Back in the day (the sixties, for you youngsters) when I was learning to fingerpick the guitar, I discovered right hand position was very important...how you anchored your hand governed your ability to damp strings, the attack angle of your fingers, etc...to get better, you had to pay attention to such stuff, not just whack away at it.

Now, my accordion playing is getting to the same level...I can play tunes, but I want to be conscious about how I approach my playing, so as not to limit my improvement by bad technique. And I can play without constantly thinking about my thumb and if the thumstrap is the right length, so I can think about hand position, fingering, etc.

So, all you virtuoso ten button players (I know you're out there) how about some free advice? Do you keep your fingers arched, or more flat? Do you try to play the buttons directly in the middle, or more towards the front or back, so you feel the fingerboard more? Right leg, or left leg? Any advice about practice habits i.e. "I always play scales for thirty minutes first" would be interesting.

And for those who would say "Just Do What Seems Right For You" thanks in advance, but I've got that part down.

Yours for more educated squeezing, Chuck in Indy.

Not a pro hear, but since you play finger style guitar I would assume you have longer finger nails, so are limited to some degree with the hand position. I have to grow my nails out to play charango in a group i'm with, and it's bad for my accordion playing, because it forces me to play "flat" handed. I have the same problem as you, I am curious if I am wasting my time, and I should be trying to learn by using my having more arched fingers, but if thats the case, my nails would cut up the keyboard pretty badly. Can anyone shed some light on this too?

I don't have the fingernail problem, I play with the "meat" like a lot of the old blues guys.

I am self taught, and it is quite possible that there are some things I do technique-wise are not the best. Just wanted to get that out of the way up front.

Having said that, I think that it is better to play with arched fingers rather than flat, especially in the fast and intricate parts. Also, it seems better for the movement to come from the wrist, at least for part of the movement. (I can't say that I have ever tried to break this down scientifically and determine what combination of techniques to use in different circumstances) For sure, I have heard from Marc Savoy or some other very pro player about using the wrist. All the fingers are moving, but the ones that aren't hitting buttons are pulled up out of the way. I think the only time I might use flat fingers is when I am "mashing" the note - holding it down for a long time, and maybe also when it is one of those notes that you have to stretch to reach.

-David

Hi, Chuck! I'm certainly no virtuoso, and I can't play accordion at all, really (but I spent some time learning!). I did, however, have a lesson or two from the two masters in my family, so I can tell you about that.

My dad told me that I'll never learn to play correctly unless I keep my thumb flush with the keyboard. The thumb strap on my accordion (as on all the ones he makes) is for his thumb, so I have to twist mine around once to tighten it. He says the reason for the importance of this is that you need to have your wrist pretty straight. You want to be able to hit all those high notes easily, and you have more reach in your first finger for throwing in some bass. He plays with his fingers arched, using the pads of his fingers.

Wilson, on the other hand, plays everything flat-fingered. Well, at least that's how he plays piano and accordion. It's not really so much "flat" as just "slightly less arched".

From that, I take it that how you hold your fingers doesn't really matter so much as making sure you've got your thumb in the right place. Another thing, if your forearm gets tired fast, you're doing the wrong thing and need to try something else. That was my problem for a long time and I don't even know to tell you what I changed.

Kind of rambling, as usual, but I hope this helps you a little, even if it's only to tell you better how to figure out your own feel for it...

Thanks Sarah. Let me see if I'm understanding: when you say flush with the keyboard, I'm picturing my thumb in alignment with, and lying flat on, the edge of the fingerboard. Does that sound right? It would be somewhat looser than I have it now, and I can see it would allow me to have the back of my hand more parallel to the surface of the keyboard. It would also feel somewhat less anchored, I think, but that's part of the learning process. I'll work with it for a while, and let you know how it goes.

I appreciate the "lesson." I took guitar from your mom at Augusta a couple of years ago, so we're keeping it in the family.

Chuck in Indy,

How's the Thumb-Position progressing?

Would it help to post a photograph?

--Big

That's the ticket!

how mucjh ypou payen for work raymond my boy is ;lookin for work he is a good boy yea --teebooger

Chuck,

See if this helps.

It's a 60 second video (Windows Media) clip
that illustrates thumb positioning.

If you do not have broadband Internet access,
it may take a bit to download because it's ~7 Meg
in size

http://www.bignick.net/video/thumb.wmv

But, the good part is that it's free

Hope this helps!

--Big Nick

Nick, that's perfect! It's slightly looser than I have it now, as I thought from Sarah's description, but the video really nails it down! Thanks for the time and effort making it. I'll give it a whirl, and report when I get back from Jazz Fest.

And 'boog...I ain't hirin' that kid of yours until he brings back the corn squeezin's he stole last time he came around.

Chuck,

My thumbstrap is a bit loose right now

They do stretch out and require regular adjustments.

But, it's close.

Keep on squeezin'!

--Big

Hey Chuck,

I have short stubby fingers and a thumb joint problem. My solution for the thumb problem was to hook up two straps to my ACADIAN, one over each shoulder. This prevents it from moving back and forth. I place my thumb on the back of the keyboard(without using the thumb strap), which prevents it from flopping in and out, and play to my hearts content. Keeping my thumb centered is a must.

I play with my fingers flat across the buttons. I've found that I tend to push them down too far if I play with my fingertips, which can slow the finger movement somewhat.

Been playing this way since I got my first accordion from Marc in 85 and I'm having a blast.

My two cents.

Bon Chance
Nelson Trahan

Thanks Nelson. Jonno F. plays that way, and I've seen Jeffrey Broussard play with no thumb strap...or other straps, for that matter. But that's not for us normal folks, and thanks for the info.