Question for B/C box players - "Hiccups"?

Hey all,

I've been playing the box for about 4-5 months now and enjoying every minute of it.

I can already hold a jig well with a steady beat, reels are still stuttering.

I mainly listen to Damien Mullane and Bobby Gardiner for inspiration.

My main problem is that when I'm playing the push/pull, notes are "over-emphasized",
even "Hiccupy" if you like, and the sound isn't fluent at all.
It usually happens to me on scales that use more push/pull like Em.

What do you think? Is just a matter of experience with the instrument? Do I need to change
my technique somehow? I'm lost here.. :)

Thanks!

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bill Macaulay on June 28, 2011 at 15:48

I know just what youre talking about. Same here. Ill await the wisdom,

with you, from some of the accomplished players.

Thanks, thought it was just me

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ofer Hopstone Groman on June 28, 2011 at 15:50

Heh, thanks, two players' frustration is always better than one :)

Bill Macaulay said:

I know just what youre talking about. Same here. Ill await the wisdom,

with you, from some of the accomplished players.

Thanks, thought it was just me

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John F on June 28, 2011 at 16:58

I'm not sure if I'm in a position to advise others as I'm self taught, but does it happen in the same way when you go from a note on the pull to a note on the push e.g. A to G and also when you go from G to A, ?

Does it always happen ?

Often practice is the answer to everything until you find what works best, however you may have the bellows to open and out of control, in general you should control the openness of the bellows (keeping it to a minimum with frequent use of the air button, letting in or releasing small amounts of air but doing this quite often as necessary), the bellows is really what controls every note, not the buttons, personally I tend to hinge the bellows, on the draw espeically when turning from push/pull the bellows would be open more on the top than bottom, kind of opening like a fan, the opposite would happen on the push, it would result in a kind of rotating actions of the left hand as you go from push to pull to push to pull, check the following video, she has excellent control of the bellows and has that rocking action that I referring to.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John F on June 28, 2011 at 17:02

I forgot to add, you may also have a new accordion with stiff bellows which might make things more difficult for you, this should ease with time and use (but not that much), basically if you were to tilt your accordion to one side it should open pretty wide without touching any buttons within 30 seconds (30cm+ wide)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ofer Hopstone Groman on June 28, 2011 at 20:02

Wow John, thank you very much for the detailed answer. So now that I've watched the (wonderful) video
I definitely think that I open the bellows too much! She is keeping it at a minimum - I don't recall ever playing tunes like that. I think I'll try to use the hinge method and keep the bellows at minimum and hope for the best.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Paddy Walin on June 28, 2011 at 21:25

Just my 'tree cents'....it seems to me that you will work all that out with continued work....tis a tough little instrument. My only suggestion ; try to keep the bellows at a even keel, not way far out, and approx. six inches from all the way in. That is what I try to emulate, after watching some of the Clare Bosca greats. You need to keep control of the bellows,and also know where yer next note fingering will be ahead of time.

All the best to you!!