Palmer Hughes

[Alans]

I know Palmer Hughes isn’t perfect-too many polkas and for a non-American too much patriotism for my liking. I also know that a lot of Europeans don’t like teaching it. But I’ve always liked it because it’s the only gradual course we have. I’ve struggled with my teacher concerning Palmer Hughes and I’d like to hear from anyone who has used the series and how long they have needed to take to move up to the next level.

 

[Rosie C]

I'm only at the start of book 3, but I really like the series. Yes, it is a bit American but it kind of works for me in its 1950s/60s style. When I was working on them daily I took about a month to move through each book - that included picking out tunes I particularly liked and practicing them to performance standard. But I expect that would slow down as I worked further through the series.

 

[wirralaccordion]

I have only books 3, 4, 5 and I find it rather lacking in bass fingering guidance which ( because I came to PA from piano ) is mostly what I personally need. Perhaps I wouldn't see it this way if I had an accordion teacher but I haven't and therefore wouldn't know if having an accordion teacher would make a difference.

 

[JeffJetton]

Perhaps I wouldn't see it this way if I had an accordion teacher

Or if you had books 1 & 2, which cover bass fingering pretty well (well, one style of bass fingering, at least). Subsequent books build on the previous ones and don't usually re-cap much, so it's not surprising you'd be a bit at sea if you jumped in with Book 3.

 

[wirralaccordion]

Or if you had books 1 & 2, which cover bass fingering pretty well (well, one style of bass fingering, at least). Subsequent books build on the previous ones and don't usually re-cap much, so it's not surprising you'd be a bit at sea if you jumped in with Book 3.

Very good point. However, I do have Sedlon Books 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 3A and although the bass fingering is covered in solo bass exercises it is not shown in the bass line of actual pieces and I suspect that this might be the case with the Palmer-Hughes series. I would love to see some actual pieces written for piano accordion which shown bass fingering in the bass line. This would be most helpful of all.

 

[JerryPH]

I had no issues with the PH materials, as long as it’s not the only thing you use. Supplement it with a strong exercise book that includes Hanon, add a book for scales, arpeggios, chords and add a song from an external source every 3-4 weeks to add to the repertoire.

That is a strong path to develop good beginner/intermediate skills. Also, you don’t need to do every page in the PH books, but the majority is a good idea.

 

[John M]

Very good point. However, I do have Sedlon Books 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 3A and although the bass fingering is covered in solo bass exercises it is not shown in the bass line of actual pieces and I suspect that this might be the case with the Palmer-Hughes series. I would love to see some actual pieces written for piano accordion which shown bass fingering in the bass line. This would be most helpful of all.

I have the Sedlon series. They start out in book 1A with the basic 3-2 bass/chord fingering pattern which is used in many songs. In the songs, the name of the chord is written along with notes for the bass and chord in the bass clef. If there is a bass solo, the fingering is written along with the "Dash" for the counter bass row.

 

[Accordionna]

I have only books 3, 4, 5 and I find it rather lacking in bass fingering guidance which ( because I came to PA from piano ) is mostly what I personally need. Perhaps I wouldn't see it this way if I had an accordion teacher but I haven't and therefore wouldn't know if having an accordion teacher would make a difference.

I have only books 3, 4, 5 and I find it rather lacking in bass fingering guidance which ( because I came to PA from piano ) is mostly what I personally need. Perhaps I wouldn't see it this way if I had an accordion teacher but I haven't and therefore wouldn't know if having an accordion teacher would make a difference.

I believe an instructor absolutely makes a difference. In the 1960s, I began instruction with Sedlon books 1A,1B, and 2-A, then was switched to Palmer Hughes. When I began taking music courses in college, I discovered that I knew more basic theory than long-time piano students and almost every instrumental major. P-H seamlessly ties theory and technique together. Because yes, the Stradella bass system, but also because my instructor reinforced bass patterns throughout my years with her. Simple example: The first speed drill in Book 2, P-H is from Hanon; they continue to use them through the series. My instructor assigned playing those drills in different keys; playing the treble patterns in the bass; and adding chords to them. Those "auxiliary" assignments were effective because of my instructor's initiative and experience.
;-D

I had no issues with the PH materials, as long as it’s not the only thing you use. Supplement it with a strong exercise book that includes Hanon, add a book for scales, arpeggios, chords and add a song from an external source every 3-4 weeks to add to the repertoire.

