As noted in the heading, this experience has been a journey, to say the least.
Hopefully, My experience will help others considering the addition of a DBA to their stable.
The differences between the two instruments are legion. To name just a few: different pitches in and out, different scale patterns for every Key, different hand forms for the chords Key to Key, different bass side patterns application and layout, different treble hand "form", button spacing (both sides), bellow volume and bellow vent use.
I must say here that my CBA experience was very useful when making the switch. I was several years into the CBA before I felt anything close to competence, yet feel quite at home on the DBA within 6 months time. I have not been going back and forth between CBA and DBA as I wanted to concentrate on the DBA until I fully understood it. I did try switching early on and discovered the in-an-out bellows thing carried over to the CBA. While not a major problem as the CBA didn't really notice the bellows reversals (being chromatic in design), the reversals did make my CBA playing somewhat "choppy".
I started my DBA process with learning scales in GC & F. That took a while, so I added some I-net song tutorials to relieve the boredom.
An important note here; There are no instructors, either CBA or DBA in my area, so learning both instruments has been by the limited I-net resources and listening to U-tube posts.
I initially believed the best approach was to understand and become competent respecting both Key signatures and chord formation, versus learning songs for the sake of sounding like I could play the instrument (CBA). I reversed that approach with the DBA, electing to focus more on learning tunes than on the instruments layout. My conclusion is that the latter is the better approach. While learning and practicing the tunes, I have become familiar with the layout and more importantly, how the layout relates to the music itself. After nailing down half-a-dozen songs, the commonalities between them have become obvious and their relationships understood. Why the diatonic buttons are ordered as they are starts to make a lot more sense.
When starting out, I initially purchase a PA, as I was completely ignorant of accordions and their myriad variations. When I discovered I had purchased a "ladies" model with very narrow keys (I had a hard time not pressing two keys a once), I dived into research on the I-net. It was there that I learned about the CBA and it's inherent advantages.
Now, Mexican Border Music, most specifically Norteno, followed by TexMex were my target genres, I reasoned that all the pitches on a DBA were available on CBA and that the CBA would allow for more variety outside of MBM, so I went for the CBA. And while I was quite correct Re: all the pitches were there, differences did exist. I will address the relevant differences below. There are only a few MBM players I have discovered that use a CBA regularly. There are a number of MBM players that perform on PA's, and do so as well as any MBM DBA player I've witnessed. In fact, the guy who inspired me to take up accordion (a Mexican Norteno player) played PA (thus my first purchase as mentioned above).
As a side note to the question, "What type accordion should I buy?", the first question to answer is, "What type/style of music do you want to play". Most any music can be played on most accordions, but will it sound like the genre one wishes to emulate? There is little point in reinventing the wheel, so I'd suggest choosing an instrument similar to those in use by musicians who specialize in one's genre of choice. It was this logic that brought me to purchase a DBA and give it a go. And yes, the change brought MBM right into my life. Will I forsake the CBA for the DBA? For MBM, a resounding YES! Will I forgo the CBA completely, a resounding NO! They both have a place in my life and I will continue to work on both instruments. There is much I learned on the CBA that I attempted on the DBA without satisfactory results. Most of the stuff I can play on DBA has been composed on/for DBA which takes advantage of the inherent layout found on DBA. Other stuff, most notably chord rich compositions and tunes in unusual Keys are better addressed on CBA.
Now I will address the differences noted above: "To name just a few: different pitches in and out, different scale patterns for every Key, different hand forms for the chords Key to Key, different bass side patterns application and layout, different treble hand "form", button spacing (both sides), bellow volume and bellow vent use".
Probably the most significant difference is the pitches played in and out. Mastering bellows reversals in a clean, uninterrupted action is a challenge. At first, a change in bellows direction resulted in a sharp increase in pitch volume. Over time, as I learned to anticipate, or expect the bellows reversal, the pitch volume became more stable. The caveat to that statement is when learning a new tune with a new reversal in the middle of a run, I still tend to "hammer" the bellows with the resultant increase in volume (not very musical). I also tend to pull/push too hard when confused as to where to go next. Once I get the whole thing under control, the bellows reversals become second nature.
An additional issue with the diatonic In/Out system is trying to suss out a song by ear. Hunt and Peck works on a typewriter reasonably well, as well as on CBA, but H&P on DBA is a lot more frustrating, especially when working in a Key that requires the use of the enharmonic buttons located at the top of the button board (C#, Eb, G# & F#).
The different patterns required for the different Key signatures is a matter of just knuckling down and learning them. The PA is reminiscent here as the fingering patterns differ between Keys as well (Advantage CBA). Fortunately, there are only six patterns required (C,D,F,G,Bb and C in the in direction, on a GCF box). These same patterns apply to the alternatively pitched 3-row boxes as well (some exceptions apply). There is also much overlap of pitches between Key signatures, so once a Key pattern is learned an adjacent Key pattern has only a small difference, often only one pitch, and where the pattern is started from.
