Hey everyone :)

I bought a box from Bryan Lafleur and now I need some direction. Any chance any of you live in or around central Iowa?

...not likely :)

What do you all recommend to newcomers who ask after instruction? I tried searching (don't want to be redundant) but I didn't come up with much. Anyways any recommendations are encouraged. :) thanks guys ! I really look forward to learning.

Michael

Listen to 10x the amount of music you want play. Listen more, then practice

HI..
Want to learn to play. . I am learning. Its slow but coming along..

Get Dirk Powell's DVD's on how to play. There is two of em.

Big Nick has a 3 DVD set.. Very good. From not knowing anything to being able to play a few tunes.

Marc Savoy he has lessons on playing also setting up your box and tuning and other things.

The above 3 is all I have plus a few off of you tube.

You can be in the middle of Iowa in a creek in a canoe lookin at your laptop and playing away with your dvd's.. Its all ya need.

Good Luck and enjoy the adventure. I sure am.

Johnnie

Link #2 goes to Ganey Arsement's YouTube video that is an essential beginning. This is a good basic foundation session, covering many fundemental aspects of the accordion in just a few minutes.

You might also check out Chris Miller's videos on YouTube (cpm6miller). Love Bridge Waltz is presented in 3 lessons, and is good for starters.

For DVD's I found Big Nick's pragmatic method to be very good. He goes VERY slow, and covers both the right and left side together.

Happy squeezin'.

Ronald's suggestion is very useful. If you really like the music, listen and enjoy. If you want to learn to play a tune/song that stole your heart, listen to it again and again, until you can sing it. Leave your box alone for a while and get that tune down. Learn the notes, sing them aloud. You will realize you hear it in your head all day. Only then pick up your instrument. You will learn 100 x faster than by picking up your instrument from the start. This is what I do when I try to learn old time fiddle tunes. It's an advice from mr. Marc Savoy himself, and it works.

Second: use a rhythm device. A metronome or whatever. This music is all about timing, so get that straight from the very beginning. It will help you an awful lot, even if it's a drag in the beginning. Timing is not my strongest point, so I still use a metronome and it sure helps!

yours truly,

Catmelodeon.

Yes, I agree ^^^^^^^^^ I use to teach guitar All my students HAD to use a metronome reason being it teaches em what a beat is and also develops solid meter.. Nothing worse that someone that speeds up and slows down.
Anyway the mostly have done very well over the years and a couple ended up going professional.


Yes Metronome and solid meter are a must if one wishes to get anywhere.

Where in Iowa are you? I know in Minneapolis if you're kinda close, they have some Cajun bands. Krewe de Walleye and the DL Cajun Band are two of those.
I'm self taught. I play almost every day. I play fiddle and guitar too.
Practice, practice. Watch YouTube videos, if Cajun jams sessions are available go to them as well. Completely immerse yourself in the music. It will come. I promise.

Thanks everyone !

Will be playing and listening everyday. I'll also be sure to use the metronome as I learn tunes. I know the metronome really brought my banjo playing to another place entirely, it really did something beyond what I expected.

I am in Des Moines so it is about 3.5 hours out from Minneapolis. Don't know of any local jams here. Will just keep listening and playing. I have only one Cajun cd, it's Amede's collection of recorded works. I really love that old stuff, and Dennis McGees early recordings also light me up. I came across Jesse Lege at a string and festival a couple years ago and he really blew me away, so I check out some videos of him on YTube.

I appreciate all of your input, truly. I am thankful to have a community to lean on/come to when I need. Will stay in touch.

Any musical recommendations/ links/ names are welcome.


Anyone reading this I truly hope you are doing very well.


Michael