Dark Eyes

[wirralaccordion]

I love the bass playing on this clip. Pity it's not said which accordion is being played.

 

[debra]

I bet it is played on a Russian full-size bayan, B system, one with bass register (to get 2-voice base notes instead of 4-voice). The tone is mellow like in an older Jupiter. It is B system because the cassotto effect (the dampening of higher frequencies) is a bit less on the third row (which in a B system bayan contains C-Eb-F#-A) and it is a Russian bayan because the keyboard and bass mechanism makes more noise than on an Italian bayan (or a brand new good quality Russian bayan)...
There is quite a bit you can tell about an accordion or bayan from a recording.

 

[wirralaccordion]

Wow, your ear is truly amazing Paul. And I'll bet these accordions cost the earth?

And just maybe there is one ( or more ) amongst all the stills?

Thanks for your deductions.

 

[debra]

Wow, your ear is truly amazing Paul. And I'll bet these accordions cost the earth?

And just maybe there is one ( or more ) amongst all the stills?

Thanks for your deductions.

The stills appear to all be from piano-accordions and one from a bandoneon.

These old accordions can be had for little money, but they then need a complete restoration which does not come cheap. If you visit the "mirbajana" YouTube channel you can get an idea of the amount of work it takes to rescue an old bayan form the scrapheap.

I am currently doing the very bare minimum to an old bayan to at least have all buttons connected to notes that play and are not too far out of tune. It is two weeks full time work. And to do a full restoration (for which I do not have the tools) ot would cost at least another four weeks full time and a lot of materials, or otherwise the end result is still an old bayan that won't last very long.

The one used for the recording isn't one of the oldest ones, because the bass register (to switch between 2 and 4 voice base notes) did not exist in the oldest bayans. (I don't know when exactly they started using a register.)

 

[fphlpsnrg]

I bet it is played on a Russian full-size bayan, B system, one with bass register (to get 2-voice base notes instead of 4-voice). The tone is mellow like in an older Jupiter. It is B system because the cassotto effect (the dampening of higher frequencies) is a bit less on the third row (which in a B system bayan contains C-Eb-F#-A) and it is a Russian bayan because the keyboard and bass mechanism makes more noise than on an Italian bayan (or a brand new good quality Russian bayan)...
There is quite a bit you can tell about an accordion or bayan from a recording.

Good quality, excellent technique. My only critiques are that the recording on the bass is boosted and that the treble and bass are on reversed channels. Also, the loudness is enhanced. Bass boost and loudness are basic Russian recording tricks.

 

[godgi]

nice arrangement I use most of the Frosini with a little bit of other arrangements thrown in - a great piece that has everything.
Godgi