Working on scales in the right hand

[Alans]

I always start my practise with my major scales-the others I used to know but I’m going to have to re-learn them.
On a traditional piano it’s not difficult to move up and down the keys but I find on my piano accordion keyboard I need to pause because the only way I can come down the scale again is by taking a very quick break because I need to twist my wrist to make it to the next note. I know I’m doing this incorrectly and it does hurt my wrist a bit-any suggestions please? I’m sure this happens in F major all the time but I think it happens with other scales too.

 

[John Doe]

If you've no issue on a regular piano keyboard you probably have the applicable crossovers down. The most likely issue then is in your arm and hence hand position- probably at an angle where as you pass over the central portion of the keys you need to shift to accomodate the flexing of your arm at the elbow.

If this is the case, the issue may well lie with the positioning of the accordion keyboard vice the center line of your torso. Probably too far to the right, causing you to have to unnaturally twist your arm to accomodate it.

Regardless of keyboard centering you want to ensure your forearm and elbow are correctly angled to the keyboard. wherever it is. This done you can maintain much the same wrist/forearm alignment to the keyboard up and down the span.

On the other hand- never having seen you play and not even knowing whether you're playing a Mastercraft Midget or a steamer trunk sized 4/6 140 bass I could easily be once again out to lunch on my assessment. Best wishes in any case.

 

[JKJ]

I always start my practise with my major scales-the others I used to know but I’m going to have to re-learn them.
On a traditional piano it’s not difficult to move up and down the keys but I find on my piano accordion keyboard I need to pause because the only way I can come down the scale again is by taking a very quick break because I need to twist my wrist to make it to the next note. I know I’m doing this incorrectly and it does hurt my wrist a bit-any suggestions please? I’m sure this happens in F major all the time but I think it happens with other scales too.

Alans,

I'm an accordion beginner but a long-time pianist.

I had a terrible time with the PA treble keyboard since 1) the keys were narrower and intervals smaller than the piano, and 2) since the vertical position of the keyboard felt so unnatural, especially the hand/wrist postion. Due to a left shoulder injury I could not work the accordion bellows for many months so to do something, I bought a 37-key melodica (Suzuki) which has approximately the same key width as the accordion.

Practicing with this has helped a great deal. I can hold in on my knees or surface in front of me positioned as a piano keyboard would be and can watch the keys as I practice scales, Hanon exercises, songs etc, and get used to the key spacing for intervals and chords. Then I can hold it vertically against my chest in a position close to where the accordion keyboard would be and practice the wrist and arm motions needed and playing without looking at the keys. This has helped me a lot with the transition.

BTW, I highly recommend starting each practice with some Hanon exercises.

I bought several melodicas but my favorite (best sound, dynamics, responsiveness) is the Suzuki Pro37V3 which has tapered reeds. I think I bought it from Liberty Bellows. I also have a Suzuki M-37C and while a lot better than the really cheap melodicas, it's second rate compared the the Pro model.

JKJ

 

[murathan]

That means your hand-arm-accordion positioning is not correct. You probably make a pressure to your wrist by making an angle. The wrist must be straight when you approach the keyboard right side and ARM is moving to up and down, not the wrist... There are two ways (American and French) to play scales. First one is to start with Majors only. Then you consider Minor scales if you like. The French approach is to take scales as Major, then one of its minor to play in that order. But there are 3 variants of a minor scale. So Harmonic minor is generally preferred. Otherwise it will be too long to play scales. None of these methods are wrong or right.

 

[Alans]

Thank-you for all above.
I always do a page of Hanon after my scales.
Liberty Bellows has in one of their videos demonstrations on scale patterns. The first one C major has about seven arrangements. I’m going to write them all down.

 

[murathan]

Thank-you for all above.
I always do a page of Hanon after my scales.
Liberty Bellows has in one of their videos demonstrations on scale patterns. The first one C major has about seven arrangements. I’m going to write them all down.

A general style. One day a week for scales and exercises. I do Hanon in 2 days after all scales. 15-15 pieces.

 

[JerryPH]

I always start my practise with my major scales-the others I used to know but I’m going to have to re-learn them.
On a traditional piano it’s not difficult to move up and down the keys but I find on my piano accordion keyboard I need to pause because the only way I can come down the scale again is by taking a very quick break because I need to twist my wrist to make it to the next note. I know I’m doing this incorrectly and it does hurt my wrist a bit-any suggestions please? I’m sure this happens in F major all the time but I think it happens with other scales too.

I can make a small demo later this week, but for smoothness, it is all about getting ready IN ADVANCE. That means a kind of double movement where one finger is doing one thing and you are slipping the thumb under the 3rd and 4th fingers in preparation for the next note going up the scale and the reverse of that coming back down.

To do it right is NOT EASY, takes time and practice. When I was in elementary school (yeah, I really was that OCD!), I can recall hours of doing this very thing on my desk, sometimes the tapping was loud enough to annoy the teacher… lol