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Tips & Licks


OK, its been 2 months since we discussed helping out with videos on Tips & Licks. No one seems interested in helping us out. After 6 years of working alone, its now time for input from the people that take it for granted. Pretty much every song has neat fill notes that sound great but are almost impossible to figure out by listening. Lets try and get this educational section going. It should be done monthly, if not more. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

John in Oregon, and Nedro were the only people interested. Hopefully some of our professional players will find a little time to insert a tip here and there. Thanks in advance,
Paul Manuel
Lafayette, La.

Re: Tips & Licks

Paul,
Who are these "We" and "Us" folks you are referring to?
There you are, living in the Heartland of the music, and you want help through a web-site forum?
Made up mainly of amateurs from the hinterlands?
Why don't you go to Vermillionville or Scott or Eunice and participate in a jam?
I have gone to a few jams at La Maison De Begnaud, and run into several teenage kids there that could play circles around me. They were even helpful after the jam was over.
Get help from a professional right there in or around Lafayette.
Horace Trahan teaches accordion. He taught Briggs Brown, I believe.
Sorry, Dude. No sympathy from me.
JB

Re: Tips & Licks

Don't understand why you think I'm looking for sympathy, I'm a full time business owner that works 10 hours a day, 68 years old, who's been teaching himself accordion for the past 6 years. I've been to many festivals and jams and still struggling to reach the playing level I've been persuing. Not asking for sympathy, just thought this website was where sharing playing ideas might be more available. I'll connect with Jude Moreau soon, and see if that will help.

Re: Tips & Licks

You won't find a more patient and generous teacher than me buddy Jude. It will be time well spent.

Re: Tips & Licks

Thanks Bryan, looking forward to meeting Jude. I'll keep you posted on our meeting.

Re: Tips & Licks

Paul, one thing you have to consider, is that many good players do those fill in notes not realizing they are doing it, it's second nature. So it's not always easy to teach. Kind of asking the old grandmother how to cook something, she does little things she doesn't realize she's doing, and doesn't think to mention. And there is at least a few people who think, "I learned it the hard way, and everyone else should, too". I think that mentality was prevalent with our old players.

Re: Tips & Licks


I understand Bryan. You know, I pretty much adlib once the melody is learned. I just thought that I wasn't learning the proper way. I finally realized that its time for me to play with others and figure out which direction i'm headed. I'm really enjoying the accordion, and play every day. Thanks for the input, maybe I'm already doing it right. I'm kinda lost for directon. Never meant to offend anyone.

Re: Tips & Licks

Paul, I think that JB was joking about the sympathy and that he's jealous just like I am that you're living in Lafayette so close to the most beautiful music in the world.
And you're right about this website and a lot of succes with the lessons from Jude.

Re: Tips & Licks

You can buy Dirk Powell's instruction video or Big Nick's, which both are very instructive.
When you see/hear a spreific song on Youtube, you can slow it down 50%, which is possible nowadays, and watch the flappers.
These are the best ways to learn I think. I wouldn't recommend tablature, unless you want to play like a robot.

Good Luck!

Re: Tips & Licks

Peer: tabs are useful if somebody is a robot with lack of memory
Paul: It's a good idea to share tricks,locks and tips on this forum, but most here don't have much time to put movies here(I think) . But there are some who posted material and youtube is a great source for it. Chris Miller, Ganey Arsement and others put some useful things on youtube. Most of the contributions are just songs. Further it's very useful to visite jamsessions and you live in Cajun-heaven so go for it and there's a big chance you can find the tricks there and even a good teacher.

Re: Tips & Licks

lol to Peer's comment on tabs

Re: Tips & Licks

Hi Paul, you're asking for "help" to learn the "fill in" notes. The problem with that is, we all do that a little differently, and I'm sure that I could find a way to "teach" it. I learned the song, then I made it "my way" by finding my own "fill in" notes. I hope that makes since. If I have a chance, I will try to post a video that will show: the basic tune, and then the tune played at a slowed down pace with the "fill in" notes, and finaly, the tune played at full speed. Would that be what you're looking for?
BTW, if you're in the area of Pecaniere, I'll be there all this weekend. I can show it a lot easier than writing it.
Jude Moreau

Re: Tips & Licks

Thanks Jude, I will take you up on that offer, but not this weekend. Will be out of town. If you would email me your phone # I will call you to set up a time to get together. Thanks again,
Paul

Re: Tips & Licks

Paul,

Believe me... I feel the pain. By all appearances, I am it for cajun music in Eugene, OR. For me, it's been a long, lonely journey but I love the music so much.

