Welcome to old and new friends who are interested in discussing Cajun and other diatonic accordions, along with some occasional lagniappe....



CAJUN ACCORDION DISCUSSION GROUP

 

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Re: discussion?

Hey NightShade, I got one for ya. Try this Mardi Gras Song! It is unique as it can be played on a "C" accordion in the key of "E"!!!! The confirmation buttons, so you know you're doing it right are buttons 4 and 7 on the push. This is the chord of "E", which is the dominant key that this Mardi Gras Song uses throughout the song and most importantly, ends with. The Mardi Gras Song is supposed to be played in A minor on a "C" accordion. Well, NOT ANY MORE!! Woo Hoo! This means that the "C" accordion can play songs that are in the keys of (C,D,E,F,G and A minor). Go ahead, try it, you'll see if you got that accordion labeled correctly. LOL, I just couldn't resist.

Re: discussion?

OK, Old Greezer, why would you want to play a song in a key where you don't have all the notes? Listening to work-arounds is almost as tedious as playing them. If you don't have enough notes to resolve the melody, you're in the wrong key.

Nightshade: Purge the perverse keys of E & F from your mind when playing the C accordion. It's hard enough the normal way.

Re: discussion?

Or Nightshade, you could try this version, which is done by the same band, different singer, same key. Le Band Passe Partout. If anyone can tell me who the accordion player is and who the singer is, there might be a reward in it for you. This band was formed in the same year of 1990 that the first Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys CD was recorded. The leader of the band wanted to form a band "that would be remembered" with a sound that would attract young and old. Sound familiar? They never made it and split up. Some of the songs they chose and recorded really, really, really sound like Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys. Very strange. Oh, and I'll give bonus points to anyone, and I mean anyone, that can tell me the key accordion being used in these recordings.



Hey Ned, there are no missing notes when this is played on the "C" accordion. Only the base side can't be played, but all the notes can be found on the "C" accordion. We're making history here Ned. Get on board! You should have been paying very close attention all this time. If you had, you'd be right on top of all this like white on rice!

Re: discussion?

La Bande Passe Partout started up in 1990 lead by drummer Joseph Lirette of Duson. Robert Elkins, guitar, Blake Mouton, accordion. Also Travis Matte, Percy Boudreaux, Jr., Larry Hoffpaurir, Mike Chapman.


Please send my reward via PayPal. Thank you.

Re: discussion?

Who's singin it Ned? Who's the singer in the second video? Can you find it?!!

Re: discussion?

No more information until my reward is cashed.

Re: discussion?

LOL, ok. I guess the answer to what key accordion is being played is out of the question also?

Anybody else? Please, make an attempt. My guess at this time is that it is a "G" accordion, but that is not as yet rock solid. Is that why Le Band Passe Partout didn't make it? Because of the key they chose to stick with? They sure as hell had some heavy hitters in the band and behind the scenes, with the planned idea to surpass all other bands of the time and all that had come before. I sure would like to know what the hell happened?!

Re: discussion?

The vocalist and accordion player on that CD is Percy Boudreaux, Jr.

Jack Bond

Re: discussion?

Thanks Jack

Re: Oh Did I Forget To Give You The 3rd Gift of Gifts?

Percy Boudreaux Jr.? I have to say that I have never heard of him. He plays accordion well, yet virtually unknown. Oh boy, can I ever relate to that! Yes, thank you very much Jack Bond. To know that information, did you know the band personally? Or did you know Percy personally? Say Percy personally 10 times fast. LOL.

I've been working with this song since I posted it folks. I truly believe it is being done on a "G" accordion, and for the Mardi Gras song on a "G" accordion, with "G" being the #1,you count from "G" forward 6 counts. G,A,B,C,D,"E minor". The Mardi Gras song done on a "G" accordion is in E minor.

