Button box training programs

[donald]

Are there any button box training programs out there ?
( books, tapes, videos, computer programs )

I have just started the accordion, but would like to work on button box
as well.

thanks

donald V

[Frans Vos]

Have you looked at the MadforTrad website ( http://www.madfortrad.com/ )
and their series of CD-ROM tutors ?
And for books, "The Box" by David C. Hanrahan provided me with a nice start
on the B/C Button Accordion.

Frans Vos
The Netherlands

Depends on what box tuning and musical genre interests you, but the
short answer is Yes. There are several very good videos around. I
don't recommend using a book to learn a diatonic box from the ground
up...a video is your best bet for self-instruction for a beginner, in
my view. (I assume you're talking diatonic -- push-pull -- as opposed
to chromatic button accordion, aka CBA, which is a different animal
more akin to your piano accordion)
For Irish music, which is what I mostly play on diatonics, there are
two excellent self-instruction videos for beginners. One is by John
Williams, and is carried by Homespun Music (www.homespuntapes.com).
The other is by P.J. Hernon, and you can get that from most mail order
folk music sources, such as Lark in the Morning (www.larkinam.com),
House of Musical Traditions (www.hmtrad.com) and presumably the Button
Box (www.buttonbox.com). Both are for the B/C box...there isn't
anything out there for the C#/D.
As for other genres like Tex-Mex, English Morris, etc., there are
videos for those too. Try the sources I listed above, but I can't
recommend particular titles because those aren't instruments I play.
[Once you get past the absolute beginner stage, tunebooks with music
cd's included can be a good way to build up repertoire. There are
starting to be a number of these under the Mel Bay label. But start
with a video...]
Have fun!
Mitch Gordon
Guerneville, CA

Post by donald
Are there any button box training programs out there ?
( books, tapes, videos, computer programs )
I have just started the accordion, but would like to work on button box
as well.
thanks
donald V

[Frans Vos]

Have you looked at the MadforTrad website ( http://www.madfortrad.com/ )
and their series of CD-ROM tutors ?
And for books, "The Box" by David C. Hanrahan provided me with a nice start
on the B/C Button Accordion.

Frans Vos
The Netherlands

Depends on what box tuning and musical genre interests you, but the
short answer is Yes. There are several very good videos around. I
don't recommend using a book to learn a diatonic box from the ground
up...a video is your best bet for self-instruction for a beginner, in
my view. (I assume you're talking diatonic -- push-pull -- as opposed
to chromatic button accordion, aka CBA, which is a different animal
more akin to your piano accordion)
For Irish music, which is what I mostly play on diatonics, there are
two excellent self-instruction videos for beginners. One is by John
Williams, and is carried by Homespun Music (www.homespuntapes.com).
The other is by P.J. Hernon, and you can get that from most mail order
folk music sources, such as Lark in the Morning (www.larkinam.com),
House of Musical Traditions (www.hmtrad.com) and presumably the Button
Box (www.buttonbox.com). Both are for the B/C box...there isn't
anything out there for the C#/D.
As for other genres like Tex-Mex, English Morris, etc., there are
videos for those too. Try the sources I listed above, but I can't
recommend particular titles because those aren't instruments I play.
[Once you get past the absolute beginner stage, tunebooks with music
cd's included can be a good way to build up repertoire. There are
starting to be a number of these under the Mel Bay label. But start
with a video...]
Have fun!
Mitch Gordon
Guerneville, CA

Post by donald
Are there any button box training programs out there ?
( books, tapes, videos, computer programs )
I have just started the accordion, but would like to work on button box
as well.
thanks
donald V

[Mitch Gordon]

Donald, it would be helpful if you can identify what genre of music
you are interested in pursuing on diatonic box...we could be more
specific in our advice. Two of us (Frank and I) are making
recommendations that are specific to Irish box only...

For the record, I (unlike Frank) found the Hanrahan book fairly
useless when I was learning Irish box, and regretted spending the
money (not that it was terribly expensive...about $13 U.S.). I've
recently written a book of my own called Getting Into The Box that is
intended to address the same audience -- new BC Irish box students who
want background material, fingering charts and so on -- hopefully more
completely. Contact me off-list (or Boaz Accordions in Berkeley,
***@boazaccordions.com, who sells it for me) if interested in a copy
-- it runs about $20. One way or the other though, I don't recommend
trying to learn diatonic box from a book...you need to see someone
playing, ideally a teacher in person, less ideally a video or a cd-rom
program with video clips.

My 3 cents (inflation adjusted).

Mitch Gordon
Guerneville, CA

Post by Frans Vos
Have you looked at the MadforTrad website ( http://www.madfortrad.com/ )
and their series of CD-ROM tutors ?
And for books, "The Box" by David C. Hanrahan provided me with a nice start
on the B/C Button Accordion.
Frans Vos
The Netherlands

[donald]

My interest is in Eastern European music.

I have purchase a Melodia (sp) from Yugoslavia.

Its a 4 row button box, I have been looking for information
about this thing for 2 years.

I am a beginner, but I have been studying for a year now,
and am looking to get started with this button box.

