Absolute Notes

Benefits

Playing "absolute notes" is to use only the outside three rows for the right hand and to play only one button for a specific note. Generally use three fingers, one for each row of buttons.

In other words, play the chromatic button accordion as you do the piano accordion, that is, each note is a specific key.

The advantage is to associate a specific button with a specific note. This patterns the muscles and the brain to one position per note. 

 

The Practice

The first note to memorize is middle C. Get where you can automatically put your finger on the "C" button.

Now play all of your music exclusively using this approach until you mentally and physically know the position of every note and note pattern.

When you fumble for a note, stop and play that note correctly several times.

Continue to do this for every note you miss.

Continue to do this until you no longer miss notes. This may take several weeks depending on how much you practice.

The goal is to eliminate the tendency to finger an incorrect button.

 

Music Book Resources

Benefits

These  two music books for accordion provide a wide range of styles and also a means to progress from simple to complex tunes.

Eastern European Folk Tunes for Accordion

The accordionist Merima Kljuco has arranged and sequenced 33 to introduce you to the characteristic scales, rhythms, and music styles of southeastern Europe.

The book includes a CD of her playing all of the tunes with characteristic ornamentation added.

Amazon sells the book.

http://www.amazon.com/Eastern-European-Folk-Tunes-Accordion/dp/1847611397

The book contains an introduction to the music styles as well as comments about each tune.

The text is in English, French, and German.

Pinewoods International Collection

The accordionist Tom Pixton has collected and arranged over 400 dance tunes and songs complete with lyrics and English translations from southeastern Europe and areas nearby and afar.

The 354-page wire-bound 8-1/2 by 11 inch volume is available from the following web page.

http://pinewoodscollection.pixton.org/

The web page also provides videos, audio, tune index, and scanned pages.

This book would be a welcome addition to any music collection.


To further your learning, performances of many of the songs and dances are available online.

Gerard Gerritsen of The Netherlands

The accordionist G. Gerritsen has a web site for the beginning player of the B-grif chromatic accordion.

http://knopaccordeon.ggms.nl/indexe.html

The site includes videos, sheet music, audio files, links, and directions for ordering print materials.


Gerard Gerritsen is a piano accordion player who learned to play the chromatic accordion. He published his web site to help others beginning to play the B-grif chromatic accordion.

Intervals, Keyboard Layout, and Fingering

Benefits

Use intervals to analyze music, both notation and sound.

Apply intervals to keyboard layout.

Use fingering based on intervals on the keyboard layout.

 

The Music

"Gankino Horo" from Northern Bulgaria----

Sheet music is posted at:

https://musescore.com/jmib/gankino-horo-traditionnel-bulgare

Performance video is posted at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iziARwnTYA

 

 

The Practice

Apply the keyboard's direction for half steps and whole step (two half steps).

This is best applied where music is scale-wise with accidentals.

For example, on a B-System half steps go diagonal from left to the right and whole steps go diagonal from right to the left.

The reverse is true for a C-System where whole steps go diagonal from left to the right and half steps go diagonal from the right to the left.

So, where the music moves up or down by half step, use the half-step diagonal.

Where the music moves up or down by whole step, use the whole-step diagonal.

 

 

The Application

Using the music example above, analyze measure one for note for note by interval.

Apply the keyboard's direction for half steps and whole step (two half steps).


The time signature is 11/8 (2 + 2 + 3 + 2 + 2) with the third beat being the longest and strongest.


--Measure One--

The grace note to beat two is a whole step below beat two, so is fingered using the whole-step diagonal.

Apply the keyboard's direction for half steps and whole step (two half steps).

The last four eighth notes of measure one are a descending whole step, followed by a descending half step, and followed next by a descending whole step.

So the fingering descends on the whole step diagonal, followed by a descent on the half-step diagonal, and followed next by a descent on the whole step row.


--Measure Two--

Measure two begins with an ascending minor third (three half steps), which on either B-System or C-System is the button directly below.

Then beats one and two of measure two is a descending half step, followed by a descending whole step, and followed next by a descending half step.

