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Author Topic: Play across the row on a B/C?  (Read 5259 times)

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up-fiddler

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Re: Play across the row on a B/C?
« Reply #40 on: October 29, 2018, 01:00:04 PM »

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I don't think anyone is listening to your original question any longer, Dave. What you see here is a bunch of B/Cers commiserating and trying to convince themselves and everyone else they are not crazy...

Quite honestly, I have enjoyed reading through the various commiserations. No matter which box we play I believe that button box players are a breed apart. Revel in our various oddities.  :o
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boxer

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Re: Play across the row on a B/C?
« Reply #41 on: October 29, 2018, 05:49:23 PM »

I have it on good authority that the B/C box was the inspiration for the Enigma encoding machine.  Apart from looking similar, the machines share the ability to convert perfectly logical input into indecipherable output.
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george garside

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Re: Play across the row on a B/C?
« Reply #42 on: October 29, 2018, 07:58:33 PM »

 ;D
g
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KLR

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Re: Play across the row on a B/C?
« Reply #43 on: October 30, 2018, 04:54:43 AM »

It's always worthwhile to try a tune in a different key, many of those A tunes on the B/C will kick a little more butt in G.  Athol Highlanders is a good example, the barrage of pull notes in the fourth part takes some managing, you have to learn to drop down for the pull B for any relief, which is awkward, as is the A3e ecA part.  Try that in G and it picks up a bit in the punch department.  To me Amaj works too well in B/C.  The 3 row fixes these problems big time, the Irish reel Boys of Malin is another tune that is a lot more simple when you have the push C# to use in its 3rd part - Aece Aece Aece d2cB | Aece Aece BABc d2cB.  But you have to be saddled with the heavy PA bass side and its attendant extra weight/expense, smaller old instruments are hard to find, etc., so it's no surprise it never really took off in Irish trad circles.

I'm not exaggerating about how dim a view we take of Amaj.  Joe Burke, about the most influential player of the 20th century, never recorded note one in Amaj.  Other box players from the 70s-90s seem little more interested in A, this is the B/C players of course.  Maybe they're a bit less shy of it now, I don't know.  Some tunes aren't such a headache in A, too. 
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george garside

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Re: Play across the row on a B/C?
« Reply #44 on: October 30, 2018, 08:48:54 AM »

just as an example of the difference the 3rd row on BCC# makes --I find it virtually impossible to play soldiers joy (in D) at anything like normal speed on a BC but can go indecently fast on the BCC# - and that  down to using just one button on the inside row.


I totally agree in it being worth playing a tune in a different key and just as  interesting practce or a bit of fun I like  to regularly play most tunes in other than their usual keys .  It can also help to provide key changes when playing sets to provide a bit of lift


george
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Gromit

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Re: Play across the row on a B/C?
« Reply #45 on: October 30, 2018, 12:27:14 PM »

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I find it virtually impossible to play soldiers joy (in D) at anything like normal speed on a BC but can go indecently fast on the BCC#

That's interesting - not a tune I know but just run through it from sheet music in Dmaj (on a B/C) and can't see any tricky bit, which button on the inside row makes it easier?
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Stiamh

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Re: Play across the row on a B/C?
« Reply #46 on: October 30, 2018, 04:16:53 PM »

Quote
I find it virtually impossible to play soldiers joy (in D) at anything like normal speed on a BC but can go indecently fast on the BCC#

That's interesting - not a tune I know but just run through it from sheet music in Dmaj (on a B/C) and can't see any tricky bit, which button on the inside row makes it easier?

It's the F# (Gromit, lad  (:)) which is on the pull on a C# row.

Joe Burke, about the most influential player of the 20th century, never recorded note one in Amaj.

Well he's a special case. About the only thing I really envy B/C players is the ability to play more easily in G dorian and Dm than you can on a C#/D. Dowd's Favourite is a bit of a fetish tune with me and a lot more convenient to play in the usual key of Gdor on a B/C than on a C#/D. So I was intrigued to see a Comhaltas clip of a student of Joe Burke student playing this particular tune on a B/C. To my great surprise he didn't play it in Gdor, but in an easier key - possibly Am.

Edited to tone down rash use of language :(
« Last Edit: October 30, 2018, 11:26:55 PM by Stiamh »
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JohnS

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Re: Play across the row on a B/C?
« Reply #47 on: October 30, 2018, 05:25:41 PM »

I guess when you're Joe Burke you can play in any key you like and no-one is going to tell you that you are wrong. ;)
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Pearse Rossa

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Re: Play across the row on a B/C?
« Reply #48 on: October 30, 2018, 08:58:40 PM »

Joe Burke, about the most influential player of the 20th century...

He still is a major influence, in the 21st century!
If mankind and Irish box playing survive to the 30th century (and beyond), musicians will still
refer to JB.

« Last Edit: October 31, 2018, 01:10:49 AM by Pearse Rossa »
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Stiamh

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Re: Play across the row on a B/C?
« Reply #49 on: October 30, 2018, 10:52:20 PM »

I meant no disrespect to JB, although I see my earlier remarks [now deleted] must have come across that way. Apologies to all.
« Last Edit: October 31, 2018, 01:35:31 AM by Stiamh »
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