Done with a "C" accordion it is normally done in the key of A minor. C,D,E,F,G,"A minor". Now, take the "C" accordion and play behind this "G" accordion on the video I posted again below (the first one below), and when you find the match, you will see that you are indeed playing the Mardi Gras song in the key of E minor on your "C" accordion!! (well, you'll see it if you have your got dam flappers labeled)

The confirmation chords of E minor on the "C" accordion are buttons 4 and 7 on the push, and get this!!, also buttons 7 and 10 on the push! Now when's the last time you played any song on the Cajun accordion and actually did a push chord on buttons 7 and 10. I've never have because it always sounded and felt weird until this morning when I used that 7 and 10 doubles chord while playing along with Passe Partout. It fit and sounded perfect. Both of the E push chords work great! Oh, and if that wasn't enough to impress you, there is one more set of confirmation chords of the key of "E" on the "C" accordion. Buttons 1 and 4 on the push. The only doubles chord that shows up on your "C" accordion key board 3 times! Wow!! Hoo Ray!!

We've discovered another "Position" folks! What can we name it? So far both Nedro and Jack Bond have been given the rights to name the new position. That is my reward to those who helped. There is room for one more if someone else out there can absolutely, positively name the key that this "Passe Partout" accordion was built in.


And just for the hell of it, check out the accordion style on this next song. To me it sure sounds like Steve Riley on accordion, but it's not. Its Percy Jr. How could this be?! This version of La Valse De Chagrin is being done on a "D" accordion key of "D". Or maybe its being done on a "G" accordion in the 5th which is also the key of "D".??

But, if you know how to play in the "Blues Key" you can play along with this song on your "C" accordion key of "D" Blues Key. LOL. You shoulda been payin attention folks! Shoulda labeled them got dam accordion flappers too!

Folks, do you even realize what's happening here? Do you have the "where with all" to be able to recognize the "Holy Ghost" when you hear and see it? (Hint Hint at the name of this new "position" or "key", whichever you prefer) I know, I know. My jaw dropped to the floor and I got the frissons too. Finally, I can now say that I have truly "Mastered" my Cajun accordion. Have you?

Re: Oh Did I Forget To Give You The 3rd Gift of Gifts?

Who in the heck is this Old Greezer guy?! He stole my thunder! I was supposed to be the first one to discover the last position on the accordion! Got Dammit!

LOL, look folks, if you're finding "Greezer's Theory" hard to follow. There is indeed "a lost key" or a "lost position of play" on the Cajun accordion.
"A" accordion - The lost key is "C".
"B" accordion - The lost key is "D".
"C" accordion - The lost key is "E".
"D" accordion - The lost key is "F".
"E" accordion - The lost key is "G".
"F" accordion - The lost key is "A".
"G" Accordion - The lost key is "B".

Simply listen to the song below that is completely done on the fiddle. If you take your "D" accordion and play it in it's lost key of "F", you can play along with this song pretty easily. Yet, if you grab your "C accordion and play along in the key of "F" you can't do it. We're witnessing a conundrum of elephantine proportions here folks! The "F" doubles push chords on a "D" accordion are in the same places as you would find the "E" doubles push chords on the ""C" accordion.
Buttons 1 and 4 push
Buttons 4 and 7 push
Buttons 7 and 10 push
You will notice that you are using the same patterns or near same patterns of play as the Mardi Gras Song done by Le Band Passe Partout when you would use your "C" accordion.

No, the whole song isn't played on those buttons I mentioned above only! LOL, those are the confirmation buttons that the song will repeatedly use and end the song with. A properly labeled accordion will prove what I'm saying to you as soon as you start to play the song by ear and start to see the notes being played. You really need to play "doubles" to understand this. I believe this is the "gypsy" key that I myself, and others have spoken of (NEVER AGAIN TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE "Blues Key"). But I believe it needs to be renamed even though it does have a little gypsy flavor. Yep, Steve Riley and David Greely were using it and so were others. Yet they wouldn't or couldn't tell you about it nor teach it to you.

My work is done here everyone. Yall take care now, ya hear! I have accomplished all that I wish to accomplish. For those of you that didn't like my teachings. It's ok, you may one day see the value of them. But the only way you will realize their value is to start cross playing one accordion against the key of another. You have to feel and see yourself doing on your accordion what I've been explaining, or you will never see the value nor master your accordion. Mic Drop...........................................

Now go get your got dam "D" accordion and play along, got dammit!

Re: Oh Did I Forget To Give You The 3rd Gift of Gifts?

