With all due respect to Dwight, you will be at somewhat of a learning disadvantage with a "D". All the instructional materials are done on a "C" accordion, and instruction at camps etc. is based on a "C".

Yeah, you're right about that. I was only thinking locally...and acting globularly.

Not to mention, most of the recordings are in C.

If you are already a player, get the D. If you are learning, you need a C.

I am certainly glad I asked! Thanks! I'm going to contact Junior right away.

Why plan to stick to one key all the time?

Especially If you *can* sing.

Think outside the "box".

R!CK

Rick,

I don't plan on sticking with one key all the time, BUT, in the learning curve, should I not have a C? I mean, I do play the guitar, but I have no clue whatsoever in playing the piano or accordion.

I'm conflicted here, knowing that Junior Martin decided I should have a D but a lot of others say to LEARN to play, I should begin with a C.

Can I get more clarification from you? I REALLY appreciate it!

And LOVE your music!

Linda

Hey Ms Linda,
First of all welcome to the accordion board and congrats on making the decision to play accordion. Someone suggest that you should get a C accrodion, which is good advice, because all of the instructions are on DVD or VHS are in the key of C. But yet you sing best in D. It all depends on how you are planning on learning how to get your instructions, whether by DVD/VHS or perhaps a teacher, if you have one in your area. If your teacher has a D accrodion that would be great. Here is another option, buy your D accordion and get one of those cheap Hohner accordions in C so you can learn with the tapes or DVD, or if you can afford it, buy both a C and D accrordion. Once you buy one, you will buy some more, I am up to 3 accordions and plan on buying another one in the future. Just my 2 cents worth. Good luck with your playing!!!

My first box was a cheap D and then a cheap C. But I took the D box first and learned the principles of playing from Powell's video. Even though he was using a C box, I grasp the understanding of what he was teaching and was able to apply it. Since you probably don't have access to a Cajun band or players in your area (like me) you'll have to find your own way. If you play the guitar and have an ear for music, I don't think it will matter that much. You'll just have to tell the guitar player if they must play in that awful C position then use a capo So you can play you D box. Then buy you a C when the time is right. I j ust bought one of Jr boxes in D and look forward to getting it. Bruce

I am fortunate enough to have two of Larry Miller's fine works, one C and one D. I learn basic tunes on the C, especially when I have the music, however, I like playing in D MUCH better. I am not sure why, but I just prefer the sound of the D so much. And I don't sing so it's not because of matching my voice. As others have pointed out, if you are learning on your own, it really doesn't matter what key really. The fingerings are exactly the same. You can play from C music on your D accordion, it's just that your accordion will automagically transpose it on the fly for you! Learn what the notes are in D, just so you know what you are playing, and if you play with good musicians, a player should not have a problem transposing their C tunes into D to match your accordion.

enjoy

Hal

Perhaps the coolest thing about a D box is the number of fiddle players that will want to jam with you. This is good; especially when they bring beer.

Another cool factor with D is there's quite a bit of recorded Cajun tunes in D which can help create an aural bond.

Can't wait to hear more about Linda's progress!

R!CK

It's a tough decision.

I understand what the other posters are saying about the advantages of a C accordion as far as the various learning materials is concerned. That is certainly a factor, but I am not convinced it is a decisive factor. There are many people, such as myself, who learned to play before there were any DVDs or tapes. And even now that they are available, there are mixed reviews on how helpful they really are. This is because different people learn in different ways.

As to the suggestion that a C is better because most recordings are made with a C accordion, I don't agree with that at all, for two reasons. First, there are a very large number of recordings using a D accordion, as well as Bb and other keys. Second, there are numerous software packages and hardware devices that can shift the key of a recording. I used to use such software all the time to transpose the key of a song to match the accordion I wanted to use.

The suggestion to get the high quality D accordion, and to get a cheapo C accordion as well has some merit. I did the same thing with my triple row accordions. I bought a fancy, expensive one in F-Bb-Eb, and a cheap one in G-C-F (that was in the days before pitch shifting software existed). If you can afford it, having a high quality C and D is commonly done as well. It is quite common to see a Cajun band using both key accordions on the stage, and for the fiddle player to also have two fiddles, with one of them de-tuned to match the C accordion.

