Playing without bass

[Mike t.]

So, I’ve figured out I suck when playing faster tunes when I don’t play my left hand also. I practiced for an hour just right hand on a bunch of fiddle/Irish tunes that I normally play pretty good. It’s like my left hand playing helps my right hand hit the notes. There are times I would like to play at jams without bass like, when my turn to play lead comes around. Frustrating being able to play a song up to speed with both hands and then sound horrible with only one hand. Is it just practice? I played with a metronome thinking it was a timing issue and it seemed to help a little. Anyone else have this going on?

 

[SteveBox]

Everything comes down to practice and more practice. Mike, I have no idea what your playing is like, but I know that many less experienced piano accordionists play Irish music with too much heavy, continuous oom-pahs. Bass accompaniment for most traditional music should be very "light" such that it complements but doesn't distract from the melody. If you play that way, maybe you won't feel like you need stop playing bass, just lighten it up some more. That said, sometimes it feels appropriate to add energy to a tune by launching into some rousing oom-pahs for brief passages.

The best thing is to listen and watch some accomplished musicians play Irish on a PA. Here are some examples:

FIrst lesson on the piano accordion by the Online Academy of Irish Music.

Playlist of videos by a good folk piano accordionist.

 

[Pipemajor]

So, I’ve figured out I suck when playing faster tunes when I don’t play my left hand also. I practiced for an hour just right hand on a bunch of fiddle/Irish tunes that I normally play pretty good. It’s like my left hand playing helps my right hand hit the notes. There are times I would like to play at jams without bass like, when my turn to play lead comes around. Frustrating being able to play a song up to speed with both hands and then sound horrible with only one hand. Is it just practice? I played with a metronome thinking it was a timing issue and it seemed to help a little. Anyone else have this going on?

I have the opposite problem. I can normally play new tunes OK on the right hand but it all goes to pot when adding the left hand.
Practice and more practice is the remedy.
Perhaps if you just finger the left hand but don't actaully press the buttons down that may help .
Just a thought.

 

[dak]

So, I’ve figured out I suck when playing faster tunes when I don’t play my left hand also. I practiced for an hour just right hand on a bunch of fiddle/Irish tunes that I normally play pretty good. It’s like my left hand playing helps my right hand hit the notes. There are times I would like to play at jams without bass like, when my turn to play lead comes around. Frustrating being able to play a song up to speed with both hands and then sound horrible with only one hand. Is it just practice? I played with a metronome thinking it was a timing issue and it seemed to help a little. Anyone else have this going on?

Sounds like you need one of those bass registers one finds on MIDIfied acoustic instruments that don't sound a note…

Well, one thing one needs to check is whether one actually is playing better with the left hand engaged or just is more distracted from noticing how one sounds on the right. I wonder whether your problem might become different if you try playing more by ear than by rote. Because then the left hand should matter less, and you should also be more able to improvise.

 

[Tom]

Everything comes down to practice and more practice. Mike, I have no idea what your playing is like, but I know that many less experienced piano accordionists play Irish music with too much heavy, continuous oom-pahs. Bass accompaniment for most traditional music should be very "light" such that it complements but doesn't distract from the melody. If you play that way, maybe you won't feel like you need stop playing bass, just lighten it up some more. That said, sometimes it feels appropriate to add energy to a tune by launching into some rousing oom-pahs for brief passages.

The best thing is to listen and watch some accomplished musicians play Irish on a PA. Here are some examples:

FIrst lesson on the piano accordion by the Online Academy of Irish Music.

Playlist of videos by a good folk piano accordionist.

Hey that set by “Folk Accordeon” is pretty sharp, thanks Steve!

 

[Mike t.]

Sounds like you need one of those bass registers one finds on MIDIfied acoustic instruments that don't sound a note…

Well, one thing one needs to check is whether one actually is playing better with the left hand engaged or just is more distracted from noticing how one sounds on the right. I wonder whether your problem might become different if you try playing more by ear than by rote. Because then the left hand should matter less, and you should also be more able to improvise.

I thought the same thing, am I still making just as many mistakes but can’t hear them? But no, I can crank out a tune loudly with or without the left hand and definitely hear the improvement. It’s like playing a cord from the bass just makes my right hand go to auto pilot, I should try playing with a backing track to see if it helps. When I learned to play a 12 bar blues pattern with the bass, one of the hardest things I had done in awhile, I really don’t think about my left hand anymore once I get into the groove. It’s just a pattern. But it somehow gives an intuitive feel for my right hand. I think I’ll start slowly just the right hand, what I call playing “naked” and work it out. Was hoping everyone had the same issues. Misery likes company!

 

[Mike t.]

Everything comes down to practice and more practice. Mike, I have no idea what your playing is like, but I know that many less experienced piano accordionists play Irish music with too much heavy, continuous oom-pahs. Bass accompaniment for most traditional music should be very "light" such that it complements but doesn't distract from the melody. If you play that way, maybe you won't feel like you need stop playing bass, just lighten it up some more. That said, sometimes it feels appropriate to add energy to a tune by launching into some rousing oom-pahs for brief passages.

The best thing is to listen and watch some accomplished musicians play Irish on a PA. Here are some examples:

FIrst lesson on the piano accordion by the Online Academy of Irish Music.

Playlist of videos by a good folk piano accordionist.

I’m very careful with playing my bass along with cords at a jam session, very light bass and sometimes no bass cords, I will add a bass runs and always ask my son who’s play fiddle next to me… to loud? He’s pretty honest, and I ask the jam leader. Would like to play just the melody floating lightly into the mix, without sounding like cats getting murdered! Practicing looks like the answer… love those videos you linked too! Thanks!

 

[Squeezeplay]

One of the jams I frequent, has a bass player, so I use chords only on bass side. Our Friday jam has no bass player, so I get to use the .bass side which I usually play as a dedicated bass player would…lots of country music here, with shuffles being very popular makes for some really nice opportunities for bass work.

 

[Mike t.]

One of the jams I frequent, has a bass player, so I use chords only on bass side. Our Friday jam has no bass player, so I get to use the .bass side which I usually play as a dedicated bass player would…lots of country music here, with shuffles being very popular makes for some really nice opportunities for bass work.

When I’m just playing backup with guitars, banjos, mandolins and such, It sounds like we do the same thing. When playing a slower tune like Faded Love or Tennessee Waltz I find it pretty easy to add a harmony part. It helps playing with my fiddle playing son to learn what works before going to a jam with 16 other players!