Course for Accordion Repairers - level 1 (beginner)

[Corinto]

Course for Accordion Repairers · Tier 1 (beginner) · Accordion Craft Academy

Learn how to repair your accordion at the Accordion Craft Academy with the Tier 1 course. Put your hands inside your accordion, and discover a whole new world in this unique learning experience.

www.accordioncraftacademy.com

 

[Dingo40]

Corinto,
This is simply wonderful!
Unfortunately, it's not something I'm able to take advantage of right now, but a marvellous thing all the same ??

 

[debra]

These courses (Tier 1, 2, 3 and the Advanced Tuning Module) are really "mandatory stuff" to become an accordion repairer. And even after that you will still struggle with problem reeds, keyboard mechanisms not covered during the courses (there are too many different mechanisms I guess)... and after the courses you still need years of practice to become a "pro" (which I don't claim to be).
But... Tier 1 is a nice start to learn the basics needed to maintain your accordion (but not to be safe when attempting to tune it).

 

[Eddy Yates]

Around $800 American. Hmmmm.....our youngest son is in college and our beloved Black Labrador just died. I wonder if there’s a cooking school nearby for my wife.
Is speaking Italian mandatory?

 

[Corinto]

I wonder if there’s a cooking school nearby for my wife.
Is speaking Italian mandatory?

This year it's not feasible, ..., but yes, one needs to know a few details:
1.- Is speaking italian mandatory? English OK? French OK? Dutch I guess not OK?
2.- How is Castelfidardo for a partner with no accordion interest? 4 days is a lot of time so what can be done there or closely around?
3.- Better to stay in Sirolo, Numana, Marcelli, Porto Recanati, ... ?

Thanks in advance, C.

 

[debra]

This year it's not feasible, ..., but yes, one needs to know a few details:
1.- Is speaking italian mandatory? English OK? French OK? Dutch I guess not OK?
2.- How is Castelfidardo for a partner with no accordion interest? 4 days is a lot of time so what can be done there or closely around?
3.- Better to stay in Sirolo, Numana, Marcelli, Porto Recanati, ... ?

Thanks in advance, C.

The courses are "officially" given in English and Italian (everything is explained in both languages), but German is also possible (Elke Ahrenholz who teaches most of the course is German) and even a bit of French is also possible, but Elke is not so good at it. Dutch, alas, no. When I attended Tier 1 almost everything was explained in English, Italian, German and French and luckily I know enough of all of them to get the explanations four times.
Castelfidardo is pretty boring for a partner with no accordion interest. There is a park with the statue of the region (a war memorial) and apart from that you only keep yourself occupied by eating lots of gelato. There are villages and cities around which may offer enough entertainment if you are by car. Nothing is within walking distance of Castelfidardo.
Options to stay are either Hotel Parco (in the former premises of Crucianelli) and there are several B&B's, including Covo dei Piccioni at just 50m of Victoria, where the courses are taught. While the courses are given in English (and Italian) you should not expect staff in stores, B&B's, restaurants... to know much English. You are in Italy, and people only speak Italian. (Young people do speak English, but older people, alas, no.)

 

[JeffJetton]

Castelfidardo is pretty boring for a partner with no accordion interest.

I would love to do this course one day. My partner doesn't have enough accordion interest to suffer through the course herself, but she is a violinist. Maybe I could drop her off in Cremona for the week.

 

[squeezemeasong]

I looked at this a month or so ago whilst aggrandizing my long-term needs and desires. Thought of going it alone. There's an airbnb 1 room-only for $15.00 a night around the corner. You could attend all four courses with a weeklong break in the middle for $400 room fees. Airfare and course costs additional of course, but seriously tempting for a tinkerer/accordion player.

 

[godgi]

Apparently historically we Irish fought some battles there defending the Vatican state. Not sure if it was the time of Garabaldi or centuries before. I read some information about it perhaps when I was there decades ago.
One piece of useless info for the forum.
Godgi

 

[godgi]

sorry deleted post it was irrelevant - sorry.
Godgi

 

[debra]

I looked at this a month or so ago whilst aggrandizing my long-term needs and desires. Thought of going it alone. There's an airbnb 1 room-only for $15.00 a night around the corner. You could attend all four courses with a weeklong break in the middle for $400 room fees. Airfare and course costs additional of course, but seriously tempting for a tinkerer/accordion player.

