New kid on the block, Cortez, Colorado, USA

[Waldo]

Howdy Folks,
Im the new kid on the block so I thought Id introduce myself.
My handle is WaldoW, I reside in Colorado, USA and Im 67 years young. Im 6 months into my musical career, now and still hooked. I started out on a PA but soon realizied the error in my ways, so now have a CBA, and a nice PA for sale [see classifieds].
My new (to me) CBA is a late 60s vintage Paolo Soprani 5-row, in C-griff. Specs are: Medium size, LMMM, Wet musette, 77/120 stradella, 9/2, 4/5, standard reeds, 23 lbs [10.5 kg].
An awesome machine! Only problem here in the good ole USA, is a lack of CBA players/teachers. I live near Cortez, Colorado, if there are any players in my area please contact via PM.
A note about my musical interest, in no particular order: Musette, 1940’s-60’s (Big Band, R&R, Western, Country), Americana & Mexican Norteno.
I’ve learned a ton from this site already, just by touring around. LOTS of good knowledge and experience (priceless).
Being new to the box, I have lots of questions. First, Im gonna surf the rest of the site for answers, so-as not to duplicate inquiries. Once Im done,though, watch out!
Question: What should I do when I cant easily place a thread topic into a category?
Looking forward to learning, learning, learning, and practice, practice, practice!

 

[debra]

Welcome! It took me nearly 40 years to realize the error in my ways and switch from PA to CBA (C-griff), so you are a very fast learner!
What I did was for the first few months try to play everything on the first 3 rows (the rows near the outer edge of the keyboard), making sure you use all 5 fingers. Then you start learning the convenience of sometimes going to the 4th row and later also the 5th row. Having technique to do everything on 3 rows also helps you in gaining confidence in knowing where every note is, in just one place.
It's a good idea to start with some scales and chords to develop basic technique, boring as that may be.
On CBA there are many fingering possibilities. You have to find out what you feel most comfortable with yourself. Happy playing!

 

[EMan]

Welcome Waldo -

We have a great forum with unending knowledge. It's fun being part of this.

On another note ( no pun ), I am 68 years young and have been playing the PA for 62 of them. I have always found the CBA very interesting, but up until joining the forum had little, if any, exposure to them. I sincerely doubt that I would attempt to make such a change in my accordion playing at this stage of my life; other than maybe just for fun.

Enjoy the forum, but most of all enjoy your accordion !

Ed

 

[Soulsaver]

Hi Waldo & a warm welcome - if it doesn't fit in an obvious category and it's to do with accordions, put it in accordion chat.. or the pub, we don't bite anyway. Have fun!

 

[acordiansam]

Welcome. So many boxes so little time.

 

[Waldo]

Thanks for the warm welcomes. I've spent hours, days reading entrys here and have discovered there are often little appropriate tidbits of info buried within a thread. This necessitates reading every post on the site. Well, I'm retired.....

 

[JackieC]

Greetings Waldo! Welcome to this great forum. I haven't been here very long either. I have played PA for over 23 years and am about 2 1/2 months into learning CBA C griff. I, too, am in the USA and am not finding much in the way of educational methods for CBA. I am simply applying what I know about the accordion, plus using my old Palmer-Hughes books, and am, much to my surprise, learning the CBA. Don't let age get in your way when it comes to learning something new. I am 63 and love taking on musical challenges. It keeps the little gray cells in good working order.

 

[Waldo]

Thanks again, everyone. Unfortunately, all of the grey matter in my brains has leaked out into my hair! But that won't stop me! Charge!!!