vivdunstan: A red chromatic button accordion (CBA)
2024-01-21 03:40 pm

Musette tune progress

I told my Mum I'd learn a brand new accordion tune for her on my wee French chromatic button accordion, and play it for her when I see her around her birthday time. One I haven't learned before on any accordion. I picked a French musette standard, and when I told her on the phone which one I'd picked she sang the start of the tune to me. So well that was a good choice! Anyway had my second good go at it today. I picked a rather ambitious arrangement, that would be a challenge even on a piano accordion I've played for approaching 50 years. Never mind a chromatic button accordion (where a button grid replaces the piano keyboard portion) that I've only been learning for 7 months. But I can build it up slowly. And already on go two I am playing most of it pretty much through, at speed. Including the gorgeous middle run sequence of 3-note harmonies on the right side. I am still learning where the notes are on that right hand mass of anonymous black buttons. Especially on the upper octaves. But learning another tune like this is a good challenge for me. I am managing to find the right buttons ok and just working out on the fly the fingers to use. Unlike some beginning chromatic button accordionists I don't want to write down the fingers I use for each note on the sheet music, and prefer to feel my way through. Anyway going good! And I have a couple of months to polish it. I will not be uploading any recording of it anywhere before I've played it for Mum in person.
vivdunstan: A red chromatic button accordion (CBA)
2024-01-03 12:48 pm

Sous Le Ciel De Paris

When I saw my Mum the other day I played her a tune on my French chromatic button accordion. My choice of tune was Sunrise Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof. Including up to 3-note right hand harmonies. And played without reference to sheet music. This is a stage I never thought I'd be at so soon with this totally different accordion system (I am a long term piano accordionist, but had never played chromatic button accordion before mine arrived from France in June). I said I'd play her a different tune on it next time I'm down there. And I've now picked it. Sous Le Ciel De Paris, a classic French musette piece. I haven't played it properly on accordion before, but I did have a fun go by ear straight after unpacking my wee French squeezebox. I have a nice sheet music version, in a kinder different key, so will learn that for Mum. But without all the fancy twiddles. I do not promise to play this one without sheet music!