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).
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.
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.
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.
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.