B. S. ______________ below bass clef

[Chrisrayner]

I am trying to learn a couple of French pieces. Both are from ‘Accordéon Facile’ Vol 3 published by Paul Beuscher, ‘Plaisir d’Amour’, and ‘Le Petit Bal de la Marine.’ Each has a musical marking below some of the bass clef bars. B.S. followed by short dashes, not underlines, but at the same level, terminated with a | like character, only divided into two vertical dashes. I’ve tried to discover what this means without success. Anyone care to enlighten me?

 

[Glug]

B.S. is "bass solo": http://www.zisman.ca/squeezebox/About Accordion Bass Notation.pdf


So for example that F at bar 2 is not a chord.

 

[JeffJetton]

And in case anyone's asking why they wouldn't just write the F in Glug's example one octave lower--which in fact they do for the last note...

Well you certainly could, but then the notation won't always properly convey the character of how that bass part is supposed to sound. The idea behind that ending riff is definitely a series of all-descending notes (even though you really play the first and last note with the same button): Octave-fifth-third-root.

And often the sight-reading is a lot easier when the notes "look like" the true path/contour of the bass melody, without the disjointed jumps that standard bass notation might introduce.

Plus you can play the notation on piano and it still comes out right.

(I also use that indication as a sign that there might be some tricky left-hand stuff coming up, and I should be prepared to B.S. my way through it...)

 

[Zevy]

B.S. is "bass solo": http://www.zisman.ca/squeezebox/About Accordion Bass Notation.pdf


So for example that F at bar 2 is not a chord.

B.S. = Bass Solo. Play bass noted only with no chords. It's meant to simplify things, but it confuses some players.

 

[Chrisrayner]

Thanks all. I particularly like the scanned image of a dog eared faded page in Glug’s link. Lovely.

Well, as the notes are written to signify single notes rather than chords this is how I’ve been playing them, so no change there. Of course, with a standard stradella bass it is difficult, if not impossible to play any note and its octave. Perhaps I’d best investigate free bass, then again, perhaps not.

 

[Zevy]

Thanks all. I particularly like the scanned image of a dog eared faded page in Glug’s link. Lovely.

Well, as the notes are written to signify single notes rather than chords this is how I’ve been playing them, so no change there. Of course, with a standard stradella bass it is difficult, if not impossible to play any note and its octave. Perhaps I’d best investigate free bass, then again, perhaps not.

You're welcome. Free bass? Perhaps in a different lifetime...

 

[Glug]

I'm fairly sure it's not supposed to be free bass.
The flow of the music makes it sounds like it's the correct pitch even if Stradella means it isn't actualally.

 

[JerryPH]

I'm fairly sure it's not supposed to be free bass.
The flow of the music makes it sounds like it's the correct pitch even if Stradella means it isn't actualally.

I've seen similar many dozens of times, and no its NOT meant as a free bass notation, Jeff hit it spot on.
That said... the acronym "BS" always held a different meaning for me... LOLOL

 

[Zevy]

That said... the acronym "BS" always held a different meaning for me... LOLOL

The rules created by the "AAA" were made a little bit before the "other" meaning was in vogue. See the attached document from 1938!

 

[JerryPH]

The rules created by the "AAA" were made a little bit before the "other" meaning was in vogue. See the attached document from 1938!

I'm sorry Zevy, I'm fairly certain there were bulls around before 1938, hence...

 

[Walker]

@Zevy you don't really need free bass when you have the bass switch octave options on the AM1100. It's really great. Anthony Galla-Rini made wonderful use of the octave switches on his AM1100 too.

Regarding free bass, you could manage quint converter with ease. For the American accordionist it's not essential, it's quintessential. Sorry, bad joke. I'll go now.

 

[Zevy]

@Zevy you don't really need free bass when you have the bass switch octave options on the AM1100. It's really great. Anthony Galla-Rini made wonderful use of the octave switches on his AM1100 too.

I know about Anthony Galla-Rini's bass switch tutorial and his demonstrations on the AM-1100. However, it should be noted that his AM-1100 had a customized layout of the switches that made it easier to accomplish. I found that out the hard way because when I got my AM-1100, I used his chart to try to emulate the ascending and descending bass lines, but it didn't work. Then the Petosa people sent me the 'real" chart for the bass switch layout. Then it all made sense.

Regarding free bass, you could manage quint converter with ease. For the American accordionist it's not essential, it's quintessential. Sorry, bad joke. I'll go now.

Ha ha ha