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  • Canada
    • NL - newer >
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      • Let me fish off Cape St Mary's
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      • Star of Logy Bay
      • Sweet forget-me-not
      • Tiny Red Light
    • OTHER - newer >
      • Both_sides_now
      • Did_she_mention_my_name
      • (The) Farmer's Song
      • Four strong winds
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      • Log_drivers_waltz
      • Make_n_Break_Harbour
      • Sea-People
      • Song-for-Mira
      • Working-man
    • OTHER - older >
      • Bluebird
      • Farewell_to_NS
      • Maggie
      • O Canada
      • Peggy Gordon
      • Red River Valley
    • Christmas Songs >
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      • Christmas_fancy
      • Christmas in the harbour.
      • Mummers song
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    • BY "EAR" >
      • Bluebirds_sing
      • Capelin time
      • From an island to an island
      • Land_of_fish_and_seals
      • Light and Power Boys
      • (The) Music takes me back
      • Mussels in the corner
      • Newfoundland_waltz
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      • Adios_Amigo
      • Annie's song
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      • Bridge over troubled water
      • Bye bye love
      • Country roads
      • Crystal Chandeliers
      • Four thousand years ago
      • Have I told you lately that I ...
      • I can't stop loving you
      • I overlooked an orchid
      • I recall a gypsy woman
      • I walk the line
      • Me and Bobby McGee
      • Missing in action
      • Moon River
      • Old flames
      • Rambling Rose
      • Ring_of_fire
      • Roses are red my love
      • Send me the pillow ...
      • Try _a_ little_kindness
      • Waltz across Texas
      • What a wonderful world
      • You're my best friend
    • USA - older >
      • America the beautiful
      • Billy_Boy
      • Careless_love
      • Down_in_the_valley
      • Hammer_song
      • Happy Birthday
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      • My grandfather's clock
      • Oh, what a beautiful morning
      • Old_lamplighter
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      • Shenandoah
      • Star-Spangled Banner
      • Streets of Laredo
      • Tennessee_waltz
      • This land is your land
      • Wabash cannon ball
      • Wildwood flower
      • Worried man blues
      • Yellow_Rose_of_Texas
      • You are my sunshine
    • Christmas Songs >
      • An old Christmas card
      • Frosty the Snowman
      • Here comes Santa Claus
      • Jingle Bells
      • Jolly old St. Nicholas
      • Must be Santa
      • Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer
      • Silver Bells
    • BY "EAR" >
      • Edelweiss
      • If I should fall behind
      • Mary Ann regrets
      • Oh so many years
      • You're the nearest thing to Heaven
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      • Waltzing_Matilda
    • (The) Bahamas >
      • Sloop_John_B
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      • Bread_and_Fishes
      • Fiddler's Green
      • Let it be
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      • Dirty_old_town
      • Drink to me only ...
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      • It's a long way to Tipperary
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      • Scarborough Fair
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      • A_little_peace
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      • Brahms_lullaby
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      • After all these years
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      • Fields of Athenry
      • Gypsy Rover
      • My lovely Rose of Clare
      • Nancy Spain
      • Roads of Kildare
      • Rose of Mooncoin
      • Town_of_Ballybay
    • Ireland - older >
      • Black velvet band
      • Come back Paddy Reillly
      • Connemara Cradle
      • Danny Boy
      • Galway Bay
      • Galway Shawl
      • Home by Bearna
      • Irish washerwoman
      • Maid in the Garrett
      • Molly Malone
      • My wild Irish Rose
      • Red_is_the_rose
      • Rocky Road to Dublin
      • Rose of Aranmore
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      • Wild Rover
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      • You_raise_me_up
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      • Come by the hills
      • It's a dream come true
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      • We'll meet again my friends
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      • Auld Lang Syne - New Year's
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      • Miari's Wedding
      • My_Bonnie
      • Road to the isles
      • Wild mountain thyme
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      • The Ash Grove
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      • Jolly good fellow
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      • We wish you a Merry Christmas
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      • In an Irish country home
      • It's good to see you
      • Love me when I'm old ...
      • My homeland
      • The little shirt my Mother made for me
      • Going out the same way you came in
  • Dance Tunes
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      • Auntie Mary (Cock of the North)
      • Haste to the wedding
      • Hundred Pipers
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      • The Kesh
      • Larry O'Gaff
      • Pop Goes The Weasel
      • Up_the_pond
    • Reel family >
      • Aunt_Rubys_garden
      • Aunt_Rubys_garden (guitar)
      • I rowed up in a dory
      • Maple-sugar-reel
      • Maxwell's rant
      • Pretty_little_Mary
    • Marches >
      • Banks of Newfoundland (Up the Pond)
      • Cock of the North (Auntie Mary)
  • Gospel
    • Songs - newer >
      • Because He lives
      • God on the mountain
      • He touched me
      • I_know_who_holds_tomorrow
      • It is no secret
      • May_the_Good_Lord_bless
      • Millenium Prayer
      • One day at a time
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      • Will you walk with me
      • Wings of a dove
    • Songs - older >
      • Beautiful isle of somewhere
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      • Count your blessings
      • Do Lord
      • Give me oil for my lamp
      • Higher ground
      • How beautiful Heaven must be
      • I'll fly away
      • In the sweet by and by
      • Just a closer walk with Thee
      • Keep on the Sunny Side
      • Kum ba yah
      • Let_the_lower_lights
      • Life is like a mountain railroad
      • Mine eyes have seen the glory
      • Precious memories
      • Shall we gather at the river
      • Standing in the need of prayer
      • Stranger of Galilee
      • When the roll is called up yonder
      • When the Saints go marching in
      • Whispering hope
    • Hymns - newer >
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      • How great Thou art
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      • Morning has broken
      • Pass it on
      • Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness
    • Hymns -older >
      • All people that on earth
      • Amazing Grace
      • Be Thou My Vision
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      • In the garden
      • I love to tell the story
      • Immortal_invisible
      • Jesus loves me
      • Joyful, joyful, We ...
      • Precious_Lord_take_my_hand
      • Softly and tenderly
      • Take time to be holy
      • We love the place O God
      • What a Friend we have in Jesus
      • Will your anchor hold
      • Wonderful_words_of_life
    • Christmas Carols >
      • Away in a manger (JRM)
      • Away in a manger (WJK)
      • The First Noel
      • The friendly beasts
      • Go, tell it on the mountain
      • Hark the herald angels sing
      • I heard the bells (Marks)
      • I saw three ships
      • Joy to the world
      • Mary's Little Boy Child
      • O come, all ye faithful
      • O little town of Bethlehem
      • Silent Night
      • When a child is born
    • BY "EAR" >
      • Lord, don't give up on me
  • Kids
    • Billy_Boy
    • BINGO
    • (My Darling) Clementine
    • Frere Jacques
    • If you're happy
    • London_Bridge
    • Mary had a little lamb
    • Pop Goes The Weasel
    • Twinkle little star
    • Where has my little dog gone
Button-Accordion Project