If you want to practice your "gypsy key" on your "C" accordion. (NOT THE BLUES KEY! The Blues Key is something altogether different and has different patterns.) There are two parts to this song as you will notice. I talked about this song a while back. Couldn't figure it out back then because I hadn't yet realized the "missing key" (The Holy Trinity)the "E" chord that repeats itself 3x on your "C" accordion). Stands to reason, that once you become aware of it that maybe you ought to put it to good use. "The Holy Ghost".

Bon Soir Catin is going back and fourth between the keys of "G" and "E" which are done here on a "C" accordion by Kristy Guillory.
The vocals are also done in "G" and "E"
And it keeps going back and forth.


How much more got dam proof do you need?! LOL

**"No, I am not the leading authority of anything, nor am I a genius of any subject. I am simply an ordinary man pursuing extraordinary information".

"C" Accordion.
Key of "C" - AKA The 1st Position,The Primary Push, The Primary Key, On The Push.
Key of "D" - AKA The Blues Key
Key of "E" - AKA The Spirit Key, The Holy Trinity, The Holy Ghost, The Gypsy Key.
Key of "F" - AKA The 3rd Position, The Back Side, That Got Dam "F"!
Key of "G" - AKA The 2nd Position, Playing In The Fifth,The Primary Pull,On The Pull.
Key of "A minor" - AKA The Mardi Gras Key

We're talking 6 different Positions and 23 different names here folks! No wonder, we have a hard time mastering our Cajun accordions.

Maybe some day, you'll know who I was. I fashioned my approach to this discussion board after the Holy Trinity. That's why I used 3 different handles 33rd Degree Master Musician, THE BLUE MAX, and Greezy McGill. (The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit) I also used the "Tower of Babble" story "Come let US go down and confound or confuse their language so mankind can separate from each other and begin to work toward getting it right. Because you were all as one and very hard headed, and you were not on the right path to understanding. Very much like the old Cajuns were in their tight knit communities where everyone spoke one language, Cajun French. Some of you (Jerry or Le Piquant) were very hostile to outsiders as any self proclaimed leader would be to intruders. LOL< Jerry, I couldn't have done this without you man.

Also, I'd like to thank everyone that was able to endure my coherent rambling and always treated me kindly. You all know who you are. Thank You!

Re: Oh Did I Forget To Give You The 3rd Gift of Gifts?

That's actually the first scale that I learned on the accordion. On a C accordion, I wouldn't really call it "the key of E" as that would make most think of E major. It is actually the E pentatonic scale, which is more related to the E minor scale than E major. I'm more inclined to refer to it as "playing in E minor".

On a side note, the "chart" you detailed above isn't really new. Every major key's relative minor key can be found within that major key. Since we all know that accordions can play the 1st major scale and the 4th and 5th major scales (minus a note), then it should be no surprise that also available are those major keys' relative minor keys (minus the missing notes).

C-accordion example:
C-Aminor
F-Dminor
G-Eminor

This isn't knowledge that was intentionally hidden. Read a book on music theory and it is immediately obvious.

On an entirely different side note, I noticed that your rambling and hypocrisy increased when the drug ads started. You didn't happen to buy some of that did you? Cause you seem to be on some potent stuff. Get well soon, my friend...

Have a great day everyone! :v: :smile:

Re: Oh Did I Forget To Give You The 3rd Gift of Gifts?

The problem with saying E minor, major, flat, sharp is that people just tend to drift off into not paying attention to all that fancy talk. It's too complicated for a typical Cajun. So, why not just call it a straight bold faced letter "E". That in itself is complicated enough for the typical Cajun.

Just know this all you beginner Cajun accordion players, you intermediate, and you so called "advanced masters"....when you pick up that Cajun accordion, the thing is capable of playing in 6 different keys or positions. Just a few months ago, you only thought there were 3. Then all of a sudden, you found out about the "4th". Then low and behold, there comes a 5th and a 6th!!! "It wasn't hidden", Darth?? My happy ACE it wasn't hidden! If it was common knowledge, no one was talking about it. That seems strange to me. I sure as hell didn't hear Steve Riley, Whimmer, Sam Broussard, David Greely, Kristi Guillory, Marc Savoy or any of you talking about it on this discussion board. The names I mentioned above have all shown me through their convoluted recordings, and their guilt by association, that they've been well aware of not only the first 3 keys, but all 6. Now, how is it, if all these keys are common knowledge, that we were only talking about 3 of them a year ago? According to this discussion board, there were no other positions.

