Arranging for Stradella and Free Bass

[breezybellows]

This is a beautiful melody by Ilayaraja. The free bass accordion lets us try different voicings. I'm trying the Alberti bass pattern on the left hand.

This is a longer video where I talk though it while I work out the arrangement.


A shorter video that shows both versions (without any talking)

 

[Thomas N]

Hey Breezy, how'd you get into wanting to learn the accordion? I appreciate your enthusiasm for this instrument I have loved for the past 50 years. You work on free bass, reedless, stradella, how to properly record the instrument, you have your children starting accordion at a young age...

And you are always extremely generous with your videos and showing your progression.

I'm just wondering if this is something you were interested in at a young age and then when life circumstances all aligned you picked it up? Maybe started very young and dropped off until adult-hood? Piano player, guitar and then made the switch?

It's really refreshing to see and I commend you.

 

[breezybellows]

Hey Breezy, how'd you get into wanting to learn the accordion? I appreciate your enthusiasm for this instrument I have loved for the past 50 years. You work on free bass, reedless, stradella, how to properly record the instrument, you have your children starting accordion at a young age...

And you are always extremely generous with your videos and showing your progression.

I'm just wondering if this is something you were interested in at a young age and then when life circumstances all aligned you picked it up? Maybe started very young and dropped off until adult-hood? Piano player, guitar and then made the switch?

It's really refreshing to see and I commend you.

I was always interested in music but never took any lessons until I was about 25. That was 2 years of classical guitar with the Suzuki method. It did help me play tunes but didn't help me develop musically.

I tried out several instruments (clarinet, flute, drums, bass). I had no teacher. So I'll play a few times by ear and then give up. Then I listened to this
I googled "accordion". I thought that's what it sounded like. I was almost 30. For some reason I took this instrument more seriously and got teachers. It's been about 8 years since I started and I'm glad I ran into that soundtrack.

 

[Tom]

I was always interested in music but never took any lessons until I was about 25. That was 2 years of classical guitar with the Suzuki method. It did help me play tunes but didn't help me develop musically.

I tried out several instruments (clarinet, flute, drums, bass). I had no teacher. So I'll play a few times by ear and then give up. Then I listened to this
I googled "accordion". I thought that's what it sounded like. I was almost 30. For some reason I took this instrument more seriously and got teachers. It's been about 8 years since I started and I'm glad I ran into that soundtrack.

Thanks for that cool story Josh! Sounds like a reed instrument for sure. Was it a harmonium? I’m glad you got into it. Seems like it’s bringing happiness to you and your family.

 

[breezybellows]

Thanks for that cool story Josh! Sounds like a reed instrument for sure. Was it a harmonium? I’m glad you got into it. Seems like it’s bringing happiness to you and your family.

I don't know what it is. I tried to find out by enquiring someone who was in the Tamil film industry as a composer. He told me that it was most likely played on a synthesizer. So whenever sometime says a digital can never mimic real reeds, I think about this.