Advanced ACCORDION NOTATION
(Continued from Intermediate Accordion Notation)
(Continued from Intermediate Accordion Notation)
10. More about Musical KEYs
It is important to know the musical KEY for each row of your accordion, for one or more the following reasons:
It is important to know the musical KEY for each row of your accordion, for one or more the following reasons:
- Perhaps you wish to play along with youTube videos or CD's, whose musical keys are given.
- Perhaps you are playing in a group that has guitars and vocalists, and need to match the key in which the group has chosen to play and sing.
- If your tune contains accidentals, these will be relative to the key in which you are primarily playing, and will be found in different places depending on your accordion key and row.
11. Advanced ACCORDION NOTATION
We have seen that the basic button-accordion notation shows
We have also seen that the intermediate button-accordion notation shows
At the advanced level, much is left to the skill and imagination of the player. However, there is sometimes a need for the following four types of (advanced) button-accordion notation, which show
We have seen that the basic button-accordion notation shows
- the notes to be played by their accordion button numbers.
- the relative duration of each note by simple punctuation marks before the button number, where, for example, the number of dots shows the number of beat intervals to hold for.
- musical phrases in the lyrics, by the use of the forward-slash symbol ( / ).
We have also seen that the intermediate button-accordion notation shows
- the very basic rhythmic grouping of notes into bars (or measures) using separated vertical (bar) lines.
- relative loudness, where necessary, by showing the button numbers in larger fonts for louder and in italics for quieter (relative to the other notes).
- special attention or emphasis, where necessary, by placing the button number(s) inside (normal) parentheses, prefixed by a subscript matched to a numbered explanation nearby.
At the advanced level, much is left to the skill and imagination of the player. However, there is sometimes a need for the following four types of (advanced) button-accordion notation, which show
- treble chords (and similar concurrent harmonies) by placing the treble buttons, to be pressed simultaneously, inside square brackets.
- the identification of problem accidentals, using sharp (#) and flat (b) symbols after the button numbers involved.
- special attention or emphasis, where necessary, by placing the button number(s) inside (normal parentheses), prefixed by a subscript matched to a numbered explanation nearby.
- suggested melodic-embellishment inserts, using reduced-size regular-font button numbers.
12. Treble Chords and similar concurrent harmonies
As mentioned above, when treble buttons are played simultaneously, the notation gives the button numbers inside square brackets.
The most common treble three-note combination is the major-chord named for the key in which you are playing. If you are playing on the C row of a G-C accordion, you can create the C (major) chord by playing
You can use the same button numbers on the outside row to obtain the Gmajor chord, in its root and inverted forms.
There are other interesting treble three-note chords on this accordion.
You are encourage to try other simultaneous combinations, including those obtained from cross-playing between rows. For example, on the simultaneous pull,
If you are playing an A-D accordion, instead of a G-C one, then each of the chords listed above is raised by a full step, where Gmajor is replaced by Amajor, Cmajor by Dmajor, Aminor by Bminor, and so on...
As mentioned above, when treble buttons are played simultaneously, the notation gives the button numbers inside square brackets.
The most common treble three-note combination is the major-chord named for the key in which you are playing. If you are playing on the C row of a G-C accordion, you can create the C (major) chord by playing
- buttons 3, 4 & 5 on the push, shown in root form for two beat intervals by :[3 4 5]
- buttons 4, 5 & 6 on the push, to obtain first inversion of same chord, shown as :[4 5 6]
- buttons 5, 6 & 7 on the push, to obtain second inversion of same chord, shown as :[5 6 7]
You can use the same button numbers on the outside row to obtain the Gmajor chord, in its root and inverted forms.
There are other interesting treble three-note chords on this accordion.
- On the simultaneous pull, buttons 3*, 4* and 5* on the inside row gives a Dminor chord, and, on the outside row, an Aminor chord.
- On the simultaneous pull, buttons 2*, 3* and 4* on the inside row gives a Bdiminished chord, and, on the outside row, an F#diminished chord.
You are encourage to try other simultaneous combinations, including those obtained from cross-playing between rows. For example, on the simultaneous pull,
- cross-playing buttons i3*, o6* and o7* give the D (major) chord.
- cross-playing buttons o4*, o5* and i1* gives the Caugmented chord.
If you are playing an A-D accordion, instead of a G-C one, then each of the chords listed above is raised by a full step, where Gmajor is replaced by Amajor, Cmajor by Dmajor, Aminor by Bminor, and so on...
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An Aside:
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You may compare a three-button treble chord with its single button counterpart on the left side. For example, the single left-side button for the C chord is o3 on the push. It doesn't sound quite the same as the three-note one. One of the reasons is that the single-button chord comes from three reeds, whereas the three-button chord comes from six reeds (two, tuned slightly apart, on each button pushed).
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13. Which notes to play (or buttons to press)
Most of what you need has been covered in the basic and intermediate treatments. However, there are some tunes for which a correct rendition calls for an accidental note that is not available from any of your accordion's buttons. This will be shown by
Most of what you need has been covered in the basic and intermediate treatments. However, there are some tunes for which a correct rendition calls for an accidental note that is not available from any of your accordion's buttons. This will be shown by
- a sharpen symbol (#) or a flatten symbol (b) after the button number, ( such as 9# ), if an accidental is called for and not available on either of the two treble rows.
Dealing with missing accidentals: If the note lasts merely for half a beat interval or less, then some players choose to ignore it, continuing to play the previous note or playing nothing at all. If it lasts for one or more beat intervals, then a distracting (perhaps multiple-note) embellishment of your own appropriate choosing might be called for. There is also, of course, the option of not playing the tune at all, though that is seldom the best choice. |
14. Special Attention or Emphasis
Whether or not certain notes, or sequences of notes, require special attention or emphasis is usually left to the discretion of the player. There are rare occasions where it may need to be shown in the accordion notation, and this can be done by by placing the button number(s) inside normal (parentheses), with a prefixed subscript, for example 1(5*) or ?(4*). The numbered prefixed subscript leads to a near-by explanation, and the special symbols are intended to be (somewhat) self-explanatory. A few rare examples of the latter may suffice:
Whether or not certain notes, or sequences of notes, require special attention or emphasis is usually left to the discretion of the player. There are rare occasions where it may need to be shown in the accordion notation, and this can be done by by placing the button number(s) inside normal (parentheses), with a prefixed subscript, for example 1(5*) or ?(4*). The numbered prefixed subscript leads to a near-by explanation, and the special symbols are intended to be (somewhat) self-explanatory. A few rare examples of the latter may suffice:
- Sometimes three equal-duration notes are to be covered in two beat intervals. Our notation for duration does not cover this explicitly. So, we write the three button numbers, prefixed by the colon symbol (two dots means play these three notes in two beat intervals) :(3 4* 6)
- Sometimes a note just doesn't feel right, as though the source were in error, and so we prefix a question mark, such as ?(5*)
- Sometimes a rest (r) is a rest for the accordion, as well as for the singer or vocalist. To draw attention to this, we use parentheses with prefix subscript "a", for example a(:r)
15. Embellishments
Embellishing a tune is a very individual thing, seldom explicitly written into the accordion notation. Thus, it can give the tune a flavour that will be identified with you. Play the four youTube videos below: The first is a bare version, without embellishment. The other three represent the same "tune" played by three of the top button accordion players in Eastern Canada: the late great Harry Hibbs, Mark Hiscock (of Shanneyganock), and Poss Slaney, each distinct from the other.
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Video 1 (without embellishments) is being developed.
The videos at right and below contain embellishments. |
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