What is your intended purpose here Darth. Are you trying to downplay my efforts? Or, are you trying to get more out of me? That seems to be the going trend with my comments. All you have to do is swallow the pill I'm offering you and go try to find what I'm talking about by applying it to your accordion and the Cajun music. Jesus, I even gave you songs to play along with. Once, you feel and see these new patterns emerge from your accordion, excitement and confidence will grow within you and you will look at all yourself and all your Cajun accordion heroes in a totally different way!

Not all songs can be converted to all of the 6 keys or positions on the accordion. But, many of them can, and very nicely if I may say. Its your job to figure out which one's can be converted on your own time. Me, for every song I have in my repertoire, I usually try to do as many of them as I can in at least 4 of the positions for right now. Or I continuously pit my accordions against different key accordions. The more you do this, the more clear it all becomes. But you have to just DO IT!

If you guys want to learn the "Blues Key" on your "C" accordion. Key of "D" I suggest learning these two songs to start with.
Nathan Abshire - Pine Grove Blues aka Hey Negresse
Iry Lejeune - Grande Bosco "delves into the "Blues Key" but you'd think it was all done in "G".


Re: Oh Did I Forget To Give You The 3rd Gift of Gifts?

Oh, I appreciate your efforts, but your conclusions are distorted. Knowing about the 3 major keys, automatically implies the 3 minor keys. Cajuns aren't too stupid to understand this, except we call them the happy key and the sad key. Hell, I'm a Cajun and like I said, the E minor scale is the first one I learned on my accordion. I was using that to play along to old reggae and rock before I ever picked up Cajun music.

Actually, I think the real reason no one talks about it all that much is that most Cajun music is in a major key. There are a few exceptions, and there are even a few songs that have been reworked to include some minor key phrasing. But since playing in a minor key isn't popular in Cajun music, I wouldn't expect many to talk about that.

I will say this though. I am actually, in a very convoluted way, agreeing with the thing you say most of the time. If you label your buttons and learn the actual notes and how they relate to one another, the 6 different keys available become really obvious. And actually there are even more scales to play, with varying degrees of missing notes. For instance, F and G on a C accordion are both missing a single note, as well as their relative minors, Dm and Em. Bb and D can also be "played" on a C accordion, but both are missing two notes, as well as their relative minors, Gm and Bm. For the Bb major scale, a C accordion is missing the Bb, so that's kind of a shower stopper for that one, but you can kinda fake it.And once you're missing more than two notes from a scale, things start to get difficult.

Here's a little chart for C accordions (_ is a missing note):
C major - C D E F G A B
A minor - A B C D E F G
G major - G A B C D E _
E minor - E _ G A B C D
F major - F G A _ C D E
D minor - D E F G A _ C
D major - D E _ G A B _
B minor - B _ D E _ G A
Bb major - _ C D _ F G A (missing root note)
G minor - G A _ C D _ F

Greezy, I appreciate your knowledge and tenacity. I don't appreciate you disrespecting people that have contributed so much to spreading our music. I agree that some people haven't been as helpful to the community as they could have been. Believe me, I know what it feels like to be personally dissed by the very people who are deemed as masters. I still won't stoop to the level of disrespecting them. They are still blazing a trail for us humble folk even if they are *******s.

Have a great day everyone! :v: :smile:

Re: Oh Did I Forget To Give You The 3rd Gift of Gifts?

God bless you darth. Why didn't you speak up before? You have the knowledge, why wouldn't you teach it sooner? Did you need me to set up the opportunity for you? That's why I use the approach that I use when engaging people here. It may seem like I'm cruel, judgmental, boastful, conceited, etc, etc., but in my experience, that's what people want. Its dramatic. Like when people tune in to watch the Jerry Springer Show on TV. Me, I could never watch more than 10 got dam seconds of that show, yet there are people that tune in to it daily like they really need it. These are the same type people that also still tune into to professional wrestling.

But do you notice how I never cuss or curse anyone down? I always try to avoid that unlike some on this discussion board. Never the less, it stirs up interest.

Thank you for that music theory breakdown. I will print it out to help me to farther my understanding. If you're an actual Cajun that can lay down music theory like you just did, then I must say, you are a very rare rarity.

