Changing passages for smaller accordion

[mitchnc]

I'm working through an arrangement of Under Paris Skies and I cam across this (attached).
I'm playing a FR-1xb, so I can't go lower than G.

Would you suggest hopping up an octave (which breaks up the flow) or fudge and come up with something else?

 

[george garside]

:indulge in the noble art of faking, a skill well known to 2 row diatonic (melodeon) players. eg you could

as you say go up an octave which with practice might not brake up the flow if done smoothly

substitiute a singe bass note for the missing low treble note,

play the note before the one you hav.t got twice,

leave a gap ( fine if playing with other instruments that have the required low note(s)

cause a diversion on the bass by going a wee bit heavy to distract attention from the missing note

come up with a slightly different 'arrangement'' i.e change the note you havn't got for one you have got.

etc etc etc

When 'faking' you will to begin with be acutely aware that you are not playing a tune ''correctly'' particularly if you are a reader. However it is unlikely that the average punter will even notice the slight change of 'arrangement' provided it is done with aplomb and without apologies

george (a good faker!)

 

[StargazerTony]

I think the FR-1xb allows you to go up and down an octave by pushing 2 switches. Perhaps you could work that passage in an octave higher then switch back

 

[george garside]

but have you got two spare fingers at just the right moment?.
george

 

[jozz]

play everything an octave higher?

 

[Glenn]

Don’t play the F play an A instead.

 

[mitchnc]

Thanks, everyone. Good points to experiment with.
For this song I ended up changing the passages using chord tones within the range.

 

[StargazerTony]

The following link takes you to a YouTube video from Roxies Accordion where he discuses user sets. Perhaps you can get some clues as to how to set up the accordion to play this easier.

 

[dunlustin]

Do an octave shift down for the whole keyboard
or
Play the f in the left hand?

 

[StargazerTony]

Not to hijack your thread but how do you like your Roland? Am considering a small accordion and am looking at the FR-1x as well as the Welt. Juwel.

 

[JeffJetton]

For this song I ended up changing the passages using chord tones within the range.

Thats the sort of approach Id use.

After all, the notation youre reading is just one persons concept of an accordion arrangement of that song. There are plenty of other perfectly valid musical choices that could be made there instead of what they wrote. So go for it!

 

[JerryPH]

Thats the sort of approach Id use.

After all, the notation youre reading is just one persons concept of an accordion arrangement of that song. There are plenty of other perfectly valid musical choices that could be made there instead of what they wrote. So go for it!

Perfectly said and also exactly what I would have done as well under similar circumstances. There are so many ways to play that song, that unless you get 2 people reading and playing the same sheet music exactly as written, you wont hear two versions that are even close to being the same except for the melody, and even there it is all fair game for the musicians interpretation, right?