Does Free-Bass hinder interest/development in the Stradella?

[BobM]

As per the heading, does Free-bass hinder interest/development in the Stradella? I believe it does; because it suggests that if an accordionist wishes to play anything interesting on the LH, that the free-bass is the only way to do it.

This is not true, and I don't understand why much better players than me (5 years now) seem only able to play a one bass one chord rhythm, i.e. no short joining runs, inversions or even Dominant alternate bass notes, and these details are all transferable from row to row, so only have to be learnt once..

Is the stradella LH just something that has to be endured, and that effective and interesting bass is only for "serious" musicians with free-bass?

 

[Deleted member 48]

The history and development of the free bass and the convertor mechanisms in accordion was a result of the accordion being introduced in classical music, modern music, jazz, and most of all the introduction of accordion classes in higher music education at conservatories.

I would personally not call every type of classical or jazz music as "serious" music, in jazz free bass lines on the accordion can also be used in funny bass line melodies.

There are also different schools in opinions in this, most modern teachers seem to accept the accordion with all manuals (Stradella bass + free bass via convertor mechanism) as one accordion.
In some accordion pieces at conservatory level you frequently have to switch from Stradella to free bass or vice versa.

I don't think free bass is hindering interest in the stradella, since also Stradella bass pieces are on the menu in accordion education.

It was the Stradella bass layout and sound spectrum that was hindering the acceptance of accordion at conservatory level.
That problem was solved with the introducation free bass only, or convertor accordions.

Free bass study is obligatory in higher conservatory level accordion education, and also in the higher grades of basic school level. In many countries the youngest accordion starters begin with free bass and Stradella right from the start.

In history there have been examples of pianos, organs, with coupler mechanisms even for chords in the left hand. But at conservatory level study, you need to play a "free bass" piano or "free bass" church organ.

The accordion would never have been accepted at conservatories, if it had only coupled Stradella bass mechanism with basses + prefixed chord buttons.

 

[donn]

Is the stradella LH just something that has to be endured, and that effective and interesting bass is only for serious musicians with free-bass?

I think its the converse - many who are after interesting bass lines might choose free bass, but never those who arent interested in bass at all. I think the latter case quite common - seems weird to me, but then I have other reasons to believe I am not completely normal.

 

[Zevy]

<FONT font=Garamond><SIZE size=130><COLOR color=#0040FF>IMHO One can play many interesting and intelligent bass lines with the stradella. The very cleverly designed Contralto, or Straddle set of bass reeds that are tuned to start and end from different points of the scale than the other sets of bass reeds gives the implication that the scale keeps on moving. That means that you can play any scale, ascending or descending, and it doesnt seem as though the player is only starting over and over from the same note, even though the stradella bass has a range of only one octave. That, my friends, is the secret of how great players like Charles Magnante and Art Van Damme (to name a few) played stradella and were masters.
Anthony Galla-Rini, who played and wrote for free bass, also promoted a very technical system of using different registers in order to play a very wide range of bass notes. Thats really amazing.
Here is a link http://www.accordions.com/articles/stradella.aspx to a very interesting article about the stradella bass machine.
Good luck!

 

[BobM]

I'm thinking mainly of accordionists who play from "Lead sheets" and by ear, like myself, who want to construct an arrangement of a melody. I hear a few players busking in my town from the former USSR with RH chops to spare, but seem not to have any idea of what to do with the left hand apart from pumping out a Root and chord etc.

I wonder if playing an interesting stradella bass is often seen as being insurmountable so not worth trying, but it only really needs a handful of small details to create a more interesting bass, and of course these details are transferable across the rows.

This a much easier subject to demonstrate than to write about, but some topics I find useful are, part and full Major scales with multiple fingerings. This is for linking chord lines together. Playing scales through the 3 primary chords, to drive a bass line through a sequence. Using the Dominant bass note more often. Playing a 6/8 or 2/4 rhythm with the Dominant bass note is a key to opening up a lot of other standard non-swing rhythms. Some bass/chord combinations sound great, some not so, I tend to use some which add colour on Dominant chords and Cadences.

I think it's the converse - many who are after interesting bass lines might choose free bass, but never those who aren't interested in bass at all.

Donn, you may be right up to a point, but if people realised that it's possible to play Diatonic melodies on the LH it might open up a few minds to new ideas.

 

[BrandyD]

Maybe I'm a bit confused about "free bass" and stradella bass. I have been playing 120 stradella bass since the 1970's. When I was taking lessons back then I would have to play entire songs, the melody, on the bass side only, mind you, not often, but we were taught to play actual melodies on the bass side. We also learned scales and runs and different bass patterns besides um pah pah. I love a boogie bass, love playing that, and adding bass runs in my songs!

Am I confused about this topic? I've read other older posts about "free bass" and always think that's what I can do on my 120 stradella. I feel very confused - someone straighten me out please.

brandy

 

[acordiansam]

Well the free bass will give more than one oct. To play. Say start G to G going up or down with free base you will end up with a oct. lower note G or oct. Higher G. With stradella you will end up with the same G you started with.

