Fascinating. Can't wait to explore this. So many options for the left hand, sometimes it's hard to decide what to pick. There's a skill here that goes beyond simply being proficient with the instrument.
This is, frankly, awesome advice! I have ordered my first accordion after about six months of learning piano as an adult neophyte, explicitly because this capacity of the instrument to provide rhythmic options for genuine expression is absolutely fascinating to me. Now of course, the piano has similar capacity, but not with the same easy facility for changing the voice of the instrument. In the specific example of "I Will Survive" I *really* like what you did in making it a tango: the song itself carries defiance and almost *anger* in the lyrics and in the classic Gaynor recording, which seem to me to be really well suited to the tango.
Hi Ronen! I have a question for you for one of your future live streams or videos. I started playing a few months ago, but I’m struggling when it comes to little pauses in my music whenever I change bellows directions from push to pull or vice versa. You make it seem so fluid and legato whenever your change bellows directions - so any advice, exercises, or tips to help us students with this would be fantastic. Thank you
If you're playing an older or cheap accordion it could be that your bellows aren't air tight. Certainly night and day when it comes to sounding dynamic and playability. Depending on where the air is leaking you can make improvements. You can also try different reed settings so you're not pushing as much air out. For example using a higher bass register rather than the lower one. Maybe this helps, maybe it doesn't. 🤣
My wife is having a baby in November and for a beginner to accordion, could you please suggest/show us some lullabies that are simple to play on a 12 bass? They might not work, but it's got to be worth a try! Thank you so much in advance!
Hey Alex, thanks! Here is a video I recorded for you with some thoughts on Lullabies: ua-cam.com/video/WzuhxcJcezI/v-deo.html And here is a free guide on the 12 bass accordion: accordionlove.com/course/12-bass-accordion/
Great video! I gave up trying to learn the accordion because I mostly needed an instrument to accompany my singing. I couldn’t find any tutorials on how to use both hand to create accompaniments based on chords. I ended up finding great material for piano but nothing for accordion. A shame because pianos are not portable like the accordion. Everything I found involves playing melody with the right hand and accompaniment with the left, which is a no no for singers. Is there a method? Thank you for spreading love for such amazing instrument.
Yes for sure. Lots of techniques for accompanying voice, whether your own or someone else's. I have a whole unit on it: accordionlove.com/course/how-to-sing-along-to-your-accordion/
Absolutely brilliant love this, thank you! Is alternate bass playing for example C bass, C maj to G bass and back to C bass and so forth? Thanks so much, I'm going to try working out a pop song for myself :)
Nicely done. I like the way you justify the waltz version by saying you're going to "subvert the expectation". The chords get a little tricky at the end. The E7th really wants a suspended A before you resolve to the G#...I feel like I get away with it on the accordion by tapping the chord in the left hand while holding the A note in the right hand. And the Bm7b5 leading into the E7th....well, you can technically get it by reaching for a D minor over a B bass, but usually I just hold the B bass with no chord. I don't like the way it sounds if I accidentaly hit the B minor chord there...better just to hold the bass note and if anything chunk away with the right hand.
Excellent playing ❤
Fascinating. Can't wait to explore this. So many options for the left hand, sometimes it's hard to decide what to pick. There's a skill here that goes beyond simply being proficient with the instrument.
That's FAB! Sounds so great...🪗👏👏🌹
This is, frankly, awesome advice!
I have ordered my first accordion after about six months of learning piano as an adult neophyte, explicitly because this capacity of the instrument to provide rhythmic options for genuine expression is absolutely fascinating to me. Now of course, the piano has similar capacity, but not with the same easy facility for changing the voice of the instrument.
In the specific example of "I Will Survive" I *really* like what you did in making it a tango: the song itself carries defiance and almost *anger* in the lyrics and in the classic Gaynor recording, which seem to me to be really well suited to the tango.
So well said! And congrats on buying your first accordion :D
i m beginner, it s really interesting watch your videos
Thanks!
Great video as always! Any chance you will be doing a I Will Survive Accordion Tutorial in the near future? Keep it up!
Hi Ronen! I have a question for you for one of your future live streams or videos. I started playing a few months ago, but I’m struggling when it comes to little pauses in my music whenever I change bellows directions from push to pull or vice versa. You make it seem so fluid and legato whenever your change bellows directions - so any advice, exercises, or tips to help us students with this would be fantastic. Thank you
If you're playing an older or cheap accordion it could be that your bellows aren't air tight. Certainly night and day when it comes to sounding dynamic and playability. Depending on where the air is leaking you can make improvements. You can also try different reed settings so you're not pushing as much air out. For example using a higher bass register rather than the lower one. Maybe this helps, maybe it doesn't. 🤣
My wife is having a baby in November and for a beginner to accordion, could you please suggest/show us some lullabies that are simple to play on a 12 bass? They might not work, but it's got to be worth a try! Thank you so much in advance!
Hey Alex, thanks for the donation! Send me an email at ronen@accordionlove.com and I'll send you some ideas.
Hey Alex, thanks! Here is a video I recorded for you with some thoughts on Lullabies:
ua-cam.com/video/WzuhxcJcezI/v-deo.html
And here is a free guide on the 12 bass accordion:
accordionlove.com/course/12-bass-accordion/
Great video! I gave up trying to learn the accordion because I mostly needed an instrument to accompany my singing. I couldn’t find any tutorials on how to use both hand to create accompaniments based on chords. I ended up finding great material for piano but nothing for accordion. A shame because pianos are not portable like the accordion. Everything I found involves playing melody with the right hand and accompaniment with the left, which is a no no for singers. Is there a method? Thank you for spreading love for such amazing instrument.
Yes for sure. Lots of techniques for accompanying voice, whether your own or someone else's. I have a whole unit on it:
accordionlove.com/course/how-to-sing-along-to-your-accordion/
WOOOOW !!! Maravilloso !!!
0:00 Choosing A Rhythm
00:56 Sustained Chord
2:10 Alternate Bass Rhythm
3:35 Waltz Rhythm
4:14 Tango Rhythm
Absolutely brilliant love this, thank you! Is alternate bass playing for example C bass, C maj to G bass and back to C bass and so forth? Thanks so much, I'm going to try working out a pop song for myself :)
Yup! That's the alternate bass technique
Nicely done. I like the way you justify the waltz version by saying you're going to "subvert the expectation". The chords get a little tricky at the end. The E7th really wants a suspended A before you resolve to the G#...I feel like I get away with it on the accordion by tapping the chord in the left hand while holding the A note in the right hand. And the Bm7b5 leading into the E7th....well, you can technically get it by reaching for a D minor over a B bass, but usually I just hold the B bass with no chord. I don't like the way it sounds if I accidentaly hit the B minor chord there...better just to hold the bass note and if anything chunk away with the right hand.
Totally agree with you, Marty!