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Author Topic: Smiling  (Read 6615 times)

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Pazza

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Smiling
« on: February 10, 2019, 09:05:48 PM »

Hello I’m a beginner,  and after watching some TOTM And various other video clips could someone tell me if ithe player is allowed to smile when playing? Thanks
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Dino Baffetti DG

arty

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2019, 09:16:30 PM »

Smile?.....not something I would recommend but then, a smile is just a grimace like all the other facial expressions you find on here. So, why not?
Some, (that's me), prefer to cut their heads off when filming as they don't want to scare anyone.  :-[
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malcolmbebb

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #2 on: February 10, 2019, 09:25:06 PM »

You seem to be encountering what is known as Melodeon Face - a loss of control of the facial muscles while concentrating on the tune. Especially on camera.

Smiling is indeed permitted, for those capable, but remains optional.
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george garside

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #3 on: February 10, 2019, 09:46:41 PM »

I find that it is best to keep the mouth shut  in order to prevent the onset of 'breathing with the box'  i.e less than silently making sucking and blowing noises in unison with the bellows. It also makes it difficult to put on a genuine smile at the same time

george
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Pazza

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #4 on: February 10, 2019, 10:04:00 PM »

I also suffer from breathing  with the box I blame years of playing blues harp.
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Fred

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #5 on: February 10, 2019, 10:19:12 PM »

Yes we are indeed allowed to smile and a few of us even do it on camera.
One of my favourite examples is John Spiers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7_GWq78gnE

Watch at 2:10 and admire that smirk. And the relief smile at the end of the video is also worth a medal. (:)
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Anahata

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #6 on: February 10, 2019, 10:21:20 PM »

I am convinced that some professional accordionists (especially noticeable with PA and Steirische Harmonika players) are trained to smile while they are playing, and the result is a forced grin that is no more appealing than natural melodeon face.

I also suffer from breathing  with the box I blame years of playing blues harp.
I used to get that too, without any blues harp background to blame it on.
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Fred

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #7 on: February 10, 2019, 10:24:45 PM »

I am convinced that some professional accordionists (especially noticeable with PA and Steirische Harmonika players) are trained to smile while they are playing, and the result is a forced grin that is no more appealing than natural melodeon face.

Absolutely agreed!
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2019, 10:25:45 PM »

To busy thinking to worry about smiling, save that for playing tunes embedded in my subconscious mind but the breathing thing you describe is just something that can happen. If it does, it may be something you are stuck with, though people say they have fought it and won. Worst comes to the worst, plan your bellows use to match your lungs. At least you won't faint. 
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Greg Smith
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ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin. Ambrose Bierce

Scotty Gring

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #9 on: February 11, 2019, 01:30:48 AM »

Of all things to jump in and make my first post.  My son and daughter make more fun of me for the facial expressions I make than the awful noise I produce while playing.  And then there's the dreaded drool.  Don't know why playing makes me start to drool.  I'll need to get a head strap and a tin up to hang from my chin or I'll surely damage my box.  I wish I could just smile.
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #10 on: February 11, 2019, 08:53:22 AM »

Hello and welcome Scotty.
The noises can only get better but the the grimaces and the drool are yours for life.
Good luck.
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Greg Smith
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ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin. Ambrose Bierce

Lester

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #11 on: February 11, 2019, 08:59:58 AM »

You can find >500 videos of me HERE and in not one of them do I do anything that could be described as a smile.

Winston Smith

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #12 on: February 11, 2019, 09:05:01 AM »

But is that not just because you're such a serious "Melodeon Man", Mr Bailey?
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Lester

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #13 on: February 11, 2019, 09:19:15 AM »


But is that not just because you're such a serious "Melodeon Man", Mr Bailey?


Nope, it's because of science and maths:

Amount of available brain power required to play treble end - 65%
Amount of available brain power requiredto play bass end - 15%
Amount of available brain power requiredto keep breathing and not fall off chair  - 15%
Total 95%

Amount of available brain power requiredto smile whilst doing the above - 10%
Total 105%

Thus if I smile something has to give, either playing, breathing or staying sat upright.

See that, that's science that is (:)

Ellison

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #14 on: February 11, 2019, 09:55:45 AM »

I usually force a grin when I've made a fluff or hit a bum note to denote "Ah well, that's life, all part of life's rich tapestry". But inside I'm actually dying and will reply the moment in my troubled dreams for years to come.
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Chris Peacock

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #15 on: February 11, 2019, 01:25:12 PM »

Here’s my first post also. I hope to get a melodeon soon, but writing as one who plays the Northumbrian small pipes, I cannot even tap my foot to the music - let alone smile (without looking like I’m leering☹️). Maybe I should make smiling part of my practicing when I get my melodeon? Maybe someone could make an instructional video on how to smile, and upload it to YouTube lol.
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Clive Williams

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #16 on: February 11, 2019, 01:36:59 PM »

Can't smile to save my life, to be honest. I do agree with Anahata et al though; many accordion players have grins that I find distinctly offputting - I think it's a similar psychological effect to clowns, where the face is "right, but not quite right", and apparently humans are evolution-conditioned to run away from things are not quite right.

Fred

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #17 on: February 11, 2019, 02:31:47 PM »

humans are evolution-conditioned to run away from things are not quite right.

Might that be the reason why PAs are so awful while BAs are so awesome? :thinking:
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Clive Williams

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #18 on: February 11, 2019, 02:40:00 PM »

humans are evolution-conditioned to run away from things are not quite right.

Might that be the reason why PAs are so awful while BAs are so awesome? :thinking:

Indeed. It's a piano, but it's not quite a piano. Run away! :-)

Dick Sadler

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Re: Smiling
« Reply #19 on: February 11, 2019, 03:49:31 PM »

As a new new player I cannot believe that Lester only attributes 15% of brain power to his left hand! At the present time it’s about 80%, right hand 20% as I am still forgetting to breathe. And...when I do it’s in time with the bellows😀.
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