While there are differences between hand forms for the chords, there are many repeatable forms as well, sort of half way between a CBA and a PA in that respect.
The majority of MBM does not use chords within the compositions as they begin to sound muddied, favoring instead the use of 3rds and 6ths. Some forms of MBM end sections or phrases with a single 3 tone chord. Many DBA chords are as simple as pressing either 3 or 4 row-adjacent buttons. Then, pulling or pressing will yield the desired chord.
The Bass side, while I haven't spent much time there yet, is really quite simple compared to Stradella. With 8 to12 buttons, widely spaced and coordinated to the bellows movement, a simple bass-chord-bass-chord pattern is often sufficient. Key changes found within a tune are the only instances requiring a shift to other buttons. Note that MBM often dispenses with bass side play as the "bottom" is provided by a Bajo Sexto or a standard Bass Guitar. In fact, it is common for MBM players to remove the bass side reeds completely, yielding a lighter bass side as well as providing a HUGH bellows vent by pressing several of the bass buttons at once. This is a desirable thing when closing the bellow in a very rapid fashion is required. Much MBM is composed for "draw" (pull or out) motion pitches only. When the bellow extension limit is reached, a rapid closing of the bellows is necessary to not interfere with the rhythm of the song. Because I intended to leave my bass reeds in place, I ordered my accordion with a bellows vent twice the size (area) of normal in order to get a more rapid closure of the bellows. Result; I would like an even bigger vent hole on the order of 4x stock. Respecting the different Bass button layout, it's simple and intuitive and easy to integrate into one's play.
The treble hand "form" is one largely of preference. Close observation of MBM players reveals a 4-finger approach with the thumb resting (I use that term loosely) on the edge of the fingerboard, in a groove so provided. As was pointed out to me on a long lost website, the use of the thumb in this fashion provides a sort of "base or foundation" for the treble side cabinet which supports the "hit" which is a result of bellows reversal. This "hit" is a sublime, but an essential part of MBM (and different from the volume exaggeration mentioned above). Others prefer a thumb strap to the free movement in the groove. I've gone with the groove approach so I can incorporate my thumb when playing the aforementioned enharmonic buttons in arppegios. A free hand approach is available as well, but not recommended as the "thumb in contact" helps maintain orientation to the button board.
Luckily for me, the treble side button spacing on my Beltuna and Baffetti TexMex are almost identical, making transition relatively easy. Bass side spacing is completely different.
More to follow.....
Hopefully, My experience will help others considering the addition of a DBA to their stable.
The differences between the two instruments are legion. To name just a few: different pitches in and out, different scale patterns for every Key, different hand forms for the chords Key to Key, different bass side patterns application and layout, different treble hand "form", button spacing (both sides), bellow volume and bellow vent use.
I must say here that my CBA experience was very useful when making the switch. I was several years into the CBA before I felt anything close to competence, yet feel quite at home on the DBA within 6 months time. I have not been going back and forth between CBA and DBA as I wanted to concentrate on the DBA until I fully understood it. I did try switching early on and discovered the in-an-out bellows thing carried over to the CBA. While not a major problem as the CBA didn't really notice the bellows reversals (being chromatic in design), the reversals did make my CBA playing somewhat "choppy".
I started my DBA process with learning scales in GC & F. That took a while, so I added some I-net song tutorials to relieve the boredom.
An important note here; There are no instructors, either CBA or DBA in my area, so learning both instruments has been by the limited I-net resources and listening to U-tube posts.
I initially believed the best approach was to understand and become competent respecting both Key signatures and chord formation, versus learning songs for the sake of sounding like I could play the instrument (CBA). I reversed that approach with the DBA, electing to focus more on learning tunes than on the instruments layout. My conclusion is that the latter is the better approach. While learning and practicing the tunes, I have become familiar with the layout and more importantly, how the layout relates to the music itself. After nailing down half-a-dozen songs, the commonalities between them have become obvious and their relationships understood. Why the diatonic buttons are ordered as they are starts to make a lot more sense.
When starting out, I initially purchase a PA, as I was completely ignorant of accordions and their myriad variations. When I discovered I had purchased a "ladies" model with very narrow keys (I had a hard time not pressing two keys a once), I dived into research on the I-net. It was there that I learned about the CBA and it's inherent advantages.
Now, Mexican Border Music, most specifically Norteno, followed by TexMex were my target genres, I reasoned that all the pitches on a DBA were available on CBA and that the CBA would allow for more variety outside of MBM, so I went for the CBA. And while I was quite correct Re: all the pitches were there, differences did exist. I will address the relevant differences below. There are only a few MBM players I have discovered that use a CBA regularly. There are a number of MBM players that perform on PA's, and do so as well as any MBM DBA player I've witnessed. In fact, the guy who inspired me to take up accordion (a Mexican Norteno player) played PA (thus my first purchase as mentioned above).
