Does it contain info not available on the Senor Maestro programme which is downloadable from the Reyes site?

Thanks. GLenn

what is reyes site anyways?

www.reyesaccordions.com

One thing to be aware of with triple row instructional materials is that they tend to be somewhat genre specific, and are usually geared toward the Tex Mex style, and are not quite as useful for Zydeco.

I am not saying they are of no use. It is important to build up whatever knowledge you can on the scales and chords.

To highlight one difference that you touch on, is the issue of most of the scales in the book being on the pull. That is very common in Tex Mex, but not in zydeco. Zydeco is more likely to have combinations of push and pull. The reason it is used in Tex Mex a great deal is that it allows for very fast note sequences of notes in the major scale, and this is very characteristic of the style. It is faster because you don't have to change belllows directions as much. Zydeco, in general, does not often have these fast sequences, as it is more bluesey and groove oriented. However, there are some of the young generation of zydeco players who are in the virtuoso category, who *do* play very fast note sequences, and are likely to be capitalizing on the Tex Mex approach of playing the scales.

Also, it is very rare in Zydeco to hear the type of harmonized melodies you hear in Tex Mex. This is a very important element of the Tex Mex style, and the instructional materials rightfully emphasize it.

I don't want to give the impression that I consider it "wrong" to cross pollinate stylistic elements between genres. In fact, it is a very good idea, and I should spend more time on it myself. But don't expect to play triple row like Boozoo or Beau Jocque or Keith Frank or Step Rideau after learning a lot of Tex Mex oriented scales and chords, because by and large, they don't use them.

-David

Thanks for the insight. My intention is to use the triple row with my Country and Blues material as I have less and less interest in Zydeco as time goes on. My single row comes out for the Cajun. There seems to be nothing intuitive about the 3 row so I invision many hours of flogging chords and scales.
Charlie

Charlie,

Here are some ideas to get started, some of which you may already know.

First, if you know how to play the single row, then you know a lot about how to play the triple row. Just think of it as 3 single row accordions in one. Just find the home position for each of the three rows, and off you go.

But the real fun starts when you begin to go across the rows. I suggest adding a few little notes and licks and keep adding to it.

The most important note to add is the flat third. If the only thing you do is to add the flat third, it is worth the price of admission. Let's say you are playing on the pull on the middle row (key of F on a F-Bb-Eb box, or G on a G-C-F box). If you find the root F note on the middle row push, the flat third is on the inner row, on a pull, on one of the diagonally adjacent buttons to the root F button. This is an all-essential blue note.

When I started, I wrote out a little chart of which notes were on which buttons, and color coded them to show some of the relationships of the notes (root, 4th, 5th, flat 7th, flat 3rd).

The next step was to find songs that I simply *had* to play, and then start finding the notes.

Like Karlos said in an earlier post, the triple row is a deep instrument. It probably as deep as a guitar, and with as many quirks. But, you can also go a long way staying on the simple side of things, just as with the guitar.

Have fun!


-David

Thanks David. I'm going to enjoy every second of the process.
Charlie

. . . great insights David.. I think that decontextualized music methods like scales and chords are genre neutral... but that any method should reflect the styles and choices of the genre.. time tested and certainly unseperable from the musical genre itself. So anyone using materials should expect and want it to reflect the genre studied..


G

Charlie,

What key is your triple row in? I've heard from Joel Guzmán that a lot (not all) of the Country, Americana, and Blues work he does with artists is in the key of A or E. Also, the chord book you bought, what keys does it show you to play in and on what accordion? I know you mentioned it shows mostly on the pull but does it include thirds, sixths, inversions, etc.?

Thanks!

Karlos

Karlos,
My triple row is I in GCF which I borrowed for the purposes of learning. Ultimately I'll be choosing an instrument to suit my vocal range which is usually in D. The book illustrates scales in A,A#,B,E,C,C#,D,D#,F,F#,G, andG#. Also included are progressions in thirds and sixths and all the chord shapes. A good place to start I think.
Charlie