singing

[Mr Mark]

This is a minor third or a major sixth. I find it worth pointing out that this transposition interval is as trivial in the right hand on a CBA as it is on the left hand: move one button to the right (for going up a minor third) or three buttons to the left (for going down a major sixth). So if you are accompanying your singing with more than the left hand, a CBA will still give you a hand at brainless transposition in magnitudes of minor thirds.

Actually, I find it reasonably doable to transform by other amounts as well even though I am not using a five-row usually (and tend to stick to the third three rows mainly even when transposing).

Certainly less of a chore than on a piano accordion.

Well now that I have a bunch of PAs it seems only logical I should have gone the CBA route :mrgreen: .

 

[Geronimo]

Actually, I find it reasonably doable to transform by other amounts as well even though I am not using a five-row usually (and tend to stick to the third three rows mainly even when transposing).

Certainly less of a chore than on a piano accordion.

Well now that I have a bunch of PAs it seems only logical I should have gone the CBA route :mrgreen: .

Grass is always greener on the other side... In my quite limited experience, playing from score sheets came easier with the PA, playing by ear and improvising in whatever key you are currently in is easier with CBA.

Its sort of funny how much of an inner zealot I have become: when looking at accordion videos, Im always dissatisfied in some manner when seeing a PA. It feels not right. Sort of like I constantly need to reinforce the belief in my choice.

And I find it almost offensive that there have been CBA accordions designed with a PA look in the 20s or 30s in order to impress the audience. Hard to come up with a buzzword for that though: chromatic pride doesnt cut it since PAs are chromatic as well, and button pride sounds weird and includes a whole lot of diatonics I cant play.

 

[jozz]

real men transpose on PA any day without blinking

:ch

 

[Geronimo]

Sure, real men. But the odds are stacked against me already because of the player, I don't need to fight the instrument as well. Of course, this applies more to good vs bad instruments (and the brilliant people showcasing the latter as if they were the former) rather than CBA against PA, but I need to take what I can get.

 

[dan]

You mean, they dont wear hats any more? That is a shame!

Speaking of hats and singing accordionists, look up Aaron Seeman from San Francisco (stage name Duckmandu) He wears a donald duck hat and plays Dead Kennedys. Very skilled and tremendously entertaining--i have seen him play.

Renee de la prade plays melodeon and sings punk and trad. Both of these musicians use microphones

Dan Newton also comes to mind.

I have done some songwriting on accordion and would second Mark that Stradella bass is a wonderful tool for working out chord progressions. Unfortunately, i lack the coordination to do much of anything on the right hand while singing.

 

[jozz]

I actually had to look up what a donald duck hat looks like

 

[Corinto]

real men transpose on PA any day without blinking

No problem to transpose any day without blinking on my Janko button accordion ... {}