Re: Help Wanted: Hand position, fingering, and oh yeah, the thumb thing...
Hi, Chuck! I'm certainly no virtuoso, and I can't play accordion at all, really (but I spent some time learning!). I did, however, have a lesson or two from the two masters in my family, so I can tell you about that.
My dad told me that I'll never learn to play correctly unless I keep my thumb flush with the keyboard. The thumb strap on my accordion (as on all the ones he makes) is for his thumb, so I have to twist mine around once to tighten it. He says the reason for the importance of this is that you need to have your wrist pretty straight. You want to be able to hit all those high notes easily, and you have more reach in your first finger for throwing in some bass. He plays with his fingers arched, using the pads of his fingers.
Wilson, on the other hand, plays everything flat-fingered. Well, at least that's how he plays piano and accordion. It's not really so much "flat" as just "slightly less arched".
From that, I take it that how you hold your fingers doesn't really matter so much as making sure you've got your thumb in the right place. Another thing, if your forearm gets tired fast, you're doing the wrong thing and need to try something else. That was my problem for a long time and I don't even know to tell you what I changed.
Kind of rambling, as usual, but I hope this helps you a little, even if it's only to tell you better how to figure out your own feel for it...
Re: Re: Help Wanted: Hand position, fingering, and oh yeah, the thumb thing...
Thanks Sarah. Let me see if I'm understanding: when you say flush with the keyboard, I'm picturing my thumb in alignment with, and lying flat on, the edge of the fingerboard. Does that sound right? It would be somewhat looser than I have it now, and I can see it would allow me to have the back of my hand more parallel to the surface of the keyboard. It would also feel somewhat less anchored, I think, but that's part of the learning process. I'll work with it for a while, and let you know how it goes.
I appreciate the "lesson." I took guitar from your mom at Augusta a couple of years ago, so we're keeping it in the family.
Nick, that's perfect! It's slightly looser than I have it now, as I thought from Sarah's description, but the video really nails it down! Thanks for the time and effort making it. I'll give it a whirl, and report when I get back from Jazz Fest.
And 'boog...I ain't hirin' that kid of yours until he brings back the corn squeezin's he stole last time he came around.
Re: Help Wanted: Hand position, fingering, and oh yeah, the thumb thing...
Hey Chuck,
I have short stubby fingers and a thumb joint problem. My solution for the thumb problem was to hook up two straps to my ACADIAN, one over each shoulder. This prevents it from moving back and forth. I place my thumb on the back of the keyboard(without using the thumb strap), which prevents it from flopping in and out, and play to my hearts content. Keeping my thumb centered is a must.
I play with my fingers flat across the buttons. I've found that I tend to push them down too far if I play with my fingertips, which can slow the finger movement somewhat.
Been playing this way since I got my first accordion from Marc in 85 and I'm having a blast.
Re: Re: Help Wanted: Hand position, fingering, and oh yeah, the thumb thing...
Thanks Nelson. Jonno F. plays that way, and I've seen Jeffrey Broussard play with no thumb strap...or other straps, for that matter. But that's not for us normal folks, and thanks for the info.