Discussions > Instrument Makes and Models
Why C/C#
Johnny S:
I recently purchased a Hohner Pokerwork in C/C# and having played it, I have noticed that it plays the same as a B/C, which is the one I normally play. Clearly the C/C# is playing just a bit higher than the B/C. Do these get played in Irish sessions - I can't see it as people playing on B/B accordions will not be able to play along. Lovely instrument just unsure as to where they tend to be played. Any insight appreciated.
Stiamh:
Hello John. We've had lots of discussions on this topic over the years. Today, at least in the Irish music world, practically nobody plays C/C# boxes in the way that they were intended to be played, i.e. with the C row as the main row. Their main use today is as "E-flat" boxes for B/C players: play them as you would a B/C and everything comes out a semitone sharp, for use in bands (De Dannan being the most prominent example) or sessions where all the stringed instruments are tuned up a half-step.
It was Peter Wyper who realised the advantages of using the inner row of a C/C# as the main row, which is how we got the B/C system in the first place.
Outside Irish music a few players may be using them as intended, I don't know.
Steve_freereeder:
--- Quote from: Stiamh on July 05, 2020, 02:07:38 PM ---Outside Irish music a few players may be using them as intended, I don't know.
--- End quote ---
Some of the older East Anglian players used C/C# boxes because, 'in the old days', before D/G melodeons became readily available, they played in the key of C just using the C-row. There may still be a very few elderly East Anglian players using their C/C# boxes in this way, but I don't know for sure.
Johnny S:
--- Quote from: Stiamh on July 05, 2020, 02:07:38 PM ---Hello John. We've had lots of discussions on this topic over the years. Today, at least in the Irish music world, practically nobody plays C/C# boxes in the way that they were intended to be played, i.e. with the C row as the main row. Their main use today is as "E-flat" boxes for B/C players: play them as you would a B/C and everything comes out a semitone sharp, for use in bands (De Dannan being the most prominent example) or sessions where all the stringed instruments are tuned up a half-step.
It was Peter Wyper who realised the advantages of using the inner row of a C/C# as the main row, which is how we got the B/C system in the first place.
Outside Irish music a few players may be using them as intended, I don't know.
--- End quote ---
I spent a lot of time up the west coast of Ireland, mainly listening to sessions, and occasionally I heard people say that musicians were using a different tuning to discourage guest B/C box players from joining in. Sounds harsh and probably not true :-\.
Winston Smith:
"I heard people say that musicians were using a different tuning to discourage guest B/C box players from joining in."
I was under the impression that half the point of semi-tone boxes was that you could play in any key. I'm now flummoxed, and not for the first time where these are concerned!
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