Four-note seventh chords

[KiwiSqueezer]

Hi Folks,

Please can anyone tell me when the 4-note seventh chord became obsolete, with the fifth removed, in Italian Stradella bass machines? I ask, because I have a pretty little mid-size Paramount (E E Busilacchio) 41/120 box, with an aesthetic I would put as 1960s, which I was surprised to discover had four-note sevenths. It needs a lot of work. I'll probably modify it so the seventh chords drop their fifths. Would that be a sin? Should I keep it 'period'?

 

[Walker]

I used to own a Cooperfisa Supercesare 507 from Vercelli, Italy. It was a demo instrument (not brand new) when I bought it. It had 4-note 7th bass chords. That accordion was from around the 2000s, I believe. I still have a 1981 Bugari Champion that also has 4-note 7th chords. I personally like the colour of the 4-note 7th chord in the left hand - within the context of "simple" vamped bass/chords for accompanying trad. dance music. It gives a pleasant and full tone in this trad/folk context.

However, I would not expect Jazz accordionists who "combine" different left hand chords (to create extended/altered chords etc) or folk-fusion type accordionists who like to introduce new "jazzy" harmonic colours will appreciate the 4-note chords as I guess it may hinder the process of their chord building.​

 

[KiwiSqueezer]

Thank you, Walker! That's surprised me - I thought that the four-note chords had died out much earlier. However, I've much to learn about these strange boxes. In the world of accordions, every day is a learning day... I'll reconsider modifying this box. Its future is not with me, and I suspect it won't be exploring the harmonic complexities of jazz.

 

[dak]

There is a mechanical reason against the additional fifth as well: if you press the G7 on such an instrument, both Gmajor as well as Ddim are prone to fall in spontaneously (as all their notes are already down). In contrast, if you want a "true" G7, you can play the fifth-less G7 button along with either Gmajor or Ddim. Or you play both Gmajor and Ddim and don't need to bother with the G7 button at all.

 

[Alan Sharkis]

Roland V-accordions, regardless of how they actually sound, have three modes of left-hand MIDI transmission.

In ‘normal ‘ mode, they send MIDI note-on messages for four-note dominnant sevenths AND four-note diminished sevenths. Believe it or not, this is the default mode. The other two, described below, have to be chosen from a menu.

In ‘accordion’ mode, they transmit MIDI note-on messages for three-note chords, the same as today’s acoustic stradella bass would sound.

Then, there’s ‘D-mode,’ which transmits MIDI note-on messages for only the root note of the chord, but the octave of that MIDI note-on message is determined by whether a major, minor, seventh or diminished button has been pressed.

I realize that this sounds like gobbledygook to non-MIDI users, but it does honor both three- and four-note Stradella systems in its own way and adds an additional feature that I find useful in producing AAA bass notation, in notation software, on the fly.

 

[Ignacchitti]

Hi Folks,

Please can anyone tell me when the 4-note seventh chord became obsolete, with the fifth removed, in Italian Stradella bass machines? I ask, because I have a pretty little mid-size Paramount (E E Busilacchio) 41/120 box, with an aesthetic I would put as 1960s, which I was surprised to discover had four-note sevenths. It needs a lot of work. I'll probably modify it so the seventh chords drop their fifths. Would that be a sin? Should I keep it 'period'?

Here the great Galla-Rini explains why the fifth is dropped, though he does not mention "when":

 

[Alan Sharkis]

Here the great Galla-Rini explains why the fifth is dropped, though he does not mention "when":

A great explanation, indeed! I was always told that eliminating the fifth note from the seventh chord and the diminished fifth from the diminished chord was done to simplify the Stradella bass machine, while preserving the character of the chord. Galla-Rini presented a more theory-oriented explanation, but also illustrated how it's possible to get the four-note chords with chord combinations.

 

[dak]

I was always told that eliminating the fifth note from the seventh chord and the diminished fifth from the diminished chord was done to simplify the Stradella bass machine,

It doesn't add relevant complexity, just a few more levers. But having some 3-note chords and some 4-note chords mean that different chord buttons show different resistance during play, and that can be annoying.

 

[Rosie C]

However, I would not expect Jazz accordionists who "combine" different left hand chords (to create extended/altered chords etc) or folk-fusion type accordionists who like to introduce new "jazzy" harmonic colours will appreciate the 4-note chords as I guess it may hinder the process of their chord building.​

I've not played jazz on my accordion, but I do play jazz on double bass. I would struggle to play jazz chords on a stradella as so many I meet are chord inversions, 'slash' chords, augmented, 9ths etc. I guess that would be free bass time, but I don't really see myself going beyond folk.