That is a strong path to develop good beginner/intermediate skills. Also, you don’t need to do every page in the PH books, but the majority is a good idea.

Currently I enjoy working with a very enthusiastic adult novice. Some of their motivation comes from having enjoyed Oktoberfest and Irish festivals. (They've been to some great ones!) I suggested that nearly half of P-H book 1 (more if you consider the 1-A/1-B combo) are Oktoberfest tunes! How many "popular" accordionists are pulling out that repertoire in the next few weeks? How many of us still remember Vegetables on Parade when someone requests Village Tavern/Too Fat Polka?
;-D

I have the Sedlon series. They start out in book 1A with the basic 3-2 bass/chord fingering pattern which is used in many songs. In the songs, the name of the chord is written along with notes for the bass and chord in the bass clef. If there is a bass solo, the fingering is written along with the "Dash" for the counter bass row.

John,
About two years ago, someone gave me the complete Sedlon instructional series (and several of their supplemental books). Looking back through P-H vs Sedlon courses now, I see very different approaches, with Sedlon connecting students to playing for friends and family in a time where all broadcast entertainment was radio (and possibly not in every home). As the original Sedlon series expands, early tunes are repeated, adding new chromatic, rhythmic, treble improvisations, and bass runs. They're an interesting complement to Palmer Hughes, mostly for rhythmic and improvisational patterns.
D

 

[Alan Sharkis]

I once asked an accordionist, who also taught accordion, what he thought of it. He told me that the series works better as a guide for the teacher than a self-instruction book for a student. He noted what he considered flaws in some of their suggested fingering and emphasized that the fingering in the series didn’t fit all students. But he did say that all things considered, and combined with the same suggestions that Jerry added and some basic theory and song books at the appropriate times for each student, Palmer-Hughes could be the backbone of a good curriculum.

By the way, when I first started to play, my then teacher used the Sickler series, which had only three books. Nobody I spoke to had ever heard of it, so I’m wondering if anyone on this forum ever heard of the Sickler series. It was released some years before Palmer-Hughes, and as I remember it, it moved very quickly in some areas and left out some important topics as compared to other series.

 

[Dingo40]

Supplement it with a strong exercise book that includes Hanon, add a book for scales, arpeggios, chords and add a song from an external source every 3-4 weeks to add to the repertoire.

As it's not been mentioned, I thought I'd say it: the Palmer Hughes Accordion Course of 10 core books is substantially augmented by a large amount of integrally produced supplementary material in book forum designed to reinforce the skills introduced in the basic books, something I've not come across in other packaged courses.
These additional materials include (from memory) Concert books (one each to accompany the first five levels), a couple of books specifically for the bass side, a cha cha book, a daily tuneups book, a how to compose book, a hillbilly book, a cowboy book, a book of Christmas carols, a Frosini highlights book, a twist book, a sacred music book, an easy rock'n roll book, a boogie book, a polka book, several accordion band books arranged for several voices each, a bellows shake book and a number of others (?) I can't think of at the moment, but all titles are listed on the back covers (some on each) of the various core books.
I got all I could find at the time and happy to have them.

 

[LibraryJoe]

There have been a lot of issues ordering from Busso music of late, but the site seems to be up again. It appears outside of the core course and a couple of other books Alfred (and Amazon) can supply the basic books. Dingo is correct--there is a wealth of supplementary material that Deffner / Busso now has the copyright.. Dated, and written mostly for kids, but as a learning tool these can provide some fun supplemental materials.

 

[Dingo40]

The other helpful thing is the YouTube videos of the various set pieces used for instruction in the Palmer Hughes Accordion Course. such as this example illustrating book six:

Google Search

Or,
Same book, different illustrator:

 

[JeffJetton]

Very good point. However, I do have Sedlon Books 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 3A and although the bass fingering is covered in solo bass exercises it is not shown in the bass line of actual pieces and I suspect that this might be the case with the Palmer-Hughes series. I would love to see some actual pieces written for piano accordion which shown bass fingering in the bass line. This would be most helpful of all.

To be fair, most of the early PH stuff uses just a few basic left-hand bass patterns. Once you learn the fingering for any of them, you're good to go, and you don't really need it to be written out ever again.

