2024 Market Goals

[Siegmund]

Most the rest of my family got it last month. Two - the two with most recent vaccinations - got very mild cases. Two others, a year-plus from their last shot, had a miserable five days or so, followed by a two-week wait for sense of smell to return to normal.

How prevalent is it in my area? Can't say... there seems to be a "don't ask, don't tell" policy, where people die after an illness, or a restaurant closes for a week because it is short staffed, but nobody says the C-word.

 

[Tom]

Stood and played today for 3 hours. “Forced” to play polkas and Beer Barrel (which is technically a polka I guess). 2 or three stories about family members who play(ed). Had to repeat because I don’t have 3 hours memorized (I’m trying…) and I found I really don’t like, and find it hard, to play from sheet music, although I did a few.

Yeah, and my original goal was 4 hours of memorized which I obviously didn’t make. So now the goal is three. Following the market today I sorted into what I can play and what I could play by heart if I put my mind to it, but didn’t play today. Having more music than you need is really the way to go. So now, some organized practice work to increase the memorized before the next market in 2 weeks. Wish me luck!

 

[jozz]

good job!

 

[Tom]

good job!

Thanks Jozz!

 

[Tom]

Ok, adding one song (tune? Finiculi, which has words but they are never sung here because they are in Italian). Organized to 33 songs which, with talking to people, breaks, improv, should get me through 3 hours without repeats. Either memorized or gazing at sheets. Let’s get that done before adding in a whole lot more. Discipline don’tcha know

 

[JerryPH]

33 Songs Either memorized or gazing at sheets.

Simply put, that is impressive. I, sure as heck, cannot play 33 songs by heart!

 

[Tom]

Simply put, that is impressive. I, sure as heck, cannot play 33 songs by heart!

Thanks Jerry! I’m not there yet but hope to be by the end of the season. I’m trying to be more disciplined, as you recommend.

 

[Tom]

A high school intern taking photos for the local paper just stopped by our art studio. She took a look at the accordions for sale and asked, “What are those?” Obviously we have some work to do!

 

[Ventura]

they are a type of art you can hear

 

[Tom]

they are a type of art you can hear

True!

 

[Tom]

Played 1 hour before getting rained out. Got asked to play the Oktoberfest party I played last year. “Sure! I’ll have to brush up on the Chicken Dance!” “Oh everyone loved it!”

Found a good home for the Tiger, Gloria and the B Griff. New player who is quite excited. Offset the Zon Rio which I think I will keep a while and maybe restore.

Small communities are so cool. I went up to talk to the organizer. First thing she said, “Oh I heard you met the J****s, and they gave you an accordion. Look, they are in this book that I wrote.” “Oh, they are such lovely people!” I bought the book. Also tomatoes, corn and a wonderful melon. Made blackberry and pear juice and puree. How’s a guy supposed to find time to learn 10 more songs? 30 will not due for 3 hours. I sound like a frickin’ broken record.

 

[Tom]

“The secret to increasing repertoire (time) for your shows is not by adding songs, it’s by making sure you can play the melody and improvise on songs ALREADY in your list,” Monica Fisar. (Emphasis mine).

Man, what I could have learned earlier if I could justify $60/hour on my budget (certainly justified for competent teachers) or so for private lessons. Hmmm, maybe I could charge $60/hour and parlay that into lessons, how cool would that be. Let’s work on it…..

 

[Thomas N]

I can do two hours now without repeats. That's with the FR-8X. I did a dry run of 90 minutes on my 960 a couple weeks ago and was sweating profusely and my left elbow was killing me. Not sure if I can push that much farther. That was using an amp so I didn't have to pull quite as hard.

