Chris's Learning Thread

[Corsaire]

Well done Chris. I'm watching your progress with interest as a fellow-switcher. It's very encouraging to see how quickly you seem to be picking it up. Can't wait to get started !

 

[Cheshire Chris]

Well done Chris. I'm watching your progress with interest as a fellow-switcher. It's very encouraging to see how quickly you seem to be picking it up. Can't wait to get started !

Picking up the fingering of the CBA treble side is relatively straightforward. I'm finding the CBA book I bought to be very helpful in that regard.

Chris

 

[Cheshire Chris]

Two weeks in, and an attempt at the next Palmer-Hughes tune, called “Go ‘Way”. This is WAY harder than the previous one and I nearly lose it at the end. Trying here to get bellows technique better.


Wow, this is hard work. The look of relief at the end at having got through the tune is heartfelt!

 

[dunlustin]

Could be relief but I reckon that was a look of triumph!

 

[JeffJetton]

Nicely done, Chris!

I'm curious... what about this song, compared to the previous one, do you think is making it "way harder"? Your change from one-measure bellows to two? The F chord? The ties?

Always interested in where people find the "tough spots".

 

[Cheshire Chris]

Nicely done, Chris!

I'm curious... what about this song, compared to the previous one, do you think is making it "way harder"? Your change from one-measure bellows to two? The F chord? The ties?

Always interested in where people find the "tough spots".

There are more bass changes, and I'm finding simultaneously thinking about the treble, the bass, and the bellows a real challenge. A challenge in an enjoyable sense, but for me this is much tougher than learning to play the piano was! Going to stick at it, though.

 

[jozz]

looking good!

thanks for sharing - I don't know if I would be that brave to record at 2 weeks.

 

[Cheshire Chris]

looking good!

thanks for sharing - I don't know if I would be that brave to record at 2 weeks.

I know it's pretty awful. My aim is not to show how well I can play, but to record my progress so that I can hopefully look back on it in 6 months' or a year's time and see my improvement. So in a sense I want to record how poor my current playing is, if that makes any sense?

Chris

 

[jozz]

Hey Chris,

Please don't take me wrong

I meant to say I admire you for that! Certainly not to imply anything about your playing and learning so far. It makes complete sense and I like how you will build a record of this learning curve you're on.

 

[Cheshire Chris]

Hey Chris,

Please don't take me wrong

I meant to say I admire you for that! Certainly not to imply anything about your playing and learning so far. It makes complete sense and I like how you will build a record of this learning curve you're on.

Absolutely understood, Jozz. Just wanted to explain my reason for doing this ?.

Chris

 

[Cheshire Chris]

The next tune in Palmer-Hughes book 1, “Merrily We Play Along” (page 21):


I‘m a lot happier with this one, but it is a far easier tune. Good psychology on the part of the authors to put in the occasional easier tune to make the student realise that they are making progress, I think. Think I’ve got the bellows under better control in this tune.

 

[Cheshire Chris]

Now on to Beethoven's "Ode to Joy", which is the first proper tune in Maugain after a million fingering exercises ?. After several days' practice I can play this OK but, try as I might, I just can't get an acceptable recording of it, so I'll skip the recording and move on. Maugain has lots of really useful exercises which I've found very helpful for learning to coordinate the treble and bass.

 

[dunlustin]

Congratulations on the progress.
Does Maugain give any guidance re position of the accordion.
For me I'd find it more comfortable towards the middle of the chest - RH strap longer than LH strap.
Your RH does look a bit scrunched up.
Also the PH books are, I guess, for piano accordion - tho' the Maugain book should be an antidote.
eg: I found reaching for the row 3 'b' and 'd' etc hard to begin with but on the other hand the stretch on a PA is more limiting.
Hope you don't mind the comments which are meant to be constructive.

 

[Cheshire Chris]

Congratulations on the progress.
Does Maugain give any guidance re position of the accordion.
For me I'd find it more comfortable towards the middle of the chest - RH strap longer than LH strap.
Your RH does look a bit scrunched up.
Also the PH books are, I guess, for piano accordion - tho' the Maugain book should be an antidote.
eg: I found reaching for the row 3 'b' and 'd' etc hard to begin with but on the other hand the stretch on a PA is more limiting.
Hope you don't mind the comments which are meant to be constructive.

The comments are very welcome - thank you for making them.

The right hand is getting a lot easier about three weeks now of practice.

Yes, I'm using the PH piano accordion books for the tunes, but Maugain for the CBA fingering, which I'm finding a good combination.

 

[Cheshire Chris]

My latest endeavour. This is "La Barcarolle" from page 31 of book 1 of Maugain's "Méthode d'Accordéon". I'm learning from both Maugain and Palmer-Hughes.


I realised after recording this that the camera doesn't show the bass. Sorry about that!

Chris

 

[Dingo40]

Chris,
Well done, as far as it goes, but ( apologies) I feel I must caution you against a tendency to fail to give each note full time value: it's a bit like "clipping your speech " or swallowing the endings of words when speaking.
I fully admit to having suffered from this flaw myself ?

 

[Cheshire Chris]

Chris,
Well done, as far as it goes, but ( apologies) I feel I must caution you against a tendency to fail to give each note full time value: it's a bit like "clipping your speech " or swallowing the endings of words when speaking.
I fully admit to having suffered from this flaw myself ?

Thanks - that's exactly the type of feedback I'm after! I'll definitely try to correct that.

Chris

 

[jozz]

you got through that quite well, congrats!

I saw playing a 'slur' is only the page after "Merrily.." so next song will be smoothly played in full, I'm sure