Accordion players from time immoral have stolen, guarded, and kept their secrets in order to gain an advantage and gain the title of being better or being the best over another. The very nature of accordion contest show this to be true. I've witnessed it and fought against it all of my accordion playing years. Maybe its my personal nature, but I really hate that kind of thing. To me, if you learn something on the accordion, you share it with others and you share it for free, period. Otherwise, you're looking for an advantage, money, and glory, and not really being all that honest about your true purpose for playing that accordion. But alas, if we never had any showboat accordion players, we'd have no recordings to listen to now would we. It's another conundrum of elephantine proportions. LOL and thank you for undistorting my distortions.

Re: Oh Did I Forget To Give You The 3rd Gift of Gifts?

I'm what you'd probably consider a young Cajun(late 20s), and took music in school. I don't mind sharing anything that I know, I just need to be asked or feel it's helpful to speak up. I don't want to make anyone feel like I think I know it all, because I do not and do not feel that way. I'll regurgitate facts, when they are relevant to the conversation, and I'll even state my opinion, from time to time, but will make it clear that it's just my opinion. If there is something that I know, that I haven't shared yet, there is no thought-out reason for not sharing it. I just hadn't thought to say anything about it.

And anyways, I understand some musicians wanting to keep their secrets back in the day. Considering how small the market for Cajun music used to be, it makes sense that the better musicians would want to hang on to trade secrets, if it gave their music an edge on the competition. And like you said, thankfully they did because we wouldn't have the industry that we have today. The internet also helped the Cajun music industry quite a bit.

At the end of the day, some people do it for the love, some for the money. Both are fine in my opinion, and really, we need both for our music to live on.

And yea, you're right. Mostly everyone seems to like drama these days. The internet has also helped that quite a bit. But I'd like to think that this forum contains mostly the uncommon folks, that don't care for all that.

Have a great day everyone :v: :smile:

Re: Oh Did I Forget To Give You The 3rd Gift of Gifts?

I have a good feeling about you Darth. Only in your late 20's, a Cajun, a musician, and able to relate and participate, in depth I might add, to the historical conversations taking place in this here forum. You shall go a long way my friend.

Now, I think it is time that you start volunteering your own information more often and in a way that might get people's interest going. You know, so all your efforts and typing don't end up being for nuttin. I don't know what else there is to talk about at the moment beings that the Cajun accordion only has 10 buttons, except for Steven's 13 button freak box lol, but I'm sure different subjects will come up beings we have all these 6 different positions to explore now. We've covered so got dam much over the years in this forum. Whew! It has been one hell of a journey! Take the torch my friend:weary: ....I'm pretty tired..................

Re: discussion?

Hey Craig how did Creole Stomp turn out?

Re: discussion?

Jerry, did you realize that this "discussion" topic that you started is doing really well in such a short amount of time. 167 views at the time that I'm posting right now! Not too shabby. I think the all time most views was 600 some odd views for one of my rants. It may take a while, but this one may just go that high as the years go by. Especially if it ends up being the last topic I post in. Awesome Jerr!

Re: discussion?

**** you this isn't a popularity contest, go pull your accordion instead of your pud

Re: discussion?

JNightshade
Hey Craig how did Creole Stomp turn out?


How the heck I share youtube vid, I tried copying and past embeded code but it dont show up

Re: discussion?

Well between Saturday and Sunday I learned the first part but that as far as I got, hope Im playing it right sounds like it to me other than my timing may be off idk. Been a busy week between day job and working late in my shop but I have been playing a little bit each day of what I got down so far. Maybe this weekend I can move on the the next part. Yall let know if it sounds right














Re: discussion?

Craig, you're lookin' good and soundin' good! (Love dat Zebrawood)

I just had to re-learn this song to get in sync with my fiddler, and that's almost like starting over. Went with Chad Huval's version from the Huval Family Band video at Pont Breauxs.

It's a good song to build your chops on - you can make it as easy or as difficult as you like. Lache pas!

Re: discussion?

Merci! Ima have to check out Chad's video. Yea I like zebra wood. I have a custom on the next batch that's gonna be very similar but rosewood veneer on the endplates.

Re: discussion?

