Accordion for Church Services

[pentaprism]

I know the general rule is to avoid religion and politics but I'd like to violate it, hehehe, oops, in this season, it has to be hohoho....

Do any of you play accordion for the choir (or solo) during church services? I'm just curious. I've seen many instruments in church, but never an accordion.

 

[smdc66]

No, but I know of a man who does :!:

 

[Glenn]

Ive certainly played in a church a few times but only in concerts, not religious music at a service.
By the way, the acoustics sound great in a church.

 

[george garside]

the accordion lends itself well the church music, hymns, carols etc and bass & counterbass can be simultaneously prodded to imitate an organ!

same goes for the humble melodeon and there is a CD 'Jimmy Shand plays his favourite hymns'' currently available from various outlets and on ebay at £11.95
I think its mainly on a hohner Erica

george

 

[Jim the box]

I have played many Ceilidhs in churches and the acoustics are what you might call interesting :hb

Seriously, unamplified or with little amplification and little background noise the accordion sounds fantastic in a large vaulted ceiling church.

After all it's not too dissimilar to an organ is it :?:

 

[Glenn]

After all its not too dissimilar to an organ is it :?:

Can hardly tell the difference Jim

 

[JIM D.]

Here in the US the Roland models 3x , 7x , and 8x using the organ sets are appearing more and more in small church settings.

 

[Dreamer]

I a find that not many churches appreciate the accordion in their music and use mostly electronic keyboards, piano, or electric guitars.
However, recently I was asked to play German Christmas Carols for a group, had my daughter accompany the music with guitar, and the folks just loved it. The amazing thing is an accordion usually does not need amplification, and it's sound carries very well, especially for sing along. I loved the opportunity.
Erica

 

[pentaprism]

The amazing thing is an accordion usually does not need amplification, and its sound carries very well....

Whenever I play accordion with my wife (piano), no matter how soft I play, she always complains that the accordion drowns out the piano. She cant even hear what shes playing!

I think that an acoustic accordion would sound very nice in a church. Unfortunately, Ive never had a chance to hear that. When I was a little kid, my dad played a foot-pumped harmonium for a church choir. To this day, I can still hear the squeaky sound of the pump pedal. I dont think the sound is different from that from an accordion. A priest in that church was himself a famous composer. He played the harmonium too. The priest had an accordion. I saw him playing a few times but never during church services.

When an old friend learned that I was picking up accordion, he sent me a cartoon.

On one drawing: Welcome to Heaven! Heres your harp.
On the other drawing: Welcome to Hell! Heres an accordion for your roommate!

 

[Kapellmeister]

I've played at ground-breaking services and outdoor Easter "sunrise" services where it was so cold my fingers could hardly move! {}

 

[Glenn]

Ive played at ground-breaking services and outdoor Easter sunrise services where it was so cold my fingers could hardly move! {}

Such low temperatures doesnt sound good news for the accordion.

 

[Kapellmeister]

Ive played at ground-breaking services and outdoor Easter sunrise services where it was so cold my fingers could hardly move! {}

Such low temperatures doesnt sound good news for the accordion. [/quote]

I dont suppose that it was the best thing for the box but fortunately, I never noticed any ill effects after those times.

 

[lasvegascolonel]

I'm not surprised by what Jim D. said regarding the top line Rolands. When you here the demos of the organ or piano/voices, it's quite amazing. I know if someone brought in one of those, and could play those classic religious songs as the Roland demo shows, they'd be most welcome. I suspect half of my church musicians' group could be eliminated with just Roland FR8X...no polkas...just organ or piano classics.

 

[goldtopia]

Hymns are very easy to play. You would need to amplify the accordion or play in front of a mike. So you would also need speakers. You would need to start with a short introduction or chord otherwise the congregation would start off in a different key and once the racket starts its difficult to change key. Maybe thats why Church organs are so loud.

 

[kimric]

I would find an accordion with the LMH reed setup a tone chamber on the low reed would be a plus, and hand made /finished reeds.
The LH reed combo is really nice for hymns.
I have a lot of Koreans in the area around my shop, and they use accordion in services.

Kimric

 

[Kapellmeister]

...otherwise the congregation would start off in a different key and once the racket starts its difficult to change key.

Doesnt that qualify as making a joyful noise unto the Lord?

 

[kimric]

I suspect that would vary with the respective Lords taste in music.

 

[Guernseyman]

I use my 72 bass all the time in church services but mostly when kids are present!
Paul Hutchinson has some vids playing in churches where the acoustics are wonderful. He calls it British Aisles! He is also a thoroughly nice chap!
Paul Hutchinson - secret accordionist
http://www.secretaccordionist.co.uk/
The accordion is also widely used in the Iona musical tradition where there are quite a few lilting Scottish melodies!