Hi everyone.
I would like opinions about what tunes you believe are more suited (or sound better) for the one row melodeon. When I listen to recordings, some (same) songs sound better played on a 4v. LMMH melodeon than they do on accordion, and other tunes sound better played on two rows.
Any favorites you like for the melodeon more than accordion?
The New Mown Meadow is a good one for the melodeon, and tunes played by John Kimmel such as Ah Gee and Birds in the Tree (the hornpipe version of Bird in the Bush).
The link to download the audio points to archive.comhaltas.com/audio/ and I suspect they've decided to stop allowing downloads of 'archived' files. Hopefully its just an oversight by someone, cause it'd be a shame not to share Damien Mullane's wonderful melodeon playing.
I emailed this problem to webmaster@comhaltas.com several weeks ago and didn't receive a reply. If their webmaster is not interested perhaps Bannerman can shed some light on this?
Actually, there's a lot of tunes that do sound very well on one-row... the thing I like is the fact, that, as you have only one key, strictly speaking, you have to adapt the tune, with different "devices" : skip the missing note, play the tune in another mode (the mason's apron for instance : quebec melodeon players play it in myxolidian, i.e. in A on a D box). John Kimmel did a lot of that... it makes you imagination and creativity work : how do I play a tune the nearest to the original melody, whilst I miss some of the notes.
try listening to the Quebec one-row box players : Philippe Bruneau, Raynald Ouelette... you'll have a load of tunes...
I've seldom tried to play, and do not own, a one-row. But it *feels* so very different from a two-row box of whatever sort. To me, it's like trying to hold a lively piglet after a dopey pussy-cat; the thumb-strap, single shoulder-strap and air loss through bunches of open reeds combine to discomfit. I only know one player, whom I have not seen for a long time.
Mairtin O'Connor played an intriguing hornpipe on one, on his debut solo album "The Connaughtman's Rambles". Unfortunately it wasn't given a name and due to a glitch isn't even in the tune list of the album in the Recordings section here (kenny remarks on this in the related comments ). Otherwise, I'd give the link!
I agree that the one-row melodeon is perfect for slides and polkas. The instrument's inherent bounciness suits those kind of tunes well. Slip jigs work real well too. Actually, in my opinion, the occasional slow air even sounds nice, but with just one stop out for a dry sound, and that's occassional!. For a D melodeon, tunes in D (of course), A major, and E dorian are always great. I like to try different combinations of stops pulled out on different tunes too, not just all stops out everytime. "Biddy Martin" (a polka) with one stop out is kind of cool (and easy). There's just no way you're going to get a lot of nuanced, modal, intricate tunes on the one row. Well, maybe somebody could, but not me! Hope that helps. Pat
I have to dust off my copy of the Connachtman's Rambles LP, but I think the hornpipe played on melodeon is a version of "The Stranger." A different setting of the tune was recorded years ago by Mrs. Crotty and more recently by Charlie Piggot and Miriam Collins.
Tunes most suited for melodeon
Tunes most suited for melodeon
Hi everyone.
I would like opinions about what tunes you believe are more suited (or sound better) for the one row melodeon. When I listen to recordings, some (same) songs sound better played on a 4v. LMMH melodeon than they do on accordion, and other tunes sound better played on two rows.
Any favorites you like for the melodeon more than accordion?
Thanks
Don
# Posted on November 22nd 2008 by gdhow62
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
'The Geese in the Bog' and 'The Harvest Home' for starters.
# Posted on November 22nd 2008 by Free Reed
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
The New Mown Meadow is a good one for the melodeon, and tunes played by John Kimmel such as Ah Gee and Birds in the Tree (the hornpipe version of Bird in the Bush).
# Posted on November 22nd 2008 by jakep
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
Have a listen to this for some good melodeon tunes:
http://comhaltas.ie/music/detail/new_mown_meadow_bonnie_kate
# Posted on November 22nd 2008 by jakep
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
cant seem to get the tunes to load...
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by hibbs21
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
The link to download the audio points to archive.comhaltas.com/audio/ and I suspect they've decided to stop allowing downloads of 'archived' files. Hopefully its just an oversight by someone, cause it'd be a shame not to share Damien Mullane's wonderful melodeon playing.
I emailed this problem to webmaster@comhaltas.com several weeks ago and didn't receive a reply. If their webmaster is not interested perhaps Bannerman can shed some light on this?
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by dogbox
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
Melodeons seem at their best with single jigs, polkas and hornpipes. Almost any English tune - including all the Morris dance tunes.
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
pin-striped suited tunes you mean; with bowler hats on.
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by Duijera Dubh
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
Actually, there's a lot of tunes that do sound very well on one-row... the thing I like is the fact, that, as you have only one key, strictly speaking, you have to adapt the tune, with different "devices" : skip the missing note, play the tune in another mode (the mason's apron for instance : quebec melodeon players play it in myxolidian, i.e. in A on a D box). John Kimmel did a lot of that... it makes you imagination and creativity work : how do I play a tune the nearest to the original melody, whilst I miss some of the notes.
try listening to the Quebec one-row box players : Philippe Bruneau, Raynald Ouelette... you'll have a load of tunes...
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by Nikita Pfister
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
oh ! and ITM tunes I love to play on one row more than on accordion :
the wise maid,
the cooley's
langstrom's pony
tar road to sligo
old french...
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by Nikita Pfister
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
I've seldom tried to play, and do not own, a one-row. But it *feels* so very different from a two-row box of whatever sort. To me, it's like trying to hold a lively piglet after a dopey pussy-cat; the thumb-strap, single shoulder-strap and air loss through bunches of open reeds combine to discomfit. I only know one player, whom I have not seen for a long time.
Mairtin O'Connor played an intriguing hornpipe on one, on his debut solo album "The Connaughtman's Rambles". Unfortunately it wasn't given a name and due to a glitch isn't even in the tune list of the album in the Recordings section here (kenny remarks on this in the related comments ). Otherwise, I'd give the link!
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by nicholas
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
You may find a couple here...
http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/3171
Considering they cite Kimmel as a main influence.
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by Hugo Chavez
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
I agree that the one-row melodeon is perfect for slides and polkas. The instrument's inherent bounciness suits those kind of tunes well. Slip jigs work real well too. Actually, in my opinion, the occasional slow air even sounds nice, but with just one stop out for a dry sound, and that's occassional!. For a D melodeon, tunes in D (of course), A major, and E dorian are always great. I like to try different combinations of stops pulled out on different tunes too, not just all stops out everytime. "Biddy Martin" (a polka) with one stop out is kind of cool (and easy). There's just no way you're going to get a lot of nuanced, modal, intricate tunes on the one row. Well, maybe somebody could, but not me! Hope that helps. Pat
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by PatrickJWK
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
You will also find some here: http://www.thesession.org/recordings/display/2290
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by jakep
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
ye - anything really by Brock.
Brendan Begley is a great Melodeon player, John O' Halloran too, Nice TG4 thing on John Connolly recently.
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by Hugo Chavez
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
If you did want to play in other keys, you could try this (not quite a 1-row though):
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=lOef8pOVLO0
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PWKObgmI7gU&feature=related
Or even this beast:
http://www.leeuwaccordeons.nl/inhoud/productie/lepelbasser.jpg
# Posted on November 23rd 2008 by jakep
Re: Tunes most suited for melodeon
nicholas,
I have to dust off my copy of the Connachtman's Rambles LP, but I think the hornpipe played on melodeon is a version of "The Stranger." A different setting of the tune was recorded years ago by Mrs. Crotty and more recently by Charlie Piggot and Miriam Collins.
# Posted on November 25th 2008 by Paul Groff