Why Accordion? (lead singer, bass, jazz, metal, irish)

xavient · 03-04-2008, 01:26 AM

All my friends wonder: why accordion? First reaction, for many people, is to find ridiculous playing accordion. Accordions are for beggars or for gypsies, that seem to be the general opinion. How did it come to that? How come one of the most beautiful and powerful instrument fell into this disgrace?

It true, majority of people who played accordion is divided in two. Either the professional jazz singers, who's melody is very hard to understand. Either some really not cool guys: 80 years old people, nerds or indeed beggars.
There is no good model for young people to say : "You know what? I want to be just like that!".
It may be so, but this is only the result of more then 20 years of bad reputation, is not the actually cause of this falling. So how come this happened? the previous generations just decided that the accordion is no longer a cool instrument?

Ok... but why accordion and not any other instrument?
Let us see the advantages:
1. The accordion is a compete instrument like the piano.
2. You can play melodic lines with the left hand, while with the right you can play bass, rhythm. This makes it very powerful while playing solo.
3. One great advantage over the piano is the portability. You can carry the accordion wherever you go.
4. Stradella bass system allows you to play chords by pressing only one button for each chord.
5. You can play very long notes.

Off course there are some disadvantages, but most of them can be compensated. Like playing the chords that are not included in the bass system, is done by pressing several keys.

As a disclaimer: there is no intend to offend the old people who play accordion or people of roma origin.

SATCHMO · 03-04-2008, 01:32 AM

Accordian is awesome!!!!! FTDBS. Buckwheat Zydeco is great, Just for starters.

savannah · 03-04-2008, 01:41 AM

i concur,...growing up this close to the bayou, zedeco is a huge musical influence amongst these parts,.....
dont let them give you ****,....accordions are cooler than they think

loose_lips_sink_ships · 03-04-2008, 02:39 AM

Yeah accordian pWns the n00bs.....

monellia · 03-04-2008, 10:00 AM

The majority of accordion players do not fall into one of two categories. As a former accordion player I came under the influence of traditional Irish musicians such as Seamus Begley and Sharon Shannon.

Quote:

First reaction, for many people, is to find ridiculous playing accordion. Accordions are for beggars or for gypsies, that seem to be the general opinion.

Before I read this thread I had never heard anyone cite accordion playing as such. My accordion was quite expensive, and notwithstanding is one of the more humble models, so I've never associated them with beggars/gypsies. This stereotype is new to me.

I'm saddened to learn that people apparantly think it "ridiculous" as it's such a beautiful instrument.

Sharon FTW

**Seltzer** · 03-04-2008, 03:39 PM

If I were to play accordion, it would be because of Valfar of Windir.

Excuse the crappy wiki pages with a lack of info, but Valfar was an accordion master of his Norwegian hometown.

cardboard adolescent · 03-04-2008, 08:29 PM

i associate accordions with peg-legged one-eyed sailors...... which makes them awesome!

loose_lips_sink_ships · 03-05-2008, 04:33 PM

**** ninjas,pirates are way awesomer....

xavient · 03-06-2008, 07:10 AM

Thanks for the replies guys! Buckwheat Zydeco is great indeed I like very much his interpretation of "Hey Joe".
Sharon Shannon is also incredible in the movie that monellia posted, please let me know if you have some intersting Seamus Begley videos also.
Valfar of Windir a leader of black metal band was an accordion master! Well this is what I'm actually looking for. Some modern music incorporating accordion sounds. Too bad he is dead.
I was looking to Arcade Fire band which is great, but their accordion sound is not very impressive.

Sorry i cannot include Arcade Fire "Rebellion" movie here because i don't have 15 post yet!

So post if you know some other guys who are worth mention for.

**TheBig3KilledMyRainDog** · 03-06-2008, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monellia

The majority of accordion players do not fall into one of two categories. As a former accordion player I came under the influence of traditional Irish musicians such as Seamus Begley and Sharon Shannon.

Before I read this thread I had never heard anyone cite accordion playing as such. My accordion was quite expensive, and notwithstanding is one of the more humble models, so I've never associated them with beggars/gypsies. This stereotype is new to me.

