Removing bad playing habits

[oldbayan]

Sometimes a "bad habit" is called "signature style" Why play exactly like thousands of other accordionists?

 

[Paul vdV]

My bad playing habits and my path to improvement;
- muddy chording: play only very short chords, almost staccato for a while.
- recurring mistakes: stick to one fingering. So study correct fingering, write the tunes out with the correct fingering. Besides that: study scales and arpeggios.
- sloppy bellow technique: play in musical phrases. Together with the shorter notes on the bass side this improved my playing by a lot.

Restarted on Otto Bukovski Der Strebsame Akkordeonist, Czerny for the accordion. Second book. Will take at least 2 years. I have learned to improve on some of the bass fingerings.

 

[John M]

Thanks for sharing! I went back myself to book 2 book 3 being a step up again from two. So far book two gives you a good foundation to changing chords and alternating. I know what you mean with feeling disheartened at times. But breaking down parts , like practicing only difficult measures, like your teacher recommends is what I do now too after hearing another music teacher saying that. I am slow as well but stopped comparing myself with others... unless it's great advice such as all these different replies here!
Moving slower might be just good practice as well. I rushed through book 2 but enjoy now to memorise my favourites from it. They are still a challenge

For me, once I get through a difficult part and "have it my brain", many times the "Pattern/Riff" is used in other songs, so it comes back again. Of course, if it is a unique series of notes, learn it, and use it for that song.

 

[Sunshinexxx]

i would suggest using drum machines/tracks
to supplement the metronome and help avoid ennui

and yes, good habits are hard to find so keep any
you manage to get your fingers on

Omg! I had to Google 'drum machines/tracks' and understand what you mean. I've got this very old keyboard I use just for the inbuilt metronome but it has lots of different drums, rhythms and sounds integrated( songs as well!) I can play along to instead of using the Metronome. Brilliant brilliant idea: that old thing is useful after all .
Thanks for suggesting it!