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CAJUN ACCORDION DISCUSSION GROUP

 

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Re: No hard, fast rule

Is there a link to the bound byte? I can offer my 2 cents
if you're interested

--bn

Re: No hard, fast rule

www.lesamiszydeco.com/listen.html is what Dana is talking about.

Re: chord changes in Cajun

I agree that it is much more difficult for someone who did not grow up listening to ethnic/cultural music to follow along with the unusual chord changes. I think the most common mistake is to assume that the rhythm is a 4/4 count. The tendency, these days is to play songs with a 4/4 rhythm because is rocks things up a bit. There is nothing wrong with that, but be **** sure everyone is familiar with the song and its chord changes. In my opinion, most of the melodies in Cajun music, two-steps of course, were originally played with a 2/4 feel. It is true that in many cases, the chord change will come in at the right place either way, but sometimes you will find a song that doesn't. For example, if you walk a bass in 4/4 time on J'etais au bal, you will have to cut a measure in half in the b part.

I would suggest that they play it in 2/4 until everyone is familiar enough to test out the 4/4 feel. On the particular song that was mentioned in this thread, I would definitely stick with 2/4.

Re: chord changes in Cajun

Ditto on what Ganey said! Also if you look at it in terms of 4/4 you'll end up with two extra beats on the 2nd line of the A part on ALOT of 2 steps. I've heard some songs change on the upbeat. I don't think Cajun music is any more crooked than old time, bluegrass, blues, jazz, or any other types of American music, or most music in general. It requires a certain "groove", and in order to get in the pocket of that groove you got to listen to a ton of it and play it regularly for some time. Good Luck Dwight!

Re: chord changes in Cajun

I have no idea whether I get the changes right when I play fiddle. Cajun and some zydeco is all I play. I didn't "exactly" grow up with it because it was not really played in the home, but I would hear it out in the environment. Houma was not a cajun music cultural hot spot. At least not that this rocker knew about.

the lead doesn;t really do 'changes'

the lead [fiddle, accordion] doesn;t really do 'changes'

that is bass and guitar

or anyone doing chords or bass

[keyboard could do that too]

wle

Re: chord changes in Cajun

I have no idea whether I get the changes right when I play fiddle. Cajun and some zydeco is all I play. I didn't "exactly" grow up with it because it was not really played in the home, but I would hear it out in the environment. Houma was not a cajun music cultural hot spot. At least not that this rocker knew about.

your guys are doing G and C

on suzy q, it;s like bass and guitar didn;t listen to boozoo
did they?

it has 2 chords on the boozoo - G and E minor

your guys are doing G and C

it;s not a question of when to change
they get that right
they just have 50 % of the chords wrong!

wle

Re: your guys are doing G and C

they are also doing something weird on the A part of wedding day waltz

geno wrote that song
it isn;t traditional

they go
GGDC GGDC GGDC instead of
GGDG GGDG GGDG

did they not want to follow his band;s version?

they may be following you though, you hit a big G note
they may be thinking it;s part of a C chord
but it isn;t

maybe have them listen to the record

unless that is on purpose


wle

Re: your guys are doing G and C

I think the problem is that they aren't listening to the music, just playing in the moment. And I can't pay attention to exactly what chord they're playing and play my part at the same time, unless they're right in my ear and it can come through all the distraction.

Re: your guys are doing G and C

yeah
they need to rehearse and learn stuff the way it goes :)
i mean at least they agree, bass and guitar
and it does more or less fit with the lead

they are probably listening to the accordion bass side, which is frequently wrong


but it sounds ok

i just am used to the real way it goes
it jars me to hear it that other way

even though i said it;s ambiguous sometimes
i can still 'see the difference'
especially if no one else ever plays it that way

wle

Re: your guys are doing G and C

If I have a fiddle in my hand, I go a long ways further in figuring out the chords.

I've been trying to rely on the low stress of the farmers market gigs to have the other musicians learn the chords.

Also, I don't think there's a bass player in those recordings. Just accordion, rubboard and guitar. Guitar covering double duty.



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