Do we have any more upside-down CBA players here to share techniques with?

[Yffisch]

I feel very alone in the CBA world (C-style) since I play upside down. All my teachers I've had has only been able to teach me general techniques (like bellow shaking and multiple fingers on same button and so on) and teaching me tunes. But fingering and other types of issues has been up to myself to find out. 
I would like to have someone to share my experiences with and talk about advantages and disadvantages with. Both to try to improve my own technique and also to share knowledge to other people in the same situation.

 

[Corinto]

 

[debra]

When Rudolf Würthner lost a finger (and maybe a bit more) on his right hand he decided to change to playing the treble side with his left hand. Just turning the accordion upside down is not a good idea. The accordion is not designed to be used that way. Many vids that at first sight seem of upside down players are just mirror images that are the result from recording in selfie mode on a phone. What I heard is that Würther had a mirror image accordion purposely built, so that the low notes were still at the top and the low notes at the bottom.
THere are not many real upside down players because playing an accordion upside down is just one thing: wrong. I won't even try it because all my accordions have chin switches which then become "knee switches" of some sort, pressed mostly inadvertently (and although I have a blocking protector for them that would create a painful bulge).

 

[Yffisch]

When Rudolf Würthner lost a finger (and maybe a bit more) on his right hand he decided to change to playing the treble side with his left hand. Just turning the accordion upside down is not a good idea. The accordion is not designed to be used that way. Many vids that at first sight seem of upside down players are just mirror images that are the result from recording in selfie mode on a phone. What I heard is that Würther had a mirror image accordion purposely built, so that the low notes were still at the top and the low notes at the bottom.
THere are not many real upside down players because playing an accordion upside down is just one thing: wrong. I won't even try it  because all my accordions have chin switches which then become "knee switches" of some sort, pressed mostly inadvertently (and although I have a blocking protector for them that would create a painful bulge).

Yes, those chin switches is a blocker for me and I do not buy an accordion with chin switches just because of this. That is one "blocker" for me. And on my Roland FR1xb, the "programming display board" is at the bottom so I have to press all the buttons like a blind and remember button combinations. If I need to change the settings, I need to take the accordion off and it's kind of a failure, but not a big issue.
Many people says it's "wrong" and I know it's "wrong" but still it works. I've reached intermediate level in my accordion carrier by playing upside down and I'm a bit proud that I managed to do that since the buttons are not really aligned for upside down playing. I get a lot of fingering problems sometime while trying to do different stuff and I know it would have been much easier playing the regular way. Take Flight of the bumblebee as an an example, where it goes chromatically up and down all the time. It works for me, but I don't really bother to learn it properly since I have to twist the hand quite a bit to make it work.
But still, it works quite good. I find it much easier to play C major scale then G major scale on the bottom three lines. My main fingers are "thumb + index finger + finger number 3. Ring finger is support finger and pinkie is rarely used

 

[debra]

...Many people says its wrong and I know its wrong but still it works. Ive reached intermediate level in my accordion carrier by playing upside down and Im a bit proud that I managed to do that since the buttons are not really aligned for upside down playing. ...

Its never too late to change.  Really!
My wife and I reached quite a good level on PA and played PA for something like 35 years or so. Still, we decided it was time to change to CBA even though that meant starting essentially from scratch. We are now over 11 years on CBA and play at least as good on CBA than we ever could on PA and dont regret the change one minute.
I know its hard to give up what you have been doing for many years and learn a completely new technique, but please give it some consideration. You may come to realise its worth the effort. (And in the end you will be able to just flip your accordion around and continue playing and flip back and continue playing, which makes for a show your audience will love!)

---

First one is definitely not upside down but mirror image.
Its not because the video has a note saying its upside down that it really is! Just watch the notes the player on the right uses and youll see its just a mirror image.

The other videos are genuinely of upside down players.

 

[Yffisch]

Hehe, Link number 3 in your list is actually me playing the accordion (the super mario theme) so I can verify that its genuinely upside down

debra:
I would consider changing it just for brain exercise! Otherwise Im quite satisfied as it is now. And I also try to play quite a lot of other instruments as well and there is actually no time for me to change now so I guess I have to keep doing what I do. But yes, it would for sure be an awesome performance number

 

[jozz]

why did you start playing upside down exactly?

 

[Yffisch]

why did you start playing upside down exactly?

Because I am a leftie and left is my "control hand". And it just felt very natural to have the low notes at the bottom and the high notes at the top. Makes more sense than the opposite

 

[AccordionUprising]

Ill mention this thread on twitter with our #UpsideDownAccordion hashtag!

We gathered a bunch of upside-down sightings a few years back and posted about them. Nobody playing CBA I dont think. A few people make it work, mostly on diatonics.

