Question about learning curve and progress

[Valski]

"When I watch really accomplished players on YouTube they don't feel their way around the bass buttons. Their fingers hover in the air and they just hit them. Blows my mind."
Practice makes perfect!??

Exactly, practice makes perfect because the bases are mostly "finger memory". Years ago a friend who was self taught gave me a tip, and said that if you make a mistake that it's best to power through the rough spots because it's not likely that anyone will notice. He's not a very good player but that was a shrewd observation and I've followed his advice ever since. Perhaps it doesn't change anyone's perception of my music but at least I don't stress out about the small mistakes. ?

 

[Carnivore Caveman]

Today, it arrived the 2 ordered books: the "Mighty Accordion" and the "Adventures in Bass-Land". I like both, but I think I'll start with the latest, the "Adventures in bass-Land". I mean, to PRACTICE... Because, I'm going to read the "Mighty" too, it seems rather interesting... But, for the first glance, the other book's practices seems more easy and more appropriate for me. Of course it is not impossible that I'm wrong... but now I'll take a try with that. We'll see...
Anyhow, the first big part of the "Mighty" is theory, about the musical score... although I do not know the musical score, but on the same time I indeed know it! Namely, the situation is that I DO know the score(s)... in THEORY. But when I see a score about an unknown melody, I have no idea how it sounds... So the situation is rather similar when a small kid knows the alphabet, but he/she can read an unknown text just very slowly, with great difficulties... character after character... meanwhile an adult one can read at least a half dozen complete words by a quick glance...
So I feel what I need is not the theory of the musical score (because I know it THEORETICALLY) but to PRACTICE it...
Well, in theory, the theory and the practice is the same. In practice, not...

 

[Dingo40]

Something like this??

 

[Tom]

Something like this??

Omg!

 

[Tom]

Today, it arrived the 2 ordered books: the "Mighty Accordion" and the "Adventures in Bass-Land". I like both, but I think I'll start with the latest, the "Adventures in bass-Land". I mean, to PRACTICE... Because, I'm going to read the "Mighty" too, it seems rather interesting... But, for the first glance, the other book's practices seems more easy and more appropriate for me. Of course it is not impossible that I'm wrong... but now I'll take a try with that. We'll see...
Anyhow, the first big part of the "Mighty" is theory, about the musical score... although I do not know the musical score, but on the same time I indeed know it! Namely, the situation is that I DO know the score(s)... in THEORY. But when I see a score about an unknown melody, I have no idea how it sounds... So the situation is rather similar when a small kid knows the alphabet, but he/she can read an unknown text just very slowly, with great difficulties... character after character... meanwhile an adult one can read at least a half dozen complete words by a quick glance...
So I feel what I need is not the theory of the musical score (because I know it THEORETICALLY) but to PRACTICE it...
Well, in theory, the theory and the practice is the same. In practice, not...

One thing you could do is try those Hungarian folk tunes in different keys. Good luck with your practice, as our friend down under says, there is no substitute. You can do it.

 

[Redcap]

Something like this??

Wow...on several levels !

 

[Carnivore Caveman]

Something like this??

Oh, that's nothing, the man in the video is just a "talented beginner", I am far, far better! (in my dreams, of course...)

 

[Carnivore Caveman]

I want to play balkan music too... like this:

 

[Carnivore Caveman]

One thing you could do is try those Hungarian folk tunes in different keys. Good luck with your practice, as our friend down under says, there is no substitute. You can do it.

My real problem is the bass side. The Hungarian folk music is almost always pretty easy. It doesn't mean that I am very good from that aspect for the time being, but at least I can play them on some "primitive level". But only on the treble side...
My goal now is, to get at least this "very beginner level" on the bass side, too.
Then the "next level" to play with my both hands simultaneously... I know in advance it is exactly that which will make me the biggest challange...
Yes I am surely able to, the only question is that how much poractice is necessary for me? I am and was always very proud to my brain, but not as far as the manual dexterity are concerned...
But, ultimately this is what I had been searching... something totally new area of the Life, and everybody knows that every beginning is very, very hard...
Now I am a very, very good C programmer, but I remember for the first days... Huh...
Well, progress needs serious time...

 

[Tom]

My real problem is the bass side. The Hungarian folk music is almost always pretty easy. It doesn't mean that I am very good from that aspect for the time being, but at least I can play them on some "primitive level". But only on the treble side...
My goal now is, to get at least this "very beginner level" on the bass side, too.
Then the "next level" to play with my both hands simultaneously... I know in advance it is exactly that which will make me the biggest challange...
Yes I am surely able to, the only question is that how much poractice is necessary for me? I am and was always very proud to my brain, but not as far as the manual dexterity are concerned...
But, ultimately this is what I had been searching... something totally new area of the Life, and everybody knows that every beginning is very, very hard...
Now I am a very, very good C programmer, but I remember for the first days... Huh...
Well, progress needs serious time...

You're exactly right, Cave, it will come in time. I think the biggest thing that will help will be to go veeerrryyyyy sssslllooowwwllly. Pick one easy folk tune. Concentrate on only the first measure. Try playing just that one measure with both hands, very slowly....

If you have never played with both hands, try this exercise:

Start slowly playing:

C Bass, C Chord
C Bass, C Chord
C Bass, C Chord

Over and over.

Then, on the first time, play your right thumb on the C note with the C Bass.

On the second C Bass, play your index finger of your right hand on the D note.

On the third C Bass, play your middle finger on the E note.

Do this for all five right hand fingers.

Repeat until you get it down well. Then play your right fingers descending with the left hand C Bass.

This is a good exercise to coordinate your hands.

Good luck, I know you can do it!

 

[Bobo]

Caveman, I also had all the old Palmer-Hughes PA books. So I use those as just more material to play through at the beginner level.
Also, if there's any fingering that is ambiguous, write it your book or on the score! I have a score for La Vie En Rose for piano accordion.
I painstakingly entered every note into my scoring software and figured out the fingering for CBA. I entered the finger number for every note.

Fingering is so important for repetition. When I played classical piano my instructors would tell me which score to get for a piece based on which publisher had better fingering.

 

[Carnivore Caveman]

Caveman, I also had all the old Palmer-Hughes PA books. So I use those as just more material to play through at the beginner level.
Also, if there's any fingering that is ambiguous, write it your book or on the score! I have a score for La Vie En Rose for piano accordion.
I painstakingly entered every note into my scoring software and figured out the fingering for CBA. I entered the finger number for every note.

Fingering is so important for repetition. When I played classical piano my instructors would tell me which score to get for a piece based on which publisher had better fingering.

I have practiced yesterday, from the book "Adventures in Bassland". It seems, this approach will work me, just the progress will be slow at the beginning. As if I learn how to read or write, in the 1st class in the elementary school... and yes, I am in the "first class" as far as the reading the musical score are concerned... Needs LOTS of practice...
But yes, the approach seems good. At least I know what have I to do...
But the second problem is, that I hardly practiced a single hour, my fingers (on the left arm of course) has begun to be in pain. No matter what fingering type I wanted to follow from the both, described in the book. I don't know yet, will be this decreased after a good while when my fingers get accustomed to this new posture? I hope it will be...

 

[Dingo40]

CC,
A few random thoughts:
All progress seems painfully slow, at least initially.
Especially in the basses, finger/hand muscles often act against each other leading to cramps or pain: they'll settle into new routines.
I found "flash cards" helpful in memorising the names of notes in relation to their position on the staff. Later, you can be guided simply by how many steps up or down from the one you're already on.?