As a side note to the question, "What type accordion should I buy?", the first question to answer is, "What type/style of music do you want to play". Most any music can be played on most accordions, but will it sound like the genre one wishes to emulate? There is little point in reinventing the wheel, so I'd suggest choosing an instrument similar to those in use by musicians who specialize in one's genre of choice. It was this logic that brought me to purchase a DBA and give it a go. And yes, the change brought MBM right into my life. Will I forsake the CBA for the DBA? For MBM, a resounding YES! Will I forgo the CBA completely, a resounding NO! They both have a place in my life and I will continue to work on both instruments. There is much I learned on the CBA that I attempted on the DBA without satisfactory results. Most of the stuff I can play on DBA has been composed on/for DBA which takes advantage of the inherent layout found on DBA. Other stuff, most notably chord rich compositions and tunes in unusual Keys are better addressed on CBA.
Now I will address the differences noted above: "To name just a few: different pitches in and out, different scale patterns for every Key, different hand forms for the chords Key to Key, different bass side patterns application and layout, different treble hand "form", button spacing (both sides), bellow volume and bellow vent use".
Probably the most significant difference is the pitches played in and out. Mastering bellows reversals in a clean, uninterrupted action is a challenge. At first, a change in bellows direction resulted in a sharp increase in pitch volume. Over time, as I learned to anticipate, or expect the bellows reversal, the pitch volume became more stable. The caveat to that statement is when learning a new tune with a new reversal in the middle of a run, I still tend to "hammer" the bellows with the resultant increase in volume (not very musical). I also tend to pull/push too hard when confused as to where to go next. Once I get the whole thing under control, the bellows reversals become second nature.
An additional issue with the diatonic In/Out system is trying to suss out a song by ear. Hunt and Peck works on a typewriter reasonably well, as well as on CBA, but H&P on DBA is a lot more frustrating, especially when working in a Key that requires the use of the enharmonic buttons located at the top of the button board (C#, Eb, G# & F#).
The different patterns required for the different Key signatures is a matter of just knuckling down and learning them. The PA is reminiscent here as the fingering patterns differ between Keys as well (Advantage CBA). Fortunately, there are only six patterns required (C,D,F,G,Bb and C in the in direction, on a GCF box). These same patterns apply to the alternatively pitched 3-row boxes as well (some exceptions apply). There is also much overlap of pitches between Key signatures, so once a Key pattern is learned an adjacent Key pattern has only a small difference, often only one pitch, and where the pattern is started from.
While there are differences between hand forms for the chords, there are many repeatable forms as well, sort of half way between a CBA and a PA in that respect.
The majority of MBM does not use chords within the compositions as they begin to sound muddied, favoring instead the use of 3rds and 6ths. Some forms of MBM end sections or phrases with a single 3 tone chord. Many DBA chords are as simple as pressing either 3 or 4 row-adjacent buttons. Then, pulling or pressing will yield the desired chord.
The Bass side, while I haven't spent much time there yet, is really quite simple compared to Stradella. With 8 to12 buttons, widely spaced and coordinated to the bellows movement, a simple bass-chord-bass-chord pattern is often sufficient. Key changes found within a tune are the only instances requiring a shift to other buttons. Note that MBM often dispenses with bass side play as the "bottom" is provided by a Bajo Sexto or a standard Bass Guitar. In fact, it is common for MBM players to remove the bass side reeds completely, yielding a lighter bass side as well as providing a HUGH bellows vent by pressing several of the bass buttons at once. This is a desirable thing when closing the bellow in a very rapid fashion is required. Much MBM is composed for "draw" (pull or out) motion pitches only. When the bellow extension limit is reached, a rapid closing of the bellows is necessary to not interfere with the rhythm of the song. Because I intended to leave my bass reeds in place, I ordered my accordion with a bellows vent twice the size (area) of normal in order to get a more rapid closure of the bellows. Result; I would like an even bigger vent hole on the order of 4x stock. Respecting the different Bass button layout, it's simple and intuitive and easy to integrate into one's play.
The treble hand "form" is one largely of preference. Close observation of MBM players reveals a 4-finger approach with the thumb resting (I use that term loosely) on the edge of the fingerboard, in a groove so provided. As was pointed out to me on a long lost website, the use of the thumb in this fashion provides a sort of "base or foundation" for the treble side cabinet which supports the "hit" which is a result of bellows reversal. This "hit" is a sublime, but an essential part of MBM (and different from the volume exaggeration mentioned above). Others prefer a thumb strap to the free movement in the groove. I've gone with the groove approach so I can incorporate my thumb when playing the aforementioned enharmonic buttons in arppegios. A free hand approach is available as well, but not recommended as the "thumb in contact" helps maintain orientation to the button board.
Luckily for me, the treble side button spacing on my Beltuna and Baffetti TexMex are almost identical, making transition relatively easy. Bass side spacing is completely different.
More to follow.....