Thanks

Post by Mitch Gordon
Donald, it would be helpful if you can identify what genre of music
you are interested in pursuing on diatonic box...we could be more
specific in our advice. Two of us (Frank and I) are making
recommendations that are specific to Irish box only...
For the record, I (unlike Frank) found the Hanrahan book fairly
useless when I was learning Irish box, and regretted spending the
money (not that it was terribly expensive...about $13 U.S.). I've
recently written a book of my own called Getting Into The Box that is
intended to address the same audience -- new BC Irish box students who
want background material, fingering charts and so on -- hopefully more
completely. Contact me off-list (or Boaz Accordions in Berkeley,
-- it runs about $20. One way or the other though, I don't recommend
trying to learn diatonic box from a book...you need to see someone
playing, ideally a teacher in person, less ideally a video or a cd-rom
program with video clips.
My 3 cents (inflation adjusted).
Mitch Gordon
Guerneville, CA

[Jack J. Woehr]

Post by donald
Its a 4 row button box, I have been looking for information
about this thing for 2 years.
I am a beginner, but I have been studying for a year now,
and am looking to get started with this button box.

If it's Slovenian style diatonic 4-row, check out http://www.fontanabuttonaccordionclub.org/

--
Jack J. Woehr # Ceterum censeo
PO Box 51, Golden, CO 80402 # in herbas belli
http://www.softwoehr.com # ab idem desistamus.

[Mitch Gordon]

More likely it's a CBA (Chromatic Button Accordion) for that kind of
music and that country of origin. Here's the test...hold down a button
on the right hand. Does pressing and drawing the bellows give you the
same note for any button? If yes, it's a CBA, if no it's a diatonic
(like the Slovenian boxes Jack described).

I don't think I'd try to play Eastern European on a Slovenian box. The
music is too fast, and you need those chromatic notes. A CBA is a
perfectly fine choice.

Mitch Gordon
Guerneville, CA

Post by Jack J. Woehr

Post by donald
Its a 4 row button box, I have been looking for information
about this thing for 2 years.
I am a beginner, but I have been studying for a year now,
and am looking to get started with this button box.

If it's Slovenian style diatonic 4-row, check out http://www.fontanabuttonaccordionclub.org/

[donald]

Jack is correct, it's a Slovenian style diatonic 4-row.

As a beginner, I need all the tutoring I can get.

You note about the music is too fast is nice to know.

( now back to praticing :-)

PS: Jack, nice to hear form you again.

donald vukovic

Post by Mitch Gordon
More likely it's a CBA (Chromatic Button Accordion) for that kind of
music and that country of origin. Here's the test...hold down a button
on the right hand. Does pressing and drawing the bellows give you the
same note for any button? If yes, it's a CBA, if no it's a diatonic
(like the Slovenian boxes Jack described).
I don't think I'd try to play Eastern European on a Slovenian box. The
music is too fast, and you need those chromatic notes. A CBA is a
perfectly fine choice.
Mitch Gordon
Guerneville, CA

Post by Jack J. Woehr

Post by donald
Its a 4 row button box, I have been looking for information
about this thing for 2 years.
I am a beginner, but I have been studying for a year now,
and am looking to get started with this button box.

If it's Slovenian style diatonic 4-row, check out http://www.fontanabuttonaccordionclub.org/

[Mitch Gordon]

Post by donald
Jack is correct, it's a Slovenian style diatonic 4-row.
As a beginner, I need all the tutoring I can get.
You note about the music is too fast is nice to know.
( now back to praticing :-)
PS: Jack, nice to hear form you again.
donald vukovic

Alright, so back to Donald's original question...are there any videos
or training programs for Slovenian-style button box? I know there are
music camps...we have one out here in California (there's a button box
club that holds it, and they specialize in Helikon box music, if I'm
not mistaken). Or what about private instructors?

Guess you'd better give us an idea where you're located, Donald...

Mitch Gordon
Guerneville, CA
(so many accordion types, so little time)

[donald]

I am in Boulder, Colorado.

I would like to find information about the instrument first,
before I dive into music camps.

I have searched for the company online, but no joy.

( I don't have the instrument here, and I don't remember its name. )
I'll post it tomorrow.

Thanks,
Donald

Post by Mitch Gordon

Post by donald
Jack is correct, it's a Slovenian style diatonic 4-row.
As a beginner, I need all the tutoring I can get.
You note about the music is too fast is nice to know.
( now back to praticing :-)
PS: Jack, nice to hear form you again.
donald vukovic

Alright, so back to Donald's original question...are there any videos
or training programs for Slovenian-style button box? I know there are
music camps...we have one out here in California (there's a button box
club that holds it, and they specialize in Helikon box music, if I'm
not mistaken). Or what about private instructors?
Guess you'd better give us an idea where you're located, Donald...
Mitch Gordon
Guerneville, CA
(so many accordion types, so little time)

[c***@gmail.com]

Post by donald
Are there any button box training programs out there ?
( books, tapes, videos, computer programs )
I have just started the accordion, but would like to work on button box
as well.
thanks
donald V

Eeeegads is this an old thread! How did you make out Donald? I'm just starting out myself. Have a C F B Eb. Working through the first Jevsevar book. There are several online programs in Germany and Austria that I would love to participate with (I understand German pretty well) but they require either a "G C F B" or a "B Eb Ab Db". You must be a pro by now.