This would be a bad idea. After Tier 1 and 2 you know the basics and should first practice a lot (preferably on restoring old clunkers so it's not important when you mess up) before continuing on the more intricate stuff in Tier 3 and the finer details of tuning in what I would call Tier 4 but what they call "Advanced Tuning". Whether you can juts do all 4 in a row depends on the course schedule. Sometimes Tier 1, 2, 3 can be done in one go (albeit not recommended) but the tuning part is not offered as frequently and works with just a few students whereas Tier 1, 2, 3 can have up to 10 students.

 

[craptiger]

I think I'm going to have to wait until I've retired before I can embark on this. Shame.

 

[squeezemeasong]

This would be a bad idea. After Tier 1 and 2 you know the basics and should first practice a lot (preferably on restoring old clunkers so it's not important when you mess up) before continuing on the more intricate stuff in Tier 3 and the finer details of tuning in what I would call Tier 4 but what they call "Advanced Tuning". Whether you can juts do all 4 in a row depends on the course schedule. Sometimes Tier 1, 2, 3 can be done in one go (albeit not recommended) but the tuning part is not offered as frequently and works with just a few students whereas Tier 1, 2, 3 can have up to 10 students.

Good to know, appreciate the insight, debra. A craft only time, effort, failure, and success will cultivate to mastery. I'm just now rewaxing/replacing a block of reeds for the first time. It's MY first step towards accordion repair technician, though the formality and certification or whatnot is enticing from Castelfidardo. If only there were more accordionists to service where I live.

 

[debra]

Good to know, appreciate the insight, debra. A craft only time, effort, failure, and success will cultivate to mastery. I'm just now rewaxing/replacing a block of reeds for the first time. It's MY first step towards accordion repair technician, though the formality and certification or whatnot is enticing from Castelfidardo. If only there were more accordionists to service where I live.

A small tip for rewaxing reeds, which I did *not* learn in the accordion repair courses, but which is to avoid spills when you are a bit shaky and inexperienced (like me): before pouring wax in between two reedplates put a strip of painters tape on both reed plates, leaving just the right opening for the wax. Then you pour the wax, make sure the whole "line" is covered (and if needed you can still go over it with a hot soldering iron) and then pull off the painters tape. The result is a perfect waxing job, no matter how much you spilled along the way. (This is a slow process and you do throw out a bit of otherwise perfectly good wax, but it's the result that counts!)
Note that I can wax reeds without spilling (using the Italian spoon method), but I sometimes mess up. The time lost using the tape is short compared to the time needed to clean up a spill.

 

[HiTechBiniou]

The courses are "officially" given in English and Italian (everything is explained in both languages), but German is also possible (Elke Ahrenholz who teaches most of the course is German) and even a bit of French is also possible, but Elke is not so good at it. Dutch, alas, no. When I attended Tier 1 almost everything was explained in English, Italian, German and French and luckily I know enough of all of them to get the explanations four times.
Castelfidardo is pretty boring for a partner with no accordion interest. There is a park with the statue of the region (a war memorial) and apart from that you only keep yourself occupied by eating lots of gelato. There are villages and cities around which may offer enough entertainment if you are by car. Nothing is within walking distance of Castelfidardo.
Options to stay are either Hotel Parco (in the former premises of Crucianelli) and there are several B&B's, including Covo dei Piccioni at just 50m of Victoria, where the courses are taught. While the courses are given in English (and Italian) you should not expect staff in stores, B&B's, restaurants... to know much English. You are in Italy, and people only speak Italian. (Young people do speak English, but older people, alas, no.)

Stay at Hotel Sirolo (next to the beach) or at the Sirolo Abaye on Monte Conero. Sirolo is like Côte d'Azur in France. It is the paradise! Sirolo is only 23Km from Castelfidardo. Don't forget Umani Ronchi's vineyard in Osimo half way between Sirolo and Castelfidardo.

 

[Corinto]

Stay at Hotel Sirolo (next to the beach) or at the Sirolo Abaye on Monte Conero. Sirolo is like Côte d'Azur in France. It is the paradise! Sirolo is only 23Km from Castelfidardo. Don't forget Umani Ronchi's vineyard in Osimo half way between Sirolo and Castelfidardo.

Thanks HiTechBiniou, at least a practical tip, and looks great, beach is OK for spouse, and if as Côte d'Azur all the better.

 

[debra]

Thanks HiTechBiniou, at least a practical tip, and looks great, beach is OK for spouse, and if as Côte d'Azur all the better.

It does sound good. From experience (by another participant) staying in a B&B in Castelfidardo with your spouse is not a great idea. There is very little to do in Castelfidardo that is not accordion-related.