Accordion Basics - Play By Ear
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| blue_birds.pdf |
Bass Button Basics
The C bass button is pictured in Orange. It should have an indent in the button on your accordion. Play that button with your 3rd finger. Play the C Major chord button with your 2nd finger (listed as CEG in the diagram). The G bass and chord buttons are directly above the C buttons (closer to your chin). Ignore the Counter Bass row of buttons at this time, but you will use them at a later time.
Whole Notes = 4 beats
Half Notes = 2 beats
Dotted Half Note (not shown) = 3 beats
Quarter Note gets 1 beat
Dotted Quarter Note (no shown) = 1.5 beats
Eighth Note gets 1/2 beat (in 4/4 or 3/4 time signature)
Half Notes = 2 beats
Dotted Half Note (not shown) = 3 beats
Quarter Note gets 1 beat
Dotted Quarter Note (no shown) = 1.5 beats
Eighth Note gets 1/2 beat (in 4/4 or 3/4 time signature)
What does this mean?
The C circled in Red is the starting note I use in many of my first accordion songs for your right hand.
The skinny blue notes are the symbols I use for the C Bass button - the indented one. The higher (middle C) note is the symbol I use for the C Chord buttons.
The thick blue circled notes are the symbols I use for the G bass and G chord buttons.
I offer this information just in case you had, at some point in the past, taken piano or band classes and would like a review of note reading.
Crown Music, mentioned in these videos, closed in 2022 when the owner retired.
60 FREE accordion lessons, 600 pieces of FREE accordion sheet music, Accordion operational videos and PDF documents are only available to those who have purchased their Dale Mathis Edition Accordion from Crown Music or Kraft Music.
60 FREE accordion lessons, 600 pieces of FREE accordion sheet music, Accordion operational videos and PDF documents are only available to those who have purchased their Dale Mathis Edition Accordion from Crown Music or Kraft Music.
| accordion_lesson_2_play_by_ear.pdf |
This page is primarily for folks who are learning to play the accordion by ear, but there are many of you who have taken music classes at some time. For review I have included music reading and theory information to help you revive things you may have forgotten from your lessons.
| accordion_lesson_3_play_by_ear.pdf |
| accordion_lesson_4_play_by_ear.pdf |
| accordion_lesson_5_play_by_ear.pdf |
| for_hes_a_jolly_good_fellow_6_play_by_ear.pdf |
| kum_ba_yah_lesson_7_play_by_ear.pdf |
Video for Oh, When The Saints coming soon
| oh_when_the_saints_pbe_7.pdf |
| on_top_of_old_smoky_play_by_ear_8.pdf |
| for_the_beauty_of_the_earth_pbe_9.pdf |
| amazing_grace_pbe_9.pdf |
| a_hot_time_in_the_old_town_tonight_pbe_9.pdf |
This style of sheet music is called E-Z Play Today. It is published by Hal Leonard Publishing - the world's largest sheet music publisher. They have hundreds of music collections written in this style. This music gives you a single note melody and the chords. It is up to you to figure out the style of chord rhythm you would like to add to the song. These books are available from on-line publishers and some music stores.
| happy_birthday.pdf |
| you_are_my_sunshine.pdf |
| roll_out_the_barrel.pdf |
| aloha_oe_pbe_lesson_13.pdf |
| cielito_lindo_pbe_14.pdf |
| caisson_song_pbe15.pdf |
Play By Ear Lesson 16 video
| in_the_good_old_summertime_pbe_16.pdf |
| alternating_bass.pdf |
| alternating_bass_with_chords.pdf |
| alternating_bass_with_rhythm_chords.pdf |
All About the C Chord & C Scale - a theory lesson.
Play By Ear, Lesson 17
| after_the_ball_pbe_17_color.pdf |
| bicycle_built_for_two.pdf |
| old_gray_mare_polka.pdf |
Play By Ear, Lesson 18
| katusha_pbe18.pdf |
| havah_nagilah_pbe18.pdf |
| danube_waves_pbe_lesson_18.pdf |
Alfie's Polka, Lesson 18
Alfie's Polka, Lesson 18
| alfies_polka_single_note_version.pdf |
| alfies_polka.pdf |
Play By Ear, Lesson 19, Harmony
| three_blind_mice__harmony__pbe_19.pdf |
| du_du_liegst_mir_im_herzen_pbe_19.pdf |
| tinker_polka_play_by_ear_lesson_19.pdf |
Lesson 20, Play By Ear
| harpsichord_minuet.pdf |
| star_spangled_banner_2024.pdf |