Saltarelle Bourouche bass to loud

[george g]

Bought a new Bourouche about two months ago. Bass is to loud compared to treble. Tried a Chaville at time of purchase, bass was more mellow and even volume with treble, but I wanted the bassoon reed in the Bourouche. Any Ideas on tameing the beast?
Thanks!
g

 

[JIM D.]

Just listened to the website -- http://www.saltarelle.com/accordion_bourroche.htm -- the box in the videos sounds well balanced. The video does not show the bass panel, but if it has vent openings, you might try blocking them.

 

[george g]

maybe some foam sheeting or actually something more solid?

 

[george garside]

or just play the bass more quietly!

george

 

[Soulsaver]

or just play the bass more quietly!

george

Well, George, that's your usual answer when other people ask the same question...

 

[JIM D.]

Maybe a usual answer, but correct in most cases. Instead of dragging the basses, play them more staccato.

 

[BobM]

Maybe a usual answer, but correct in most cases. Instead of dragging the basses, play them more staccato.

+1.

 

[george garside]

its simply an aural conjuring trick. Playing the basses 'short. 'crisp' or 'staccato' results in the notes being around for less time which makes them quieter to the ear

put simply get into the habit of touching the bass as if red hot and use this as the default mode , only going legato on purpose!

 

[debra]

You should really ask how it sounds for the audience. The design of an accordion and how you hold it determines how the keyboard and basses sound to the player. How it sounds for the audience is not really influenced by how you hold the accordion. You should never judge the balance by how it sounds to you when you play.
If for the audience the basses are indeed too loud you can try dampening it by means of some felt along the openings on the bass side (on the inside so the audience does not get to see it). And as others have said how you play the basses (longer or more staccato) also has effect.

 

[BobM]

I've been having a similar discussion for years now with a friend who has 2 boxes, both of them with "overloud" basses. I think that there's a big misunderstanding with certain instruments, that is, that the immediate tone produced is the final one. But I think that the attack, tone and and overall balance has to be worked at, and a good way to achieve this is practice the LH on its' own, until, it sounds sweet and clean.
Also, a single RH reed is always going to struggle against a Master bass setting..

 

[george garside]

when playing bass with single reed treble it can help to just use lightly tapped chords rather than bass/chord. My preference in many situations is to play the part for the single reed without any bass , bringing some bass back in at exactly the point you change treble coupler. Doing this emphasises the single reed passage - less is more type of thing

george

 

[george g]

Sorry to be so late getting back! Several great comments! Aside from the issues of technique, about which I agree with all the comments, although some passages require long bass perhaps even drone (bal folk). Which leads me to another annoyance in that the low reeds in the bass seem to be voiced somewhat slower than the upper reeds, requiring a little nursing to bring them in on some slow passages. I'm hoping this will change with time? Back to the main issue, I noticed a difference in the Chaville model in stock at the time of purchase. The salesmen agreed and even opened both boxes to check that they where each 4 reeds. The Bouroche is brighter which may lead to the impression of greater volume? There was only one in stock. As a fiddle player, I am aware the some instruments sound different under the ear (or in the lap) than they do to an audience, but I feel that the player should enjoy what he or she is hearing in order to make the best music. I think that I will try some foam baffle material behind the sound holes. I was actually wondering if this was common when I posted initially.
Thanks for the response, I'll let you know.
g

 

[JIM D.]

Before attaching any material to the bass plate make sure it will not interfere with the bass pistons and rods. :tup:

 

[george garside]

if you do decide to use some sort of damping material felt will work better than foam and is generally thinner

g

 

[BobM]

Which leads me to another annoyance in that the low reeds in the bass seem to be voiced somewhat slower than the upper reeds, requiring a little nursing to bring them in on some slow passages.
g[/quote

Bass notes without any higher tones will always speak slower than the other mid and higher reeds. Have you heard anyone else playing your instrument? The many recorded examples sound great to me.

 

[artidots]

if you do decide to use some sort of damping material felt will work better than foam and is generally thinner

g

I can definitely endorse that. When we had a Welty Kristall (a very nice box by the way) we experimented a lot with various baffle materials. Thinnish (maybe 2mm) black felt (slightly porous) was easily the most effective in damping down the bass a bit without causing any playing problems. We trimmed it in 2 pieces to match the inner profile halves of the bass board, covering, after a few trials, all of the holes, and fixed it with masking tape all around the edges of the felt (so that it could readily be removed without damage or marks). Yes we were careful about ensuring clearances from the mechanism.

After reading and hearing a few pointed comments about 'draggy' bass I have tried to do better with my playing so that I am not sure I would feel the need so much now.(and anyway the Fantini we have now is a model of bass discretion when needed)

Rob

 

[george g]

Yes, I feel that felt would be a wise choice. I have not checked the clearance situation yet, but will inform all of results. artidots' info is just what I wanted to hear. BobM, the shop owner compared basses with chaville. His assistant and I agreed there was a difference, the owner was reluctant to agree. I have done some tuning in the past and have observed that bass reeds are very sensitive to velocity and pressure even on the bellows table. Although this is the first NEW accordion that I have ever owned, and I may never have played a 4 reed bass, most of the used accordions that I've played seem to have had bass reeds more closely voiced to however many upper reeds were there. As I mentioned, I'm hoping that time may change this. I will not attempt any such adjustments on an instrument such as this. I'm not to handy with media nor am I very capable at demo, but I may try to video my observations in the future.
Thanks to all so far!
s

 

[BobM]

George G, I've just had a look at the product page, the Bourouche has 2 bass registers. so what is the other one like. I've had 2 new boxes, the first a Weltmeister and the second, a Brandoni. There is a playing-in period I think; the Bourouche would be my instrument of choice if I where to change to a button accordion, all the YouTube demo's sound ideal to me. Give it time?

 

[george g]

BobM,
Sorry I didn't get back on your question! I have only one register on my bourouche. I am living with the bass as it is right now. I do not want to do anything to this box yet in case I decide to sell it for another. It's only a problem on the single or upper treble reed registers really. Thanks much for your interest1
g

 

[BobM]

BobM,
Sorry I didnt get back on your question! I have only one register on my bourouche. I am living with the bass as it is right now. I do not want to do anything to this box yet in case I decide to sell it for another. Its only a problem on the single or upper treble reed registers really. Thanks much for your interest1
g

I wouldnt touch this box, but as I think I said earlier 1 reed against 4 or more bass reeds is always going to be a challenge; after all theyre sharing the same air.