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Author Topic: The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?  (Read 1272 times)

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Emre Enercan

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The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?
« on: June 22, 2020, 04:08:39 PM »

Hi there, when I play something in Dm on my C/F melodeon, I find it displeasing to do a iv chord, the ideal seems to be turn it into a iv7 chord instead with the Bb chord over G bass but it makes it sound too complicated of a chord in the simple tune I am working on. Any alternatives?

Thanks!
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?
« Reply #1 on: June 22, 2020, 05:41:26 PM »

Hi there, when I play something in Dm on my C/F melodeon, I find it displeasing to do a iv chord, the ideal seems to be turn it into a iv7 chord instead with the Bb chord over G bass but it makes it sound too complicated of a chord in the simple tune I am working on. Any alternatives?

Apart from just playing the G bass that is the simplest way of playing the IV.
You might go for another chord containing the note you are harmonising with, but it might not work.
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Greg Smith
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Jack Humphreys

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Re: The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?
« Reply #2 on: June 22, 2020, 06:06:32 PM »

I'd suggest blocking off the third on the G chord (equivalent to A chord on DG), and maybe on some other chords where you sometimes want major and sometimes minor. (e.g. your A chord) The great Fred Paris does this for some of his chords, and I've done it on my Hascy. Just a bit of tape. It only takes a few minutes.  Paul young has  made a video on how to do it on a pokerwork.

BobM

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Re: The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?
« Reply #3 on: June 23, 2020, 09:11:43 AM »

Is there not another key that you could transpose the piece too that is more suitable?
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BobM

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Re: The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?
« Reply #4 on: June 23, 2020, 09:17:13 AM »

Is there not another key that you could transpose the piece too that is more suitable?

Unless of course you plan to play it with someone else.

Bob.
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?
« Reply #5 on: June 23, 2020, 09:21:32 AM »

Is there not another key that you could transpose the piece too that is more suitable?

Dm on a CF is equivalent to Em on a DG. The Gm is equivalent to an Am. Pretty standard

What's the tune you are trying to play, Emre? You are unlikely to find a more straightforward key to play most minor tunes in than Em on a DG (yes, I dare say there are exceptions, but not that many).
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Greg Smith
DG/GC Pokerwork, DG 2.4 Saltarelle, pre-war CF Hohner, Hohner 1040 Vienna style, old  BbEb Hohner that needs a lot of work.

ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin. Ambrose Bierce

Dick Rees

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Re: The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?
« Reply #6 on: June 23, 2020, 04:41:46 PM »

I'd suggest blocking off the third on the G chord (equivalent to A chord on DG), and maybe on some other chords where you sometimes want major and sometimes minor. (e.g. your A chord) The great Fred Paris does this for some of his chords, and I've done it on my Hascy. Just a bit of tape. It only takes a few minutes.  Paul young has  made a video on how to do it on a pokerwork.

This.^^^^^

On my G/C box, the major third of the D chord triad went bad, so I taped it out.  It is not noticeable on "regular" playing and frees up the possibilities in minor keys/modes... especially playing D tunes which have both major and minor thirds in the melody.  This would correspond to G modal tunes on your C/F.

Here's a clip of the G/C box with the third taped out of the D chord.  Playing in D with both f# and f in the melody line:

https://youtu.be/3erRd8znxGQ

Here it is on a C/F no thirds box:

https://youtu.be/23aBVoQj_Gk
« Last Edit: June 23, 2020, 07:26:14 PM by Dick Rees »
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Gena Crisman

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Re: The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2020, 05:50:33 PM »

I feel the need to mention: when I was learning, I came first across the school of thought that in order to achieve eg Gm via G + Bb chord, that you must hold the bass and the chord all together, as a 'block chord'. However, you can absolutely do oom pah with cross chords like this.

If your conundrum is not one of playing, but instead of chord choice, then I'd advise you try just all the other diatonic chords. The VI chord, Bb, is an obvious alternative to the iv, since you use it to form the iv7, but depending on the note you are harmonising you might find something else more effective. A C chord might work with melody notes G and Bb, for example. The problem you have with chord seeming displeasing may also be the chord that precedes or follows that part of the tune.
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Tone Dumb Greg

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Re: The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?
« Reply #8 on: June 23, 2020, 06:19:58 PM »

What Gena says and I'd take it further to say you don't have to play the whole thing at all. Just play the G bass or the Bb chord, or use a different left hand option to create a moving bass line (suck it and see what works), or don't play anything at all on the left hand.
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Greg Smith
DG/GC Pokerwork, DG 2.4 Saltarelle, pre-war CF Hohner, Hohner 1040 Vienna style, old  BbEb Hohner that needs a lot of work.

ACCORDION, n. An instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin. Ambrose Bierce

Emre Enercan

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Re: The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?
« Reply #9 on: June 24, 2020, 02:52:15 AM »

What Gena says and I'd take it further to say you don't have to play the whole thing at all. Just play the G bass or the Bb chord, or use a different left hand option to create a moving bass line (suck it and see what works), or don't play anything at all on the left hand.

that I found the most helpful actually, when trying out tumbalalaika for example, I needed to do a Bb on the push but I have a club melodeon so it wouldnt work, instead I went with the bass of V to make it sound more like an oom pah pah doom pah pah alternating waltz, I took this in consideration and since the next chord was F, instead of the Gm oom pah, I did a G-C to land on the F and it sounded rather neat actually
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Chris Ryall

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Re: The ideal way of doing a Gm on a C/F box?
« Reply #10 on: June 24, 2020, 12:50:22 PM »

Tumbalalaika is harmonic minor. You want a D major chord for that or it’ll feel a bit flat. Though any chord with F# in it might substitute
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