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Author Topic: what should my next box be?  (Read 3724 times)

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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #20 on: July 08, 2019, 11:06:13 AM »

Ah yes, thanks Steve. Forgot that one.
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Thrupenny Bit

I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

Eshed

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #21 on: July 08, 2019, 11:15:09 AM »

if you are playing in Cm, do you find yourself playing on your own? Just wondering...  >:E
Nice key though.
When I snuck a Bb/Eb to the local ITM session and I played in Cm/Eb I was indeed on my own.
They would gladly join with English tunes in G or C but the aforementioned keys had them making as many bum notes as I usually do, so they opted to stay out.
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Thrupenny Bit

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #22 on: July 08, 2019, 11:23:52 AM »

I tried my friend's BbEb before our session was due to start.
A different style of box in an unknown key, so twiddled Soldiers Joy.
My fiddler friends excruciating expression as he tried to join in was ...delightful   >:E
The reply to 'what key was that in...' cannot be repeated here  ;D
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Thrupenny Bit

I think I'm starting to get most of the notes in roughly the right order...... sometimes!

Howard Jones

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #23 on: July 08, 2019, 11:28:55 AM »

In reply to the OP's question, which keys to get will depend on whether he will be playing with others. If so, then D/G is the standard English box.  If he will be mainly playing on his own, then any of the lower-pitched boxes will sound good.  He says he doesn't sing, but if he might wish to do so in future then he should look for one which matches his preferred singing keys.

george garside

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #24 on: July 08, 2019, 12:20:29 PM »

I got the ''what bloody key is that'' at an 'english' session when I had the temerity to  go into A on a DG box.!

george ::)
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Winston Smith

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #25 on: July 08, 2019, 12:28:26 PM »

Gareth, it would seem that the general consensus is that you should not follow my recommendation. I'm sorry to have made it.
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David Summers

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #26 on: July 08, 2019, 12:58:04 PM »

He says he doesn't sing, but if he might wish to do so in future then he should look for one which matches his preferred singing keys.
Most singing voices cover about 2 octaves. This means most singers can fit in with just about any key. Try singing along to almost any song, in any key, and you'll find you can do it. Many songs I can sing in two different octaves, depending on how I'm feeling that day...
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Richard Shaul

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #27 on: July 08, 2019, 01:11:41 PM »

Hi Gareth, I am on the Island, and have a Hohner Club Victoria, as mentioned by Andrew above. You will find it a lot bigger than the one row that you are used to, and the key is BbEb which may or may not suit, but I'm happy for you to try it, even if only to help you decide what you want,

Richard
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Howard Jones

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #28 on: July 08, 2019, 01:18:34 PM »

[Most singing voices cover about 2 octaves. This means most singers can fit in with just about any key.

That depends.  Most singers, at least those without singing training, are most comfortable somewhere around the middle of their range.  I find there are some songs I can accompany on the D/G, but there are others where it's a strain, or simply impossible for me, and I have to choose a lower-pitched box.

Gareth Sprack

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #29 on: July 09, 2019, 07:24:22 PM »

Gareth, it would seem that the general consensus is that you should not follow my recommendation. I'm sorry to have made it.

Actually I'm not sorry you made the suggestion, because it will remain on the table as far as I am concerned.
I appreciate the warning that playing a 114G will not be just a different keyed version of my 114C.
Over the weekend at our local 1940's show, I played my box (not well) in public, sat on a crate, dressed as an ARP warden, it was largely to amuse myself and any who chose to listen, most folks were enchanted by the novelty rather than the quality of the music.
However it did concentrate my mind to consider the more traditional style boxes over the more modern 'accordion' styles.
My knowledge of what was made just pre and post war is limited, but I think I am coming around to that type.
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Squeaky Pete

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #30 on: July 09, 2019, 07:26:45 PM »

Don't mention the war.
Not if you play a Hohner.


A vintage one, that it.
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Theo

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #31 on: July 09, 2019, 09:06:05 PM »

However it did concentrate my mind to consider the more traditional style boxes over the more modern 'accordion' styles.
My knowledge of what was made just pre and post war is limited, but I think I am coming around to that type.

That was just about the peak of the popularly of the piano accordion!
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Gareth Sprack

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #32 on: July 09, 2019, 09:25:49 PM »

However it did concentrate my mind to consider the more traditional style boxes over the more modern 'accordion' styles.
My knowledge of what was made just pre and post war is limited, but I think I am coming around to that type.

That was just about the peak of the popularly of the piano accordion!

Very true, what I was trying to say was, I think I prefer the 'wooden' style box over the colourful accordion style, however as I don't know when that style started to become popular I could be misleading myself as to dates of the 'plastic' (or whatever the material is) case.
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george garside

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #33 on: July 09, 2019, 09:41:22 PM »

they are all wooden inside  so I don't thing the 'plastic outer coating makes any difference to the sound

george
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Gareth Sprack

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Re: what should my next box be?
« Reply #34 on: July 09, 2019, 09:48:23 PM »

they are all wooden inside  so I don't thing the 'plastic outer coating makes any difference to the sound

george

Quite right George, but I do quite a bit of living history, so I was thinking along the lines of a period box, or at least trying to avoid one that is glaringly modern even to the layman.
However if on being challenged I can say "Oh no sir this style melodeon was first introduced in 1935" then that is part of the patter.
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