Transition from piano accordion to button

[Javthedog]

Last year, I picked up an accordion for the first time in January (2023) - borrowed a club pa which was great. Then saw a CBA and thought that was pretty kool! I'd had piano lessons in'60s for a couple of years, but never made any even half decent progress, but could pick out tunes/notes oh a piano keyboard. The advice I got, when I asked, was to make the change - if you're going to - as soon as possible, so in April last year I bought a CBA, c griff. I'm one of two playing CBA in the club with about 40 members and it's considered a bit of a magical black art.... The problem has not really been learning where the notes are but more an accordion learning problem - coordination, losing where my left hand is - ie problems with the accordion rather than specifically a CBA. FWIW, I think the treble side is pretty intuitive and being able to span 2 octaves between thumb and little finger is pretty good. We're using Palmer Hughes Bk 2 at the moment - all is fine, but I have to write my own fingerings as the PA ones just don't work if you play over more than a C to G tune! Sometimes I start on row 3, sometimes on row 1 - depends how the notes of that particular song fall under my fingers. I'm glad I switched - my "advice" would be to go for it.
As for the Roland FR 1xb. I bought one on approval for 30 days and have just sent it back........sounds really bad and putting it thru studio monitors just crispness up the awfulness...... I could go on, but won't! Enjoy

 

[Javthedog]

crispens - not crispness......auto incorrect!

 

[John M]

Last year, I picked up an accordion for the first time in January (2023) - borrowed a club pa which was great. Then saw a CBA and thought that was pretty kool! I'd had piano lessons in'60s for a couple of years, but never made any even half decent progress, but could pick out tunes/notes oh a piano keyboard. The advice I got, when I asked, was to make the change - if you're going to - as soon as possible, so in April last year I bought a CBA, c griff. I'm one of two playing CBA in the club with about 40 members and it's considered a bit of a magical black art.... The problem has not really been learning where the notes are but more an accordion learning problem - coordination, losing where my left hand is - ie problems with the accordion rather than specifically a CBA. FWIW, I think the treble side is pretty intuitive and being able to span 2 octaves between thumb and little finger is pretty good. We're using Palmer Hughes Bk 2 at the moment - all is fine, but I have to write my own fingerings as the PA ones just don't work if you play over more than a C to G tune! Sometimes I start on row 3, sometimes on row 1 - depends how the notes of that particular song fall under my fingers. I'm glad I switched - my "advice" would be to go for it.
As for the Roland FR 1xb. I bought one on approval for 30 days and have just sent it back........sounds really bad and putting it thru studio monitors just crispness up the awfulness...... I could go on, but won't! Enjoy

I am not familiar with the Roland FR 1Xb. I have a Roland 8X. All I know is "out of the factory" it is a disaster. I don't know why Roland didn't put more "good sounds/tones" in the accordion "as delivered". This was a big mistake! The two big UPG programs available (for free) that really make the Roland "come alive" are the Richard Noel Programs that are available for $150 and the Dale Mathis programs that are only available from Crown Music with the purchase of a Roland accordion.. I think Crown Music is now out of business. But Dale Mathis still has his programs available (for free) when you buy a Roland from "Kraft Music"