Beemer
Active member
How common is a dead leg after playing? I nearly collapsed today on standing up holding my pa!
Dead leg?
- Thread starter Beemer
- Start date
A dead leg will only occur if you place the accordion on your leg with a corner. This is caused either by sitting on a chair that is too high so your leg goes downwards towards your knee, or by holding the accordion a bit diagonally towards you at the top.
The right posture is with your leg perfectly horizontal and the accordion perfectly vertical and then the weight of the accordion rests on your leg, spread over the entire depth of the bellows, not just on the corner that is closest to your body.
I wish I could say that therefore a dead leg is a very rare occurrence because surely everyone will have learned the right way of sitting down to play the accordion, but the reality is that I see very few people holding the accordion the right way...
The right posture is with your leg perfectly horizontal and the accordion perfectly vertical and then the weight of the accordion rests on your leg, spread over the entire depth of the bellows, not just on the corner that is closest to your body.
I wish I could say that therefore a dead leg is a very rare occurrence because surely everyone will have learned the right way of sitting down to play the accordion, but the reality is that I see very few people holding the accordion the right way...
Only when I play my Piermaria...then it's everytime regardless of chair...better if I use back strap and try to lean more backwards than forwards... doesn't happen with any other accordion....
Walker
🪗
Hi Beemer,
How are you getting on with your Scandalli AIR III? I hope you are enjoying it!
I have spent a lot of time recently studying the Scandalli AIR series of accordions and I am shortlisting the Scandalli AIR III and AIR IV models as potential future instruments for myself (I can dream
).
For anyone not familiar with the AIR III, it's a compact accordion (19mm keys) with a weight around 9.9kg, though it could be lighter or heavier (I have seen other weight figures stated online etc). Either way, thankfully it's not a very large and heavy accordion like some of the 14kg to 16kg+ bayans out there.
For reference this is the model:
If the weight of the instruments is all on one leg, maybe you could look again at how your shoulder straps and back strap are adjusted. Perhaps the weight could be distributed a little more evenly that way, whilst giving a good playing position. I don't really tend to have the accordion sitting on my left leg when I play. I keep my left leg tucked out of the way. The accordion is above the leg rather than planted firmly on it. I let the shoulder straps and tightly adjusted backstrap take the bulk of the weight.
However, I don't want to cause you any further difficulties, so maybe as another idea, a little blanket could be positioned under the point of contact on your leg to help reduce the discomfort? I have a lot of natural padding - which helps.
Finally, have you considered your seating? I always found a drummer's throne to be the best for obtaining a comfortable seating position, certainly better than a restrictive piano stool, in my opinion.
The only other thing is maybe take the accordion off before you stand up. The last thing we want is for you to fall and put a dent in yourself.
Good luck.
How are you getting on with your Scandalli AIR III? I hope you are enjoying it!
I have spent a lot of time recently studying the Scandalli AIR series of accordions and I am shortlisting the Scandalli AIR III and AIR IV models as potential future instruments for myself (I can dream
).For anyone not familiar with the AIR III, it's a compact accordion (19mm keys) with a weight around 9.9kg, though it could be lighter or heavier (I have seen other weight figures stated online etc). Either way, thankfully it's not a very large and heavy accordion like some of the 14kg to 16kg+ bayans out there.
For reference this is the model:
If the weight of the instruments is all on one leg, maybe you could look again at how your shoulder straps and back strap are adjusted. Perhaps the weight could be distributed a little more evenly that way, whilst giving a good playing position. I don't really tend to have the accordion sitting on my left leg when I play. I keep my left leg tucked out of the way. The accordion is above the leg rather than planted firmly on it. I let the shoulder straps and tightly adjusted backstrap take the bulk of the weight.
However, I don't want to cause you any further difficulties, so maybe as another idea, a little blanket could be positioned under the point of contact on your leg to help reduce the discomfort? I have a lot of natural padding
- which helps.Finally, have you considered your seating? I always found a drummer's throne to be the best for obtaining a comfortable seating position, certainly better than a restrictive piano stool, in my opinion.
