When I first started playing, and didn't know anything about positions, I learned my first several songs in 1st position, because that's just where I found some notes that seemed to fit. Some of those were 2nd position songs. It's odd how some songs can be played in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, and sound ok, other songs can be played in more than one position,but just not sound right, and others are missing important notes.
Every now and then I set aside listening just to songs I am trying to learn or improve, and just listen to music, especially mostly fiddle stuff, and I find myself noticing odd things (ie learning). Was listening to the Cheese Read album this week and realized that Marc Savoy is playing Les Veuves De La Coulée in 1st position. Never heard that before, so I tried it. I think I actually like it better in 1st, but it seems one of those songs that sounds good either way.
P.S. It is really nice to see this forum return to actual discussion in lieu of animosity.
For those of you who own a keyboard of some kind (or a piano, a piano-accordion etc) :
A great test is to try to play the melody that's in your head on STRICTLY the white keys. If you can the complete tune on the white keys (you can skip some less important notes), you're in bizznis, cause then you can play it on the Cajun accordion too.
You'll be astonished how many things you can play on a CA, not only Cajun music, but also rock & popular tunes, Irish of course, or you name it. I once played Eine Kleine Nachtmusik on my CA.:relaxed:
Worth a try!!
I guess you're referring strictly to a C accordion, Peer?
Sometimes even if there's a note missing, you can "play around it", like playing "J'ai Passé" in G on a C accordion. The C# is missing, but it's apparently not real important because you can dance around the D chord notes a bit. Some missing notes are too important to be danced around, though
Thanks, Mr. Guy. Happy to be back. Actually, I have been lurking quite a bit, but tinnitus and shoulder/elbow problems kept me from playing CA.
Bryan, of course the white keys correspond with the notes on a C accordion only. I was just saying that it's a nice way of testing what's possible on a Cajun accordion and what's not.
All tunes you can play on the white keys are playable on a CA. To play in a different key you will need an accordion in a different tuning, but the fact remains.
Thats interesting Peer, I have a PA on long term loan but have never been bothered to play it, so you can pick out single piano key notes and it corresponds?
Might be a good way for me to start messing with it.
The white keys on a PA, piano, keyboard, whatever, correspond to the notes on an C accordion.
So you can figure out what you can do on a CA and what you can't. Not necessarily in C but of course also in G, and Dm, Am and F are also possible to some degree.
Of course you can figure this out on a C box rightaway, but a keyboard offers a fresh point of view. Litterally, because now you can see all the notes on the keyboard. No black keys. No pushing and pulling. Easy!
Any song or tune playable on those white keys is possible on a CA. Of course, for other keys you need a different box, but the idea stays the same.
I hope this makes any sense!
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