 

[JIM D.]

Brandy ; The so called "free bass" is an accordion that has bass buttons that play single notes and not chords. There were various designs over the years, but today the industry standard is now called a convertor bass that with a switch change converts a stradella bass to 3 octaves of single notes.
Your Roland as most Roland models have the "free bass" option. In your 8x manual on page 103 you will see that your 8x has 5 bass modes. The free bass mode is called the"Fifth" mode in the manual and if you care, switch it on and give it a try. :tup:

 

[BrandyD]

Thank you guys.

Jim D - I knew the Roland would do this - I haven't tried it yet. I'm still playing with all the User Programs!!!! I haven't ventured too far yet. Finding all the correct sounds for my songs and then scanning all my music into my laptop!!!

thanks guys,

brandy

 

[donn]

Well, I think the point is not just that there's bass notes, vs. chords, but that the notes are arranged in a sequential manner that particularly supports runs and the like, as opposed to the Stradella system's progression based on circle-of-5ths.

I personally thing the Stradella system is great for many musical styles, most anything that would interest me anyway. But I know lots of people like to learn to play classical works and arrangements that make different demands on the left hand, so while I've entertained the idea of banning free bass and requiring all accordions to have a Stradella left hand, for now I'm inclined to let nature take its course and see where things go.

 

[BobM]

When I was taking lessons back then I would have to play entire songs, the melody, on the bass side only, mind you, not often, but we were taught to play actual melodies on the bass side. We also learned scales and runs and different bass patterns besides um pah pah. I love a boogie bass, love playing that, and adding bass runs in my songs!
brandy

1+

I think that there is a reluctance to learn Accordion notation for the left hand now, (I’m a Bass and Treble clef reader) I certainly don’t care for it, but I think that there are other practical ways to learn general LH “tricks” to add depth and counterpoint to an arrangement.

I personally thing the Stradella system is great for many musical styles, most anything that would interest me anyway. But I know lots of people like to learn to play classical works and arrangements that make different demands on the left hand, so while Ive entertained the idea of banning free bass and requiring all accordions to have a Stradella left hand, for now Im inclined to let nature take its course and see where things go.

If non classical accordionists can’t get past the “oom pa” stage because of a lack of information or interest, the instrument is divided, so on one side “oom pa, and on the other well educated virtuosic performers with not much in-between.

For a lot of hobby and semi-pro players, Lead sheets with half a dozen or so LH bass tricks goes a long way. As to learning them, Video is the answer, but it’s a time consuming job and in 2015 I doubt if there’s any money in it.

BobM.

 

[simonking]

I agree, Bob. It takes some effort and methodical practice - following a decent arrangement can give you some great ideas that can be used again.

I've mentioned this book before, but Ian Lowthian's "Scottish Folk Tunes" has good arrangements with masses of interesting bass lines (and harmony) that will keep players of all standards going for a while. It's quite difficult for absolute beginners I suppose, but the sooner you try doing hard stuff, the sooner the stuff you thought was hard before will seem easy! It's well worth looking at even if you're not into Scottish folk.

 

[Deleted member 48]

The Stradella bass system (2 rows of basses and 3 or 4 rows of prefixed chords) may be the most attractive bass system on accordions for playing popular and folk accordion music.
But this bass system is useless in classical or moder music, one really needs the "free basses", an identical system for both left and right hand side of the accordion.

The Stradella bass system is called the "endless" octave system, when playing downgoing or upgoing bass lines (the ears selecting 1 of the voices of the bass reed sets).
However this stradella bass system is useless in playing classical music, modern music and some jazz music, who ask for correct bass pitches, as written in the sheet music notation.

No stradella bass arrangements are allowed when a student has to play eg a J.S. Bach organ transcription for convertor or free bass accordion.

The rules apply to organ or piano students.
What conservatory teacher would allow in the final exams an organ student, if the student would play a J.S. Bach organ toccata, to play this on a Hammond organ, with an arrangement of the bass part with some chord buttons? Don't think he's going to get his degree.

A guitar student is not allowed to play this pieces on a chord zither or a dulcimer with some chord set strings.
The same rules are for accordion students, they just have to play the original sheet music as written. Only transpositions to a higher octave or key transpositions are allowed, but no bass notes can be skipped by the student. That's why you need convertor accordions or free bass accordions at conservatory level.

One can play some simplified arrangements on the Stradella system, but not in the same pitch, and when polyfonic, the bass has to be thinned out to 1 bass melody line.
As said, one can try to play Stradella bass with the less heavy register, 1 or 2 voice. But still , the octave is "endlessly" repeating itself.

In the pub, the Stradella bass system rules, there's no strict rules, and there may be more accordion fun.

 

[losthobos]

I'm happy with the Stradella system...plenty can be achieved by studying options rather than just opted for R/Chord pumps....
But cutting to the quick...BobM are you going to produce said Video lessons or books on said Left Hand tricks...
I'd be willing to subscribe to a channel that provided me with this kind of education
Other than that it's bury my head in the Ralph Stryker

 

[Anyanka]

For me, it's definitely the opposite - I can do so much with the Stradella that I find the free bass frustrating; limiting because it takes so long to get to grips with it, and so far I have not managed to find anything that I personally want to do with the free bass. However, I started with Stradella and acquired a free free-bass when I bought my convertor CBA...

One's attitude to bass playing in general is probably related to one's teachers and the musicians one listens to: I certainly feel that the use of the bass makes up a huge proportion of a musician's playing style, and a nimble right hand can be ruined by clunky use of chords.

 

[donn]

If non classical accordionists can’t get past the “oom pa” stage because of a lack of information or interest, the instrument is divided, so on one side “oom pa, and on the other well educated virtuosic performers with not much in-between.

What is oom pah? My feeling about bass is that it naturally revolves around the harmonic and rhythmic structure of the music, but as youre holding it up as a failing of accordion players, maybe you mean to particularly single out bass playing thats restricted to the harmonic root alone, or root and alternate but in some almost equally formulaic way?

See, I dont stand in front of a page of notes while Im playing, so the music coming out of my accordion had to fit in my head, and I am not a J S Bach who can interweave several apparently independent melodic lines in my head. My left hand understands how to follow (or define) the harmonic structure of a tune, built around those root notes, and that leaves plenty of room to make a good bass line or a poor one - maybe even a well educated and virtuosic one.

The Stradella bass system is eminently suited to this, and indeed that has some effect on how people take up the accordion. If we compare it to a couple of other common instruments, say piano and guitar, the accordion appears to combine the virtues of both. Piano is perhaps the easiest instrument to pick out a melody on, guitar the easiest to work out the chords - unless you have an accordion. Youll see some hardy players determined to play Bach fugues and so forth on this instrument, but indeed that isnt the most advantageous use for it.

For a lot of hobby and semi-pro players, Lead sheets with half a dozen or so LH bass tricks goes a long way. As to learning them, Video is the answer, but it’s a time consuming job and in 2015 I doubt if there’s any money in it.

If were talking about the difference between a good improvised bass line and a poor one, I think having an ear for it goes a long way. Of course, that ear has to be developed somehow, which to me means listening to good stuff and copying it. I guess if youre getting good stuff off a sheet, then you can listen to yourself, but either way it has to involve the ears.

 

[BobM]

I'm glad that this post has generated interest. My use of term "oom pa" may sound like a pejorative, but it's more a criticism of playing in an unrelenting unimaginative way. Of course play a bass note followed by a chord and the result is "oom pa".

I think that an economical way to create a more interesting LH is is by using very small variations, the simplest of which is to stop playing.. This could mean leaving a section empty of LH, not playing over "lead ins", playing just chords or a sustained bass only. So the arrangement could build up from very little to full on.

The next thing that I might add is to use short scales "as and when" to link chords and phrases together, if possible try to go in an opposite way to the melody line.

The Dominant bass note, the "neglected twin". This opens all sorts of doors to popular accordion rhythms and makes any bass line sound deeper and more mature, used tastefully. A full 6/8 can be mutated into quite a few rhythms with a change of tempo and stresses.

Inversions, got a minor tune over a simple minor chord? Drop the bass line down in semitones under the chord.

Play a Major bass scale under the 3 primary chords to get to grips with them initially. In C, C G/D C/E F C/G F/A G/B C. Change the G to a G7 as and when..

Want a big ending for a piece finishing with e.g. F G7 C ? Try F/A G7/B C.

Sometimes is piece is leading up to it's conclusion and you're about to play it's root or home chord a short while before getting to the end, the effect of which is to weaken it.

I like to play this chord over it's Dominant bass to maintain the flow towards the end. Adding a bass third under a 7th can give an "uplift" in a line..

Here's a cheesy 2 beat intro, C G7/D C/E Dmin and repeat.etc etc.. That Dmin could become a Dmin7th by using the counterbass D under an F chord, and no big jumps involved.

BobM.

 

[losthobos]

Invaluable tips as ever BobM, keep em coming
Many thanks
PS shouldn't there be a Left Hand Idea's Specific Section/Topic/Banner/Thread whatever it's called

 

[BobM]

Invaluable tips as ever BobM, keep em coming
Many thanks
PS shouldnt there be a Left Hand Ideas Specific Section/Topic/Banner/Thread whatever its called

Hi Terry,

Ive just has another listen to She by Charles Aznavour and his arrangement is rich with some of the details I mentioned..

Ive long thought that the pop ballad recipe (but maybe not the style) is very suited to the accordion, i.e. simple chords given life through the use of non-root bass notes.



BobM.

 

[donn]

Ive long thought that the pop ballad recipe (but maybe not the style) is very suited to the accordion, i.e. simple chords given life through the use of non-root bass notes.

For sure. You can hear these simple but compelling bass lines all over the place in Beatles hits, etc. Thered be quite a bit of music that doesnt have so much use for them, though, wouldnt you say? Or does, but only in places. It really is part of the style.