Best Use of Sound Couplers

[smdc66]

2 burning questions :-

there are generally 2+ couplers on treble side and 0,1 or 2 on bass side ;

1) i wonder how to best use these to enhance sound , i was thinking mainly treble side but suppose bass couplers are relevant too - do people generally select for the song before play, adjust as you play, mix and match as you want or something else.... :?:

2) i wonder how to use them technically , eg i think about changing them but sometimes don't as worry about moving fingers away from keyboard and losing my place and fluffing it, which has happened , in which case it better to not risk it ..my coach recently said use the diffrerent sounds whilst i play, hence the question - why is this happening to me ..

 

[simonking]

It really depends what kind of thing you're playing - if it's jazz, I tend to stick with the low reeds alone because I like the sound. For folk, french tunes etc. You can change at will, maybe start off with a single reed and selecting more voices to vary the sound for interest the next time through. I'm not a fan of the full 4/5-voice blazing accordion sound generally.

If playing an arrangement that dictates certain couplers be used, these should be practised as part of the fingering for the piece, the switches are in different relative positions on every instrument. Super-duper accordionist and arranger Anthony Galla-Rini used loads of register changes in both treble and bass when transcribing orchestral pieces for accordion.

 

[donn]

If the reason for making the change mid-song isn't obvious to you, chances are it isn't any more obvious to the listener.

 

[Glenn]

A tip for changing coupler mid-tune is to use a small, white sticker on the switch.
Then you have to practise being able to do it unobtrusively whilst the left hand plays on.
Otherwise buy an accordion with chin couplers
I'm useless at it by the way. It does take practice. Some people I see appear to have the knack.

 

[george garside]

If the coupler settings and change points are indicated on a sheet of dots you have a clear choice as to whether to follow those suggestions or not ( and some may not have the couplers so to do anyway)
)
In any other situation i.e. when no coupler settings are indicated, which of course applies to most written music and obviously to 'earists' its up to the player to decide. Common sense says that you may want to shut off some reeds perhaps when accompanying a singer or other occasion when 'quiet' is the order of the day. I like to bring in a low reed set to thicken the soup for waltzes and sometimes jut a single reed for airs. Havaing said that I get by pretty well with fixed 3 voice musette and no couplers on my casali!.

taling a pragmatic approach as to when to change coouplers ( if you have a burning desisre to do so!) its well worth trying to choose the change point where you happen to have a spare finger available near to the knob you want to press and at the time you want to press it!. With some careful slow practicing and experimentation there are some relatively easy changes to be had .

As always give full consideration to '' is it really necessary -- doess it really enhance the tune etc and if the answer to both those questions is negative don't bother!

george

 

[Soulsaver]

Well worth working on, imho. If there is a requirement to repeat a large section and it seems to fit, or on a short piece that you wish to play for longer, I play the repeat in an alternate or additional reed. Works well on French with single middle reed switching to the warmth of 2 or 3 Ms or 2/3M+L.

 

[Anyanka]

I'd refrain from using more than two couplers in one piece.

In my experience, many tangos benefit from a coupler change between A and B section; often the first section is played on LM, the second on MM for contrast - with a change in playing style to match.

 

[Soulsaver]

Also, if repeating from the end of the piece, you get away with continuing the bass rhythm for a couple of reps while you get the register in and start on the new combination. Good tip to 'masking tape' it for easy recognition. And you can look! The first few times you do it you could take a few repeats to find the switch; then you'll find you'll be ready earlier and will get it down to one repeat or even none. Trickier if playing as a duet tho'.