Aw yeah Craig! My goal while offshore is to learn Chere Alice. We need to jam at your shop when I come back in! Hell, even Greezy can come! Greezy, just pick up some gratons from Lougon's on ya way to Lacassine...my coozan Cru cooks up pretty good over-there!

Re: discussion?

Heck ya Wag, I've been wanting to have something in my shop.

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Keep going nobody is put on this earth knowing how to play. Well maybe the Ardoin family

Re: discussion?

Hey Craig, would that be an "E" accordion by chance? That would put your Creole
Stomp song in the key of "B" since you're playing it on the pull in the 5th. (E,f,g,a,B) I don't have an "E" accordion so I had a hard time following along with you. Until I grabbed my "D" accordion and started playing in it's "Mardi Gras Key"!! (D,e,f,g,a,B minor) Thanks man! I know now more than I knew before! Good job Mr. Vincent, you're doing well on one of the hardest pull songs ever created! It's that very first part that tends to get accordion players. They never can seem to make it sound like Aldus Roger could. That's because Aldus plays it "straight style" without the doubles reach to that pull on 3 and 7. Not reaching for them doubles, Aldus was able to hammer them quick little notes, thrills, and tricks all on just 3 or 4 keys and with the help of his awesome band, making the people and other accordion players think he was a King.


Oh, and heres another example of one of them "Gypsy Key" songs for you to ponder. John Trahan's "Indian Bayou Two Step". It is done on a "C" accordion in what seems like the key of "G", but with a fuel injected "E". If you ever get to learning how to play this supposed "G" song, you may find that you have a hard time playing your seconds with it at some parts of the song. They simply don't match. Well that's because the very rare and supposedly non existent 6th position is in play with all of them "E" Gypsy tones. I hope you have a "C" accordion Craig. Why in the heck did you choose to get that "E" accordion man?:sunglasses:

If you play along with the fiddle and the steel guitar ride, you may notice them Gypsy "E's" come into play even more. The HOLY GHOST sings. And it sings in 3 different places I was talking about on any key accordion. Push on buttons 1/4, 4/7, 7/10. I hope you and everybody else can grasp this concept.

Re: discussion?

Greezy McGill
Hey Craig, would that be an "E" accordion by chance? That would put your Creole
Stomp song in the key of "B" since you're playing it on the pull in the 5th. (E,f,g,a,B) I don't have an "E" accordion so I had a hard time following along with you. Until I grabbed my "D" accordion and started playing in it's "Mardi Gras Key"!! (D,e,f,g,a,B minor) Thanks man! I know now more than I knew before! Good job Mr. Vincent, you're doing well on one of the hardest pull songs ever created! It's that very first part that tends to get accordion players. They never can seem to make it sound like Aldus Roger could. That's because Aldus plays it "straight style" without the doubles reach to that pull on 3 and 7. Not reaching for them doubles, Aldus was able to hammer them quick little notes, thrills, and tricks all on just 3 or 4 keys and with the help of his awesome band, making the people and other accordion players think he was a King.


Oh, and heres another example of one of them "Gypsy Key" songs for you to ponder. John Trahan's "Indian Bayou Two Step". It is done on a "C" accordion in what seems like the key of "G", but with a fuel injected "E". If you ever get to learning how to play this supposed "G" song, you may find that you have a hard time playing your seconds with it at some parts of the song. They simply don't match. Well that's because the very rare and supposedly non existent 6th position is in play with all of them "E" Gypsy tones. I hope you have a "C" accordion Craig. Why in the heck did you choose to get that "E" accordion man?:sunglasses:

If you play along with the fiddle and the steel guitar ride, you may notice them Gypsy "E's" come into play even more. The HOLY GHOST sings. And it sings in 3 different places I was talking about on any key accordion. Push on buttons 1/4, 4/7, 7/10. I hope you and everybody else can grasp this concept.
Yes sir Greezy that is an E, idk I just love the sound of an E so I made that one. I like that Aldus version. Yea I have a C,D,E and by this summer I should be finish with my C#.
If I get the song down well enough that i think it may help someone else I will post it and play it on my C, I didnt think about that the first time.
Merci!

Re: discussion?

Well jesus cripes! That's a dam good job on building your own accordions! That talent is way beyond my reach. You're going to go places Craig. I have a good feeling about you. And with a last name like that, I'm pretty sure you live just down the road from me. LOL

Re: discussion?