(Recall that the naturally occurring half steps are between C-B and F-E.)

Measure two contains examples of the two naturally occurring half steps. One is at beat one and the other is at the last beat of the measure.

After analyzing the intervals in measure two, we see that the measure contains every interval between a half step and a major third (four half-steps).


So far we have covered fingering a half step, a whole step (two half-steps), and a minor third (three half-steps).


Using this information we can figure out the fingering for the major third (four half-steps). It is a minor third (three half-steps) plus another half step.

In this case the major third is ascending and located in measure two at the later part of beat three (the "F" going up to "A"). So, relative to the "F" the "A" is the button directly below plus one button down the half-step diagonal.

 

 

The Larger Intervals

An critical area for practice is accuracy on the larger intervals, for example fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and octave.

A large interval often has smaller intervals, half-step through thirds, nearby.

So, by considering the fingering of small intervals, you can improve the analysis and fingering of the music.


--Line Two, Measure One--

Using the music example above, on the second line, the first measure going into beat four ("G#") is a descending half step after an ascending fifth. By applying what you know about playing descending half steps, you can improve your confidence in playing the "A" then the "G#."

Often patterns repeat. So getting confident on the "A" to "G#" pattern, you get more confident for the same interval is measures two, three, and four of line two.


--Section Three, Measure Two--

Another large interval pattern is used on the line three going into measure two ("A" "E" "F#" "D"). The intervals are an ascending fifth, followed by an ascending whole step, and followed next by a descending major third.

This pattern repeats on the last line going into measure two ("D" "A" "B" "G").

 

 

Summary

Analyzing and fingering music based on intervals will improve your understanding, accuracy, and performance of music.

 

Reading and Playing Music Notation

Benefits

Link notes, chords, scales, intervals and keys to music notation.

Link music notation to keyboard finger location and patterns.

Use the notated music to analyze musical structure and determine best fingering note fingering.

Link rhythm notation to rhythm patterns.

Play the music using three different fingering patterns: first the scale based on finger 1, then the scale based on finger 2, and finally the scale based on finger 3.

The Music

A useful collection of music is posted at:

http://www.bushtraditions.org/tutors/inrow.htm

The Practice

Select a tune.

Using finger position 1, locate and play the tune's notes. Then play the tune in rhythm at a slow steady tempo. 

Using finger position 2, do the same.

Using finger position 3, do the same.

With practice, increase the tempo of the tune up to dance speed.

Select another tune and do the same steps to play the tune in each finger position.

Flexible Fingering Patterns

To reestablish basic finger flexibility, accuracy, and patterns, begin and end each practice day with scales and chords in every key throughout the keyboard and use the three fingering patterns, those based on finger 2, on finger 3 and finger 4.

During the practice day, when working on current and new music projects, you notice that the scale used in various musical sections shifts, usually to a related key based on the Circle of Fifths.

You notice that you are playing a scale pattern but the basic pattern is now based on a different finger.  For example, you start playing the first section using a scale pattern based on finger 2. In the next section the scale and chords shift to a related key with a pattern based on finger 4.

So rather than always shifting your fingers to play scales based on finger 2, by playing scales equally well based on fingers 2, 3, and 4, you don't have to move your hand position, which helps playing accuracy.

Finger and Mental Flexibility Exercise

On a C major scale, start on G with finger 3 and play down to C and back up to G. (Notice that the C was played with finger 2.) 

Using the same major scale, start on G with finger 4 and play down to C and back up to G. (Notice that the C was played with finger 3.) 

Using the same major scale, start on G with finger 2 and play down to C and back up to G. (Notice that the C was played with finger 4.) 

Now mix up the patterns by playing alternate buttons on half of the pattern. For example, start with finger 3 on G and end with finger 4 on C. Then shift the finger 4 on C to finger 3. Start playing the pattern upwards and half way up shift to alternate buttons and end on G with finger 2. Mix the pattern up into its various combinations.

