How many times do you do it?

[Buttons]

To all you 'learners', and others .......1 How many times do you run through a new number on the RH?
2 Ditto on the LH, and
3 How many times with both hands?

All of that before you start seeing good progress and can do a playable version of the number? Is it x5, x10. x50, etc.

For my part, it must be more 50+ for each question than 20+, but I have not counted but will with the next one to learn. I know practise makes perfect, but where is the dividing line? Does it matter?...............no. It is sometimes of value to know where you fit in to the world. Playing or sweeping the stage.

 

[Anyanka]

Some tunes take longer than others. When practising, I usually repeat a tune until it starts getting worse, and then move on to another one. I put both hands together as soon as possible though, and hardly ever go back to separate practice except to iron out fingering issues.
Probably once or twice right hand only - left hand alone only if it's got some really tricky business in it - and then 50+++ with both hands together.

 

[Glenn]

I think it depends on how difficult the piece is.
As you imporove, the easier pieces don't take so long.
Some others take a lifetime.
Some pieces I started a year ago then abandon only to come back later a find I've made good progress in my absence.

 

[goldtopia]

Yes, difficult tunes take much longer. If I like it a lot I would go over it many, many times. This morning I was playing Gavotte from The Gondoliers many times because I like it so much, with many breaks for rest . I felt knackered. I'm nearly 71. Another one is Where Sheep Safely Graze. Time flies and before you know it most of the day is gone and your dying of thirst..

 

[Tom]

Have a beer, Bill..... Yeah, it's good to learn an easy tune now and then to give some relief. Right now I'm learning a tune that I don't have sheet music for so it's a combination of by ear, trial and error and slowly, painfully picking up notes with Audacity, and the youtube video is on a D machine and mine is G. So, it could take me 2 hours to get down one phrase, playing throug literalyy hundreds of times. Like Tu Scendi took me probably two weeks to learn, average an hour a day maybe. So, yeah, I'm probably considered old and slow but it's the challenge that makes it fun, anyway if playing the accordion were easy, everyone would do it!

 

[george garside]

as many as it takes - preferably spread over a number of sessions

george

 

[Buttons]

Well thank you everyone. I think I will start on the LH sooner rather than flogging to the RH to death. Integration may be the new way forward. It is difficult to know where you fit into normality, except that normality and accordionists may not sit well together. It deos seem so easy to keep on the RH too long. I do think that you go through stages of sucess, not so sucessful, stuck, etc.

Thank you all.

 

[Guernseyman]

I always try to learn bass and treble together. For some reason my brain does not work well at integrating bass and treble when learnt separately. It's a bit of a rubbing tummy whilst patting head moment for me. Much better in my head at least, to learn both as I go along.

 

[Glenn]

I agree 100% with Guernseyman. Playing together from the start is the best approach.
Of course, if you have to struggle reading the notes then by all means run each hand a couple of times alone but do not think playing right or left hand like a pro will allow you to play like one both together. It is better to play slowly together rather than prolonged periods of playing separately.

 

[goldtopia]

I usually learn both together but there are times when I have to practice them individually. I was having a go at Bach's Ave Maria. The right hand is easy enough but the arpegios on the buttons are tricky and have to practice that seperately. I still haven't got it right, when playing both hands together the bass coordination is all over the place.

 

[Glenn]

I was having a go at Bachs Ave Maria.

Love that music. Looking forward to hearing your recording.

 

[Buttons]

Thank you once again for sharing your thoughts. Next tune coming up soon ...perhaps....Best Wishes.

 

[fraujoolie]

I'm new on accordion, but I have studied piano for many years. I was taught to almost always play with 2 hands together, except when wood shedding through a tricky fingering. And these nuggets:
There are many ways to practice.
Good practice is not slogging through start to finish.
Practice phrases, then practice from the middle of one phrase to the middle of the next.
Practice phrases in varying rhythm, articulation and tempo.
Practice phrases backwards and forwards.
Move on when it starts to fall apart. Never continue on frustrated. Move to a different piece and let it rest.
Practice away from your instrument. Think about the music. Read the music. Visualize and air-play.

 

[Zevy]

<FONT font=Garamond><SIZE size=125>My teacher said to learn the easiest part first. Then you can tackle the more difficult part afterwards. That translates to whichever side, part, etc.

 

[Jim the box]

as many as it takes - preferably spread over a number of sessions
:lol: george

As george says - as many times as it takes and then some.

 

[Zevy]

<FONT font=Garamond><SIZE size=125>Never enough!

 

[Bazzy T]

As a beginner myself, I've found it most useful to learn a tune phrase-by-phrase, right hand then left hand. Go over the phrase a few times on each hand, then a few times with both hands together, then learn the next phrase, right hand then left hand, then together, etc etc. Every few phrases go back to the beginning and play through up the point that you are at.

It might seem a little laborious, but by breaking it down into manageable chunks, I can get a grip of the tune pretty quickly, and I find it easier because it automatically builds a lot of repetition into the process.