ADVANCED PRACTICE
The key to Mastery of Tunes
CLIMBING TUNE MOUNTAIN: Activities for Learning Accordion Tunes
Learning to play the button accordion is a progression from the hesitant creation of squeaky sounds to the competent and confident playing of musical tunes. It may also be viewed as a progression from a dependance on button-accordion notation for learning new tunes, to being able to play them by "ear" after hearing them only a few times. The list below is one way of dividing these progressions into ten learning activities; advanced players will move through the first eight relatively quickly, and focus on activities 9 and 10:
How you practice will, of course, depend on your motivation and current ability level. If you are a somewhat advanced player, who can play a large number of tunes using both hands, but would like to add embellishments, learn more tunes that you can play by "ear", you are probably ready for activities 9 and 10 for familiar tunes, and for activities 1 to 10 for tunes that are new to you, or at least not very familiar.
For most new tunes you can expect, as an advanced player, to move through activities 1 to 8 quite quickly, and then focus on activities 9 and 10, adding embellishments and playing completely by "ear".
Learning to play the button accordion is a progression from the hesitant creation of squeaky sounds to the competent and confident playing of musical tunes. It may also be viewed as a progression from a dependance on button-accordion notation for learning new tunes, to being able to play them by "ear" after hearing them only a few times. The list below is one way of dividing these progressions into ten learning activities; advanced players will move through the first eight relatively quickly, and focus on activities 9 and 10:
- Learn the tune by listening to it as many times as necessary.
- Exercise your right-hand (treble) fingers on the accordion.
- Practice the melody, using the button-accordion notation.
- Further develop the melodic rhythm and pace, with the aid of a youTube video.
- Play & practice the tune along with youTube, mostly by "ear" (using the notation only as needed).
- Exercise your left-hand (bass and chord) fingers on the accordion.
- Practice the tune with both hands, using the accordion notation as needed.
- Play & practice, with both hands, along with youTube, mostly by "ear" (using the notation only as needed).
- Add your own flavour to the tune, with your own embellishments, as you like.
- Play & practice the tune by "ear" (or memory), without youTube or the accordion notation.
How you practice will, of course, depend on your motivation and current ability level. If you are a somewhat advanced player, who can play a large number of tunes using both hands, but would like to add embellishments, learn more tunes that you can play by "ear", you are probably ready for activities 9 and 10 for familiar tunes, and for activities 1 to 10 for tunes that are new to you, or at least not very familiar.
For most new tunes you can expect, as an advanced player, to move through activities 1 to 8 quite quickly, and then focus on activities 9 and 10, adding embellishments and playing completely by "ear".
1. Learning the tune (for unfamiliar tunes)
Learn the tune by listening to it as often as you need to. If you have the melody "in your head", it will be much easier to learn to play it, and you will progress much more quickly to "playing by ear". Each tune page contains at least one youTube video for you to listen to. When you find yourself humming the tune, or singing the lyrics, without even thinking about it, then you know that you have it "in your head".
2. Exercising right-fingers (for tunes new to you)
Exercise your right-fingers, by playing the first part of the melody (for example, the first line), using the given button numbers (for pushes and pulls) in the accordion notation. Don't worry about other notation details.
Don't worry if it doesn't sound very much like the first part of the tune you just heard on the radio, on a CD or on youTube. Focus instead on being able to move somewhat smoothly from note to note, or button to button, whether bellows are being pushed or pulled.
Learn the tune by listening to it as often as you need to. If you have the melody "in your head", it will be much easier to learn to play it, and you will progress much more quickly to "playing by ear". Each tune page contains at least one youTube video for you to listen to. When you find yourself humming the tune, or singing the lyrics, without even thinking about it, then you know that you have it "in your head".
2. Exercising right-fingers (for tunes new to you)
Exercise your right-fingers, by playing the first part of the melody (for example, the first line), using the given button numbers (for pushes and pulls) in the accordion notation. Don't worry about other notation details.
Don't worry if it doesn't sound very much like the first part of the tune you just heard on the radio, on a CD or on youTube. Focus instead on being able to move somewhat smoothly from note to note, or button to button, whether bellows are being pushed or pulled.
3. Practice melody, using notation (for new tunes)
The aim here is to play the complete melody smoothly and somewhat rhythmically. It starts as an extension of the finger exercise, but gradually the melody emerges.
The aim here is to play the complete melody smoothly and somewhat rhythmically. It starts as an extension of the finger exercise, but gradually the melody emerges.
- Before playing, take a few moments to consider the tune's rhythmic features, as shown in the given button-accordion notation, taking account of its given time signature. In the case of songs, consider also the musical phrasing shown (shown by the "/" and "//" symbols in the lyrics). With this in mind, and the tune in your head, you are ready to play and practice.
- Play the tune on your accordion, following the given accordion notation. Practice until your fingers are moving relatively smoothly between the buttons, and your bellows are being pushed and pulled rhythmically, without undue hesitation, and you are using the air button as needed, and you are comfortable doing so.
