The other instrument

[craigd]

Do you have one? I ask because what I should be doing instead of reading a forum about accordions is practicing my trumpet. I play more music on the trumpet than I ever will on accordion, but I keep coming ack to the squeezebox. I don't really understand my fascination with the accordion, but it is strong and persists. Maybe it stems from my childhood lessons and my parents' hopes.

I do find that my trumpet practice and development advances my accordion playing more than vice-versa. Maybe because it forces me to think musically, hear the music in my mind before I play it. My accordion playing was very sheet music based, basically follow the instructions on the page, but the trumpet woke me up to a new way of playing. I now try to apply that to my accordion playing.

I'm curious about other dual or multi instrumentalists out there, what you play and what sort of "synergy" it produces?

 

[Walker]

I would love be able to say I was a multi instrumentalist, and be so nonchalent about it. I would calmly walk up to the piano in the shopping mall and smile as I played Blueberry Hill in full vintage style. Or maybe I would play a real old number on trumpet, a la Louis Armstrong, just for fun at parties and informal gatherings. Or maybe I would study the clarinet, and be a razor sharp Mozart aficionado. Then again, I might go old style celtic and play the Uilleann pipes - also known as the Irish organ. I have always loved a tune called The Coolin - it's hauntingly beautiful, and centuries old.

But no, I'm just a guy with a piano accordion. It's my thing, I guess.

 

[Dingo40]

Craig,
I find bilingualism has a similar effect.
I heard somewhere that Louis Armstrong ("Satchmo" ) phrased his trumpet playing as a vocalist (which he was) would phrase their singing: that would seem appropriate in accordion playing also.

 

[Corinto]

Upright piano, chromatic button accordions, keyboard, ukuleles, harmonicas (chromatic, diatonic, tremolo & octave), pentatonic recorders. Myself mostly modest amateur level, ... but both my kids learned, ... and now both my grandkids are learning on my piano with a pro teacher on a weekly basis ... tomorrow my grandkids have a little show with all the other same level alumni at the teacher's place ...

 

[vivdunstan]

The accordion was my first instrument at age 4. From about age 9-18 I learned the violin, and played in a schools orchestra. I haven’t played the violin for almost 30 years, and don’t miss it! It has been useful though in teaching myself the classical guitar. I have also self learned the piano, helped by my piano accordion skills.

I think the violin play in particular opened me up to appreciating classical music. The classical guitar has opened me up to traditional Spanish guitar music.

But my accordion stands alone and above them all, and is the main constant instrument in my life. I am still not great on music theory. But hey I have fun!

Oh and I am learning the Anglo concertina too! My granddad in Yorkshire played the concertina. But that’s more picking up on my accordion skills of doing multiple things at once, including bellows. Though bisonoric is *weird*

 

[Walker]

@craigd, @Corinto, @vivdunstan - you guys are legends.

As usual Dingo40 and I are bottom of the class (mainly me, sorry for dragging you down Dingo) - I expect you are a closet hurdy gurdy virtuoso, Dingo?

Anyone seen @Ffingers? He can join us too. But no doubt he'll be a secret concert harpist just finishing a gig at the Sydney Opera House... wait and see.

 

[Tom]

I've "played at" many instruments (and would be interested in what I answered last time this question came up ).

Most recently mandolin in order to sit in at area (bluegrass/americana) jams where accordion really doesn't fit in. I started a band and played many years on guitar, began on drums in 5th grade and have played in a band or two. Was defeated by violin, spend not enough time with my organetto. Jack of all trades, master of none.

 

[Ffingers]

Orrite, then.
I play no musical instrument with any degree of competence, but I can whistle quite well

But I do have in my possession an array of recorders, a chromatic harmonica, a learners' flute, an accordina, and a guitar.
All simply to amuse myself from time to time.

The recent acquisition of a couple of accordions, together with the accordina, is an attempt to do a late-in-life develpoment of some actual musical competence, one which does not seem to have a great deal of likelihood of success.

Having a mind like a flea, which hops from one matter of interest to another with no sense of direction nor purpose, does not help, though the political shennaneghans of the Australian political scene has kept me somewhat focussed over the last nine years - Dingo will understand.

I guess that it is time now to narrow my field of activities to self education, survivalist gardening and the game of "carpe deum" in a more personally meaningful way, leaving the "Affairs of State" to the poor unfortunate younger generations who will have to clean up the mess with which we, their predecessors, have emburdened them.

 

[Valski]

I've never had a serious desire to play any instrument beyond the piano accordion. Perhaps it's because to me the accordion is everything that I want musically. Yes it can be heavy, but the sound it emits is anything but heavy. With the accordion my fingertips don’t ’t hurt like with the guitar or other stringed instruments, my lips don’t go numb like with a trumpet or even worse a saxophone.

Now that I own a Roland, I can dial up the orchestral sounds in all of their glory. So why would I want to play any other instrument?

 

[Dingo40]

". With the accordion my fingertips don’t ’t hurt like with the guitar or other stringed instruments, my lips don’t go numb like with a trumpet or even worse a saxophone."
Quite right!
My views precisely!

 

[Zevy]

I fool people on piano. I teach the instrument, as there are no students for accordion around here. I play a little trumpet, guitar, recorder. It's fun to play an instrument poorly.

 

[losthobos]

Does a sheet of Izal toilet paper and a comb count ....

 

[saundersbp]

Mostly conducting choirs (if that counts as a living instrument) plus harpsichord, organ piano, drums and in the past couple of years melodica and accordion. Drum kit in a rock band is great fun but very high pressure as everyone notices when it goes wonky!

 

[TomBR]

My main instrument is fiddle (trad), that's nearly all my playing in public, but very little of my practice time.

I love the completeness (melody, bass and harmony) of the CBA and the sheer efficiency of the CBA keyboard. That's mainly played at home.

My "serious" practice time and lessons have been on clarinet for the last 2 1/2 years. Enjoying that for its own sake and I guess I'm hoping to play trad jazz when I'm an old git in a few years time!

 

[Ffingers]

Does a sheet of Izal toilet paper and a comb count ....

Oh! Gawd!

The distant memories of trying to clean my posterior with that perfectly polished micro-thin cardboard!

Are they still selling that abomination in Old Blighty?

 

[TomBR]

Oh! Gawd!

The distant memories of trying to clean my posterior with that perfectly polished micro-thin cardboard!

Are they still selling that abomination in Old Blighty?

Yes, I remember it from the '60s. I can't believe it's still on sale, except as "vintage" on Ebay!
Maybe comb and paper players are having to preserve their cherished stock!

 

[losthobos]

My dad's got the CD of the Koln concert and I remember him playing it pretty non stop to us in the car as children, amazing stuff!

That's where Ben developed such good ears

Oh! Gawd!

The distant memories of trying to clean my posterior with that perfectly polished micro-thin cardboard!

Are they still selling that abomination in Old Blighty?

Only in Folk Music Stores....

 

[hais1273]

Izal toilet paper, good grief. My late Mother in Law liked the stuff for some reason. Awful stuff. Does any one remember the dispensers in public toilets that only let you have one sheet at a time?

I rekindled my interest in mandolins last year. I sold my entry level instrument and bought a decent "Kentucky" F hole A style instrument. It makes a delightful backing behind two accordions and a guitar. Not really loud enough to play a lead but that's OK, playing backing is fine by me.

 

[Chrisrayner]

Does a sheet of Izal toilet paper and a comb count ....

The company making Izal products went into receivership in 2001. Have you got a stockpile for musical purposes?

 

[Chrisrayner]

Guitar, ukulele, 5-string banjo, mandolin, mouthorgan. All at a fairly modest level.