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Left hand Rhythm Patterns......

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losthobos

losthobos

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I'm wondering if anyone has any charts pdf's etc concerning rhythm patterns for the left hand...
Sure most people can work out a basic 3/4 waltz or a 'Marks and Spencers is next to Woolworths' tango but i'd really love to find some nice distinctive rhythms for a Foxtrot, Swing Waltz, Beguine, Bossa Nova, etc especially if can find a way of imitating the bigband swing rhythms of the 1940's
Hope that makes sense and thanks in advance to anyone that can spread light and get me out of the omp pah pah, or 'four to the floor ' rut i seem to be stuck in...
 
That would be useful to a lot of people, including me. I tend to prefer it when both hands are written out, possible lack of imagination when it comes to the left hand?!
 
I think you'd probably need to try and look at some of the more famous American jazz players and try and work out what they do. Whether you could work out their bass progressions from sheet music is unknown territory for me. They often simply do not use the bass buttons at all and rely on other band members for accompaniment.

Unfortunately the accordion seems to have been made for the oompah technicians among us (including me). The designers obviously never thought that the instrument was going to be taken up by jazz players, or they might have put a hammer through the bass side. I've been stuck in the same rut you mention for many years, because as soon as I try to do anything fancy on the bass side the whole show ends up grinding to a halt.

I suppose I've been playing the accordion much like a barrel organ all of the years I've crucified tunes on it. When I was able to manage alternating counterbasses I knew I had truly mastered it (well I thought I had).

The idea of bigband on accordion seems great, but I've not got enough years left to try learning it. When I was a kid in the 50s I was told accordions were for old fashioned music. I therefore took up playing the guitar, and years later bought a guitar called a Jazzmaster, which had been made in the mistaken belief that it would appeal to jazz players. These guitars never appealed to jazz players at all, and were mainly used to play surf rock and the guitar instrumentals of the 60s. I still have one, but have never played jazz on it in my life.

Some makers list some of their accordions as "Jazz" models, but you still have to struggle with the Stradella bass and its oompah tendencies, or just do what you say in the second part of your motto.

I hope someone on the forum will be able to help.
 
Hah maugien, we are too alike... i too played country/jazz/rockabilly/surf guitar at a semi pro level... i jacked it all in as got fed up herding cats/juggling musicians... i sold my PA etc and bought an accordion figuring i could cover all bases playing alone at home for happiness ( i can't sing so no point chanting along to guitar and my lead work is not a lot of fun without accompniment so accordion seemed smart option)
i really do like the older standrads sound and ballroom dance... i can hear these rhythms instantly and associate between them when dancings but my fingers alas do not have the dexterity (or perhaps lack the tuition my feet have had)
I'm just looking for a simple code that will be easy to apply to make tunes danceable rather than stompable... for instance Sinatra's Lady is a Tramp sounds simple at first listen but i'm struggling to acheive this motion.... and i don't really want to be chasing large bass runs...
 
Sounds an attractive idea but not sure it exists.
What may work is to choose a piece you want to play in the style you fancy cracking and find an accordion version in a book dedicated to the style. Eg. Klezma in a Klezma book . That way you will be able to see many examples of other pieces arranged for accordion of Klezma music and get a good feel for the possibilities in the style.
 
Yes, thats true Glenn.
Although it sounds like a cliche, so much of learning a new/'foreign' style is really about listening and even better watching and have someone who knows how to do it explain it to you.
When i learned how to play the 3 main types of samba rhythms on a cavaquinho (steel dtring ukulele tuned like a banjo), i was forunate enough to find a guy who played it here in sydney. He was not a good teacher at all, but with him plus endless listening to youtube vids, i got it.

Losthobos, if you are specifically asking about brazilian rhythms, i can point you in the direction of youtube clips specifically on how to play samba and bossa nova on guitar, which you could then transfer to accordion, in your own way. Im personally not at the stage yet in my accordion playing level where i can transfer what i know from other instruments...

Also, there is a tutor book which covers a variety of rhythms on the french music site Oscar Music under the Methode Accordeon section of the site.
 
Sarah - thank you for that post! What a great video showing the different styles of bass patterns. I have saved it as a favorite.

Brandy
 
yes that is an interesting link. I am not that familiar with roland. I tried one once, mostly just to feel it and used accordion sounds mostly. Are the percussion sounds built in with a key so when you hit one you get the bass tone and a percussion instrument at the same time? It sounds pretty steady here. They are not like an accompaniment drum beat like a lot of keyboards I take it?
 
Here is a list of method books at Oscar Music in France. Which book are you referring to?
Sorry, I forgot to post the link. Here we go. http://www.oscarmusic.com/methodes/methode2.asp?Cliprov=&FAM=42

Ganza said:
Yes, thats true Glenn.
Although it sounds like a cliche, so much of learning a new/foreign style is really about listening and even better watching and have someone who knows how to do it explain it to you.
When i learned how to play the 3 main types of samba rhythms on a cavaquinho (steel dtring ukulele tuned like a banjo), i was forunate enough to find a guy who played it here in sydney. He was not a good teacher at all, but with him plus endless listening to youtube vids, i got it.

Losthobos, if you are specifically asking about brazilian rhythms, i can point you in the direction of youtube clips specifically on how to play samba and bossa nova on guitar, which you could then transfer to accordion, in your own way. Im personally not at the stage yet in my accordion playing level where i can transfer what i know from other instruments...

Also, there is a tutor book which covers a variety of rhythms on the french music site Oscar Music under the Methode Accordeon section of the site.
Click to expand...
 
nagant27 said:
yes that is an interesting link. I am not that familiar with roland. I tried one once, mostly just to feel it and used accordion sounds mostly. Are the percussion sounds built in with a key so when you hit one you get the bass tone and a percussion instrument at the same time? It sounds pretty steady here. They are not like an accompaniment drum beat like a lot of keyboards I take it?
Click to expand...

Yes, the percussion sounds are used when you press a button or key on the keyboard - I love my Roland!!!

I used to play keyboards in bands, I had percussion on the keyboards, but it played its own beat and I had to follow the beat. With the Roland the percussion follows my lead!!!! loving it!!!

Brandy
 
thank you Brandy that's exactly what I was getting at. I guess I need to re-look into rolands. This sounds like a good feature, allowing you to change tempos freely.
 
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