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Author Topic: Cajun accordion or one row melodeon  (Read 3778 times)

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Eric Barker

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Cajun accordion or one row melodeon
« on: December 15, 2009, 04:43:20 AM »

Yes, I know there is a big similarity between these two boxes.  My question: Is the Cajun accordion only usable for Cajun music?  Does the special tuning limit the instrument?  Or can one play anything they want-that is possible on a one-row instrument by changing the stops and thus changing the Cajun sound of the tuning?  Likewise, if I found a cool one-row in C with 4 stops can I use it in Cajun music without the special tuning? 
Just curious,  Eric in Montana
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melodeon

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Re: Cajun accordion or one row melodeon
« Reply #1 on: December 15, 2009, 05:16:20 AM »

First some hair splitting

A "Cajun" accordeon is an accordeon made by a Cajun, everything else is a one row 10 button bisonoric diatonic aerophone commonly known as a melodeon or accordeon.

However since reality has little to do wiith perception...
A "Cajun" accordeon is now usually a one row with 10 buttons and 4 reeds configured LMMH and being tuned to "just" tuning which
many if not most Cajuns claim as their own.

From personal experience a "Cajun" tuned box sounds good for Cajun music played in the Cajun style and rarley sounds good with other types of music..opinions vary and exceptions exist.

A Tempered tuned ( !2 TET ) box  can play most anything and can pass for Cajun .

Were I to choose one box and Cajun muisc was not my first or only music choice, I would not have a just/Cajun tuned accordeon.

Also, most Cajun music is played on a "C" box... and most other music styles favor a one row in D  though many exceptions exist.

A "Cajun" box would be way down on my list of box choices as being too specialized

I like playing themn and like the sound, but only for Cajun/Zydeco music.


 
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Bob Ellis

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Re: Cajun accordion or one row melodeon
« Reply #2 on: December 15, 2009, 11:45:23 AM »

First some hair splitting

A "Cajun" accordeon is an accordeon made by a Cajun, everything else is a one row 10 button bisonoric diatonic aerophone commonly known as a melodeon or accordeon.

A bit more hair splitting.......From what I have read on various Cajun websites, Cajun muscians use the word melodeon exclusively to describe a Cajun-tuned one-row. They do not use the word to describe other diatonic accordions.
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Bob in beautiful Wensleydale, Les Panards Dansants, Crook Morris and the Loose Knit Band.
Clément Guais 3-row D/G/acc.; Castagnari 1914 D/G; Karntnerland Steirische 3-row G/C/F; Ellis Pariselle 2.6-row D/G/acc.; Gabbanelli Compact 2-row D/G with lots of bling, pre-war Hohner Bb/F; Acadian one-row in D.

rees

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Re: Cajun accordion or one row melodeon
« Reply #3 on: December 15, 2009, 01:32:37 PM »

Zydeco musicians tend to favour a B flat accordion.
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Rees Wesson (accordion builder and mechanic)
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Accordion Dave

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Re: Cajun accordion or one row melodeon
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2009, 05:22:56 PM »

I mentioned in other posts my mystery 1-row Hohner pokerwork that had been changed from the key of "C" to "Bb". Two of the chord buttons had been disabled, the holes were taped off and corresponding reeds were missing.

In other words the only bass and chords available were on two buttons "Bb" on press and "F" on draw. I scrounged some reeds from an old piano accordion and it now has "Eb" press AND draw on the other two buttons.

I will have to borrow my brother's tuning meter and see if this box is tuned equal temperment or the "Cajun" way.
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Andrel

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Re: Cajun accordion or one row melodeon
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2009, 05:54:00 PM »

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Bertrand Gaillard D/C#, Acadian in C, Castagnari Ciacy
B/C, Castagnari Sharon D/C#

sqwzboxstudent

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Re: Cajun accordion or one row melodeon
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2010, 12:20:03 AM »

surely if u play an irish jig on a cajun box ur playing irish if you play cajun on an irish box u play cajun?
i went to a session a while back and the top man there said to me "no irish" i said i dont play irish, he looked my soprani up and down and said "u got an irish box", and i said no, its italian!!! true story tho...
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juker

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Re: Cajun accordion or one row melodeon
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2010, 12:34:42 AM »

surely if u play an irish jig on a cajun box ur playing irish if you play cajun on an irish box u play cajun?
i went to a session a while back and the top man there said to me "no irish" i said i dont play irish, he looked my soprani up and down and said "u got an irish box", and i said no, its italian!!! true story tho...

Hahaha! This sounds like a classic 'irish' joke.
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I don't get 'jigs'
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