Greezy, I already invited you to come hang out and jam with Craig and I, we're over in the Welsh/Lacassine area.

Re: discussion?

D-wag, We planned to meet at the Lake Arthur Bar. I aint forgot about that. I'm just letting time go by so's you won't associate me with Greezy McGill when I do finally walk up to yall and say, "Hey, mind if I just sit and watch for a while?" I won't bring my accordion the first time. I don't want to scare the people. LOL

Re: discussion?

Greezy, they only had the jam that one time at LA Bar, it didn't take, I guess. I've been pestering Craig about having jams in his accordion-building shop in Ardoin Cove (Southwest of Welsh, East of Lacassine). Craig and I are both originally from Lake Arthur. In fact, our grandparents were neighbors, and we've been friends since we were toddlers. Anyway, we're both always busy with work and family, but one of these days we'll get it together, haha!

Re: discussion?

Decided to learn the Amede Two-Step for the 3 weeks that I'm offshore...Here's my attempt at the first part:











Re: discussion?

Craig - great effort and great accordion. Took me a while to work out 'E' though. One thing, toward the end when you pull six and ten and then pull the eight my ears prefer the pull on the seven.

Re: discussion?

Don't do it D-wag! That's the devil's song! It is a combination of songs done by Amede Ardoin that inspired Marc Savoy's Amede Two Step. For you and everyone else to understand that, all you need to do it make an attempt to learn Amede Ardoin's recordings. Before long, you will start to recognize which songs Marc Savoy created the Amede Two Step from. Yes, it is catchy and impressive when done full on and at speed, but there's more behind that song than meets the eye, ear, and mind. It is most definitely a "show boat" song for everyone else but Marc Savoy. That's the reason that we didn't play that song at the Savoy Music Center during them Saturday morning jam sessions. Most couldn't do it, but for those of us who knew how to play it and play it well, we would choose not to play it. It was one of the unspoken rules and taboo songs of that particular jam.

Learn it if you want to, but there are so many other songs that you could learn that will actually teach you something on that accordion.

The Amede has a way of teaching you the opposite of good on that accordion. LOL, it happened to be the second two step that I learned and learned very well. Little did I know what I was getting myself into by chasing Marc Savoy's Amede Two Step. It elevated my reputation too quickly. People would always ask me to play it and their opinion and my own opinion of my playing got blown up out of proportion compared to my actual abilities. Before long, my head exploded, lol. Not very funny, take it from me. It is very much indeed a "show boat" song.

If you want to learn it in the good way, learn this version. It is in no way related to Marc Savoy's version except by name. You'll need a "D" accordion though. Hey, you'll even get to learn part of "Madeline" while you're at it.


Whatever songs an accordion player hears and chooses to learn will actually shape his understanding and abilities on that accordion and his perceptions of the Cajun music for most of his playing years. Certain songs will show you certain secrets about your accordion and the music. While other songs will show you virtually nothing special at all and busy you with wasted efforts! Choose carefully my friend. Choose carefully.

Re: discussion?

Look who else I found that knew about the 6th position or key and sure didn't mention a word about it on the discussion board. The key of E minor on this "C" accordion. 6 got dam years ago he knew. How do I know he knew? Well, in addition to playing on the push buttons 4 and 7(the middle E minor), he's also playing that top most E minor. Buttons 1 and 4 on the push. You don't play those buttons unless you absolutely know about The Holy Ghost Key.

Chris Miller playing "Bon Soir Moreau" with fuel injected E's. The Melancholy Key.


Man this 6 positions conspiracy goes deeper than a crawfish for a cold cold winter! He go DEEP DEEP!

Re: discussion?

Gosh Dam Jerry! 300 views and counting! Woo Hoo! This could go all the wayyy!

Re: discussion?

A song for you Holy Greezy:

On nous cache tout, on nous dit rien
Plus on apprend plus on ne sait rien
On nous informe vraiment sur rien...

:smiling_imp:

Re: discussion?

Christian.....Pas Rien! My Grandmother used to scream that phrase back at my Grandfather when he was trying to coax her into telling him what was wrong with her. LOL She'd scream, "Pas Rien!" translated "Nothing!" And he was supposed to shut up after she yelled this at him. We all were supposed to shut up and go play outside by the mulberry tree when she did that. Do you understand what I'm saying now? You'll have to read between the lines (as always) to get it.

