Well, I’m tired of seeing the Midwest Fleadh spam at the top of this section of C&F. For the sake of conversation, what are you all working on these days?
I’ve been having something of a Dark Night of the Soul with the accordion. I’ve been contemplating switching back to B/C. To that end, I’ve been experimenting with relearning tunes in B/C. The jury’s still out.
I’ve also been revamping my fingering for single-note triplets. I’ve been using 321, but that doesn’t work if the next note after the triplet is lower. Fingering them 132 leaves you poised for either a lower or higher note than the one you’re on. It also forces you to play each note of the triplet deliberately, so it sounds a little cleaner.
Yes it is quiet. Box players seem to be a taciturn bunch. Prospective players ask lots of questions about getting an instrument, and once they do get one… silence. Whether this is a good or a bad omen, I don’t know.
What am I working on? Trying to make fewer mistakes
Having been at the old Irish music for 3 decades, most of my attention has been focused on transferring tunes that I know well onto the box. It gets easier and easier as time goes on and I’ve reached the stage that I can now play many of them reasonably successfully at something close to normal speed on first attempt.
BUT between reasonably successfully and flawlessly or reliably there is a huge gap. I’m realizing more and more that, even when you have a good command of the instrument, and even when you know a tune inside out, there is no getting around the need to study it for the box, take it apart in minute detail, try different ways of fingering various passages, and basically just practise the thing over and over and over again.
This is my dark night of the soul. This didn’t happen to anything like the same extent with tin whistle after fiddle.
Like you I found that something other than 321 was required for triplets with a lower note following them - hit this roadblock when I wanted to play the first bar of Farrell O Gara i.e. A,D D/D/D A,D… The best solution I found was to play those notes 13 212 12… which after a bit of practice sounded very crisp.
I too have noted the lack of posting activity. As someone who is getting back into “Box” after a period of inactivity, this lack of forum activity is a bit disappointing. But to keep me busy, I’ve found a Dinn III. It is unusual in that it has a recessed bass fingerboard and both optional registers. Has anyone seen one of those before? It actually looks more like a Kriss III but is 3/4 size like a Tommy and is otherwise detailed like other Dinn IIIs.
Ah, it’s somewhat comforting, and yet vaguely disturbing to learn that even you more seasoned box players have these “Dark Nights of the Soul”. It’s just short of a year since I started down this path. As a newer player I’ve asked some questions and gotten some very useful replies here. After a bit, it’s hard to ask questions because what would truly help now is someone watching and listening who could say “Do this.” Or “Stop doing that.” Makes for a very long Dark Night … So I just keep playing the tunes over and over, as Steve says. It’s almost bizarre how much accordion music is on my IPod - and how much I listen to it. Is this how is it with box players? Listening to the tunes to hear how the musician fingers his/her notes and adds flourishes with the bellows? A year ago I never would have guessed …
Thankfully, the young fellow who taught our beginning class last summer is returning for 4 weeks (ie., 4 classes) this summer. I’m looking forward to a bit more instruction. We also have a young music teacher from Belfast coming to teach other classes. He does not play the box but will be teaching a class on traditional Irish session tunes for all instruments. The requirement is that you be familiar with your instrument. Here is where I’d be happy for opinions. I’m thinking of taking this class although I’ve not played with others yet. There will probably be a wide range of skill levels in the group. It would be a huge challenge but I think I could learn a lot. I wonder if newer players (such as myself) will be frustratingly new to the experienced players. Would it be better to wait until next summer when I’ve had still more practice? (more dark nights ..)
So that’s it from here in the middle of the Midwest -
Jenny
I smiled when you mentioned the amount of accordion music you’re listening to. I’d stopped buying CDs until I took up the instrument. I’m sure the only audience for records of box players is made up of other box players!
As for the session class - hard one to call, but if you are familiar with your instrument, go for it. In my experience of these types of things nobody stays away from a class because they might not measure up to the standard announced. (You should have heard some of the students in Jackie Daly’s “advanced” box class at ED last summer.)
But if you find you’re out of your depth, try not to hold up things for others too much. Just record everything so you have plenty of material to work on after the course is finished.
Yeah, even if you feel out of your depth, it never hurts to at least observe more advanced players. I think this is one thing that’s been holding me back; there really aren’t any other C#/D players around here. If I were to switch back to B/C at least I’d have the benefit of community.
And I’d hardly call myself a seasoned player. Even after 8 years of playing Irish accordion, I’m still a rank beginner. That’s “rank” as in “a rank stench.”