The accordion may be expensive but the family as a whole isn't. There have been times where it was less than remarked upon.

However accordions (in various forms) are the engine behind tango, and I once saw the lead singer of the prodigals shred a button accordion like he was eddie van halen.

I have to say, after reading this, i'm inclined to find out about lessons. Portability makes a word of diffrenece.

Oh an excellent points by the way, Loose lips. Your contributions are nothing short of lung paralyzing.

03-04-2008, 01:26 AM	#1 (permalink)
xavient Groupie Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Curently in Cyprus Posts: 9	Why Accordion? All my friends wonder: why accordion? First reaction, for many people, is to find ridiculous playing accordion. Accordions are for beggars or for gypsies, that seem to be the general opinion. How did it come to that? How come one of the most beautiful and powerful instrument fell into this disgrace? It true, majority of people who played accordion is divided in two. Either the professional jazz singers, who's melody is very hard to understand. Either some really not cool guys: 80 years old people, nerds or indeed beggars. There is no good model for young people to say : "You know what? I want to be just like that!". It may be so, but this is only the result of more then 20 years of bad reputation, is not the actually cause of this falling. So how come this happened? the previous generations just decided that the accordion is no longer a cool instrument? Ok... but why accordion and not any other instrument? Let us see the advantages: 1. The accordion is a compete instrument like the piano. 2. You can play melodic lines with the left hand, while with the right you can play bass, rhythm. This makes it very powerful while playing solo. 3. One great advantage over the piano is the portability. You can carry the accordion wherever you go. 4. Stradella bass system allows you to play chords by pressing only one button for each chord. 5. You can play very long notes. Off course there are some disadvantages, but most of them can be compensated. Like playing the chords that are not included in the bass system, is done by pressing several keys. As a disclaimer: there is no intend to offend the old people who play accordion or people of roma origin. __________________ Life is beautiful or not! http://accordionmusic.blogspot.com

03-04-2008, 01:32 AM	#2 (permalink)
SATCHMO Hello Dali Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Through the looking glass Posts: 2,592	Accordian is awesome!!!!! FTDBS. Buckwheat Zydeco is great, Just for starters. __________________ “If ya ain't got it in ya, ya can't blow it out” - Louis Armstrong

03-04-2008, 01:41 AM	#3 (permalink)
savannah alabama worley Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: texas Posts: 660	i concur,...growing up this close to the bayou, zedeco is a huge musical influence amongst these parts,..... dont let them give you **,....accordions are cooler than they think __________________ http://www.soulcast.com/savantics/ She gets a little restless in the spring; She might follow the lines you sing; Bull** though they are; ‘Cause sometimes that’s just the thing; If delivered with panache and a certain grace, Fingertips on satin lace; Cutting cards and quoting Proust; Whatever turns her wild mare loose - James McMurtry

03-04-2008, 03:39 PM	#6 (permalink)
Seltzer Done with exams! Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ankh-Morpork, Discworld Posts: 2,293	If I were to play accordion, it would be because of Valfar of Windir. Excuse the crappy wiki pages with a lack of info, but Valfar was an accordion master of his Norwegian hometown. __________________ Last.fm

03-04-2008, 08:29 PM	#7 (permalink)
cardboard adolescent the stoner and the stoned Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 3,183	i associate accordions with peg-legged one-eyed sailors...... which makes them awesome! __________________ muzak deep thoughts

03-06-2008, 07:10 AM	#9 (permalink)
xavient Groupie Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Curently in Cyprus Posts: 9	Thanks for the replies guys! Buckwheat Zydeco is great indeed I like very much his interpretation of "Hey Joe". Sharon Shannon is also incredible in the movie that monellia posted, please let me know if you have some intersting Seamus Begley videos also. Valfar of Windir a leader of black metal band was an accordion master! Well this is what I'm actually looking for. Some modern music incorporating accordion sounds. Too bad he is dead. I was looking to Arcade Fire band which is great, but their accordion sound is not very impressive. Sorry i cannot include Arcade Fire "Rebellion" movie here because i don't have 15 post yet! So post if you know some other guys who are worth mention for. __________________ Life is beautiful or not! http://accordionmusic.blogspot.com

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