Some of what is said has merit. You really are there in the heart of this music. Get thy self to the regular jam up the road at Savoy Music. Gobs... the Blue Moon Saloon is right there where you can sit (or stand) and see what they are doing. Nobody is gonna put this on a plate for you. It takes work. Lots of it. I've been at this hard for 7 years now and am just now starting to get a clue.

Okay... I'm gonna challenge you since you stood up. Sort out the triplets. I hear folks talk about them, but I got no clue. Learn about triplets and post a video on them. I want to know. You want folks to give to you - well... pay it forward.

There...

John in Oregon

Re: Tips & Licks

I still have no idea what people mean by triplets.

Re: Tips & Licks

@Bryan: A triplet is omly possible with a triangle

Re: Tips & Licks

Ron, there would'nt be much time to work on embellishments if you had triplets!

Re: Tips & Licks

Re: Tips & Licks

Bryan.. an example is this recording of Marc Savoy.. That cool little riffle that he does... first one at 23 second mark.



I've heard folks refer to this as a triplet. You do it a 6 seconds and 9 seconds on the Tolam Waltz



For the life of me... I can't figure this out.

John in Oregon

Re: Tips & Licks

Well, if that what everyone calls a triplet, it's just a few fast notes in combination with a bellows change. The 5,6,7 buttons are tailor made for this. If not mistaken, I think that video by Wilson Savoy may delve into that some.

I'd call it a trill, not a triplet

I would say that the lick in the video is not a triplet, rather, it is a trill.

A triplet is three notes dividing up a single beat. But in the video, it is a sequence of 4 notes, not 3. At least, that's what it sounds like to me.

Triplets

Triplets are three notes replacing one in a waltz usually but also in 4/4 time. In a waltz = 3/4 time, 1-2-3 becomes 123-123-123 where the note is divided into three parts. It is that great bunch of licks that makes Cajun accordion sound so friggin' cool in the hands of a skilled player. Yeah, I'm a bit mystified myself. Ray Abshire is a whiz at playing them.

Re: Triplets

At link#2 some theory about triplets.
A lot of theory and music notation, but it's understandable.
Takes nine minutes.

Re: Triplets

9 minutes is a lot of time in this modern age. I'm not patient enough for this.
I would say triplet is a group of three small notes that you can sing as "diddely".
For instance in a waltz: /daaa daaa diddely/daaa daaa diddely/ etc:
The last beats in this case are triplets.
I think/hope this explains it all. No notation needed.

Re: Triplets

Well done Peer Thanks
Is this how it is in a two step daaa diddely/daaa diddely ?
In the video and also on other sites a triplet is playing three notes in the same time as two notes.
I think I do them the same way as you wrote

Triplets

The way I see it:

If you count three notes in a measure (in a waltz), I'd say the triplet covers one count/beat , be it the first, second or third.

In a blues the same thing; if you count two beats a measure, it also covers one beat.
In a twostep triplets are very rare and fancy, and more a kind of embellishment.

The best example ever of playing triplets is in Chris' lesson of Love Bridge Waltz. That really opened my eyes. (my ears in this case)

My version of Blacktop Blues on YT is pure crap , but it shows more or less how a triplet in a blues works.

Re: Triplets

...
I'm afraid I have to correct myself here.
A triplet is a group of three short notes. That's correct.
But I just realized that you can distinguish two kinds of triplets.
The one that I mentioned (the diddely), but there's also also a short triplet, that is being used as an embellishment.
The short one doestn't fit "diddely" at all, because it's too fast for that. You hear them all the time, especially in waltzes.

Re: Triplets

That explains why the late Bo Diddly is "Diddly," not "Diddely. He played his fast triplets in 4/4 time.

Re: Triplets

Re: Triplets

Music is mathematics. You might stretch it like taffy but it is all coherent to the time. A triplet is three notes in place of one, period. How you play these notes might make them sound different but the principle is still the same.

I only know this from studying an endless stream of music theory when I first started playing the pedal steel guitar circa 1972. Those suckers will get your eddicachun of all things musical up and running in a hurry...

Re: Triplets

So - y'all can use computers but find the idea of three notes played in one beat rather than two notes played in one beat something about diddling. Outstanding.



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