(Dual-row G-C or A-D, with Accidentals)
Based on  tunes2play4fun.com  &  Facilitated by ZOOM

MINI-COURSE BA1
The Button Accordion, its Music & Notation

UNIT FOUR (of TEN)
​Fine-Tuning Melodic Timing  (for Somewhat-Familiar Song-Melodies)


Return to BA1 - Unit 4
​                                                                                                     
                                                                                   SLIDES   &   COMMENTS
​Slide 1  
Picture

Welcome to Unit 4 of BA1​

​The primary goal of BA1 is to support your efforts in learning to play your button accordion,





​Slide 2  
Picture
​All learning involves (supported) self-teaching, whether  in face-to-face or distance environments.

Please note the (optional) individual "25-30 minute" Zoom conferences as scheduled with you for Wednesday & Thursday evenings.

These are intended to provide tutoring & feedback for you, as and when needed


​Slide 3  
Picture
In Unit 3 we played button-notes that were held for a single beat interval or for multiples of a beat interval.

In Unit 4 we will fine-tune our melodic timing to play button-notes that are held for a fraction of a beat interval..

This will open up a much larger number of somewhat familiar melodies on the accordion.

​Slide 4  
Picture
​Our first two topics today, cover the development of a Unit 4 notation for these fractional notes.

Topics 3 to 5, our featured melodies, provide practice for these fractional notes.

Topic 6 presents five (optional) extra practice melodies.

Topic 7 looks ahead to Unit 5.


​Slide 5 
Picture
We will use Frere Jacques to help make the case for fine-tuning our notation.

If you are already quite familiar with this melody, then you really don't need any additional timing or rhythmic information.

However, we'll proceed on the assumption that you are only "somewhat" familiar with this melody, and, in the next slide, will include rhythmic timing information.

​Slide 6 
Picture
In this verse we have 32 button notes, of which 24 are held for one or for two beat intervals.

However, this verse  contains eight notes that are each held for a fraction of a beat interval (shown as white question marks).

Thus, we need to find (invent or select) symbols for such fractions.

This leads us to Topi
c 2.

Slide 7
Picture
For the melodies in BA1 (and for a host of other melodies) three fractions are sufficient, at least for now:
​
    one-quarter         1/4
    one-half            1/2  (= 2/4)
    three-quarters      3/4

​I've selected quote marks (one, two & three) to represent these fractions

​Slide 8 
Picture
This is illustrated in the examples at left, for both bellow's pushes and bellow's pulls.






​


Slide 9 
Picture
Next we return to Frère Jacques our first featured melody.

The fraction we need for eight of the notes here
 is one-half a beat interval, as shown (high-lighted in white) in the notation at left .
At first glance this fractional notation may make the melody look much more complicated and difficult.

However, in the vast majority of cases, these notes are grouped in pairs with each pair covering a single beat interval.

Example:  The pair  "5  "5*  at beginning of line 3 is held for a total of one beat interval.

And, of course, if it is a melody you know really well, you will probably play these fractional pairs without even thinking about it.

​Slides 10 
Picture
For practice purposes, identify the sets of rhythmic patterns.

For the beginner, perhaps the 1st four notes could be considered a simple pattern, which is repeated on the same line.

