Members ih8microsoft Posted February 26, 2013 Members Share Posted February 26, 2013 I am an accordion player, and it is a beautiful instrument. It really carries the stigma of being a "polka" instrument even though there are a lot of other styles of music that can be played. I personally hate polka, so this is a bit discouraging. Anybody else noticed this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MDLMUSIC Posted February 27, 2013 Members Share Posted February 27, 2013 You hate polka? Inconceivable! I perform regularly in a local polka band during OktoberFest season, make a ton of money and have a great time. I'm not the accordion player (I sing in German and play tenor banjo)' but our accordion player can tear tha thing up. We not only do traditional polka music, but polka versions of "Sweet Home Alabama" (Sweet Home Bavaria), "Play that Funky Music, White Boy" (Play that Polka Music, Weiss Junge), and bunches more. I have heard accordion played in many other styles, but, to me anyway, it just seems to sound best when backed by an oompah beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ih8microsoft Posted February 28, 2013 Author Members Share Posted February 28, 2013 My favorite accordion music is Celtic Rock. I don't hate polka music, but I think the accordion should have a separate identity that doesn't automatically mean polka or ranchero. I'm sure if you tell people you play the banjo, they might assume you're playing hillbilly music from the Appalacians. It just bugs me that people that make assumptions about the kind of music I am going to be playing before I've even made my first note. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dendy Jarrett Posted August 14, 2015 Members Share Posted August 14, 2015 I think we are seeing a growing resurgence of any small self contained instrument that can be easily transported. Back-packer style guitars, Cajons, harmonicas, and yes, accordions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted September 29, 2015 Members Share Posted September 29, 2015 I know this thread is old as dirt, but it all depends who ya ask. Is the accordion dead, nope. [video=youtube;_7-PM_4aeE4] [video=youtube;o6WKE4aYgOw] [video=youtube;7m51ZUMZDQY] [video=youtube;SkkIwO_X4i4] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Delmont Posted October 22, 2016 Members Share Posted October 22, 2016 I thought accordions made a comeback. =O. Are ukeleles ever going to go away? =O[ Del http://www.thefullertons.net ( •)::: Sent on my six-string jumbo uke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted October 24, 2016 Members Share Posted October 24, 2016 I know a few folks that play accordion or concertina. I was told that this is the shop in the area to shop for one. http://www.buttonbox.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Delmont Posted October 24, 2016 Members Share Posted October 24, 2016 I know this thread is old as dirt, but it all depends who ya ask. Is the accordion dead, nope. It's old and it's silly. The poster apparently had never run into zydeco, Cajun, cajunta, Tex Mex, Los Lobos, or John Mellencamp! Hard to believe, but posting the question here probably perked him up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mikeo Posted October 24, 2016 Members Share Posted October 24, 2016 It's old and it's silly. The poster apparently had never run into zydeco, Cajun, cajunta, Tex Mex, Los Lobos, or John Mellencamp! Hard to believe, but posting the question here probably perked him up. Amen I actually know a local guy that plays accordion, he's really busy, so he doesn't play out very much. I ran into this retired guy that dropped into the local Celtic art museum fiddle jam on a Saturday more. Come to find out he was a semi retired anesthesiologist from Albany NY. He would just hear the melody one time through and join in. I was super impressed, but he had been playing a concertina for like 60 years. He said he works every day, cause being an anesthesiologist he was still in high demand. Never saw him again. [video=youtube;MH2eRRh4Bls] [video=youtube;Ishj4tX4Wzo] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tomm Williams Posted October 30, 2016 Members Share Posted October 30, 2016 Not speaking so much about the instrument specifically but I've acquired a couple of "Accordion" amps lately that are really cool on guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted November 3, 2016 Moderators Share Posted November 3, 2016 (edited) The accordian has been much maligned, but it has its place in many styles of music, even backing Vince Gill! check at ~2:35...but really the whole vid is worth watching! [video=youtube;UnhhG7F-7ow] Edited November 3, 2016 by daddymack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted November 21, 2016 Members Share Posted November 21, 2016 Anyone that only associates accordian with Lawrence Welk just lives too far from Lousiana- or South TX. I subbed in the band of a country Cajun star for a few shows, found out that an accordion (in that case a Cajun button accordion) run into a big sound system is a massive-sounding beast. And the music has a drive all it's own. The artist moved to LA in the late 80's and attracted quite a bit of curiosity and attention, even recruited Albert Lee on guitar and jammed with David Sanborn on the Night Music TV show. Accordians haven't taken over the world, but I think they have at least lost some of their stigma. