Options for silent practice?

[knobby]

I had my first lesson for a few years on Sunday morning, and I’m fired up to continue.
On Monday it was announced that the company I work for is being closed down and I will be made redundant by the end of the year
I plan to go back to short(ish) contract work rather than looking for a full time position, but this will mean being away from home through the week and staying in hotels/b&b’s.
Practicing with an acoustic in a hotel room is likely to go down like a lead balloon, so I need to be able to practice silently. I could go with a Roland, but do worry about paying such a high price (as they are) for a secondhand one in case it doesn’t last long, and I balk at the price of a new one (even an FR1-X).
So…. What other realistic options do I have for silent, or really quiet, relatively inexpensive practice?

 

[Dingo40]

On Monday it was announced that the company I work for is being closed down and I will be made redundant by the end of the year

My condolences on this dreadful development !

So…. What other realistic options do I have for silent, or really quiet, relatively inexpensive practice?

When still employed, I sometimes had to overnight on the road.
My work took place in government schools, many of which had a music room or even a suite.
I made a point of befriending the music teacher and getting permission from the "Headmaster/Mistress " to use the suite for practice after hours.
So, could you possibly borrow a space after hours in the building you work during business hours?
Alternatively, could you play in your car/van in a deserted car park or lay-by?
Come to think of it, the bars of most hotels are so noisy that no one would notice gunfire let alone an accordion, before closing time.
Occasionally, I've been able to negotiate practising rights at the time of booking a room in a motel.
Costs nothing to ask!

 

[Giovanni]

My condolences on this dreadful development !


When still employed, I sometimes had to overnight on the road.
My work took place in government schools, many of which had a music room or even a suite.
I made a point of befriending the music teacher and getting permission from the "Headmaster/Mistress " to use the suite for practice after hours.
So, could you possibly borrow a space after hours in the building you work during business hours?
Alternatively, could you play in your car/van in a deserted car park or lay-by?
Come to think of it, the bars of most hotels are so noisy that no one would notice gunfire let alone an accordion, before closing time.
Occasionally, I've been able to negotiate practising rights at the time of booking a room in a motel.
Costs nothing to ask!

You can always rely on an AUSSIE to find a way around a problem !!
Thats why my Hero is Crocodile Dundee......

 

[Giovanni]

I had my first lesson for a few years on Sunday morning, and I’m fired up to continue.
On Monday it was announced that the company I work for is being closed down and I will be made redundant by the end of the year
I plan to go back to short(ish) contract work rather than looking for a full time position, but this will mean being away from home through the week and staying in hotels/b&b’s.
Practicing with an acoustic in a hotel room is likely to go down like a lead balloon, so I need to be able to practice silently. I could go with a Roland, but do worry about paying such a high price (as they are) for a secondhand one in case it doesn’t last long, and I balk at the price of a new one (even an FR1-X).
So…. What other realistic options do I have for silent, or really quiet, relatively inexpensive practice?

Sorry to read your news .....was the closure expected or did it just come out of the blue ?
practicing in public places would certainly be a problem...........a good FR1 X would certainly be the answer .....keep looking out for one !!
You may strike Lucky ...........I sincerely wish you all the best in finding suitable employment .

 

[oldbayan]

You can rent a Roland, to see how it goes. Many shops offer that option. That is what I did for a FR-1xb before buying it. Usually the stores will also use some of the rental fee toward the purchase of the instrument if you decide to do that.

 

[Tom]

Sorry to hear this Knobby, and I hope your contract work out works out for you.

Busking (or just getting playing) at a park? As long as the weather is ok…

As a small aside, I would be fine with tasteful accordion related ads on this forum if it is an option to help you economically Knobby.

 

[JeffJetton]

Ugh. Sorry about the job situation. Chin up!

If the place you're staying is the type that has conference rooms, sneaking in to one of them might work. I've actually taught an "emergency" lesson to someone who was passing through Nashville that way. I met him at his hotel room, then we found a conference room with an unlocked door and commandeered it.

