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[Blayne]

So lets say I wanted to play a bluegrass song in G that has. G, C, Emin, and D in it.  What squeeze box configuration would I need.

[mglamb]

Standard 2-row configuration in D/G would be perfect.

[Blayne]

Is there such a thing called cross melodeon like cross harp?

[mglamb]

Not that I'm aware of.  You can see the various standard layouts here: http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/page,keyboard.html.

[mglamb]

If you need a flat seventh in G, there is an F natural available in the standard layout with accidentals; if playing in D you just reach over to the G row for the C natural.

[Matthew B]

Is there such a thing called cross melodeon like cross harp?  

Indeed there is: any one row box has the same basic set-up as a ten-hole harmonica, so you can play it on the cross in pretty much the same way.  It sounds a bit different, as you can't fake the missing notes in the same way by bending and over-blowing, and the left hand complicates matters somewhat.  But it works out pretty well for Cajun and Zydeco tunes.  The Quebec folks and some of the Irish players make the one-row sound "normal" played on the cross (outside the home key) by faking missing notes, and leaving the left hand out altogether.  

All these techniques can be adapted to multi-row playing, and smoothed out a bit with some cross-rowing, and filling in using various accidentals.

I suppose that would be double-cross playing . . .  

[mglamb]

Matthew is technically correct, if you don't use the left hand.  If you want your chords, you'll have to get your flattened 7th from the accidentals or across the rows.

[Chris Ryall]

The chords you describe all lie naturally in the G diatonic scale [GABCDEF#G] and on that basis a one row in G would suffice.  However that  'bluegrass' sound does as pointed out above commonly have a Blue 7^th - here that's  F_nat.

F_nat strongly implies use of the C scale notes. So to get that feel you'd use a C one row, played mainly on the pull, but still starting on the G note - so called mixolydian mode.  All very "Appalachian "  

E^min survives as a chord, but the D chord (from CDEFGABC it's DFAC) would now also go minor. Were you were to continue to play a D^maj you have 'changed key centre' (and that's OK - we do it all the time)

So depends on the "mode" of the song, and whether you want that feel of changing key. I think on chord theory basis (which is  all we have to go on) a G/C would seem "perfect". It covers both these bases, and all these chords are available both ends - allows arpeggios etc - nice for singing. Toggling "at choice" between its F and F# pull notes might sound rather cool (although you'd risk being shot as a banjo player)  

No accidentals were used in the typing of this post

[tjsmithdog5]

No accidentals were used in the typing of this post

"Accidentals" on a keyboard. Funniest thing I have read on this forum so far. Dr. R, you are just too much!

[Blayne]

So if I wanted to play double cross mixolydian squeezebox in the key of G I would be playing wich 2 row melodeon?

[Blayne]

Also thank you for putting up with my technical melodeon theory ignorance.  I play fiddle but I dont disect living musical creatures to often.  A crickets a cricket and a melodeons a melodeon.  If sounds good then go with it.

[LJC]

Playing the equivalent of cross harp on a melodeon means playing a 5th higher than the row you are on, so you would need a C row to play G mix. This could be a C one row, CF or GC.

[Blayne]

As I suspected...

[Andy in Vermont]

So lets say I wanted to play a bluegrass song in G that has. G, C, Emin, and D in it.  What squeeze box configuration would I need.

Since bluegrass as a genre does not typically include melodeons, it really depends on what you want to do. You mention the chords, but does that specifically mean that you want to play those chords as accompaniment? Or does it mean that you want melody/harmony notes within those chords?
If you wish to get good coverage in doing chordal accompaniment, you could use a two-row, eight bass box, like a D/G or G/C Hohner Pokerwork, Corso, or Erica, or you could get a three-row, twelve-bass box, like a G/C/F or A/D/G Hohner Corona or equivalent.  The three-row would offer many possibilities for chords on the keyboard.

That said, you could probably manage to cover melody notes with a one-row box, as long as you substitute some notes.  A Cajun box in C could give you some nice possibilities for playing in G (as a C box is commonly used in Cajun music to play in G, as mentioned above).

I play a number of "old-timey" tunes on my one-row D box. 
-Andy