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What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

Hello Braves,

There have been many Cajun Accordion instructional
DVD's released over the years.

And, many teaching techniques employed as well!

So, what works for you?
What does *not* work for you?

For example, if you'd want to learn to play a song,
which of these (or any other ideas) are important
to you, or not important to you?

1.) Song played full speed.
2.) Song played slowed way down
3.) Song played phrase by phrase slowly
4.) Sheet music
5.) Tablature
6.) Song played with accompaniment
7.) Vocals sung to the song
8.) Vocals spoken and/or written
9.) Song played simply
10.) Song played with embellishments
11.) History of the song/author info

Thanks for your thoughts!

--Big

Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

Hi Big Nick,

I`ve got a few dvd`s.
up till now i like Dirk Powel the most.

important to me would be:

- song played full speed
- song played slowed down
- phrase by phrase slowly, but not too slow
- tablature could be nice
- song with accompaniment, maybe accompaniment without the accordion, so you can play along yourself.

- vocals sung to the song and written
i don`t know about a simply played version, my guess is that people will stick to the simple version.
- song played with embellishments and slowed down.

- the song history and author info would also be nice.
maybe a rough translation of the lyrics, for those who don`t understand Cajun French


just my 2 cents


Wilfred

Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

Hey, good seeing you posting again!
One problem I have with some instructional DVDs, is the tune is slowed down so much, I can't hear the melody in it. For me, if the melody is lost, no matter how much time I spend on the mechanics of a phrase, I lose it iin short order in my head, and have to go through it all again. I would be helpful to add a moderate speed clip to help it all click.
One of the reasons I really like the Wilson Savoy DVD, is that it doesn't pesent tunes, cravedd in stone. It would be nice to see an instructional DVD that takes a tune through the basics, then offer different approaches for embelishments, making you think for yourself.
Tab can be helpful for recall, but as there doesn't seem to be any sort of standard, it owuld be nice for the instructor to provide an explaination for any included tab.
An idea I'd like to see happen: include mp3s on the DVD for prectice, both with and without accordion.
Steve

Re: Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

The most important thing for me when watching a video of someone playing is to be able to see both the right hand, and at least the bellows if not the left hand.

Other than that, the song played at full speed to get the melody, then slow to see the mechanics. Tabs can sometimes help with parts. But like has been said by many and I find to be true for me, the song has to be in my head before I ever try to learn to play it, otherwise it is too mechanical.

I have enjoyed your site by the way, thank you for doing that.

Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

Thanks very much for the question.

althought others have said, I will add to this:

- song played full speed
- song played slowed down
*******- phrase by phrase slowly
- tablature could be nice
- song with accompaniment, maybe accompaniment without the accordion, so you can play along yourself.
- mp3 files that can be down loaded

**** on playing the tune "phrase by phrase":::: put each phrase in different
chapters of the DVD. So that you can repeat the phrase (chapter) over and over
until you get it.


I think I am trying to approach an Amzing Slow downer for DVD's.

Thanks .... Ed

Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

So does that mean you are getting ready to do one?

Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

Boy, this one is easy...the format you have posted at your web site for Back Door is the best ever for me. I like all of the various instructionals, and use them, but yours is the most versatile and easily accessable. Where can I send my money?

Re: Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

I own Video/DVD from Marc Savoy, Wilson Savoy, Steve Riley & Dirk Powell. I would say I've enjoyd all of them immensely. However, from a pedagogic standpoint, the Marc Savoy (Gospel) videos are the ones I give the lowest score even though Marc is amazing to watch.

Of your list of features, I say the least important are the ones with music notes and tablature. I never use that. I would be nice to always somehow sign the lyrics, which is something lacking to all the DVDs above. The lyrics of the songs is part of the language and culture.. and if no one bothers to convey it... well, you know what happens.. it dies. I watched your website Big Nick, and liked how you broke down songs by phrases. It made it quite easy to pick up some songs (That's how I learned Porte d'en arrière).

Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

If the dvd would allow you to define start and stop points for loops, and cut the speed on command, that would be good.

Barring that, I just use some software I wrote.

Most instructional dvds are way on down the road before I've absorbed what I need.

Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

Well I'd like

Each phrase played slow (indexed)
tune played slow
tune played normal speed
ornamentation slow
ornamentation normal speed

music and/or tab

Doesn't the dvd player that comes with windows play dvds slowed down and enable you to change the pitch too? I'm sure I've played around on my pc like this in the past year or so.

Re: Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

Windows Media Player will cut play rates in half, but keep the pitch the same, for MP3, and WMA files, but not Wav files, if I remember correctly.

It doesn't seem to change the speed of an MPG file. I don't have anything else to test it on right now.

Dwight

Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

I have most all the Cajun and Tex Mex VHS and DVDs on the market, and have commissioned many on my own from players.

Finger visibility and HOLDING OF NOTES for slightly long er period of time. Slowed down playing with same length of note is not as effective IMHO as slowed down with note held a second

Slowed down version should have fingers flattened ( not curved ) for better visibility. Watching flappers is a waste of time and energy.

You do very nice work Nick..and your efforts are among the best didactically. Eric Martin does a great job with audio and tabs. IF a vid should come out..

The idea of music to accompany and tabs would set it way above the rest .

Incorporating loop and repeat would help.

doing a Sr.Maestro programme for SINGLE ROW .. or tabbed songs to be played by that programme note for note and slowed down with graphic visual of the playing would be interesting ( those who aren't familiar with Sr.Maestro ..it is triple row programme downloadable and free at Reyesaccordions.com forum.)

It would also help with transposing from one key to the next..or one box to the next.

GLENN

Re: Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

I like the format you use on Box Lesson. What is important to me is played at speed, broken down into phrases and played slowly showing the right hand and bellows (for direction). Both the A and B part as a lesson. Lyrics done phonetically would be nice.
Leslie

Re: Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

I use Media Player Classic.
With that player I can slow down a video.
The speed will become the half of the origin speed.
The music will sound one octave lower.
One click on the rewind sign is enough.
In the early days (1970-1990) I use a two speed tape recorder to do the same.
See the second link.
It helps me some times.
You can see the flappers of the Cajun accordion go up and down and you can see some details.

Re: What constitutes a good instructional DVD?

Nick,

I believe your website is close to perfect.
My learning process is.
-Get the tune in my head, vocals help a lot.
-Learn phrase by phrase.
-Play slow but accurate.
-Play at speed.
-Play simple.
-Add bells and whistle to melody.

Again, a big thanks for passing on our knowledge.

RPr



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