Another option would be to practice aspects of your musicianship that aren't necessarily playing the accordion. Bringing along a small Casio-type keyboard and headphones, for example, would allow you to work on right-hand fingerings, scales, chords/inversions, chord melodies, improvising, etc. You could bring songs you wanted to learn, listen to them deeply, and try to pick them out on the keyboard. Bonus points for then learning (if you haven't already) software like MuseScore and then notating what you've picked out by ear.

 

[JKJ]

My son hates the sound of the accordion although the family puts up with the piano and guitar. He reminds me: "You have a big shop down the hill, a barn, horse fields far from the house..." I do keep some brass instruments in the shop.
Some recommended electronic but seem pretty expensive and have way more options than I need. I thought about adding a soundproof closet...

Knobby, bummer about the job. I suspect you are to young to retire. We shall pray for good opportunities to be revealed.

JKJ

 

[TomBR]

I've mentioned this before....
It only gives right hand but a Casio SA-46 (maybe now SA 51) is an inexpensive little electronic keyboard with PA sized keys that can be played in vertical "accordion" position. It has a headphone output.

Sorry to hear about the work situation knobby, I hope something good comes along.

 

[knobby]

Sorry to read your news .....was the closure expected or did it just come out of the blue ?

We were expecting some changes but not complete closure.

Knobby, bummer about the job. I suspect you are to young to retire. We shall pray for good opportunities to be revealed.

JKJ

Yes, unfortunately. Had this happened a year from now then I'd have given serious thought to packing it all in and moving back to Spain.

I've mentioned this before....
It only gives right hand but a Casio SA-46 (maybe now SA 51) is an inexpensive little electronic keyboard with PA sized keys that can be played in vertical "accordion" position. It has a headphone output.

I have an iRig Keys that has the same size keys as my accordion, and I can plug this into my iPad. It's the bass side that I need as I still struggle with both hands together.

 

[Ventura]

well, any MIDI accordion can be used for silent practice
by routing whatever sound source you use through headphones..
and as you see there are many of the earlier
(not touch sensitive, nor bellows sensing)
models around for cheap at any given time

might beg borrow or steal one, hopefully not too big or heavy..

 

[Giovanni]

well, any MIDI accordion can be used for silent practice
by routing whatever sound source you use through headphones..
and as you see there are many of the earlier
(not touch sensitive, nor bellows sensing)
models around for cheap at any given time

might beg borrow or steal one, hopefully not too big or heavy..

Hi Ventura , that thought had passed thro my mind , my midi /acoustic accordion with my special yamaha PSR 3000 module would allow me to practice silently and just plug in ear phones ....... the output sockets are there i think nearly any make of module would have these outputs .

 

[knobby]

well, any MIDI accordion can be used for silent practice
by routing whatever sound source you use through headphones..
and as you see there are many of the earlier
(not touch sensitive, nor bellows sensing)
models around for cheap at any given time

might beg borrow or steal one, hopefully not too big or heavy..

I thought of midi but all the ones I see are expensive accordions with midi added and work out the same or more than a Roland!

 

[Dingo40]

Just a thought.
From many posts here, one could get the idea that buying a digital accordion is
almost a guaranteed way of going from accordion player to a full time solver of electronic and programming problems.

 

[Alan Sharkis]

Knobby,

I’m sorry about the job situation. There are many here who would suggest buying a Roland. While I’m a fan of Roland accordions, I would suggest that there are a number of reed-less accordions out there that might be less expensive, even if new. From time to time a used one will also pop up on Craig’s List or Reverb.

But if you consider an acoustic accordion with MIDI, please note that buying one without mutes for the reeds would not work for you.

 

[Thomas N]

My Roland FR-8X is going strong with daily playing for going on 10 years. I play it hard and do not baby it. I wouldn't be too concerned with a second hand one if it all checks out ok.

 

[murathan]

Using bellows lightly with one dot switches (with smallest possible on both sides) does not make so much noise actually. Putting cloths over the grill and bass (hand side) will also make a silencer to a certain level. Choosing reasonable times of day and duration to practice may not be a problem even in a hotel.