Any book recommendations for a beginner? (PA)

[Pippa]

As I am not currently in a position to get lessons, I'd be very interested to hear anyone's book recommendations! I am a beginner piano-accordionist, although I am a pianist so have fairly good music theory knowledge already.

I have got "The MIGHTY Accordion - The Complete Guide to Mastering Left-Hand/Bass Chord Patterns", which I think is great. I would love to get another book that's more of a general introduction to the instrument and what can be done with it.

Thanks in advance

 

[Glenn]

Hi Pippa,
I sat in the same position as you for the first year and bought a few (mainly German) books but the big improvement came with a teacher.
I could recommend the books she uses but to be honest I think they only work with a teacher behind you.

 

[jarvo]

Why,does she poke you with a stick if you do not read it properly......?

Oh bugger....I could end up being in trouble before I get started....................

 

[Glenn]

Hi Jarvo,

It's the guilt trip. You feel so guilty if you haven't practiced so that's the stick (even if it's only in my own head)

 

[Pippa]

Hahaha, I agree, it's really good motivation having a teacher. When I was a teenager I was really badly behaved in school and had a reputation for never doing any homework. But I loved my piano teacher so much that I couldn't stand the thought of seeing the look on her face when I hadn't done anything, so I worked doubly hard - I loved the piano of course, but a big part of it was that I didn't want to disappoint my teacher! I wanted to be just as good as she believed I could be.

 

[jarvo]

Hahaha, I agree, its really good motivation having a teacher. When I was a teenager I was really badly behaved in school and had a reputation for never doing any homework. But I loved my piano teacher so much that I couldnt stand the thought of seeing the look on her face when I hadnt done anything, so I worked doubly hard - I loved the piano of course, but a big part of it was that I didnt want to disappoint my teacher! I wanted to be just as good as she believed I could be.

Which is why I would not have a teacher......I could not bear the failure! ......perhaps I should try harder....

But srsly .......I find the books that I have got a bit disappointingly old fashioned and well, a little naff, Palmer and Hughes
tutors spend so much time faffing about telling me which finger was which that I got a bit manky with em........then there are the dictatorial method books, Thou shalt do it this way and no other...........

I suppose that,like Pippa,because I came to the accordion via other instruments and have a basic understanding of music, in as much as I can read the notes and the little messages rests ,ties etc that I could jump in at the deep end ....and I have suffered for it as well......my learning and refinement came from listening to and reading the posts,audio,film (vids etc) and written advice on AccordionForum,surprisingly even George Garsides quips and scornful comments about players goaded me into trying to play quieter.....with the result that I am finally developing a little bellows control .

I bought The Mighty Accordion ,completely ignored the admonition not to use 3/2 but only 4/3/2 and looked at the bass patterns........useful tool as a reference work but not I feel as a tutor............

I will not knock tuition,there are some excellent skill pointers and traits to be learned out there.....but sometimes I think that they can stifle the creativity if you want to just try something differentl.....to each their own I think......anyway I have banged on enough.....I like these forums as a sort of virtual woodshed.........where you pass on tips and licks and styles and riffs to each other......to all ,keep on keeping on squeezing.


What was the point of this :? .....oh yes :mrgreen: The Mighty Accordion is the most useful book that I have found to date :mrgreen:

 

[JIM D.]

Hi Pippa; You might check out the www.bussomusic.com site for their accordion music catalog. There are many selections listed and if you have a ? about any of the selections give me a shout and Ill be glad to advise you on their content. JIM D.

 

[Corinto]

Very interesting link, Jim, thank you.

 

[Corinto]

As a newbie I'm not the one to recommend any book, so I'll list the books I'm using. Prefer books that come with a cd so I can play along speeding up at my own pace. For the Palmer-Hughes books most tunes till now are on youtube. First I play very slowly and then I play along at 60% speed and up to full speed if I can. The Eurico Cebolo cd plays at medium speed so I go to play along up to 120-130 % speed.

Books:
- Palmer-Huhges Accordion Course 1, 2 and 3. (no cd - I'm now halfway book 1).
- Eurico A. Cebolo - Acordeão Mágico 1 (in portuguese, french and english - I'm now at page 24).
- Karen Tweed - The Piano Accordion Absolute Beginners.
- Accordion Method - Frank Zucco (no cd).

 

[jarvo]

Soundproofing D.I.Y.Manuals ?! :lol:

 

[Glenn]

<OFFTOPIC>[offtopic]My neighbours have 5 kids so I am happy to give as good as I get.
Actually, they say they quite like hearing it. Says something for the sound insulation of my house.[/offtopic]</OFFTOPIC>

 

[jarvo]

Whoops I forgot I had posted that.....quick back on topic ......or else ! :evil:

 

[Matt Butcher]

I have heard good things about Florence Glorion's book for C system CBA, apparently you need to work through it in order and practice hard at it! I think you get it on line but I don't know what it costs or if it is all in French (probably as she is French.)

 

[mjh]

Matt, she's currently translating it, 8 of the 34 chapters are done so far. Not sure when it's supposed to be finished. The translation, and the whole online support area, is available with a password mailed along with the book. I have to say I like her method so far, just hoping I like it as much when the going gets tough!

 

[Matt Butcher]

Apologies, just noticed the original post is about piano accordion, so a CBA book isn't going to be a lot of help.

But thanks very much for the update on the Florence Glorion book, very interesting. I like her playing too, very musical, no showing off. (Showing off has its place too, it's all good)

 

[mjh]

Oh aye, her way of playing is much to my liking too, and that of the other Florence.

 

[Soulsaver]

Soundproofing D.I.Y.Manuals ?! :lol:

Good one....:tup:

 

[Soulsaver]

Some still recommend the Sedlon Method stuff - proven for generations of accordion players.
My teacher isn't keen about the way they dont show fully noted bass chords...
But he has different issues with Palmer Hughes (too basic, poor value).

 

[grannykins]

I have 'The Complete Piano Accordion Tutor' by Ivor Benyon. Found it better than some of the others I looked at as he doesnt do much of the ' This note is C, and this is a crotchet' type of thing. Worth a look. I have had a few lessons too and found them invaluable - I was holding the box wrongly and moving the bellows at inapropriate times. I also have The Mighty Accordion.
At the moment I have drifted a little and just having a go at stuff I want to play. Found both books good for a beginner at accordion with previous musical knowledge.

 

[Anyanka]

Grannykins, I started with the Ivor Benyon too, but didn't like it at all - I wasn't too keen on his choice of tunes, and stopped using the book altogether when I got to his version of Brahms' lullaby which was in an unnecessary key (G maj, I think, much harder fingering than the version in F which I'd played on the piano; and not as pretty).

My first accordion teacher lent me a few old beginners' books by John Leslie which had some good exercises for bellows control. Again, most of the tunes didn't appeal to me. It's especially important for beginners to practise melodies that they like, so that playing is as enjoyable as possible and doesn't become a chore. I think Karen Tweed's book would have suited me, as I'm happiest with folky tunes.