My Dark Night of the Soul is called a GDMFing day job. That’s why I’m playing just flute these days and not concertina too. I figured you guys would get upset if I posted about flutes here (goodness knows you got cross enough when I just posted about concertinas) so I’ve remained silent. Look for me (or not, as you wish) on the Flute Forum and in the odd dust-up every now and then on that forum where they argue about stuff other than music. Meanwhile, carry on.
I’ve been playing harmonica a lot, since some tendnitis (I think) has made my right hand pretty useless. Learning Robinson County, an American reel, and trying to get the B part of the Maid Behind the Bar straight. Plan on doing the same with Jerry’s Beaver Hat; I have a load of trouble witg Irish music on harmonica, tho Scottish and Anerican music, even quick reels and jigs and such, seem to flow just fine.
I think I play the B part of “Maid” different every time I play it (not always intentionally!) It’s one of those tunes that is especially good for honing your powers of variation. One of the many, of course!
Mmm, I’ll think about that, good thought There are certainly a lot of ways it get around those blow-blow-blow and draw-draw-draw arpeggios… and my variation isnt that great on harmonica… hm!
-Working on The Ash Plant, South Wind and “Gilligan’s
Island”, the last a sign of true class.
I’d like to play it rather more Ginger-ish than Maryann-ish, but it all comes out as the Howls.
(for those unfamiliar with “Gilligan’s Island”, this beacon of American TV featured Ginger- a svelte movie star, Maryann-
a girl-next-door type and the Howells, a laughable rich couple filtering life through privilege & money. Mr. Howell was acted by Jim Backus, the sonorous voice of cartoon Mr. Magoo)
Rob, trying out your triplet suggestion I realized this is the fingering I have developed for a sort of four-note roll that I use a lot. Imagine playing, say, the start of Silver Spear using your triplet fingerings, but spread over two buttons instead of one:
FA {d}AA BAFA
12 3 12 ...
You may have stumbled across this already but if not, give it a try. Works well in place of long rolls too.
Things are moving slow with me on the accordion, but then i’ve got two more instruments to play. I’m getting on the best with singing ballads really. But i wouldn’t give up any instrument.
I am an on again off again player.. off at the moment and just sold off a few of my accordions..
I kept my 50’s Hohner HA112 in “A” and my great grandfathers 2 plus row D/G acc with 6 bass Hand made reeds in bronze frames…
Been thinking lately about going back to 1/2 step Irish tuning after concentrating for years on one row…
the usual waffling and weighing the pros and cons
C#/D owned a nice Serenelinni around 97
pro it’s push pull and no one around plays one
Con it’s push pull and no one around plays one
B/C
New system which I tried for maybe a month and sold off 2 B/C’s with all my boxes in 97
Pro not push pull and no one around plays one
Con not push pull and no one around plays one
I did have a few videos for the B/C style.. sent them to a friend in Italy
of the group I thought the PJ Hernon was the more useful
Unfortunatley I have favorite players and music in both systems
Namely Billy Mac…Keane, Mairtin O’Connor. Daly, on and on
Not playing “out” or in sessions and likely will not…so choosing a system for a style not an issue
And I play and enjoy more than just Irish Trad
I prefer 2 middle reeds no swiches.. light and fast
I do play the basses so maybe no thirds …
maybe a D/D# or just wait till a box falls on me and just go with it…
meantime I am happy with guitar and messing about with harmonicas..
I’ve mainly written off the flute and concertina due to arthritis in my fingers. I still play my whistle a bit (though I crushed my thumb 2 weeks back and can’t use my left hand very well).
I’ve mostly been playing with Harmonicas. I’ve been really enjoying it. I’m only up to polkas, airs and simple reels (Blacksmith’s reel, Off She Goes, Cock o the North…beginner stuff), but I can see development in the works.
I have noticed that I’m on a CD buying binge again, and I do NOT need more CDs (I recently moved all my CDs to MP3 at 128bit encryption and I have 250 gig…I buy WAY too much music).
Here’s a harmonica story. I take my neighbor grocery shopping almost every Saturday. On the days he takes longer to shop than I do, I sit on the bench and play some harmonica. The cashiers have come to expect this. Yesterday, an older woman stopped in front of me after she checked out. She paused, looked perplexed, moved an inch, then stopped again perplexed. She didn’t say anything and when I finished the tune, I stopped playing a moment. She finally looked directly at me and asked where my can was. I said she’d have to listen for free.