Similarily for the next pattern with repeat on 2nd line, and again on the 5th line.

The pattern on line 3 is repeated on line 4.

 
​Slide 11   
Picture

For beginners:  Begin with the first line, practicing each pattern.

Slide 12 
Picture
For beginners:  When the first line can be played comfortably, move to the second line,
and so on for the remainder of the verse.

Finally play the whole verse without stopping, maintaining the rhythm shown.
​

Slide 13  
Picture
Our second featured melody, On Top of Old Smokey, is a traditional American folk song that may be somewhat familiar to you.

Note that there is only one pair of half-interval notes here (line 4 in white).




​Slide 14
Picture
Review the rhythmic patterns.

Note the identical pattern in lines 1 & 3.


Then, compare the melodic rhythms in lines 2 and 4, where
t
he patterns are nearly identical.
Compare the length of the first note in line 2, with the total for the pair of notes at start of line 4.
The composer could have simplified the final line as "For court-ing too slow" and held the first note for one beat interval.  Then the rhythmic patterns on the 2nd & 4th lines would have been identical.  However, I sense that the way it is written above, with the half-beat notes, makes the melody rhythmically more interesting.

​Slide 15 
Picture
Start your practice with the first line, repeating until it feels comfortable.

Then move onto the next line, and so on, until the verse is complete.

After doing the "one line at a time" practice, then play the whole verse through without stopping.


​Slide 16 
Picture
A third featured song-melody is the somewhat familiar Irish composition Galway Bay.

This is the first verse.

There are 18 pairs of half-interval notes here (in white).
​
We'll repeat the practice steps from the first song-melody.

​
This song may come back in a future mini-course as a great left-hand "beat" exercise.
Slide 17 
Picture
Do you see any rhythmic patterns here?

Lines 1 & 3 have identical rhythmic patterns.

Lines 2 & 4 also have nearly identical patterns (except for final tilde symbol in line 4).

​.

Slide 18 
Picture
Practice, starting with line 1, as in previous featured melodies.

Continue ( one line at a time )  until you are comfortable with the full verse.




​Slide 19 
Picture
These five (optional) extra practice numbers all include some notes that are held for half a beat interval.


​
​Slide 20 
Picture
Black Velvet Band is a traditional Irish song that was popularized in the 1960s by Harry Hibbs, and has since been covered by a large number of performers.

Notice the identical lyrical and rhythmic patterns in lines 2 and 4, and both the similarities and the differences between lines 1 and 3.

​Slide 21 
Picture
This is the first verse of John Denver's "Annie's Song".

To check the rhythmic patterns, this is best viewed as an 8-line verse.

At left, due to lack of space, the first four lines of the song are printed on two lines of the slide.

See the Unit 4 version on tunes2play4fun.com (For Beginners) for a better layout.

THREE OBSERVATIONS ON THE TILDE ( ~ ) SYMBOL (Annie's Song):
​
1. The tilde symbo
l ( ~ ) at the end of each line above means that the button note should be held longer, which, for this song, is two extra beat intervals, except for last line of each verse, which is three extra beat intervals.

2. Singers frequently "rest" their voices for such beat intervals at the end of lines, instead of holding the singing note the whole time;  this is quite common for vocal performances.

3. While most accordion players will simply hold such notes longer, as indicated in Observation 1, others may actually also "rest", while still others may substitute embellishments or ornamentations (but more about this later).

​Slide 22 
Picture
This song-melody, Rose in Her Hair, has both American and Canadian authorship.

The melody and the first verse lyrics were written by Harry Warren and Al Dubin, respectively, for the film "Broadway Gondalier" in 1935.

In the 1980s Bud Davidge and Sim Savory (of Simani) added two verses and an ending, along with some rhythmic and tempo changes.
​THREE OBSERVATIONS ON THE TILDE ( ~ ) SYMBOL (Rose in Her Hair):
​
1. The tilde symbo
l ( ~ ) at the end of some lines above means that the button note should be held longer, which, for this song, is three extra beat intervals.

2. & 3.  See previous observations on the tilde ~

​​Slide 23 
Picture
The lyrics and music for the gospel song  In the Sweet By and By were written by S. F. Bennet and J. P. Webser, respectively, in 1868.

Identify the rhythmic patterns.

Note that there are 12 pairs of button notes, for which each note is held for one-half a beat interval.

Slide 24 
Picture
If You're Happy And You Know It is a fun action song, with many notes that are each held for half a beat interval, and some notes that are held for a full beat.

This is the first "melody" that asks you to play a bass-end button ... not enough to really make it a "tune," but fun, anyway.

This song may come back in a future mini-course as a great left-hand "beat" exercise.
​Slide 25 
Picture
In our next unit (#5), we will consider notation for button notes that are held for one and a half beat intervals.  

Our three featured melodies will be:
​a)  This Land is Your Land
​b)  Molly Malone
c)  Cliffs of Baccalieu


The five (optional) extra-practice melodies for Unit 5 are listed at left.

​Slide 26 
Picture
The route to the tunes2play4fun.com 
Unit 4 support materials
"for beginners".

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