Just curious. Are there any particular fingering excercises, or riff ditties you like to play and find useful before getting into your accordion playing session, or is it mostly just cold start?

well it depends on how long youve been playing the accordian for. Me, I been playing for about 9 years now and I can just get up on stage and start playing. OF course I always playing all the buttons before i start just to make sure there arent no leaks or broken reeds. But other than that I just take it out the box and plug it in and go. Good luck.

Noodling, song snippets. Seems like Blues de Voyage is the most natural feeling song to my fingers, but lately its usually whatever new song or songs I'm learning.

Dwight

Sometimes,

My right hand just came out of a cast. It was in there just for a week -- a sprain -- but I noticed considerable stiffness at my first gig afterwards.

Now I make sure to strech my wrist gently...forward and back, making sure to stretch my fingers out and massage the area around my thumb.

Sometimes before a gig I'll playing for 20 minutes. Three 2-steps and a waltz that you know very well. You'll be amazed at what it does.

Nick B.