Bass fingering

[BoneTone]

Hello,

Just bought an accordion and trying to play some simple tunes and would like some advice on the bass fingering.

The A-section of the tune goes A, D, C, E (repeat)
At the moment I'm using this fingering - A (2) D (4) C (5) E (5 counterbass)

I'm finding this a bit tricky and sometimes as a result I'm hitting more than one bass button when i'm trying to play the E on the counterbass row with my little finger.

I've had some success just sliding my middle finger up and down the notes and using the 4th finger for the E on the counterbass but I don't want to get into bad habits from the get-go...

How would a proper accordionist play it?

Cheers

 

[debra]

Hello,

Just bought an accordion and trying to play some simple tunes and would like some advice on the bass fingering.

The A-section of the tune goes A, D, C, E (repeat)
At the moment Im using this fingering - A (2) D (4) C (5) E (5 counterbass)
...
How would a proper accordionist play it?
...

I dont consider myself a proper accordionist yet (less than 50 years experience, probably not enough) but I see three ways of doing this depending on what else you need to play:
A (4 counterbass) D (5 counterbass) C (2) E (3 counterbass) or
A (5 counterbass) D (2) C (3) E (4 counterbass) or
A (2) D (3) C (4) E (5 counterbass)
Other possibilities exist like A (3) D (4) C (5) E (2)... it all depends on what you like. But two different basses in sequence with the same finger is not the greatest idea.

 

[Geronimo]

Hello,

Just bought an accordion and trying to play some simple tunes and would like some advice on the bass fingering.

The A-section of the tune goes A, D, C, E (repeat)
At the moment Im using this fingering - A (2) D (4) C (5) E (5 counterbass)
...
How would a proper accordionist play it?
...

I dont consider myself a proper accordionist yet (less than 50 years experience, probably not enough) but I see three ways of doing this depending on what else you need to play:
A (4 counterbass) D (5 counterbass) C (2) E (3 counterbass) or
A (5 counterbass) D (2) C (3) E (4 counterbass) or
A (2) D (3) C (4) E (5 counterbass)
Other possibilities exist like A (3) D (4) C (5) E (2)... it all depends on what you like. But two different basses in sequence with the same finger is not the greatest idea.

Just to add even more confusion: there is absolutely no requirement to use the same fingering for each occurence of a repeated passage. Repeated patterns provide a convenient opportunity for rearranging fingers in order to accommodate both arrival and departure fingering requirements. Dont be caught on the wrong finger when you had several bars of time for rearranging your fingers in advance.

 

[BoneTone]

Thanks Debra - those fingerings didn't occur to me at all! I'll give them a go and see what sits the nicest.

Geronimo - yes the bridge has some tricky jumps so may end up using a couple of variations but I'll cross that erm... bridge when i get to it.

Cheers all

 

[Zevy]

A (3) D (4) C (5) E (2)... it all depends on what you like. But two different basses in sequence with the same finger is not the greatest idea.

This set of fingering as well as the idea of being consistent with fingerings has my vote. :tup:

Just to add even more confusion: there is absolutely no requirement to use the same fingering for each occurence of a repeated passage. Repeated patterns provide a convenient opportunity for rearranging fingers in order to accommodate both arrival and departure fingering requirements. Dont be caught on the wrong finger when you had several bars of time for rearranging your fingers in advance.

Geronimo: There is definitely no requirement, but being that the music and the instrument a both quite a task to master, I learned from my teacher to keep the fingerings the same. That way there is less to worry about once you learn the tune and, of course, practice.

 

[Geronimo]

Just to add even more confusion: there is absolutely no requirement to use the same fingering for each occurence of a repeated passage. Repeated patterns provide a convenient opportunity for rearranging fingers in order to accommodate both arrival and departure fingering requirements. Dont be caught on the wrong finger when you had several bars of time for rearranging your fingers in advance.

Geronimo: There is definitely no requirement, but being that the music and the instrument a both quite a task to master, I learned from my teacher to keep the fingerings the same. That way there is less to worry about once you learn the tune and, of course, practice.

So if you have the same note repeated several times, youll use the same finger every time? And finger substitution is forbidden altogether?

Those principles will come at a price. Less to worry about is only helpful as long as the remaining worry isnt this doesnt work at all.

Try Paul De Bras Turks Fruit arrangement at some point of time. Fixed finger assignments will not even get you through the first dozen bars.

 

[Zevy]

So if you have the same note repeated several times, youll use the same finger every time? And finger substitution is forbidden altogether?

Of course one has to change fingers on a repeated note. I am referring to a phrase or any group of notes that recur in the given piece. Its worth being consistent even if it will be a bit more difficult.