Maybe a stupid question for you (but not for me) : How do you use in best the air valve when you play accordion ?
Marc.

Marc,

It's is used to open or close the bellows without making sound. I also use it sometimes to move the bellows closer to the end of it's travel in one direction (say a push), in preparation for a long passage coming up, that will be played in the other direction (a pull).

It's an interesting question, in that for me, it's no longer really a conscious action. Had to really think about it.

Hope that makes sense and is useful.

Many times you press the air valve while playing to move the bellows out or in faster to prepare for what is to come. It does become second nature and you hardly think about how you do it.

That's the most important button on the accordion.
If used properly, it is in constant use while playing.
I like to say, that it more important to know when to let off of it, than , when to press it.
Jude Moreau

also, it can help to press the air button
during extremely fast passages..

it seems to help

wle.

that's what Jude meant.

beware to get hooked to it. (I was too)

Gus

I have recently purchased a new Falcon box. The seal is so good its like a vaccum cleaner or ziploc. The problem with this can be that if you are playing a really fast tune the buttons can sort of feel stuck if you know what I mean. If the box is perfectly sealed then the only place the air is traveling is through the reeds and buttons. I have recently learned to sometimes leave my air button slightly cracked at all times while playing fast melodies, this allows for "looser/free" buttons. I have played several older accordions with not so great seals and this is not needed.

I have always been told that many older players such as Iry Lejeune always held the air button down while playing. I love the way he played. Can't be so bad...

Brett Thibodeaux

yep
if it;s tight it can sort of suck the flappers closed
some of the old builders would advise always
leaving the air button in a bit
they said it would 'prevent reed damage'

wle.

You don't want to play the accordion pressing the button 'in' the whole time. You might as well have a hole in your bellows!

You do, however, use it all throughout a song. It is a matter of learning to very slightly tap it with the palm of your hand. Suppose you're doing a ton of in out, in out. That's a good time to use it. Also, you can use it to keep your bellows from drawing out too far.

Use it to maintain keeping the bellows closely 'in' so you don't draw them out too much.

It is, as others say, somethine that becomes second nature over time. You don't want to think too much about the air button while playing, or you'll probably do more damage in the learning process than good.

But, my advice is, tap it when you feel it is necessary. When you're too far out with your bellows, obviously you need to push the air button to bring the bellows back in.

It is somewhat difficult to explain the air button. That's all I know!

Good luck

Larry-

Which old builders said that one should hold in the air button at all times during a song? In order to prevent breaking reeds?? Perhaps that person knows how to build accordions, but as far as playing them, I don't know.

If the player was meant to have a constant leak in their accordion, then all accordions would come with a leak.

In order to prevent breaking reeds, don't play so loud!

True, using the air button when your very far out with the bellows will prevent you from pushing in too hard to come back (as well as sounding your reeds unnecessarily too LOUD), and in turn, will keep you from busting all your PUSH reeds....

However, that part about pressing the air button throughout that whole song is gross misinformation.

Sorry, I had to bring it up!

who said that?
not sure, i talked with a bunch of them
heard all kinds of things


one of them used to have a lifetime guarantee

but some players were 'bringing them back every monday morning after a gig' with blown reeds

of course, according to the [cajun] builder, it
always seemed to be the 'creole' [paraphrasing here, you can imagine what the real word was] guys
who did this

so he had to drop the guarantee

as well as pass out all kinds of bogus advice against playing too hard, especially as a beginner


i probably wouldn;t want to say who said this, even if i remembered

another factor in remembering is, the builders all tell uncomplimentary/doubtful stories about the *other* builders, so it;s kind of hard to keep it all straight..

needless to say, i don;t play that way or advise it, it's just one more piece of 'information' you run across, that doesn;t help..


wle

Blown reeds are a bit of a mystery to me. While playing, there are almost always two or more buttons depressed, often enough as many as five if you count the bass side. I'm not sure how hard you would need to press to blow a reed, but it must be hard indeed. I guess I will know if I ever do blow one. I have to admit my 10 year old LeCapitaine is a touch leaky (hang it by the bass strap and it will stretch out in about a minute and a half), but I think that just makes it more playable. I always strive to smile and play in an easy relaxed manner, if you do that, your arms will not get tired and there is probably no danger of blowing out a reed.

Capt. E

Accordion players don't blow reeds, Budweisers blow reeds.

R!CK

I would think that it would be more likely to blow a reed while playing with less then 4 stops open.

BT

So, who does that?

Well, I do, late at night when I'm in danger of catching hell from my wife or neighbors. Sometimes softly playing one middle or just the high can have a fine sweet sound.

Capt. E

Accordion to Tom Waites, the piano must be drunk.

-S

What an air valve ?!!!!!!!!!!!!

What an air valve ?
Je ne sais pas le dire en anglais, alors je vais le dire en français :
C'est le bouton qui se trouve à l'arrière, sur le coté gauche du mélodéon, et que l'on actionne avec la paume de la main pour faire revenir rapidement le soufflet en tirant ou en poussant, lorsqu'on se trouve en bout de course.
Cette action pose souvent problèmes pour les joueurs débutants, comme moi, mais qui veulent progresser et qui cherchent conseils après de joueurs confirmés sur ce forum.
Capito ?
Marc.

thats exactly what I thought too!!!!

One of these things that come instinctively over time. You use it when you need it.... like breathing...
Marc, tu viens d'ou?

Je suis né et je vis à Paris, France.
Malheureusement je ne parle pas bien bien (mais je comprends très bien) l'anglais. J'ai souvent du mal à participer à ce forum, mais pas pour les lyrics car j'ai une très bonne connaissance de la musique cajun.
Merci Maz.

I think what makes this subject so interesting, is it's one of those things that you just have to do, and almost impossible to explain. Sort of like steering a car. You start out as an new driver with information overload between gas, brakes, and steering. But as time goes by, you don't think about how much you adjust the wheel to stay straight, you just do it.

Steve

Just like "caramel"...

I give that analogy two big thumbs up! I'll have to use that, if'n you don't mind!