Chord Melody Method For Accordion

[Sarah]

Does anybody have Chord Melody Method For Accordion?
http://www.melbay.com/Products/97343BCD/chord-melody-method-for-accordion.aspx

 

[Glenn]

Looks highly technical and in my experience with piano books of a similar nature hard to digest.

 

[rbs]

I've always thought that singing ing a choir, specifically where one is NOT singing the tune, is a great help in learning how harnonies work.

 

[goldtopia]

I have been in male voice choirs and don't see how it can relate to accordions or for learning chords. Though if you already understand music theory you would then see how melodies, harmony and chords are formed. Many people in choirs cant read music and simply follow the pattern of notes and often sing wrong notes.
.

 

[Zevy]

<FONT font=Garamond><SIZE size=125><COLOR color=#0040FF>This book is by an excellent accordionist named Gary Dahl. He is one of the best teachers around today. He has many students who learn by personalized mp3 lessons. He is an expert in theory and has made hundreds of best-selling arrangements of tunes for the accordion, as well as original compositions for the instrument. They are available in eBooks and as separate selections on http://www.musicforaccordion.com/inform/garydahl/index.htm . Check it out for yourselves!

BTW, this is not your choir-type of harmony. It is the harmony you should be able to create on your accordion.

 

[Nonny Mouse]

Hello,

I've got the Gary Dahl book. The good things are - a good way to start learning chords, and their inversions. The Cd is nice, not just the tunes being played, but you've got Gary talking through what he's written down and a few extra explanations, gives a nice chatty feel.

Not so good points - The Cd runs to page 16 only, after that, you're on your own for the rest of the book (56 pages). Could have done with a couple more Cd's. Also in the intro, Gary says that you need " a knowledgeable and experianced teacher to guide you" This is fine, apart from the fact that he's busy advertising himself all the way through his Cd.. It becomes frustrating.

Needless to say, I gave up shortly after page 16, despite having felt like I'd learnt alot. You may be a bit more discplined!

Nonny

 

[accordion123]

hello Nonny: this is gary dahl, the author. A few items you may not realize. Publishers like Mel Bay have strict guide lines. There budget only allowed one CD. I thought it best to give the purchaser a JUMP start as this book requires necessary overviews to be successful and private lesson are necessary. Has anyone here learned to fly a Spitfire on their own? There are a few newly edited pages that I will pdf @ no charge to any email. This is the only book for any keyboard instrument written in this necessary format. Believe me, I have checked them all out. It will take many years to think you can learn chord melody playing inversions; in fact, maybe never. Real pros and recreational players enjoy music totally because chord skills are similar to being able to read to exist in society.

thanks for reading and purchasing the book

garydahl

 

[Zevy]

<FONT font=Garamond><SIZE size=125>Hey accordion123 - Welcome Aboard!
What an honor (or honour, as they write on the other side)!
Please stick around and dont disappear!

 

[accordion123]

Hi Zev ....this group is lucky to have your expertise too. Thanks for your kind comments. FYI I have a Yahoo Blog that features a lot of free arrangements and accordion education. Name: accordion music and education
....the URL is on page two of my website.

http://www.accordions.com/garydahl

g

 

[Glenn]

Real pros and recreational players enjoy music totally because chord skills are similar to being able to read to exist in society.

Hello Garry, welcome to the forum.
Nice to have more and more professionals taking part.

May I be so bold as to ask what you mean by the quoted sentence above?
It all sounds very hand waving and as I am a professional sceptic it appears that you are conflating existence in society with being able to play harmonically pleasing chords on an accordion.
I mentioned earlier in the thread that your book looks technical.
Not that I dont like technical, in fact I love technical. I guess a physics PhD and a lifetime working in technical jobs has pre-disposed me towards technical.
That is why I have a pile of such books (for piano jazz voicing mostly) tall enough to serve as an armchair in my music cupboard.
Where I always fall down is applying theory to live performance.
Theory for me is an off-line process. Something to be done with an accordion on your lap and a pencil behind your ear.
Even then, for me at least I find that after a few attempts its easier to use your innate musical knowledge to draft an arrangement rather than ponder all the theoretical options.
Maybe its just me and I need a copy of your book

By the way, I had a look at some of your sample arrangements and they do look rather good.

 

[Nonny Mouse]

Hi Gary,

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

Sometimes there are constraints on the author that the reader may not be aware of. In this case it was the publisher. I still say that it was a shame that there weren't more CDs!

Nonny

 

[accordion123]

Hello Glenn.....thank you for the comments....Harmony/chord skills elevate the accordionist's overview and speed of learning written music or improvising chord progressions. The Chord Melody Book has broken down the tedious process performing from a lead sheet. This skill will qualify you to fly a Spitfire. (chuckle) It is not necessarily a mental only learning process;as you must perform with the accordion on because there is extensive muscle memory skills involved. I will say that live lessons are critically necessary from any highly qualified teacher to be successful learning this book. The CHORD MELODY BOOK'S learning process requires extensive repetitions at the beginning and are satisfying to practice because the etudes have been written for this purpose. The real fun, of course, is applying the increasing advanced chords and your skills playing from carefully written lead sheets.

ciao, garydahl

 

[accordion123]

Hello Nonny...sure more CDs would be entertaining but maybe it would hinder the learning process too. As your 'at once' skills increase your creative skills will go along for the ride. You cannot learn this book in your sleep as there is no MAGIC BULLET.

ciao, garydahl

 

[fjsys]

Well to add a me too to this thread.

I looked and I actually have it in my collection, along with quite a few other Dahl books. (Thank you Gary for putting up with a publisher to get these published)
I also appear to have started to work on it at some point, there is a "bookmark" in around page 3 of the book.
I think I purchased it with the best of intentions, and then got distracted and never got back to it. It is not an easy book, but it does look like one that is on my "to work through" list.
I think it is worth owning.

Ben

 

[accordion123]

......did my answers clarify for all?

garydahl

 

[accordion123]

Hi Ben ....work on it but who can you take lessons with for this book? If no one is qualified mp3 actually is more efficient and superior to private lessons. It can be proven. If you dont take lessons rationalization takes place and it is ugly.

Any here can email me for more information. http://www.accordions.com/garydahl

gd

 

[skyboltone]

......did my answers clarify for all?

garydahl

Are you any relation to Roald Dahl?

“So, please, oh please, we beg, we pray, go throw your TV set away, and in its place you can install, a lovely bookcase on the wall.”
― Roald Dahl

 

[accordion123]

No relation to Roald Dahl.

 

[Guernseyman]

Wow.
Welcome Gary
Your expertise and comments will be very much appreciated.
Great to have you on board.