Silent Night

[andrewjohnsson40]

Hi!
Someone who can give me some tips on how to play a nice stradella LH for Silent Night?
And any tips on what the RH would do when accompany yourself singing?

 

[JerryPH]

Hi!
Someone who can give me some tips on how to play a nice stradella LH for Silent Night?
And any tips on what the RH would do when accompany yourself singing?

Silent night is very simple... Ive heard it with chords and no bass and playing in harmony with the voice is complementary... in other words, whatever notes you are singing, you are playing in 3rds lower on the accordion, makes for an interesting sound.

Then again, I have heard complex versions of this song... and all were wonderful. Play whatever level you can play at. Change the registers, change octaves, change the dynamics... make it interesting, make it fun. This is one of those songs that is really hard to play wrong as long as the notes are there... lol

 

[george garside]

My thoughts on playing Silent NIght , particularly if accompanying yourself or others singing is to .'keep it simple'.
Perhaps an introductory chorus played 'hauntingly' on a singe voice treble and no bass then bring in a second voice ?mm for the rest of the tune or maybe gong back to single voice here and there. Fairly minimal bass and definitely nothing arty farty! Perhaps just the occasional long harmonising chord ( no bass or counterbass) so that the main emphasis is on the singing word.
One of my favourite renditions of Silent Knight is the 'less is more' version recorded by Sir Jimmy Shand on a 2 row melodeon to accompany a single singer. I think this may come up on youtube , Spotify etc try Jimmy Shand silent Knight. The original recording was on the LP Jimmy Shand plays his favourite Hymns.

The best advice I ever had in respect of accompanying singer(s) was given by a long deceased prominent professional box player - it was simply ''always remember that they are the artist and you are the accompanyist!'

george

 

[Anyanka]

I would play the chords very legato - probably as George suggests, chords only for one time through. There is also room for a little ascending 3-note bass run after the first 'silent night, holy night'. Slow and gentle is of course the thing.

 

[losthobos]

i'd watch Piotr's version in the I DId That section and try and learn...truely wonderful version....

 

[george garside]

I have and to put it politely I was less than keen! sounded as if he was trying , not very well, to imitate a church organ - but everybody to his own etc

george

 

[Geronimo]

Well, here is a church organ imitation on the quick, with the lamest possible oompah accompaniment and second voice.
<YOUTUBE id=k66X17S06uI url=>[media]</YOUTUBE>

 

[george garside]

the wonders of electronics! the bass rhythm would be more appropriate for a 'smoochy' last waltz!

george

 

[JerryPH]

HAH! Let me see what I can come up with tomorrow on my 8X, not sure it will be any better, but I need some kid of mini project to test out if the Glucosamine and Condroitin are helping my fingers any.

 

[Geronimo]

the wonders of electronics!

Since I am using Midi here, its all software. What you are hearing on your computer has not left the digital domain at all before getting converted by your soundcard.

the bass rhythm would be more appropriate for a smoochy last waltz!

Pedal and Chorwerk are more of a chutzpah than an oompah accompaniment. Its actually amusing how an accordion makes for a great organ controller with an actually useful division of manuals. But wouldnt a waltz want more of a string and rhythm section?

 

[george garside]

have just listened to about 8 renditions of silent night on youtube and all are playing it as a waltz!!!???

george

 

[Geronimo]

HAH! Let me see what I can come up with tomorrow on my 8X, not sure it will be any better

I havent left a lot of leeway for it to be worse, really. Among the low-hanging fruit, those should be potatos. @george: let me see whether I got the time to make something different tomorrow.

 

[losthobos]

I have and to put it politely I was less than keen! sounded as if he was trying , not very well, to imitate a church organ - but everybody to his own etc

george

Fair comment George...too each his own...and being a simple and well known melody perhaps it would be a lovely experiment if as many of us as possible could agree to record this tune and say all post up on Christmas eve so we could get a picture of members stylistic interpretation and perhaps learn little gems from each others jewel boxes as a Christmas present / gesture of good will....

 

[JerryPH]

... perhaps it would be a lovely experiment if as many of us as possible could agree to record this tune and say all post up on Christmas eve so we could get a picture of members stylistic interpretation and perhaps learn little gems from each others jewel boxes as a Christmas present / gesture of good will....

Lovely sentiment and I always have a great time experimenting, however on the days leading up to Christmas and the full week and a half after, my time is 100% completely booked by my family, so I wont have time to make any recordings and even finding the odd minute here and there to read this forum will be a challenge, so I have to try to do my video when I can.

For no real reason, today I awoke at 6:00AM thinking about this. I quickly shaved, showered and went down to my basement studio to prepare for the video, then made my breakfast. This afternoon I have about 2 hours of free time, so I will do a quick recording, some fast post processing with a new little technical twist (nothing new for me, just something I never did in my accordion videos), and post it here, if that is OK with the gent that made this post originally... or should I start a new thread and have everyone place their videos there?

In any case, I guess my good will gesture comes early. :ch {}

 

[losthobos]

I'd say start a new thread Jerry...I'll have to grab some time when it appears and try and make something from the back bone of the melody....quite excited to see how different interpretations come in from other forum users....be nice to put a style to a name...
Glad someone has joined the festive spirit

 

[JerryPH]

New thread started... have at it everyone!

https://www.accordionists.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5323

 

[losthobos]

I have and to put it politely I was less than keen! sounded as if he was trying , not very well, to imitate a church organ - but everybody to his own etc

george

Nice one George....quite looking forward to seeing you interpretation on the group participation thread on the I Did it section...
Going to be so interesting for me to see other players versions and hopefully will pull me out of my somewhat blinkered outlook...

 

[Glenn]

HAH! Let me see what I can come up with tomorrow on my 8X, not sure it will be any better, but I need some kid of mini project to test out if the Glucosamine and Condroitin are helping my fingers any.

We don’t want any drugs cheats Jerry

 

[JerryPH]

We don’t want any drugs cheats Jerry

HAH! Ok, that cracked me up... I suddenly envisioned pee tests prior to any performance videos, just to make sure were all on the up and up. :lol:

 

[Geronimo]

We don’t want any drugs cheats Jerry

HAH! Ok, that cracked me up... I suddenly envisioned pee tests prior to any performance videos, just to make sure were all on the up and up. :lol:

No pipe organic matter admitted to accordion contests.