Here you go D-wag. Do you want to learn a song? A song that will teach you more than most people expect it would because they don't have the "ear" like Cajuns do? A song that will familiarize you with so many turns, runs, and reels of the Cajun Repertoir? A "Bad Ass**" song like no other?

Well here you go. But you'll need that "D" accordion. Good Luck. Force yourself to listen to it, especially the second half of the song, or you'll be doing yourself a great injustice.

Re: discussion?

What a horrible grandmother, Greezy! You must have suffered a lot! I would have hated her.

Re: discussion?

LOL, she was stern. But under her care, I never suffered one iota of strife nor fear. She protected us with all her might. But we sure as hell knew to never curse or misbehave in her presence. A true old fashioned German Cajun woman. She had to learn English with her children (my mother, aunts, and uncles) that were getting beaten and shamed in public school for speaking the only language they knew, Cajun French. She learned English with them in order to protect them from their teachers. Not so horrible when you think about it.

She would give my Grandfather hell because he often acted the fool with the grand children and letting us do crazy stuff like drive trucks and such at the ripe old age of 4 or so. There is an account of him letting two of his sons take a truck to the neighbors. One drove the stirring wheel, the other was on the floor pushing the gas and the brake. They were 5 and 6. LOL, so yeah, she would get pretty mad at him sometimes. The volume of her voice was set to German standards. So when she was angry and said the words "pas rien!" in a very loud tone, we all knew the dynamite had been lit! Get the hell out of dodge and go to the mulberry tree for a few hours. Ahhhhhh Life! Did I over share? LOL Was that too much?

Re: discussion?

Chris Miller once typed these words in the description of his video where he plays his version of the Mardi Gras song:

And I quote...
" This traditional tune is a bit odd for Cajun accordion repertoire because it is in A minor. When I first heard this tune in my youth, it was never with a band...it was with solo accordion and/or voice. I provide a bit of stomping hear, there is usually a lot of that on the "Courir de Mardi Gras!" I always thought it had an odd sort of appeal--a quirky, haunting character...guess that really fits for Mardi Gras!"

So, I Greezy McGill decide to look up the definition of "quirky". How in the hell did Mr. Miller know to use the word "quirky", and why did he use that particular word to describe the Cajun Mardi Gras song? I heard he was a school teacher?

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quirky - characterized by peculiar or unexpected traits (eccentric, idiosyncratic, unconventional, unorthodox, unusual, off-center, strange, bizarre, weird, peculiar, odd, freakish, outlandish, offbeat, out of the ordinary, Bohemian, alternative, zany;)

Something or someone that is strange/not normal, but cool like Greezy McGill
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LOL, you folks have a great spring and summer. Continue your discoveries on the Cajun accordion. Remember that the pursuit of mastery of the Cajun accordion can be addictive and time consuming, taking you away from family and friends and everyday activities and task. That's because Cajun accordion playing can be and usually is for me at least, "an escape" from the realities and responsibilities of modern times and society. It is like a "Rubics Cube" that makes more and more progressively beautiful sounds every time you turn its rows in the correct direction and get closer and closer to solving the puzzle. Thus, in the end, satisfying our mind's seemingly endless need to find, recognize, and master previously unseen or unnoticed patterns. The recognition of patterns and eventually the ability to apply those patterns to life will usually, but not always, bring about the much sought after good and satisfying feeling of "peace of mind".

Will the world still want to hear Cajun accordion when we finally discover every known and unknown pattern of the Cajun accordion and Cajun music? No, the world won't, but a few people here and there spread throughout the world will. And we will die and be made into legends (or forgotten) by new generations that come after us. But in the end, it is the music, the culture, the legends, and the common lone musician seeking to fit into a world that would reject him or her that keeps it going.

Jerray!!! Over 350 views and counting! See if you can find my message in this song.
"D" accordion key of "D" on the push.
Or, if you're really brave
"C" accordion key of "D" Blues Key.



Jamey Hall's most excellent Cajun Accordion Music Theory

Brett's all new Cajun Accordion Music Theory for all keys!

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