Choosing a bass side register?

[Beemer]

My accordion when I get it will have seven bass registers. Will a bass register fundamental button produce the same tone quality and volume, as the same note played on the same treble register?
My other question is should a bass register be chosen that is different from the selected treble register?
When watching YouTube videos I rarely see players changing bass registers.

 

[debra]

Only the higher bass registers may produce notes that are equivalent to some note on some register on the treble side. But The bass notes will not have the same volume and tone quality because the casing on the bass side is radically different from the treble side.

 

[Beemer]

Thanjk for your reply.

 

[Tom]

Hi Beemer,

I think you will find that there are combinations of bass and treble registers that appeal to you, individually or when you play certain songs. The thing to do is to try them out and see, even recording yourself. It may be ones that you consider the same, or others, totally up to you. For me, I tend not to pair a higher pitched bass register with a lower pitch treble register. I think many people gravitate to a bass register they like, and concentrate variations in registers on the treble side for each song.

Good luck!

 

[JerryPH]

My other question is should a bass register be chosen that is different from the selected treble register?
When watching YouTube videos I rarely see players changing bass registers.

Here is the fun part... your accordion, your rules.
There is no "must" to this, it is all about what sounds good to you.

 

[saundersbp]

Your ears are the best guide. Record a few combinations and see which you like

 

[Walker]

Hi @Beemer,​

When playing the accordion we have to understand that the key is to balance the tone of the treble and bass. Generally you need to find a bass sound that compliments the treble. The bass should not be overpowering or weak, nor too high or low pitched. Unlike on the piano, we accordionists do not have the same independence of volume control of bass and treble, due to the bellows supplying a single reservoir of air to both the treble and bass reeds. Therefore, you can fine tune the balance using the bass switches. Usually the treble keyboard, which in Scottish music will be your melody side, should be slightly more dominant, but with the bass coming through clearly, with a little bite - but not too aggressively. The bass is your rhythm section for keeping the tempo steady. So your melody will need to be in synchronisation with the bass. Lead with the bass.

In Scottish traditional (dance) music, usually the musette (+8', 8', -8') will be the treble voice on marches, jigs, reels, strathspeys etc. On waltzes the cassotto clarinet voice is nice at times. When using musette voice the master bass switch or some of the slightly lighter bass voicings should work fine (but not too weak or high).

But really you need to hear what the accordion sounds like, and how it suits your tunes. I don't know if you are an accordionist or not, but if you are going straight from piano to piano accordion - they are quite different, and there are subtleties to phrasing, articulation and getting a lift in the music. A purpose built musette accordion will have a selection of bass switches that you can use to compliment the various treble voices. But you must understand this is not a free bass accordion (with classic/double octave tuning) or a piano - so it will not really have the same homogeneity of tone from treble to bass like on a piano. The bass tone is quite different to the treble on a musette accordion (on most switches) because of the detuned nature of the +/- treble voices (you would not want a detuned musette sound on the bass). All will become clear when you receive the instrument...

 

[Dingo40]

My own accordions get relatively so little exercise each, I generally play with all reeds sounding just to blow away any cobwebs!?

 

[Ffingers]

My own accordions get relatively so little exercise each, I generally play with all reeds sounding just to blow away any cobwebs!?

Declining aural sensitivity has a bearing on that too, mate, especially the loss of higher frequencies - just watch the behaviour of the neighbours' dogs when you do get to puffing air though those 'boxes.

 

[Dingo40]

"Declining aural sensitivity has a bearing on that too, mate..."
Cause and effect??

 

[Beemer]

1

Hi @Beemer,​

When playing the accordion we have to understand that the key is to balance the tone of the treble and bass. Generally you need to find a bass sound that compliments the treble. The bass should not be overpowering or weak, nor too high or low pitched. Unlike on the piano, we accordionists do not have the same independence of volume control of bass and treble, due to the bellows supplying a single reservoir of air to both the treble and bass reeds. Therefore, you can fine tune the balance using the bass switches. Usually the treble keyboard, which in Scottish music will be your melody side, should be slightly more dominant, but with the bass coming through clearly, with a little bite - but not too aggressively. The bass is your rhythm section for keeping the tempo steady. So your melody will need to be in synchronisation with the bass. Lead with the bass.

In Scottish traditional (dance) music, usually the musette (+8', 8', -8') will be the treble voice on marches, jigs, reels, strathspeys etc. On waltzes the cassotto clarinet voice is nice at times. When using musette voice the master bass switch or some of the slightly lighter bass voicings should work fine (but not too weak or high).

But really you need to hear what the accordion sounds like, and how it suits your tunes. I don't know if you are an accordionist or not, but if you are going straight from piano to piano accordion - they are quite different, and there are subtleties to phrasing, articulation and getting a lift in the music. A purpose built musette accordion will have a selection of bass switches that you can use to compliment the various treble voices. But you must understand this is not a free bass accordion (with classic/double octave tuning) or a piano - so it will not really have the same homogeneity of tone from treble to bass like on a piano. The bass tone is quite different to the treble on a musette accordion (on most switches) because of the detuned nature of the +/- treble voices (you would not want a detuned musette sound on the bass). All will become clear when you receive the instrument...

Walker, thanks for your time and thoughts to give such an informative reply. Lots of information for me to digest and it did answer my questions.
I have never touched an accordion and never heard one live. My musical journey started when I was nine with piano then my father bought me a Hohner 64 chromatic mouthorgan which was far to big and heavy for me. He then bought me a Hohner Melodica which I never really liked. Three guitars and an Alto sax later it brings me here with a real desire to play accordion.
I have just finished watching the Jimmy Shand and the Phil Cunningham documentaries and also one of the Shand CDs. If feet tapping is a sign of enthusiasm then I've got it big time.
I'm glad I found this forum.
Ian

 

[Beemer]

Of course while I'm waiting for my accordion at least I could practice the treble

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[donn]

I'm another who plays with the everything I've got on the bass side. The lighter settings don't double the bass reeds, so there isn't that coupling of a high and low octave that makes the bass scale kind of wrap around. That's just an excuse, though, really it's just that the stronger the bass, the more I like it. Balance comes from how you play it, not how loud it is. I've thought about doing something to lock the selection up, so I can't accidentally select another register, which owing to the unusual shape and location of the selector buttons happens rather often.

 

[Ffingers]

Of course while I'm waiting for my accordion at least I could practice the treble

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I have that app on my iPad and as a raw beginner am finding it very useful.

 

[Dingo40]

Donn,
"I've thought about doing something to lock the selection up, so I can't accidentally select another register, which owing to the unusual shape and location of the selector buttons happens rather often."
I think I understand what you mean. In the case of one of my own accordions, the bass coupler switches are set a bit too close to the bass buttons, making it too easy for a stray finger to actuate an unintended coupler accidentally.?