Best online accordion tutorials for a complete beginner

[egypt803]

Hi
I'm sure this has been asked before but I have had a search and couldn't find it...
I'm a complete beginner to the accordion and I'm just wondering if people have any suggestions for good online tutorials to follow. I've had a search on YouTube and loads come up and I was wondering if anybody could recommend a good place to go as I'm finding a bit too much.
Many thanks in advance
Katherine

 

[debra]

Hi
Im sure this has been asked before but I have had a search and couldnt find it...
Im a complete beginner to the accordion and Im just wondering if people have any suggestions for good online tutorials to follow. Ive had a search on YouTube and loads come up and I was wondering if anybody could recommend a good place to go as Im finding a bit too much.
Many thanks in advance
Katherine

The best advice is to learn the first steps with a good human teacher, not an on-line tutorial. After maybe half a year of lessons you can start exploring on-line sources to learn more and more, but for that start, just find a teacher.
I became a member of an accordion orchestra that had a first year and second year beginner class. I went through both in just one year (which I could because I already played the piano). After that everything else was self-taught, through a lot of observation (there was no YouTube back then so that was harder) and experimentation. But for the very basics you need someone to not only tell you what to do (that you can get from an online tutorial) but also to observe what you do and tell you what you are still doing wrong. There is a very high probability you would try something that is explained in a tutorial and be convinced you are doing exactly what it says but you would still be doing it wrong without knowing.

 

[artelagro]

Paul, I must disagree with you on this one. When a new start to our community suggests a path she wants to take, I read it that she has done some homework and concluded that this is her chosen route and is asking for our help or backing. I know nothing about her address, availability of a local tutor, financial circumstances etc. but applaud her for reaching this point.
We all accept that a personal tutor is a great boon but is not the only way. Soulsaver regularly suggests Duane Schnurs method i.e.
http://duaneschnur.com/accordion/lessons.htm
If you feel there are weaknesses in his lessons then would it not be better to highlight these and ask Duane to discuss them. His web site is open to all and he is actively seeking accordion related conversations.
Katherine, we usually all sing from the same hymn sheet here but sometimes approach the goal from different angles.
Ca canny
Garth

 

[debra]

Paul, I must disagree with you on this one. When a new start to our community suggests a path she wants to take, I read it that she has done some homework and concluded that this is her chosen route and is asking for our help or backing. I know nothing about her address, availability of a local tutor, financial circumstances etc. but applaud her for reaching this point.
...

I was only giving advice, not knowing anything about address, availability of a local tutor, financial circumstances, etc.
Obviously, if a local tutor is not available (which we dont know), the situation becomes different, and my advice in that case would be to try an find an on-line human tutor who is willing to tutor through for instance skype, so that you can get feedback on what you are doing rather than just studying and doing everything yourself. I was mainly pointing out the pitfall of reading and watching and then trying to replicate what you see without getting feedback. Any means for getting feedback of what you are doing is better than no feedback at all.

 

[Brian]

You can also try the link below: {}


http://libertybellows.com/lessons.html

 

[Soulsaver]

Hi Katherine & Welcome to the folds... Happy New Year, too. Are you a late starter? Or a youngster? With accordion ambitions? Not just being nosey, may influence advice.

Yep - best approach is to find a good inexpensive local teacher... at least at the start - budget c £20 an hour in the UK.
Failing that - skype lessons possibly next (but I've never tried them) but I like the concept of saving the travelling time for extra practice, and if you've got the tech...
Failing that - Duane's lessons are good - great IMO. 94 individual downloadable lessons with individual sheets in PDF and with sound file intro and the pieces played ...for free!
And you can still get the books he provides the sheet music from if you so desire - Sedlon Accordion Method. If you get to lesson 94 you'll be at the back end of the 5th book (3a) in the Sedlon series & you'd be near, if not intermediate level or Grade 3 or 4.

Some prefer Palmer Hughes.. and you can find more of the PH tunes demonstrated on YouTube... but if you try both, you'd be happy enough with Sedlon, especially with Duane's coaching sound file.

I like Sedlon, there's plenty of exercises in addition to just pieces - unlike most of the modern books - however modern stuff often comes with a CD of the tunes - but you've got a demo sound file with Sedlon/Duane - so pretty good stuff.

There are more method books.. but I'll let others chip in.

Good luck.

 

[egypt803]

Hi all
Thanks so much for all your replies. I actually came on to apologize for not looking hard enough - I have just found the link under the newbies section that links to various online resources - not sure why that didn't come up when I was searching!
Anyway, I really appreciate your links - I'll have a good look at them all.
In terms of where I am right now... I'm based near Huddersfield and am 40 this year which I presume means I can't describe myself as a youngster any more :-( I am a complete beginner to the accordion, although I have played the piano in the past, which I assume will help me somewhat. I'd love to have face to face lessons but I really can't justify the extra expense at the moment. If I find that I can stick to practicing and find I'm doing OK, I might invest in some later on but for now I thought I'd try an online tutorial or two to give me some pointers. I have a beginners Palmer Hughes book but I prefer the idea of being able to see someone demonstrate the playing.
Anyway, I'm off to explore some links - thanks again for all your help
Katherine

 

[colinm]

Katherine
I would implore you to try skype, even if its only one lesson each 4 weeks
You can get much more help face to face
Cm


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[JerryPH]

Here is an online solution that I have not seen advertised before, but looks interesting:
http://accordionlife.com/all-courses/

That said, anyone that has had the opportunity to learn in a face to face experience with a good instructor in the same room as you will tell you that it is without doubt the best way to learn. There is ZERO interaction in online courses, how can they possibly know what you need or want? How can they correct your bad habits, postures or techniques or instill even instill good playing postures, habits and techniques?

Do online courses have their place? Yes, I firmly believe they do. In the event you live in a remote location and cannot find anyone locally that can teach you, online courses are a good alternative. No, they are not the best, but they are by far better than nothing.

Skype or live training over long distances... IMHO, one step above fixed online courses, but they still have important limitations.

My personal opinion is that the day you find a good local teacher, that is the day that you will see how you spread your wings and really start to grow as an accordionist because it is at the beginnings where we learn the most important facets, and a strong start will stay with you for life... as will bad habits if instilled at the start as well.

I have never yet seen a good house built on quicksand last very long, no matter how well it was built.