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)
(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)
SLIDES & COMMENTS
Slide 1
Slide 1
Slide 2
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
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
Slide 5
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
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 Topic 2. |
Slide 7
Slide 8
Slide 9
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.
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
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
Slide 12
Slide 13
Slide 14
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
Slide 16
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
Slide 18
Slide 19
Slide 20
Slide 20
Slide 21
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 symbol ( ~ ) 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).
1. The tilde symbol ( ~ ) 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
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 symbol ( ~ ) 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 ~
1. The tilde symbol ( ~ ) 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
Slide 24
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
Slide 26