M
maugein96
Guest
I'm posting a photo of a book that I would recommend to any C system CBA player. It may be possible to download the book free, but the link that formerly related to the download no longer works. The book is frequently available on eBay and also from Amazon.fr, at reasonable cost. The author is the late Raymond Gazave, of the French accordion conservatory in Paris.
It is not a method book, and consists of 334 exercises designed to improve finger strength and flexibility in the right hand. It doesn't matter what style of music or C system CBA accordion you play. It is aimed at newish players to the instrument, and the exercises are designed so that you are prevented from playing in a repetitive manner. They teach you to actually read what is written, instead of automatically moving the fingers into position for the next note.
You are made to stay on the outside three rows only, with the very odd exception, and you need to be careful to use the fingers indicated in the scores. Musically, the exercises are very basic, but they are pretty tricky using the fingering indicated, and you need to concentrate hard on what you're doing.
The first thing that will be apparent is that very conservative use is made of the thumb. However, it is given due attention, and is used in a fair number of the exercises. The object of the exercises is to strengthen the fingers of the right hand, not the thumb, which is a pretty strong digit already. A lot of players are able to use the thumb and two or three fingers of the right hand only, across all five rows, without using the little finger much at all. There is nothing wrong with that, providing it suits the music style you are playing.
However, every now and then a "finger buster" appears, and we are all at sixes and sevens with how to cope. As you work through this book it will teach you what at first may appear to be impractical fingering for simple pieces of "music". The temptation is to say, "there is a far easier way to do that", and in most cases you will probably be correct. Again I'll stress that you are being taught how to substitute one finger for another, not find the easiest option. In most cases you would never use the stipulated fingering in the book if you were playing a tune, so what's the point?
All I can say is I almost had to give up playing altogether after an accident involving serious injury to my right hand. If it hadn't been for this book then I would never have been able to regain the strength and flexibility in my fingers.
I'd better mention the downside. French fingering notation is used, so you have P,1,2,3,4 instead of the usual 1,2,3,4,5, with "P" referring to "pouce" (thumb). If you are likely to have an issue with working to that system the book might not be for you, although you can always write your preferred fingering notation below the score.
I'm not a teacher so why am I qualified to recommend such a book?
Two things really. The first thing is it actually works, although I wouldn't recommend tackling more than one or two exercises at a time. There is no quick way through it, as the exercises are deliberately tricky. The second one is that it was highly recommended to me by the late John Leslie, who owned the shop "Accordions of London". John taught both B and C CBA accordion, with a preference for the former. He suggested that I did the lessons in conjunction with a method book I was using at the time, so I learned repetition from the method book and how to make better use of my fingers from the exercises. At the time I had no other option than to teach myself to play.
Just thought I would draw attention to the book's existence. I still have my copy with the "Accordions of London " sticker on it, and every now and again I'll try an exercise or two, just to remind me that there is more than one way to do things.
EDIT:- The bass side is also covered, but using the same fingering notation (1,2,3,4). There are no fancy runs, just basic accompaniment, but he has you alternating the fingers there as well.
It is not a method book, and consists of 334 exercises designed to improve finger strength and flexibility in the right hand. It doesn't matter what style of music or C system CBA accordion you play. It is aimed at newish players to the instrument, and the exercises are designed so that you are prevented from playing in a repetitive manner. They teach you to actually read what is written, instead of automatically moving the fingers into position for the next note.
You are made to stay on the outside three rows only, with the very odd exception, and you need to be careful to use the fingers indicated in the scores. Musically, the exercises are very basic, but they are pretty tricky using the fingering indicated, and you need to concentrate hard on what you're doing.
The first thing that will be apparent is that very conservative use is made of the thumb. However, it is given due attention, and is used in a fair number of the exercises. The object of the exercises is to strengthen the fingers of the right hand, not the thumb, which is a pretty strong digit already. A lot of players are able to use the thumb and two or three fingers of the right hand only, across all five rows, without using the little finger much at all. There is nothing wrong with that, providing it suits the music style you are playing.
However, every now and then a "finger buster" appears, and we are all at sixes and sevens with how to cope. As you work through this book it will teach you what at first may appear to be impractical fingering for simple pieces of "music". The temptation is to say, "there is a far easier way to do that", and in most cases you will probably be correct. Again I'll stress that you are being taught how to substitute one finger for another, not find the easiest option. In most cases you would never use the stipulated fingering in the book if you were playing a tune, so what's the point?
All I can say is I almost had to give up playing altogether after an accident involving serious injury to my right hand. If it hadn't been for this book then I would never have been able to regain the strength and flexibility in my fingers.
I'd better mention the downside. French fingering notation is used, so you have P,1,2,3,4 instead of the usual 1,2,3,4,5, with "P" referring to "pouce" (thumb). If you are likely to have an issue with working to that system the book might not be for you, although you can always write your preferred fingering notation below the score.
I'm not a teacher so why am I qualified to recommend such a book?
Two things really. The first thing is it actually works, although I wouldn't recommend tackling more than one or two exercises at a time. There is no quick way through it, as the exercises are deliberately tricky. The second one is that it was highly recommended to me by the late John Leslie, who owned the shop "Accordions of London". John taught both B and C CBA accordion, with a preference for the former. He suggested that I did the lessons in conjunction with a method book I was using at the time, so I learned repetition from the method book and how to make better use of my fingers from the exercises. At the time I had no other option than to teach myself to play.
Just thought I would draw attention to the book's existence. I still have my copy with the "Accordions of London " sticker on it, and every now and again I'll try an exercise or two, just to remind me that there is more than one way to do things.
EDIT:- The bass side is also covered, but using the same fingering notation (1,2,3,4). There are no fancy runs, just basic accompaniment, but he has you alternating the fingers there as well.
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