Accordion Superstitions (or just thoughtful patterns)?

[rauschmeier]

How many of you have a rituals or patterns when you play (or before you play)? Do you like to set up in the same spot with the same lighting? Do you always pick up the accordion with the left hand first? Do you unstrap the bellows before or after putting on the backstraps?

Or have you developed any other habits that may have served one purpose that now serve another? For example, at least since the start of the pandemic, I now always wash my hands, put on some sanitizer, and dry thoroughly before hitting the first note. Has nothing to do with health per se, but it just gets me ready and keeps all my buttons clean!

How about you?

 

[murathan]

I wash my hands too always. I also have a habit of "leave clean, take clean" so I wipe the accordion after practice if necessary. It always stays clean there. I also put a cloth between my left knee and accordion. Not much people does that. It makes anti-slip and balance on my models (Hohner Amica and Bravo).

 

[Ventura]

"this is a test, this is only a test of the
(insert name of venue) broadcasting system"

my most common "ritual" was simply to run the MIDI for
"Orange Colored Sky" and walk around the room
singing through my wireless mic so i could gauge the sound
dispersion throughout the room and make speaker placement
or tone adjustments as necessary

on a gig where i intended to stroll a good part of the night,
i would do one instrumental with the Accordion as well to
check for signal dropouts and volume level around the perimeter
and up an aisle or two, again with a MIDI running like Green Dolphin street

being ready x 3, whatever that takes, that's all i care about before the gig starts

 

[Ignacchitti]

I am not superstitious, I am just a little stitious.

 

[JKJ]

… always wash my hands …

Not a ritual but for a reason: when playing piano for recitals, weddings, specials at church and such, I liked to soak my hands in hot water for a few minutes (right before playing if possible). This relaxed my hands and made them feel more flexible.

I am not superstitious, I am just a little stitious.

Hey, I liked that one! I might have to borrow it.

JKJ

 

[dak]

I wash my hands too always. I also have a habit of "leave clean, take clean" so I wipe the accordion after practice if necessary.

Cleaning sticky/greasy buttons is a real chore, and particularly patterned buttons are not easy to get clean. It doesn't help that they easily get depressed. And any residues of whatever you use for cleaning them may continue to stick around.

Washing hands is by far the least cumbersome solution.

 

[murathan]

Cleaning sticky/greasy buttons is a real chore, and particularly patterned buttons are not easy to get clean. It doesn't help that they easily get depressed. And any residues of whatever you use for cleaning them may continue to stick around.

Washing hands is by far the least cumbersome solution.

I use only damp fiber kitchen towel. No residues naturally. I pass with damp then with another dry towel.

 

[debra]

Not a ritual but more or less a necessity: before I play, with a convertor accordion, I always press the convertor switch at least once (and twice if I wish it to return to what I think it was before). This ensures that the bass mechanism is not in a "limbo" state between Stradella and melody bass which may cause the mechanism to freeze up.
The other thing I sometimes do (but not as a ritual) is to open and close the bellows. Should some of the bellows folds stick together, this unsticks them for the whole session.

 

[RTW]

As to washing ones hands, as a good habit before playing the accordion, it would be advisable to clean ones cell phone daily to avoid cross contamination, Haha

Regards,
RTW

 

[Tom]

Hmmm, I put on the back strap before unsnapping the bellows. One of these days I should clean my accordion I suppose. I generally cue up an old Italian movie with the captions on and sound off while doing repetitious practice like memorizing tunes. At a gig I always play Amore Mio non Piangere as my warm up.

 

[Tom]

As to washing ones hands, as a good habit before playing the accordion, it would be advisable to clean ones cell phone daily to avoid cross contamination, Haha

Regards,
RTW

Especially with a Roland or other digital. You don’t want your polkas infected by dubstep or reggaeton.

 

[dak]

As to washing ones hands, as a good habit before playing the accordion, it would be advisable to clean ones cell phone daily to avoid cross contamination, Haha

Especially with a Roland or other digital. You don’t want your polkas infected by dubstep or reggaeton.

Remind me to never touch your cellphone.

 

[RTW]

As to washing ones hands, as a good habit before playing the accordion, it would be advisable to clean ones cell phone daily to avoid cross contamination, Haha

Especially with a Roland or other digital. You don’t want your polkas infected by dubstep or reggaeton.

Remind me to never touch your cellphone.

BY RTW: Remind me to never touch your Roland.

 

[Tom]

Well, I do wash my hands, but can’t vouch for the cell phone as I do go to “those sites” with the beautiful naked accordions……

 

[noelekal]

I always end my practice sessions by playing "12th Street Rag" with embellishments I heard my grandmother play when I was a kid.

 

[JerryPH]

I sincerely have nothing that I can add... lol
My hands are washed several times a day (mornings, after meals, after working, etc...). My accordions get good cleanings at least 2 times a month, get quick dustings once a week and are generally covered with a plastic cover when not in use.

Oh wait... its not a superstition, but when I put on my Gola or Morino as I am giving it 1-2 full bellows pulls to air it out, I breathe in that wonderful wood smell that comes out... but that's more an idiosyncrasy than superstition.

 

[debra]

...

Oh wait... its not a superstition, but when I put on my Gola or Morino as I am giving it 1-2 full bellows pulls to air it out, I breathe in that wonderful wood smell that comes out... but that's more an idiosyncrasy than superstition.

Many people do that (bellows open and close) because some bellows folds stick together. (It's a result of bad application of glue when bellows tape was renewed, and very hard to fix afterwards. I was recently gifted an Atlantic IV de luxe with this problem, and I know where it was last "restored" so I know another repair shop to avoid... but I guess I already knew that one.)

 

[JerryPH]

I learned a little about bellows taping. Do NOT use the ones that have the glue integrated on them, instead use the glue less ones and apply a glue that dries completely and does NOT stick after drying. Sticking bellows solved. Don’t ask me what the glue used was, I forgot to ask that… lol

 

[dak]

I learned a little about bellows taping. Do NOT use the ones that have the glue integrated on them, instead use the glue less ones and apply a glue that dries completely and does NOT stick after drying. Sticking bellows solved. Don’t ask me what the glue used was, I forgot to ask that… lol

Traditional would be hide glue, less traditional white glue (used as wood glue).

 

[jozz]

after setup, I always move around my pedalboard to the 'best' spot - only to find it was already at the best spot the first place, so I need to readjust it after song 1