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CAJUN ACCORDION DISCUSSION GROUP

 

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Re: beginner

If it's a Hohner with spoons it's a H114 I think.
That type is also used a lot all over the world and also great LA musicians played one. But if you have the opportunity , try to get a handmade Louisiana one. Evantually second hand just like the two I used to play on.
I'm with Randy about the Martin accordions, but ther are much more high quality builders in LA.
I played for years on Italian Castagnari and that are very good instruments, but the two LA (Martin and Falcon)accordions I have now are so much better for Cajun Music.

Re: beginner

When I started playing, I got one of the arriette boxes and.. man what crap. Truth of the matter is that you will have to shell out $800-$1000 for a fair to middlin used box to get started. Cajun accordion is not for the faint of heart or thin of wallet.

I keep that crap arriette on a shelf to remind me that you get what you pay for and occasionally try to play the horrible thing. It'll go on a bonfire some day.

My advice... listen to the music for a bit and figure out if it's for you. Learning is a long road - though full of enjoyment (and frustration). If you figure that this is for you - suck it up and get a good box. A crap box will just **** you off and maybe drive you away.

With a good box, you are the limiting factor and that just takes perseverance. Lots of it.

John in Oregon

Re: beginner

thx for your reply. I hear you..

Re: beginner

If you bought a new LA box, you could probably turn around and sell it for what you paid. If you wait long enough, you could sell it for more than what you paid.

It will also be a reminder sitting there "**** it, I paid $xxxx for that, and I'm going to learn to play it." That's what happened to me.

I would not have listened to this advice at first, because it is so daunting. And, I had to make the decision to spend money in order to force myself to learn.

I've been playing for 15 years, and there is still so much to learn, dexterity to build, etc. I had no music background before that though. It is a long slog. The ideosyncracies of the instrument become second nature after a while. You start hearing "positions" in the music, instead of having to analyze each note and figure out where it is. On a lot of songs, I can now sit and listen to a song, and play along with it with a box in another key, because I hear where they are playing, not what they are playing. It was a LONG, FRUSTRATING SLOG. I used to depend on videos completely to help me learn. Now I can figure most things out, but try to find a video when something is being played in a way I don't play yet.

So, if you're brave enough, buy a Louisiana hand made. Just don't pay too much for an overly used one, i.e. beat up.

Re: beginner

thanks for your message. I understand.



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