For practice, work out various fingerings on Irish jigs and reels. 

http://www.irishtune.info/session/tunes.php

http://www.novasession.org/sheetmusic.html#.Uyj8yPldVyJ

http://www.thegrotonsession.com/tuneindex.html

Fingering Patterns for Chromatic Accordion

Searching the internet confirms this idea of combining fingering patterns.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatic_button_accordion 

Types of Fingering

On the left hand, use finger 3 as the basis for the scale.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Accordion/Left_hand/Lesson_4 

Robert Smith, although for piano accordion, explores the variety of fingering styles that you can adapt to your practice.

http://www.ksanti.net/free-reed/reviews/smith-rl_fingering.html

Eric Butterworth has amassed a resource for Bulgarian folk accordion music. He recommends fingering based on fingers 1 (thumb), 2 and 3. His fingering drills are an excellent resource to adapt to your current fingering practice.

http://www.goldov.com/butterw/emdb/

http://www.goldov.com/butterw/emdb/tutorial.html

Sandra Milosevic plays Serbian and Bulgarian folk music on piano accordion using primarily fingers 1, 2, and 3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ8Vr9bs8ag&list=RDr72harldNuU 

However, for chromatic button accordion, use fingers 2, 3, and 4, as shown in the link below by Danijela Predic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyIHsDOANY8

Super Mario Theme on CBA

How about some chordal playing? The left hand is in Free Bass mode, playing single notes on all buttons. This feature is not commonly available.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GI2a7_XfKaI

Add Grace Note Patterns Throughout the Keyboard

Simple tunes become more interesting when embellishments (grace notes) are added to the basic melody.

Now that you are comfortable with scale and chord patterns throughout the keyboard based on one finger pattern, adding a grace note pattern to each note adds flexibility to your playing. Embellishments often use notes a half step below and above the main note. Hence, you are incorporating non-scale notes into your playing. Hence interest to the music. 

Because you are adding non-scale notes, you want to be very secure with scales and chords before adding grace notes. Otherwise, you become confused and frustrated.

Embellishments

The basic grace note is playing a half step below or above the main note before playing the main note.

The turn embellishment is playing a half step below the main note, then playing the main note, then playing a half step above the main note, then playing the main note or beginning a half step above the main note and reversing the pattern.

The following link lists various types of embellishments. 


http://dictionary.onmusic.org/appendix/topics/ornaments

Stylistic Musical Ornamentation

Various musical styles often involve particular types of ornamentation.


For example, Bulgarian at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfM1tX1efeQ


For example, Irish at the link below.

http://www.tradschool.com/en/tunes/ornamentation-in-irish-music


For example, ornament performance at the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGvRUIO170w


For example, Serbian at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCrNORbMuR0


For example, Romanian at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrjIFrGr5Gc


Noam Oxman plays a song in its original style, then in Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian, and Macedonian styles. Notice the different use of grace notes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t17BI-tHI-4

Getting Around the Keyboard

Now you want to really settle in a scale pattern. 

For example, the major scale with the fingering that starts with finger 2.


The goal is to be comfortable and accurate throughout the keyboard.

The outcome you are working for is to be play the pattern naturally without thinking about it. Then increase speed while maintaining consistent rhythm and accuracy.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Begin with the lowest note on the keyboard than has two rows of buttons to the right so that you can play the finger 2 pattern.

Play the major scale to the highest note then back down using fingers 2, 3 and 4.

Then play the scale's major chord from the beginning note to the highest chord note and back down using fingers 2, 3, and 4.

In the left hand play the root and major chord while the right hand is playing the corresponding scale and chord.


Now go up a half step and do the same thing on half step higher. Begin with finger 2 on a button that has two rows to the right. Use the same fingers and the same pattern.  Play the scale then the chord while playing the root and major chord with the left hand.

Continue going up by half steps until you have played all of the major scales.


Again, the goal is to become comfortable and accurate throughout the keyboard at various tempos (speeds).  


Next would be to do the same thing using the natural minor scale.

Then harmonic minor scale.

Then melodic minor scale.

Then dominant seventh scale.

Then minor seventh scale.

Then diminished scale


You notice that the consistent fingering of starting with finger 2 is increasing your confidence to play anywhere on the keyboard.