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pinkfloydcramer61 Posted November 21, 2016 Members Share Posted November 21, 2016 love it! Had been hearing about the Time Jumpers but hadn't yet checked them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrHarryReems Posted July 11, 2017 Members Share Posted July 11, 2017 I'd welcome a good accordion player in my Celtic act. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Idunno Posted August 20, 2017 Members Share Posted August 20, 2017 I only associate it with the polka and have to say I'm attracted to it. There's an authentic German eatery near me and on music nights I'm there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Idunno Posted August 20, 2017 Members Share Posted August 20, 2017 (edited) I am an accordion player' date=' and it is a beautiful instrument. It really carries the stigma of being a "polka" instrument even though there are a lot of other styles of music that can be played. I personally hate polka, so this is a bit discouraging. Anybody else noticed this?[/quote']Though I enjoy polka, I can see where profiling can be tiresome. As with any instrument there are uses and then not so much. I only play acoustic guitar but you won't find me within earshot of any bluegrass music/event. For me there's music and then there's excesses of it for the sake of excess, or so it seems to me to be the case. Blow pipes of all stripes, including accordion, normally assault my ears with their unmitigated staccato of shrillness if not tastefully imparted in a mix. Aside from perhaps the uilleann pipes and the flute I can't sit and listen to solo performances of most wind instruments, especially harmonica, without cringing. The accordion is one of those instruments when outside the polka genre. It's a party music squeeze box to me and not to be taken too seriously outside that context. For you, though, that's the point of your discouragement. You're fighting the conventions of tradition. I wish you luck changing that convention. Sometimes we are defined by the instruments we choose to play and not by the music we choose to play with them. Edited August 20, 2017 by Idunno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrHarryReems Posted November 14, 2017 Members Share Posted November 14, 2017 I was at the Galway Bay Celtic music festival a couple of weeks ago, and had the opportunity to hear some wonderful accordion players, including probably the best button accordion player in the world. Again, really wouldn't mind having one in my band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RusskiAccordion Posted November 21, 2017 Members Share Posted November 21, 2017 I'm an accordionist! I personally love it, it's such a versatile, fun instrument to play and you always notice the accordion sound. However it can be difficult for me when I want to play metal (my preferred genre) or prog-rock rather than 'normal' stuff like classical or folk (although I'm learning this too for the practice). Stereotypes suck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrHarryReems Posted January 10, 2018 Members Share Posted January 10, 2018 Funny thing: someone just passed on the number of a local accordion player. I'm going to reach out to him when we're done in the studio, as we're in the middle of tracking for our next two EP's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Busrider Posted March 11, 2018 Members Share Posted March 11, 2018 I once saw Bruce Hornsby playing one with the Grateful Dead at Madison Square Garden. It was impressive. I think h p[lays them at his concerts regularly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrHarryReems Posted April 26, 2018 Members Share Posted April 26, 2018 I reached out to a local accordion player this week to see if he was interested in playing. He wasn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Delmont Posted May 18, 2018 Members Share Posted May 18, 2018 I reached out to a local accordion player this week to see if he was interested in playing. He wasn't. No one likes being reached out to. It's icky. Next time, try just talking. Thread status: posted in 2013 and still going strong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ficken2 Posted May 26, 2018 Members Share Posted May 26, 2018 (edited) Ultimately the last time an accordion being mainstream was in the 1950s in Scandinavia Edited May 26, 2018 by ficken2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bill5 Posted June 2, 2018 Members Share Posted June 2, 2018 (edited) lol exactly - I give up, what is this instrument "coming back" from? It was never exactly mainstream. (Not a criticism, to the hissy fit types...I like the instrument just fine) I once saw Bruce Hornsby playing one with the Grateful Dead at Madison Square Garden. It was impressive. I think h p[lays them at his concerts regularly Well, Hornsby is impressive. The guy is one of a kind, very eclectic and just plain talented as hell. I saw him do a charity show once In Richmond, just him on piano, absolutely blew the keys right off of that piano. Wow. Edited June 2, 2018 by bill5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cornholio Farquarth III Posted August 11, 2018 Members Share Posted August 11, 2018 I think maybe running it through some effects would make it more interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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