PA and Piano

[andrewjohnsson40]

I like to do exercices, eg scales first on the piano, take a deep breath and then practice it on the piano accordion. I disslike how people seperate different instruments from eachother. Then I also practice singing scales. Why do you think not too many teachers talk about this? Is this because I am the only one practicing like this?
How do you people practice the PA as a pianist? One teacher long time ago told me that some technichal exercices were better to be practice at the piano. I kind of like to practice exercices for the RH on the piano and then play them on the PA. I need to get use to play them on the PA.

 

[debra]

There can be many reasons for not advising practicing for PA by playing on a piano. I can think of 1) manny people do not have both instruments, 2) key width is different between PA and piano and 3) on a piano volume is controlled through how hard you hammer on the keys and on PA through bellows pressure and 4) on the piano you are more tempted to look at the keyboard than on the PA.
For years I was learning to play both and what bothered me most was point number 3. I still suffer from a tendency to hammer on the keys of my accordion too hard when I try to pay louder.

 

[andrewjohnsson40]

Are you saying that people don't really try to feel the difference between the piano and the PA? I have never had any issues with playing the RH on the PA like if it was a piano. I guess I did do this one time or two in the beginning but it was never any issue for me.
I always try to see the simmilarities and differences between these two instruments. This is why I sometime like practicing them together in one session. I love meditating on the differences between the PA and the piano.
People are perhaps having problems with seeing and feeling the differences between instruments. People are different.

 

[Eddy Yates]

I have a hard time picking up my 7’ piano and holding it on my knee.

 

[debra]

Are you saying that people don't really try to feel the difference between the piano and the PA? I have never had any issues with playing the RH on the PA like if it was a piano. I guess I did do this one time or two in the beginning but it was never any issue for me.
...

Of course we "try" to not just feel but mostly "memorize" the difference between the piano and PA. But I started learning to play the piano when I was 7 years young and went all the way through music school for something like 12 years, so I played piano a *lot*. I started on the PA 11 years, after the "use key hammering strength to control dynamics" technique was very firmly stored in my brain and muscle memory. Continuing to play both instruments made it harder to stop hammering on the PA keyboard. Trying is one thing, but actually achieving is another.

 

[Eddy Yates]

Interesting, Paul. Being primarily a pianist, that was also a big deal for me. I’m a little more conscious of unnecessary hammering of the accordion keys now, but I’ve also figured out that sometimes that’s not a bad thing, particularly when I’m playing blues or Cajun. It actually changes the sound for the better, sometimes.
There’s another dimension involved, too. I remember hearing the great organist, Virgil Fox, talking about playing the pipe organ. He opened up all the stops to full volume, then sat stone-still and barely moved his fingers. Of course, a thunderous roar came forth. Then, he played the same chord by lifting his arms in the air and coming down hard on the keys. It was exactly the same volume, but to the listener/watcher, it FELT louder!

 

[Anyanka]

I actually found that my piano playing improved when I switched to button accordion - and I played piano more frequently again. It was almost as if the two instruments took up the same 'space' in my musicality as long as they had the same keyboard.
Other than that, I generally find it beneficial to play similar exercises on different instruments, and to transfer ornaments or techniques from one to another. Not just piano to accordion, but bagpipes to accordion, piano to banjo. Doesn't always work but when it does it enriches your playing.
I also try the same tunes on different instruments: some sit best on one particular thing, others just acquire different flavours with each version: those are usually my favourite tunes.