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 FIVE (of TEN)
Expanded 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 FIVE (of TEN)
Expanded Melodic Timing (for Somewhat-Familiar Song-Melodies)
SLIDES & COMMENTS
Slide 1 (Tutorial Project BA1 - Main goal)
Slide 1 (Tutorial Project BA1 - Main goal)
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Welcome to Unit 5 of BA1 The primary goal of BA1 is to support your efforts in learning to play your button accordion, |
Slide 2
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A reminder that all learning involves (supported) self-teaching, whether in face-to-face or distance environments. These are the "activities by you" and "support for you" that are included in this BA1 mini-course. |
Slide 3
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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 fine-tuned our melodic timing to play button-notes that were held for a fraction of a beat interval.. In this Unit we will expand the notation even further. |
Slide 4
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Our first three topics today, expand the accordion notation to include 1.5 beat intervals and rests.
Topics 3 to 6involve instruction and hands-on practice for this Unit 5 notation. Topic 7 looks ahead to the next session. |
Slide 5
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In Units 3 & 4 we met and practiced holding button notes for multiple beats and for three important fractions of a beat.
However, many melodies have notes that are held for one and a half beat intervals, and some include "rests". We need simple and appropriate symbols for these extensions of our notation. |
Slide 6
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This is the first line of a popular NL song-melody "Cliffs of Baccalieu".
The line has three notes that are usually held for 1.5 (that is, one and a half) beat intervals. In our Zoom session we looked at three possible symbols, and selected the third, the semi-colon. It consists of a period on top of a comma, and we can have the comma represent half a beat, so the combination (the semicolon) represents 1.5 beat intervals. |
Slide 7
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Here is the full first verse (of Cliffs of Baccalieu) which contains six notes that are held for one and a half beat intervals. It also contains two intervals of rest (end of lines 3 and 6 at left).
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Slide 8
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For simple-time melodies, the combination of a half-beat note (double quote) and a one & a half beat note (semicolon) is common. Observe that each pair of notes spans two beat intervals.
Examples are shown at left, and high-lighted in white. Notice that within the pairs, sometimes the "note comes first, and sometimes the ;note comes first. |
Slide 9
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What Miles Davis, referring to jazz, actually said was: "It's not the notes you play, it's the notes you don't play. Think of rests as notes you don't play.
Sheet music often includes both the notes for the singer and the notes for the instruments. The singer's parts often include more "rests" than the instrumental part. How long to hold each rest? |
Slides 10
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We can indicate, in our notation, the amount of time to hold each rest (in beat intervals) using the same symbols we use for the button-notes. This is illustrated at left.
Button accordion players often ignore the rest, and hold the preceding note (sometimes with ornamentation) for the time indicated for the rest. A frequent exception is a brief rest at the end of a verse or a chorus. |
Slide 11a
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Our first featured song is The Cliffs of Baccalieu.
There are six pairs of ( ; & " ) notes. First we identify the rhythmic patterns, and then practice the verse, one line (or pattern) at a time. |
Slide 11b
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The first & fourth lines at left are identical in melody & rhythm, as are the second & fifth lines.
The third & sixth lines have beginnings & endings that correspond, but there are rhythmic differences for the remaining notes on these lines. |
Slide 12
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Our second featured melody is "This Land is Your Land".
If the Canadian version were going from the most easterly point to the most westerly point of the Country, the second line could read: "From Cape Spear to Mount St. Elias". However, this fails the rhythmic test; "Bona-vista to Vancouver Island" works just fine. Notice that we have only one pair of ; & " notes - in line 4. |
Slide 13
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There is a number of repeated rhythmic patterns in this song, as shown by the color distinctions at left.
Beginners may find it useful to practice them one at a time. Our newest extension (;2* "2) is found only in the fourth line. |
Slide 14
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Our third featured melody is the traditional Irish song, Molly Malone.
Notice the seven (" & ; ) pairs of notes and four ( ; &" ) pairs. There are also three ( " & " ) pairs. They contribute to a sense of rhythm, though there is no simple repeated pattern. The ending of lines 1, 2,4 & 5 with a (" & ; ) pair, also contributes to a sense of rhythm. |
Molly Malone may be a difficult learn for beginners not familiar with the melody, because (1) there are no simple rhythmic patterns, and (2) over half of the notes involve fractional intervals
Slide 15
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Six additional (optional) practice song-melodies.
Use the practice procedure that works best for you. |
Slide 16
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This was composed in 1948 by Elizabeth Clarke, a nurse at Vancouver's Children's Hospital. It was inspired by a comment from one of her young patients that a bird had landed on a nearby windowsill, and sung to him.
It was recorded by many famous performers (Bing Crosby, Doris Day, Wilf Carter, etc.). In the past 73 years it has earned millions of dollars in royalties, all donated to children's hospitals in Canada. |
Slide 17
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A traditional American folk song-melody. Pay attention to the (;5 "4*) pairs in lines 1 and 3. |
Slide 18
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This song was composed by the late Hank Locklin, an American country music singer & songwriter from Florida.
The song, which has been covered by a large number of pop, country and bluegrass performers, is said to be typical of the Nashville sound in the mid twentieth century. Pay attention to the six pairs of notes using ( " and ; ) timing, highlighted in white. |
Slide 19
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Although this gospel number is more than 120 years old, it continues to be a favorite in gospel circles.
Pay attention to the four pairs of notes using ( " and ; ) timing, highlighted in white. |
Slide 20
Slide 20
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The song-tune "Edelweiss" is an American tune (from "The Sound of Music"), with an Austrian connection.
The Edelweiss is Austria's national flower. White in colour, it is a star-shaped mountainous flower that belongs to the sunflower and daisy family. |
Slide 21
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Candlelight and Wine is a Canadian (NL) song that was written by the late Dermot O'Reilly.
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Slide 22
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Unit 7 will focus on harmony and potential matches between the treble-end buttons and selected bass-end buttons.
This also includes a tentative list of song-melodies that may be featured in Units 8 to 10. |
Slide 23
