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[accordion criminal]

Having played whistle with a fiddler and guitarist and learned at least sixty jigs/reels/hornpipes/polkas, and having played 48bass piano accordion for a short time, I recently jumped at the chance to acquire a Gabbanelli ADG. I'm now hooked on button boxes and am waiting for my C#D Dancemaster to arrive.

For an ADG with a heavy bass end (even with the bass reeds removed--I used to live on the Mex border and knew about this trick), should I be finding the buttons that allow me to play an entire phrase of a jig/reel/hornpipe/polka on the draw or press, or is an entire phrase excessive? I like how playing the same phrase on the draw and then on the press teaches me where the notes are relative to the bellows direction, but as a beginner I find myself hunting around for the right notes more than playing them:)

So, I was thinking that instead of stumbling around trying to find (and write down) where the buttons are for notes in tunes like Atoll Highlander, Seamus Ennis's Jig, O'Sullivan's March, I should ask on this forum for names of tunes that are easier on the ADG for a beginner. Offhand, I assume any heavily arpeggiated tune would be good, but there may be others that ADG players like that I'm not aware of.

[rees]

helo pontyrogof, sut mae? Croeso i'r fforwm.

[accordion criminal]

Dydw i ddim yn siarad Cymraeg  Mae'n ddrwg gen i. I don't even have the shortcut keys for the special characters. But, thanks for the welcome!

[accordion criminal]

Just found a tune that seems fitting on the ADG: Bohola's Johnny Dougherty's March. Even sounds pretty at my snail's pace:) Ha, that's a PA on the recording, I think.

[Andy in Vermont]

[...] should I be finding the buttons that allow me to play an entire phrase of a jig/reel/hornpipe/polka on the draw or press, or is an entire phrase excessive? I like how playing the same phrase on the draw and then on the press teaches me where the notes are relative to the bellows direction, but as a beginner I find myself hunting around for the right notes more than playing them:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiA1WlxWc2w
Cheers,
Andy

[HallelujahAl]

Helo, Croeso i'r fforwm pontyrogof. A 'n glws alaw at ddysg acha ADG ydy 'Calon Lan'. Alli gwialen cyd-rhwng gwanafau achos effeithia!
tranl. Hi above is about as good as my Welsh gets. But have a go at Calon Lan switching between rows. And yes, get those reed blocks back in I suggest.
AL

[accordion criminal]

1. I'll put the basses back in.
2. I'll give Calon Lan a go.
3. I'll look for more examples to learn from like that video. I heard those basses and understand!

 

So glad I posted here!

[HallelujahAl]

OK Calon Lan should appear as if by magic - if not the magic's gone...
AL

[accordion criminal]

OK Calon Lan should appear as if by magic - if not the magic's gone...
AL

I was going to say: Bod y dudalen wedi symud, wedi'i diweddaru neu wedi'i dileu...
But then I logged in and it appeared!

Thank you AL.

[sqwzboxstudent]

have you still got the gabbanelli??? id love to see a pic...

[forrest]

Greetings and welcome, pontyrogof! Many players of Newfoundland seem to prefer diatonic boxes in A/D, although there are many exceptions. Plenty of the tunes played are Irish or Scottish in origin, with a great mixture of other folk tunes from different places thrown in. An A/D/G is a great choice for this body of music, if you wish to stick with a "quint tuned" instrument. I have an A/D myself, and it works quite well for the British Isles tunes, as well.
  Here's some Newfie boys singing and playing Peggy Gordon. The box player has a Hohner Morgane which I believe is in D/G.

[HallelujahAl]

I was going to say: Bod y dudalen wedi symud, wedi'i diweddaru neu wedi'i dileu...
But then I logged in and it appeared!

Thank you AL.

A 'na dydy!
 

[accordion criminal]

have you still got the gabbanelli??? id love to see a pic...

Yes. I haven't played it lately near as much as the C#D, but since you asked, I'll try to come up with a vid of my playing on the Gab ADG.  Your box is pretty!!!!!

[sqwzboxstudent]

how many voice is it??? ive been looking for a 3 or 4 voice at the mo!

[accordion criminal]

how many voice is it??? ive been looking for a 3 or 4 voice at the mo!

Mine the basic 101 model. Just a lightweight :)

[Andrew Culwell]

Welcome to the forum...can you tell me why you chose c#d?  I play b/c and am embarking on that tuning myself so I'm interested in hearing why you chose c#d initially?

[accordion criminal]

Welcome to the forum...can you tell me why you chose c#d?  I play b/c and am embarking on that tuning myself so I'm interested in hearing why you chose c#d initially?

I had a talk about it with Michael Usui, the Dancemaster maker. I told him I was leaning toward C#D and of course he asked me what I intended to play. I told him mostly polkas and tunes needing lilt or punch because I found them more fun to play. He agreed on my original choice of tuning. I will say this, if I weren't a self-teacher, I would be very disappointed at the lack of tutor material for C#D. The C#D can involve playing a good bit of cross-row if you want some smooth phrases, from what I've found in my fairly recent experience. My Dancemaster has the Binci reeds, so probably it wouldn't matter which tuning I chose! My Gabbanelli now sounds plinky next to my Dancemaster. Gotta go make another vid with it...