OK, I'm making some progress with the right hand, starting to get where I can hear it, find it, and work it out...slowly, yes, but at least some progress...but getting the left hand added is proving to be a b....difficult. Anyone have suggestions, exercises, etc? The issue seems to be changing bellows directions. Pretty automatic now with the right hand, but add the left hand and things get ugly. Hope I'm not the only one who's had this problem.

Thanks in advance for your help, Chuck.

Chuck,
Spend a couple of minutes of your practice time, working on the bass side only. It's repititious, but you'll be training your left hand to work independently. I have found that it's just to complicated to try and concentrate on both at the same time.
Play the waltz beat over and over, changing bellow direction often. Then do the same for the two-step .
Eventually, you will be able to play the bass side without "thinking about it". Hope that helps.
Jude

I agree with Jude.
Just spend time playing the bass only and practice on Waltz and Two Steps. Things will come naturally after a while. After a while, playing the base becomes very important when you play more complicated songs. Be patient. Tout vient à point à qui sait attendre... Maz

I also ditto what Jude said. I also did songs that I had learned the treble side, and then played along with a recording using just the base side trying to do the bellows changes in the right places. I almost became violent a couple times trying to do that left hand, and one day I just noticed it was working, though not as smooth and consistent as a good player.

Thanks for the suggestions and encouragement. I'm gonna work at it for a week, and report back. And Jude, thought you might like to know I'm waiting anxiously for a new box from your protege Ed. The heritage keeps getting passed along, it's a beautiful thing.

Chuck.

One other thing I found helpful: play a recording of a tune you really
like and which is in the same key of your accordion &
"play along" with only the left....

There is a clip on you-tube that has a few seconds of Ray Abshire at a festival. It only shows his left side.

It looks to me like he is holding the bass note button down and pumping the bass cord. At one point he seems to bump the bass cords without the bass note.

Unfortunately, the clip only lasts a few seconds then cuts to other players so it is hard to study.

It lead me to wonder what methods others use. I would expect there is a lot of "feels right", in people's playing.

RPr

I took an accordion class at Augusta from John Vidrine. When he wasn't helping us newbies, he would play for us, and his left hand playing was remarkable, lots more variety and style then just alternating. OK, all his playing was remarkable, but we're talking left hand here. And thanks for the tip.