In the end, I think that it could very well be the right decision to go with Jr's advice to get a D accordion.

-David

Well, I'm glad I raised this subject on your other post. I would say for your first box: definitely go with a C, then you could get a D down the road if you really get into this. With respect to your voice, I find navigating from C to D or vice versa is not a big deal, but everyone is different.

To give you a feel for this, I have attached three link above.
- Link #1 is is with my C box (Red Larry Miller Bon Cajun singing "Valse de Reno" in high C).
- Link #2 is still with my C but singing "J'ai passé devant ta porte" on the low C.
- Link #3 is with my D box (Walnut Marc Savoy Acadian), singing "Valse de Platin" in high D. I don't have clip singing in low D.

This might help you in determining your ideal voice level. Regardless of your "ideal" voice level, I think you should be able to adapt to a high C as most people do.

I'd like to thank all of you for your input on helping me make the decision. I just called Junior Martin and he said I WOULD be at a disadvantage with a D just starting out. He thought I was going to be playing and singing in my own band (!) which is why he first recommended the D. Then he said, "I'll let you in on a little secret...nobody gets just one!" So I'm going to start out with the C and when I get good enough (and yes, she will!!) then I'll get a D.
THANKS ALL!

Linda, congratulations on getting an appropriate welcome to this board. Ask for an opinion, and you'll get a plethora of them, many different, most with solid reasoning behind them. One suggestion: never use the word "Corners." And if your post is answered by anyone with "Booger" in his sign-in, you might want to skip that one. And yes, I did use the word "plethora" strictly to create an opening for Dwight.

As in Plethorasaurus? There were a bunch of those. You old dinosaur you.

From the Eustachian Period, right?

Hi Linda

I'm getting tired of sitting in front of my computer, so I won't read all the replies you got. I just noticed that no other women replied, so I'll give you my opinion.

C is very hard for me to sing in too, and D is great. If an accordion player with whom I'm going to be singing can bring only one accordion, I'll choose D. However, there are a few songs that are better for me in C, and I also like E sometimes. All the same, go with D. That's where the majority of mine are, and I think most women feel the same way.

I hope this helps.

i'd comment ...

1. if you don;t plan to sing, don;t worry about it
get a c

2. it;s better to err too low than too high
again indicates a c

3. the songs you plan to sing may still be
singable in the key you get, otherwise
just pick songs you can sing with the accordion
you get

every melody has a highest and lowest note
either you can hit that or you can;t

there will probably be songs that you can;t sing
on a c and vice versa

so you always have to decide that anyway

4. as far as learning, you can transpose songs
to the key you have


5. as someone else said, c is more common
in cheap chinese ones, if you have to get
a good one in d, you can always get
a cheap one in c for $200

wle.

Linda,

If you have a D box, you can use some software like the Amazing Slower Downer to not only slow the music down but change keys. This is for CD's and not video, DVD's.

So if the music is in C you can change it to D so you can play along. With DVD's You'll have to make an mp3 file and then bring it into the Amazing Slow Dower
to change keys.

Just a thought..... Ed

Hind sight is 20/20. Linda would have been better off getting the "D" accordion! She would have been one of the few amongst the many, which would have automatically made her special. Little did she know that some of the best songs available now on youtube were made with "D" accordions. She would have been a stand out from the crowd! Besides, being a female, she could have easily just asked to borrow one of the thousands of "C" accordions floating around at the jam sessions and decided whether or not she liked the "C" accordion. Also, notice the particular preference by "Sarah Savoy" for the "D" accordion in her post on this thread. It couldn't be that her dad is also fond of the "D" accordion now would it? I'd like to go back and figure WHO THE HELL decided the "C" accordion was going to be the standard for beginners and give him a mighty hard yet well aimed kick to the ball sack! The "D" accordion....every bit as important as the "C" accordion, just hardly anyone knows about it yet.