on chords where there might be differences.
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triskel

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #7 on: December 29, 2017, 05:36:57 PM »

A major caveat over tuning - is it a "real" (acoustic) piano or an electronic one?

If it's an electronic one there shouldn't be any problem because the pitch (and even the key) should be adjustable on it.

But if it's an acoustic one (with strings) you can expect it to be flat of A-440 concert pitch (the one in the famous "Favourite" Irish music pub in Holloway was so flat that Reg Hall had to play in Eb to get it to sound in D  :o), because that is normal with domestic pianos, and tuning one up to concert pitch is a huge job.

Meanwhile, lots of accordions are/were actually tuned slightly sharp and A-442 is not uncommon, whilst one of mine was made at A-444.

Eshed

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #8 on: December 29, 2017, 10:20:23 PM »

Thank you for the wonderful responses!
As I suspected, I may have been wrong  :D

We will probably play local tunes that both of us know, so I guess I will just have to see what way of playing works best for us. My skill or lack thereof also factors into this. I'll keep all of your advice in mind!

As far as I know it is an electronic piano, so that's one problem less :)
My box is technically 440, although some of it is slightly out of tune due to questionable quality, not enough to render it unplayable, just to very slightly annoy perceptive ears.
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #9 on: December 29, 2017, 10:27:30 PM »


We will probably play local tunes that both of us know, so I guess I will just have to see what way of playing works best for us. My skill or lack thereof also factors into this. I'll keep all of your advice in mind!


Ears prick up!
What local tunes?
« Last Edit: December 29, 2017, 10:29:18 PM by Tone Dumb Greg »
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Eshed

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #10 on: December 29, 2017, 10:43:56 PM »

What local tunes?
First an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFMkYOIKuWQ
I suspect we will play slower tunes though :)

Between the 20's and the 70's(-ish) there were a bunch of songs written here (Israel) which were (and somewhat still are) quite popular for public sing-alongs and dancing.
Lyrics mostly revolved around agriculture, pioneers and the lovely places around (That's why the songs are often called here "Land of Israel songs").
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Malcolm Clapp

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #11 on: December 29, 2017, 11:34:08 PM »

Some lovely examples of melodeon/piano at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1456645407782343/

Particularly impressed with the piano accompaniment from Timi Turmel on this one https://www.facebook.com/sylvaint3/videos/10213904347636246/



(Thanks to Paul Groff for bringing the page to my attention)

Edited to add: Now posted to YouTube for the Facebookphobic (like me!)
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21y191dsQy8
« Last Edit: January 08, 2018, 10:08:18 PM by Malcolm Clapp »
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Malcolm Clapp

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2017, 11:51:37 PM »

Banter

Brilliant! As some one who has not previously heard this group, the trumpet coming in at 4.55 ish was quite an unexpected surprise, possibly even to the trumpet player who, it seems, needed a gentle reminder.....
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Chris

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #13 on: December 30, 2017, 08:55:11 AM »

Another example of piano / accordion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgMZfi2iVog
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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #14 on: December 30, 2017, 09:39:03 AM »

Banter

Brilliant! As some one who has not previously heard this group, the trumpet coming in at 4.55 ish was quite an unexpected surprise, possibly even to the trumpet player who, it seems, needed a gentle reminder.....

The percussionist/trumpet player is Tim Walker and the keyboard player is Nina Zagorski. Both of these musicians used to play with our own Liam Robinson of this parish in the Liam Robinson Dance Band trio. Sadly Liam is no longer well enough to ever play again :'( but I'm glad Nina and Tim have got together with Simon Care.

For old time's sake here's a clip of the LRDB in rehearsal in Liam's studio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3k9kozkdmWY&feature=plcp


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george garside

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #15 on: December 30, 2017, 10:22:40 AM »

many Scottish ceilidh/country dance bands from Shand  to current Scottish senior box champion Brandon Mcphee have a piano in their line up.  The late Jim Mcloed  actualy led his very popular band using a grand piano.

The pianistt concentates mostly on chords and rhythm  often playing with both hands down below middle C.  If a box is the leading instrument   both  melody and bass accompaniment are as would be as if playing solo  with right hand chords where  desired.

loads of youtube vids eg Brandon McPhee et al

george
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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #16 on: December 30, 2017, 10:48:38 AM »

I was just trying to get my daughter to learn cock of the north in piano so we can do a jingle together ..
I couldn’t find a duet with melodeon but found this little girl playing violin which is inspiring.

https://youtu.be/YmkMnjr4AqM
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Chris Brimley

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #17 on: December 30, 2017, 01:03:33 PM »

I particularly like the sound of a piano in a dance band mix with accordion.  Whereas a box is more flexible in dynamics 'within' a note, and can then be IMO more 'lyrical' in sound, the piano gives sharp initial 'attack', with opportunities for interesting LH and RH rhythms and runs.  I find that there is perhaps nothing more fun as a box player than playing with a good and sympathetic pianist.  Also the different sounds that an electronic keyboard can bring to the mix can be very effective.
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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #18 on: December 30, 2017, 01:37:44 PM »

Most of the Phillipe Bruneau on Philo disc are very nice
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howard mitchell

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Re: Playing together with a piano
« Reply #19 on: December 30, 2017, 02:29:56 PM »

Lots of good Quebec accordeon with piano. I particularly like these
https://youtu.be/1s0y7gyHUE4
https://youtu.be/bLvnITijv2A
https://youtu.be/GrDOnGwt70Y

M
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