4. Further develop melody, using youTube (new tunes)
As you gain experience and reach a comfort level with your accordion, you will probably be able to do this activity much more quickly, and use these videos mainly as an aid to learning by "ear". In the meanwhile, they provide a means of further developing the melodic rhythm. Here is how.
As you gain experience and reach a comfort level with your accordion, you will probably be able to do this activity much more quickly, and use these videos mainly as an aid to learning by "ear". In the meanwhile, they provide a means of further developing the melodic rhythm. Here is how.
- Select one of the youTube videos (in a key that is matched to one of the rows on your accordion).
- Play along with the video, adapting to its pace and rhythm, following the accordion notation, as necessary. In some cases, such as with fast-paced jigs and reels, it may be easier to follow if the youTube video speed is cut in half.
- Practice until you are satisfied with the result.
5. Play tune by "ear" with youTube (for new tunes)
Remember that the goal is to be able to play the tune by "ear" (or memory). Playing along with one of the youTube videos, checking your accordion notation only from time to time.
Remember that the goal is to be able to play the tune by "ear" (or memory). Playing along with one of the youTube videos, checking your accordion notation only from time to time.
6. Exercise left-fingers (bass & chord for new tunes)
The left-hand bass and chord buttons can be used to enhance the tune's rhythm. The goal is to be able to play the left hand without having to think about it, for it to become as natural as walking. For the moment, forget about the right-hand melody, and focus on the left fingers and bellows movements.
The left-hand bass and chord buttons can be used to enhance the tune's rhythm. The goal is to be able to play the left hand without having to think about it, for it to become as natural as walking. For the moment, forget about the right-hand melody, and focus on the left fingers and bellows movements.
- Interpret the tune's time signature in terms of patterns of counts or beat intervals per bar.
- Select an appropriate BASS and CHORD pattern for these beats.
- Identify and play the required left-side bass and chord buttons for each rhythmic interval or bar. Practice until you can do it smoothly.
- Play the left-side bass and chord buttons along with the youTube video you used in the previous activity. Cut the video speed in half if you need to, and return to regular speed when you are ready. Practice until you are satisfied with the result.
7. Practice playing the new tune with both hands.
In Activity 6, you selected the bar BASS and CHORD pattern for the tune. Now it is time to
Many learners describe this as a rather clumsy difficult activity, described by one of them as harder than patting the top of your head in vertical motion and rubbing your belly in a clockwise motion at the same time. Some of the best players I know say that they found it difficult at first. One of them said that he was playing the right hand melody for more than three years before he started playing the left hand bass and chords. However, I believe that, with practice and patience, it will come.
If you are at the advanced level, then you can probably move through this activity fairly quickly, even for new tunes.
In Activity 6, you selected the bar BASS and CHORD pattern for the tune. Now it is time to
- train your left and right hands to play the tune in a rhythmically coordinated manner.
- decide, for some tunes, how to provide extra emphases for certain beats.
Many learners describe this as a rather clumsy difficult activity, described by one of them as harder than patting the top of your head in vertical motion and rubbing your belly in a clockwise motion at the same time. Some of the best players I know say that they found it difficult at first. One of them said that he was playing the right hand melody for more than three years before he started playing the left hand bass and chords. However, I believe that, with practice and patience, it will come.
If you are at the advanced level, then you can probably move through this activity fairly quickly, even for new tunes.
8. Play the new tune by "ear" along with youTube
Again, remember that the goal is to be able to play the tune, with both hands, by "ear" (or memory). Play along with one or more of the youTube videos, and use the accordion notation only occassionally to check the accuracy of your playing.
Again, remember that the goal is to be able to play the tune, with both hands, by "ear" (or memory). Play along with one or more of the youTube videos, and use the accordion notation only occassionally to check the accuracy of your playing.
ADVANCED 9. Adding embellishments
Players can give their own flavour to tunes by adding unique embellishments. This can include such features as extra and repeated notes, and multiple-button harmonies including left and right hands, just to name a couple. This is a very individual exercise; how it is done will vary from player to player. Some forms of embellishment are called ornamentation.
Although some embellishments can be, and sometimes are, included in the button-accordion notation (perhaps in a smaller font-size), it is more likely to be added in the moment and by "ear". Some tune pages do include embellishment suggestions.
Players can give their own flavour to tunes by adding unique embellishments. This can include such features as extra and repeated notes, and multiple-button harmonies including left and right hands, just to name a couple. This is a very individual exercise; how it is done will vary from player to player. Some forms of embellishment are called ornamentation.
Although some embellishments can be, and sometimes are, included in the button-accordion notation (perhaps in a smaller font-size), it is more likely to be added in the moment and by "ear". Some tune pages do include embellishment suggestions.
ADVANCED 10. Play the tune by "ear"
This is the top of Tune Mountain. Play the tune by "ear" (or memory) without the guidance of the youTube videos or the assistance of the accordion notation.
Once you can do this, play it often, play it for fun, and congratulate yourself each time.
This is the top of Tune Mountain. Play the tune by "ear" (or memory) without the guidance of the youTube videos or the assistance of the accordion notation.
Once you can do this, play it often, play it for fun, and congratulate yourself each time.