Upside Down Accordion: a Primer for Accordion-Fools Day
https://accordionuprising.wordpress...n-accordion-a-primer-for-accordion-fools-day/

Accordion Noir Radio had an upside down episode too:
Upside-Down Accordion Noir Radio, April Fools Episode 2015
https://accordionuprising.wordpress...ccordion-noir-radio-april-fools-episode-2015/

 

[Yffisch]

Ill mention this thread on twitter with our #UpsideDownAccordion hashtag!

We gathered a bunch of upside-down sightings a few years back and posted about them. Nobody playing CBA I dont think. A few people make it work, mostly on diatonics.

Upside Down Accordion: a Primer for Accordion-Fools Day
https://accordionuprising.wordpress...n-accordion-a-primer-for-accordion-fools-day/

Accordion Noir Radio had an upside down episode too:
Upside-Down Accordion Noir Radio, April Fools Episode 2015
https://accordionuprising.wordpress...ccordion-noir-radio-april-fools-episode-2015/

Haha, you can do that. But your first clip in that blog is also me playing the CBA (the Monkey Island tune) so you have a CBA player there. I feel honored to be in your blog

 

[fphlpsnrg]

When Rudolf Würthner lost a finger (and maybe a bit more) on his right hand he decided to change to playing the treble side with his left hand. Just turning the accordion upside down is not a good idea. The accordion is not designed to be used that way. Many vids that at first sight seem of upside down players are just mirror images that are the result from recording in selfie mode on a phone. What I heard is that Würther had a mirror image accordion purposely built, so that the low notes were still at the top and the low notes at the bottom.
THere are not many real upside down players because playing an accordion upside down is just one thing: wrong. I won't even try it  because all my accordions have chin switches which then become "knee switches" of some sort, pressed mostly inadvertently (and although I have a blocking protector for them that would create a painful bulge).

I have been thinking about this problem since it first appeared and have been searching for realistic solutions and positive contributions. I don't have any. The primary obstacle to flipping the orientation of the keyboard is that published performance and tutorial material on CBA is based upon "standard" configuration. This is particularly challenging for the flipped keyboard with respect to constructing patterns for the scales and chords. The argument based on hand dominance is immaterial, self-defeating, and simply a crutch. Actually, I would see left-hand dominance as a positive asset in terms of controlling rhythm and speed.

At best, to each his own. If @Yffisch can see a path to achieving virtuosity using this orientation, then they should continue in this manner.

 

[Deleted member 48]

Left handed accordion players could perhaps rearrange the reedplates on the reedblocks, when they turn the CBA upside down. 

If you have unicolour buttons, an accordion repairer might try this. 

Even the stradella bass reedplates could be replaced or switched, but you have to carefully study the orientation and angles. 

I imagine this would be an operation that needs planning and consideration. 

This way you could use standard CBA methods and fingering patterns. 

Perhaps some left handed CBA players or PA players already play this way. 

I'm not familiar with accordions for left handed players, but you could ask a few accordion makers.

 

[Yffisch]

I'm not trying to achieve virtuosity because I should have played much much more during the years to achieve that. Now my Only goal is to achieve satisfaction in my playing.
The purpose with this thread is not that I want to change anything or modify the accordion. The purpose is just to have someone to share stuff with that has the same obstacles as me and maybe we can help each other
I will keep playing like this to see where it goes!

 

[jozz]

there is a similar question at melnet:
http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,20971.0/topicseen.html

there is talk from a couple of guys who also play upside down

 

[Sarah]

Upside-down piano accordion
https://www.youtube.com/user/diendelo/videos

 

[Dingo40]

there is a similar question at melnet:
http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,20971.0/topicseen.html

there is talk from a couple of guys who also play upside down

Thanks for the link, Jazz, most interesting!
In theory, there’s really nothing to prevent “lefties“ playing any instrument the way it’s designed. 
After all, we have many example of people doing this.
Even armless people have managed to perform tasks meant for hands with their feet and toes. I’ve heard of one guy who learnt to roll his own cigarettes using his feet
It’s all to do with what you’re used to.

 

[Yffisch]

there is a similar question at melnet:
http://forum.melodeon.net/index.php/topic,20971.0/topicseen.html

there is talk from a couple of guys who also play upside down

Thanks for the link, Jazz, most interesting!
In theory, there’s really nothing to prevent “lefties“ playing any instrument the way it’s designed. 
After all, we have many example of people doing this.
Even armless people have managed to perform tasks meant for hands with their feet and toes. I’ve heard of one guy who learnt to roll his own cigarettes using his feet
It’s all to do with what you’re used to.

Yes, nothing is impossible. Like paralympics and stuff.
Im just feeling that melodeon wouldnt really matter if you play it upside down or not since the keys are straight lines. The same with the piano accordion since it doesnt really matter which direction you play it.
The CBA is not a big issue either, the only thing is that the rows are aligned diagonally upwards (or downwards?). When turning it upside down it will kind of be a counter-direction which makes things a little bit different, but its not a huge issue.