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Author Topic: What's with chords?  (Read 10977 times)

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Pushpull

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Re: What's with chords?
« Reply #40 on: December 04, 2009, 09:43:18 AM »

There are plenty of folk instruments which can play chords - if you listen to William Kimber there are some very good chordy bits going on,
Or listen to JK on 3 row versus 1 row. Quite different uses of basses, both quite valid (though on the 1 row he does tend to harmonise on the right hand quite a bit). Some tunes lend themselves to added harmonic content, some work quite nicely as "tune only".
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Howard Jones

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Re: What's with chords?
« Reply #41 on: December 04, 2009, 10:30:24 AM »

My approach to a new tune isn't quite as focussed on the chords as Chris's.  Like him, I first need to get the tune into my head by repeated listening, but then I'll start by playing the tune with the "obvious" chords.  I'll then start working on the LH chords and bass runs to add some variety and interest, and I'll also think about adding RH chords and twiddles.  This is the stage where I really start to develop the tune, since the chords I choose may mean changing how I play the right hand.  In this, at least, the chords are dictating how the tune is played.  It may take some time to work out a playable combination, and I may also experiment with different keys to achieve this.

I'll try to play it out in public at a fairly early stage, usually at a local session where they're fairly tolerant when it all goes horribly wrong!  This is partly to get "first-night nerves" out of the way, and partly to see how well it works in performance.  I'll then tweak it as necessary.

Once I've got the basic arrangement pinned down, I let it "mature in the barrel".  It will usually develop over time until I reach the stage where I can play around with it on the fly during performance, confident that I can always get back to the basic arrangement.

melod-ian

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Re: What's with chords?
« Reply #42 on: December 04, 2009, 03:00:24 PM »

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Chris Ryall

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Re: What's with chords?
« Reply #43 on: December 04, 2009, 04:32:06 PM »

Like him, I first need to get the tune into my head by repeated listening, but then I'll start by playing the tune with the "obvious" chords.  I'll then start working on the LH chords and bass runs to add some variety and interest, and I'll also think about adding RH chords and twiddles.  

We are really not very far apart at all Howard. Perhaps I spelled it out in too much detail, but I wanted to emphasis what a really daft idea working it out as a right hand melody - and then trying to find some chords afterwards ??? is. It just isn't accordion/melodeonism. Anyone who wants to learn the instrument this way should perhaps switch to a B/C box or similar, or even the penny whistle.

Try playing a tune just with the chords and no tune 

Paul James and co did it all the time. Call it 'riff' and you've got most of the jazz fraternity doing it.
« Last Edit: December 04, 2009, 04:34:51 PM by Chris Ryall »
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Clive Williams

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Re: What's with chords?
« Reply #44 on: December 04, 2009, 04:46:53 PM »

Has anyone ever set up the bass end with bass notes only - no chords?

I've tried it on a streb layout - it was less successful than I hoped though... didn't find it a particularly co-operative layout. Maybe a more stradella style layout would have worked better.

Clive

AndyShear

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Re: What's with chords?
« Reply #45 on: December 05, 2009, 12:19:56 AM »

Think of chords as the sea which the tune sails upon.
Now that sea can be choppy and turbulent , or as smoth as a mill pond.

The journeys the same as in A to B , but your experience will be different
depending on whats happening to the sea.

Andy
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Owen Woods

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Re: What's with chords?
« Reply #46 on: December 05, 2009, 02:31:30 AM »

We are really not very far apart at all Howard. Perhaps I spelled it out in too much detail, but I wanted to emphasis what a really daft idea working it out as a right hand melody - and then trying to find some chords afterwards ??? is. It just isn't accordion/melodeonism. Anyone who wants to learn the instrument this way should perhaps switch to a B/C box or similar, or even the penny whistle.


I learned this a year or so ago and my playing has improved vastly since then. It's the same with Morris, I still struggle to incorporate the hand movements in some dances, but Sherborne is a lot easier, as I learned the hand movements and the steps almost at the same time.
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Andy Next Tune

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Re: What's with chords?
« Reply #47 on: December 05, 2009, 07:02:48 PM »

Think of chords as the sea which the tune sails upon.
Now that sea can be choppy and turbulent , or as smoth as a mill pond.

The journeys the same as in A to B , but your experience will be different
depending on whats happening to the sea.

Andy
Did you go to JK's Saturday workshop at Witney?
That was his main message about melodeon playing, although the analogies used were different!
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mikesamwild

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Re: What's with chords?
« Reply #48 on: December 11, 2009, 05:42:21 PM »

Isn't there a risk that a chord driven approach can push you down melodic avenues that are restricted by a melodeons's bass end.

I found as a youngster that my three chords on the guitar restricted me .  I didn't know enough then about guitars so I gave up for unaccompanied singing  for which I'm glad.  I'm sure there are excellent players who can do wonders on a two row  but can it be a straitjacket?
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Chris Ryall

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Re: What's with chords?
« Reply #49 on: December 11, 2009, 06:31:58 PM »

Not really. I was trying F melodic minor against C. G  F chords in TOTM last month. However my box doesn't have 3rds in its left end and these define and fix major/minorness for you. So tape out those 3rds ;)  The more notes there are in the comp'ed chord the less you can do with the right hand.

I've always considered one rowing to be 'slight of hand' - the notes you hear often aren't really there. Still dearly remember Phillipe Bruno playing a one row in 5 keys under a chestnut tree in St Chartier. Properly these were just modes of his base scale, but somehow the timing made your ear imagine more.
« Last Edit: December 11, 2009, 06:35:50 PM by Chris Ryall »
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Owen Woods

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Re: What's with chords?
« Reply #50 on: December 11, 2009, 07:07:04 PM »

I find that working out interesting chords on an 8 bass box is in a way more satisfying than working them out on a piano. And I've come up with some more interesting ones as well.
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