I've been playing for around 45 years now. I no longer use sheet music. If there's a song I like and want to learn I'll pull up an image of the sheet music and work through the song on the piano. Converting to playing on the accordion is simple from there. I'm not talking complex songs. An example is Quando Quando Quando. I always knew of the song but never cared enough to learn it. Then I watched Ripley on Netflix and the song was featured throughout all of the Italy scenes. I really liked it after that. Pulled up the sheet music and learned it in about 10 minutes since it's relatively simple. The key is to play it every practice session from that point forward so you don't forget it. I did the same thing last week for that Steve Allen song from Goodfellas. Pretend You Don't See Her or something along those lines. Really good on the accordion.

Improvising is huge with extending play time, as is using different registers. I can take a simple song like Return to Me and stretch it to 6 minutes.

To stand and play for three hours? You're a better man than me Tom! I don't have the repertoire for three hours and just won't stand and play. It's brutal and I'm still in my 50's!

 

[Tom]

I can do two hours now without repeats. That's with the FR-8X. I did a dry run of 90 minutes on my 960 a couple weeks ago and was sweating profusely and my left elbow was killing me. Not sure if I can push that much farther. That was using an amp so I didn't have to pull quite as hard.

I've been playing for around 45 years now. I no longer use sheet music. If there's a song I like and want to learn I'll pull up an image of the sheet music and work through the song on the piano. Converting to playing on the accordion is simple from there. I'm not talking complex songs. An example is Quando Quando Quando. I always knew of the song but never cared enough to learn it. Then I watched Ripley on Netflix and the song was featured throughout all of the Italy scenes. I really liked it after that. Pulled up the sheet music and learned it in about 10 minutes since it's relatively simple. The key is to play it every practice session from that point forward so you don't forget it. I did the same thing last week for that Steve Allen song from Goodfellas. Pretend You Don't See Her or something along those lines. Really good on the accordion.

Improvising is huge with extending play time, as is using different registers. I can take a simple song like Return to Me and stretch it to 6 minutes.

To stand and play for three hours? You're a better man than me Tom! I don't have the repertoire for three hours and just won't stand and play. It's brutal and I'm still in my 50's!

Cool!!! So did you start when you were 5? I’m about the same - somewhere between 2 and 3 hours without repeats. When I’ve stood for 3 hours it’s been with the smaller 34/72 I bought for that purpose. I would not try with a big full size, I would be aching for days, but some people do it…. And I had to repeat. I got cut short by rain last week but I want to see if I can get to 3 next time. Plus I take a short break each hour.

 

[jozz]

comfort yourself - I'll be doing a high profile gig in three weeks
15 songs in 60 minutes, no tablets or paper
I can barely get by 3 or 4 of them without looking at my notes

 

[losthobos]

I'm only ever gonna be as good as my last song....would you like to hearr it again .
That's me .....

 

[Tom]

comfort yourself - I'll be doing a high profile gig in three weeks
15 songs in 60 minutes, no tablets or paper
I can barely get by 3 or 4 of them without looking at my notes

Looks like you’ve got some work ahead of you, good luck!!!!

 

[Thomas N]

Cool!!! So did you start when you were 5? I’m about the same - somewhere between 2 and 3 hours without repeats. When I’ve stood for 3 hours it’s been with the smaller 34/72 I bought for that purpose. I would not try with a big full size, I would be aching for days, but some people do it…. And I had to repeat. I got cut short by rain last week but I want to see if I can get to 3 next time. Plus I take a short break each hour.

Started piano at 7 and hated it. Started accordion at 8 and took lessons until I was 17. Pretty dormant for the college/marrirage/children years but still would play monthly. Once our kid hit around 12 years old and decided to do what he wanted to do I started to seriously play the accordion again. Now he's in college and I play more than at any other point in my life.

 

[Pipemajor]

15 songs in 60 minutes, no tablets or paper

Would that be the white tablets or the little blue ones?

 

[Tom]

Started piano at 7 and hated it. Started accordion at 8 and took lessons until I was 17. Pretty dormant for the college/marrirage/children years but still would play monthly. Once our kid hit around 12 years old and decided to do what he wanted to do I started to seriously play the accordion again. Now he's in college and I play more than at any other point in my life.

Cool! Have you played the restaurant gig already?