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[george garside]

have a look at youtube 'farewell to the creeks played by frank morrison'
for a nice example of piano accompaniment  - and a acracking tune!

george

[gmatkin]

Thinking about the OP's question, Julie and I have a lot of fun with her piano added to my melodeon or fiddle, and with other lineups.

I haven't got any recent recordings of her playing with my melodeon to prove the point, but I would say playing with melodeon left hand is fine but you need to get the chords in sync for it to work well. So in G you generally both need to use G, C, D, D7 at the same times in the tune, and also relative minors that come up, which in G On a melodeon are likely to be Am7, Bm7 and Em7. When I say 'short and crisp', I really mean it!

The other point I'd make us that the melodeon left hand, like the piano, must be generally very short and crisp except for where the phrasing allows a little licence, or you're playing a waltz or an air.

Gavin

[george garside]

I do 'short and crisp' for waltzes  exept very occasionally if asked to play a slow /smooch 'last waltz' I might slightly lengthen left hand chords. 
But generally stick to short and crisp bass even then with any longer chords being done on right hand side

george

[Gary P Chapin]

When I play with rhythm instruments -- guitar, piano, etc. -- it's hard to pull back on the left hand, but I do it. It sounds much better to bring the left hand in and out for effect. Sometimes I think of the left hand the way u pipers think of their regulators.

[george garside]

If I am playing with   piano,   drum, bass guitar  and any other bangy twangy things I quite often play treble only most of the time otherwise its a bit like haaving a dog and barking yourself!

george

[playandteach]

I've got a friend who is a great worship leader, and he says that it is one of the hardest management roles to persuade the many excellent piano players to define a role for themselves based on the skills of the line up on any one day. The best ones are not necessarily the most able technically, but those who know they don't need to pump out the bass line when x is playing, or provide the rhythmic chording when acoustic guitarist y is on.
I know we talk a lot about music for dance, and I think there are many similarities in worship bands, when to build a mood, leave room for prayer, build up for the upcoming word etc.
At first I was concerned that this was manipulation of the congregation, but now I think it is facilitation.
Any of you in South East London that are looking for good worship - I can recommend Kings at multiple sites. Sorely missed where I am (I should say that I am an atheist, but that's a longer story).
Anyone know of melodeon in worship?

[Anahata]

Anyone know of melodeon in worship?

hallelujahal on melnet does this in some way. See his posting history.

[george garside]

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.

totally agree! the only problem is finding a ''good and sympathetic pianist''.    Way back in my teens  the leader of a local Scottish dance band  asked me if I  knew of anybody who would play the piano with them as their regular pianist was not well enough.  The only pianist I knew was a teacher of classical exams and grades stuff  who had never played  for live dancing of any sort.  The band leader asked me to get him to turn up half an hour before the start to see if he was ok.  He turned up about 3 minutes before the first dance, slung his wet  mac on top of the piano and said to the band leader  tight you start!    He fitted in perfectly not even knowing the tunes and was regularly booked thereafter .  On another occasion this piano man asked me if he could borrow my box as he had been asked to play (solo)  for  a St patricks night do.  It turned out he had never 'had a go' as he put it , on a box  and I spent no more than an hour explaining how it worked.  He then proceeded to play  all night at the st pats night do.

Pity there aren't more such pianists around!

george

[playandteach]

I don't think he's a good pianist but a good musician.

[Theo]

Here is a lovely example that's just been posted on another topic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSLpyKy3TCw