The only other thing is maybe take the accordion off before you stand up. The last thing we want is for you to fall and put a dent in yourself.
Good luck.
@debra ... Are you implying the bellows lie across the leg and not the wood itself....thankyou
I have searched many times for correct position and posture with CBA ...also elbows wrists and fingers but I only find recommendations for piano accordion...
I'd love to see a real on depth posture positioning post
I have searched many times for correct position and posture with CBA ...also elbows wrists and fingers but I only find recommendations for piano accordion...
I'd love to see a real on depth posture positioning post
The accordion should be positioned so far to the left that your chin ends up right above the center of where the chin switches are or where they would be if you had them. When the accordion is that far to the left you can extend your right arm all the way to the right, then turn your forearm to the left and your fingers should end up right over the keys of the keyboard. If you try this and your hand ends up hitting the grille instead of being over the keyboard then the accordion sits too far to the right. Most people position the accordion too far to the right and as a result they cannot stretch their elbow out but need to keep the elbow closer to the body.
Left leg or right?
This happens to me more as I get older, not with the accordion since I'm a rank beginner (and recovering from surgery before I can practice again!) but with legs, arms, and fingers that I hold in the same position too long with some pressure or tension. For me, the biggest problem is at the wood lathe when gripping a tool too tightly and turning for too long without stopping for a moment to stretch and change positions.
Since you said this happened when you stood up you might experiment with moving more during playing and/or flexing the leg or bending the knee, maybe standing or walking a bit while playing if you can't stop for a break. Also, what kind of chair/bench are you using? If it has a hard front edge that may be reducing circulation in the leg - a bench or stool with a padded seat may help. I've only had a leg go numb when sitting a long time on a hard-edged stool.
For me, the hand problem goes away after I swing my arm/hand, shake my fingers, stretch, and wait a bit. Of course, I'm getting elderly (and feeble!) so yours may have a different cause such as an internal nerve impingement which may even get worse over time. Might see a Dr and see if a nerve conduction test (I've had many!) and/or bit of Physical Therapy might be recommended. I went through all this when some fingers started to go numb (not carpel tunnel) after too many long days at the computer terminal hammering out software. The PT helped a LOT.
Hey, is there anything such an adjustable stand or support to take some of the weight off a heavy accordion, or would that just cramp your style? I've thought of that when practicing with mine while seated. I think a stand could be designed to support but still allow reasonable motion.
JKJ
Dingo40
Been here for ages!
Hi Beemer,
I haven't experienced this myself, but something must be cutting off the blood circulation or pinching a nerve. Try different seating options ?
JKJ,
Yes, there are at least two different manufacturers of accordion stands to be found on Google.
They can be used either seated or standing.
Occasionally, used ones turn up also.
There are YouTube clips demonstrating their use.
Last edited:
I think you've seen these two mentioned before
How to hold the accordion – Sitting & standing position
by Elena Stenkina
https://accordionchords.com/tutorials/how-to-hold-the-accordion/
ACCORDION TECHNIQUE NOTEBOOK
by Gorka Hermosa
http://www.gorkahermosa.com/web/img/publicaciones/3568a.pdf
I like Gorka Hermosa as all his stuff is freely available and no paywalls. (This gives me an idea for creating a really dominant tutor in the future....cogs turning.......)
Something I've noticed with some top players and posture is a little bit of "do as I say rather than as I do..."
In particular seeing some world class players live there is a significant variation to the distance between their legs when playing. Obviously important as this effects everything else...
As a careful watcher of the better performers that I see on youtube it is evident that they use the whole body in their playing.
Everything which can add better control of the instrument is utilised; feet, knee spacing, knee height, body arching, leaning left, right, forward and back.
I'm old, just a beginner and have bdy issues with it but it seems to me that using the totality of the body, legs, feet and arms/wrists included, helps to prevent muscular tension and strain as well as enabling more precise and nuanced control of the bellows.
As Walker mentioned, careful attention to strap lengths has enabled the lifting of the instrument to assist with feedom of bellows movement as well as flexing of the spine muscles which relieves the natural tendency to become rigid and painful when held to one position.
This e-book has been most instructive:
