First steps with the accordina

[Nico.nico]

Hello to you all.

I recently got my first accordina after a few months waiting for it.
Is a Joseph Carrel Havana 3.
It looks really sturdy and well constructed. Bit heavier than I though and so far I'm still finding a good confortable position to play.

Is only my first week with the instrument, which by the way I picked up in Europe while traveling here. So I've only dedicated a few minutes every day in hotel rooms.
The two most noticeable points that I'm trying to solve are, for once getting to play all notes with the same volume. I thought maybe the gapping of some reeds was off, and actually asked Joseph about it, but he commented that a few months usually are necessary for the reeds to "settle" and get a more even response. I realize is no melodica or harmonica, both of which I've played before, so I guess different instruments behave differently
The 2nd point is: what's a confortable position for most of you who already play?
My left hand tends to fatigue after some 20-30 mins playing, and then I find myself using the right hand's thumb holding it a bit, which gradually makes me use the thumb less freely. I'm trying to use the same fingering I would use on my CBA. Is that fine or some adjustment should be made?

I'm full of doubts still, and searching anything accordina related on the internet throws so little information ....
Any tips or recommendation is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[losthobos]

Relax, keep enjoying the instrument and gradually everything will settle ....adaption is a slow process....remember when you first played accordion and your left shoulder ached, and your wrists were tight....you've adapted and forgotten...same things gonna happen with the accordina....

New video by Terry St George

photos.app.goo.gl

Best wishes

 

[debra]

It is normal for you to hear a difference in volume between the reeds on one side of the accordina versus those on the other side. If you make a recording from a distance (2 meters or more) that volume difference should disappear. The comment about the reeds needing to "settle" is sales rubbish. The difference you hear now should still be the same three months from now. But it may be a consequence of the position of your ears versus which part of the accordina.
It is also normal for the left hand (that holds the accordina up) to fatigue. The accordina is heavier than it looks. Try holding up a brick for an hour in the position of the accordina... and your hand will also feel tired.
I actually was playing piano accordion when I wanted to start on the accordina and realized very rapidly that practicing on the accordina all the time was just not feasible (because of the weight, and also because I had poor breathing technique). So I picked up the CBA to practice, and fell in love with playing CBA...
You may find that because of the orientation (which also depends on where the mouthpiece is, that varies between accordinas) a different fingering from that on CBA may be advisable. Your (right) hand is oriented differently and that influences fingering.

 

[stickista]

Here’s a couple small things that you might find helpful.
1) practice using tongue-ing for articulation to have a smoother transition between notes, particularly repeated ones on the same key.
2) I’ve personally found it more efficient to drop your lower lip off of the mouthpiece to breathe rather than raising your upper lip or completely separating your mouth. If nothing else it makes taking breaths quieter if you’re on a mic.
3) Get a length of half inch foam pipe insulation, the kind thats split to allow you to slip it over a pipe, cut a short length off and slice that in half and use double sided tape to form a cushion where the weight of the instrument sits at the base of your thumb. It does wonders for making the instrument easier to hold for longer periods. (see attached photo.).
Enjoy! It’s my favorite instrument that I’ve ever played

 

[debra]

Here’s a couple small things that you might find helpful.
1) practice using tongue-ing for articulation to have a smoother transition between notes, particularly repeated ones on the same key.
2) I’ve personally found it more efficient to drop your lower lip off of the mouthpiece to breathe rather than raising your upper lip or completely separating your mouth. If nothing else it makes taking breaths quieter if you’re on a mic.
3) Get a length of half inch foam pipe insulation, the kind thats split to allow you to slip it over a pipe, cut a short length off and slice that in half and use double sided tape to form a cushion where the weight of the instrument sits at the base of your thumb. It does wonders for making the instrument easier to hold for longer periods. (see attached photo.).
Enjoy! It’s my favorite instrument that I’ve ever played

1) Indeed, the tongue technique is important for repeated notes. In my video at 0:55 and later you can hear it clearly, and especially at 2:18.
2) I use the "bec Romanelli" which is longer than the standard mouthpiece, and I really like that. I feels more like the mouthpiece of a (soprano) recorder.
3) The foam pipe insulation is a great tip! I'm gonna try that, because I do experience fatigue holding the accordina up for an extended period of time.

 

[Ffingers]

A bit of a comment from someone with fibromyalgia and osteo arthritis - I am using an end-on mouthpiece adapted with a length of tube from a melodica which allows me to play a bit like an accordion.

 

[Nico.nico]

Thanks for all the great advice and tips provided.
That's more than what I've been able to find in all of my searches so far for online accordina material.

I'll try these tips as soon as I'm back home. So far I've been working on fingering; I've resumed a few exercises I was doing with the accordion last week, and I find myself comfortable enough to translate those to the accordina now without much difficulties.
It's been fun practicing the articulations I know from the harmonica in the accordina. Most of the ones played on blow notes are aplicable to the accordina. The bendings are very similar to the ones in a melodica instead, but more stable maybe.

 

[Jim2010]

So far I've been working on fingering;

I started the accordina without any prior experience with CFA fingering. I initially focused on fingering out of necessity. The expressiveness came (is coming) later. My primary musical background was classical guitar (pluck a note and that is essentially that), so it took some practice for me to get used to playing and shaping notes for their entire duration. Fortunately, there are some very good accordina recordings on youtube that I use for imitation and inspiration.

 

[stickista]

Here’s a couple small things that you might find helpful.
1) practice using tongue-ing for articulation to have a smoother transition between notes, particularly repeated ones on the same key.
2) I’ve personally found it more efficient to drop your lower lip off of the mouthpiece to breathe rather than raising your upper lip or completely separating your mouth. If nothing else it makes taking breaths quieter if you’re on a mic.
3) Get a length of foam pipe insulation fir half inch pipe, the kind thats split to allow you to slip it over a pipe, cut a short length off and slice that in half and use double sided tape to form a cushion where the weight of the instrument sits at the base of your thumb. It does wonders for making the instrument easier to hold for longer periods. (see attached photo.).
Enjoy! It’s my favorite instrument that I’ve ever played