That said, you might want to check out the Gallianos' method book. They're very good about including any needed fingering, as well as bellows markings. And, personally, I like their fingerings better than PH anyway*. They do include right-hand fingerings for both piano and chromatic accordion, which can take a little getting used to at first.

* Actually, that might be why PH seems scant on LH fingerings, now that I think about it. They introduce both 3-2 and 4-3 at the outset, then go on to mostly focus on 3-2. But they do note that your instructor might prefer (as I do!) 4-3, and to go along with that if so. So by not writing fingerings in stone so much, they leave it a bit more open for teachers to use their own fingerings. Just a theory...

 

[Thomas N]

I own the entire set, but I purchased them 20 years ago new when I had the idea that I someday will teach accordion.

I took piano lessons for a year prior to accordion and my accordion teacher asked me "Can you read music?" and I replied yes.

From there it was just old simple Italian songs to start and then we progressed into the Jolly Caballero and Dizzy Fingers over the years. Never had an instruction book.

 

[Tom]

I own the entire set, but I purchased them 20 years ago new when I had the idea that I someday will teach accordion.

I took piano lessons for a year prior to accordion and my accordion teacher asked me "Can you read music?" and I replied yes.

From there it was just old simple Italian songs to start and then we progressed into the Jolly Caballero and Dizzy Fingers over the years. Never had an instruction book.

I tried lessons, books and even advice from the greats on here but I was too dumb (lazy?). For this reason it is just old simple Italian songs that make up much of my repertoire. Thankfully no one cares because I smile a lot, my accordion is pretty, and they are on vacation so the accordion is exotic and cool.

 

[wirralaccordion]

To be fair, most of the early PH stuff uses just a few basic left-hand bass patterns. Once you learn the fingering for any of them, you're good to go, and you don't really need it to be written out ever again.

That said, you might want to check out the Gallianos' method book. They're very good about including any needed fingering, as well as bellows markings. And, personally, I like their fingerings better than PH anyway*. They do including right-hand fingerings for both piano and chromatic accordion, which can take a little getting used to at first.

* Actually, that might be why PH seems scant on LH fingerings, now that I think about it. They introduce both 3-2 and 4-3 at the outset, then go on to mostly focus on 3-2. But they do note that your instructor might prefer (as I do!) 4-3, and to go along with that if so. So by not writing fingerings in stone so much, they leave it a bit more open for teachers to use their own fingerings. Just a theory...

I have just been looking at my Sedlon books and the advice on LH fingering is also scant. For example I could not find a use for finger 4 until book 1B, page 39 and that was for a bass note exercise, not a piece of music! A typical example of where bass fingering could be usefully advised would be in Carnival of Venice ( book 2B, page 19 ) where there is a very common progression from the CM chord ( bar 7 ) to the bass note D ( bar 8 ). Personally, I would swap the bass notes D and G over the next 4 bars to fit in easily with 3-2 fingering and the change wouldn't ( I don't thnk ) be noticed by anyone other than our resident expert Paul.

 

[OuijaBoard]

John Philip Sousa and other Stars'N'Stripes marching band music makes me want to poke my eyes out with a stick, as does "The Clarinet Polka" and other P-H selections I've tried to block out from memory. I simply skipped everything I hated. But there's stuff in those books I still play, Books 7 and 9 in particular. Tangos, all those pastiches of gypsy and Russian stuff, those Italian pieces. Love the way all that stuff sounds on accordion.

 

[Dingo40]

makes me want to poke my eyes out with a stick,

One man's poison is another man's meat!
Personally, I'm not particular and don't mind whatever P&H serves up: it's all grist to the mill!

 

[JerryPH]

One man's poison is another man's meat!
Personally, I'm not particular and don't mind whatever P&H serves up: it's all grist to the mill!

Looks like it is one of those cup half empty vs cup half full. I am one of the cup half full ones. Inever played every page on a PH book, but as a very young lad pulled a lot of good out of them.

 

[OuijaBoard]

I'm loving this B-system CBA player's recordings of complete P-H books. A Russian musician who lives in Malta. He posts videos of individual selections and also posts videos of all the pieces in one book together. I think he's done 'em all aside from Book 10 of which I see only a couple of individual pieces.

A fantastic accordionist and muti-instrumentalist, often accompanies himself on several other instruments using video magic. A lot of wonderful non-P-H accordion videos there too.

Book 9 in one video:




Book 7 in one video: