BCC# three row button accordions

Subject: RE: BCC# three row button accordions
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Nov 21 - 08:59 AM

and some Scottish box players played two rows- but weren't they B/C?

I think maybe DG is as rare in Scotland as BC in England!

Subject: RE: BCC# three row button accordions
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Nov 21 - 05:22 PM

Not at all - eg - Seamus Shannon, Pat Barton, an early Finbarr Dwyer LP cover showed him playing a 3-row accordion.
Pat Barton :
https://youtu.be/WXjJr3LD3wI

Subject: RE: BCC# three row button accordions
From: GUEST,Mr Quelch
Date: 19 Nov 21 - 11:42 AM

I get the impression that the BCCsharp system is Scottish, various combinations of B/C/C#/D/D#(E flat?) are Irish, and DG only in England- is that correct?

Subject: RE: BCC# three row button accordions
From: GUEST,Michael James
Date: 07 Mar 11 - 02:03 PM

I have started playing a D/D# in the "normal" keys, which I think is quite abnormal. It works particularly well in "Irish Em" (mostly or all Em and D major chords in the tune). Bm and A tunes do not work well. For G and D tunes there is a lot of push-pull; however, there are a lot of changes where there is no problem with the sound if you are a little off with the most difficult move: changing button and direction at the same time. In fact I think it gives you a very nice sound like a grace note.

The fingering is no problem for me at all, but again I am abnormal. I spent years and years working out fingering for playing Irish reels on my piano accordion, so doing it for a button accordion was not a terrible ordeal. I will say that it was not easy and that it took some time, though.

I have not tried to play bass with the button box. I can play plenty of bass when I change to my piano accordion. Also, at this stage of my playing I can easily change back and forth between piano accordion and button box.

Why D/D#? I guess you can say that it started out as a mistake. I liked the D row because of my piano accordion background and a background playing a diatonic harmonica (blues). I had heard that D/D# used to be played a lot; however I didn't know about the Eb part.

My email is [e-mail]. I live in the San Francisco bay area: USA.

Subject: RE: BCC# three row button accordions
From: GUEST,Dave Robinson
Date: 06 Sep 10 - 06:25 AM

I am based in the Bristol area.
I have been playing Irish B/C accordion from 1974 and B/C/C# from 1996 which I use for English, Irish, Scottish, Old Time American, French and French Canadian folk dance music. I would be very pleased to share ideas on playing styles etc.
The model I usually play is Paulo Soprani Elite 3 80 bass but I also use a Frontalini 48 bass and a Harmona 60 bass.

Subject: RE: BCC# three row button accordions
From: Jack Campin
Date: 13 Apr 10 - 08:12 AM

It's a long way from you, but you might want to get in touch with the people who run the annual Shand Morino day at Windygates in Fife. Details in Box and Fiddle magazine, probably on their website if they've got it sorted again.

Subject: RE: BCC# three row button accordions
From: GUEST,Ben Farmer
Date: 13 Apr 10 - 06:53 AM

I am based in Lancaster in the NW and play B/C/Csharp. Probably the most well known English player is John Kirkpatrick. I mostly play European folk and f.cafe on it, but a few English and Irish pieces too.

Subject: RE: BCC# three row button accordions
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 06:29 PM

G'day buttonbox,

I guess, from the tenor of your initial posting, that you definitely don't want to hear from Antipodean heathens like me ... I spent much of last night's session puffing out tunes on what started life as a Hohner Trichord in B/C/C#- but is now in (very low) D/(low) G/(standard) C.

This was originally rebuilt by accordion repair/modification wizard Malcolm Clapp for his personal use, but bought by me when he was reducing his possessions to set off for a year's travels about Australia. It's no longer a British Chromatic Button Accordion ... but it is very handy box for accompaniment work in the Australian music I'm playing!

Regard(les)s,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: BCC# three row button accordions
From: manitas_at_work
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 07:47 AM

D/D# is certainly used in Ireland but usually with C#/D fingering so that it sounds a semitone sharp. Joe Cooley played a D/D# box. Joe Derrane plays a D/C# which is another kettle of fish altogether!

I used to think that D/D# would be a pretty good arrangement to play, giving G,D and A on the press and draw (I think?).

Subject: RE: BCC# three row button accordions
From: treewind
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 06:34 AM

Finbarr Dwyer used to play a B/C/C# three row, and doubtless others do, but the two row box is far more popular with Irish box players. It used to be B/C, but then C/C# and C#D became all the rage, and I expect D/Eb will be the thing next year...

I used to play B/C/C# and I expect I could still get a tune out of one, but I don't have one any more, so not much point in joining your list.

Anahata

Subject: RE: BCC# three row button accordions
From: Schantieman
Date: 29 Mar 04 - 06:26 AM

If you live in Southport, why not come to the Bothy Folk Club on Sundays in the Shelbourne Hotel? We have a few boring old G-D players (including me, possibly the boringest of all!) and would love to see a new face and a (round here) less usual instrument. I believe they're all the range if you ever go across the sea to Ireland. Or is that just the C/C# box?

Steve

Subject: BCC# three row button accordions.
From: buttonbox
Date: 28 Mar 04 - 03:53 PM

am trying to compile an informal register of BCC# players, particularly in England, so that we can exchange ideas, info etc and perhaps arrange an occasional 'gathering' if there are enough of us!
could also include non players and would be players wanting to know more about these boxes - please either reply to thread or to 'buttonbox' via mudcat


--- Transferred from newer thread. ---
---Jeff (PA)---

Subject: RE: BCC# button accordions
From: Leadfingers
Date: 26 Mar 04 - 03:02 PM

I only want to be in sessions with D G box players then when I play something in F they cant join in . B C and B C C# boxes take all the fun out of it .

Subject: BCC# button accordions
From: buttonbox
Date: 26 Mar 04 - 01:54 PM

are there any 3 row BCC# players out there, particularly in England. I am thinking of putting together some sort of informal listing of players of these unique boxes so that we can exchange info and perhaps even arrange the odd gathering if there are enough people within reach of each other.Anybody from outside England welcome to add their details.
Perhaps the best way to start would be for players , and indeed any potential players,to put their mudchat name plus locality together with any other details they wish to disclose (email address, phone number ,type of box, etc etc) as a message to me.-- Unless stated otherwise I will treat any information given in this way as not being secret! and will start a register to be passed on to all who have replied -- I will reply to all who do this . To start the ball rolling I play an 80 bass paulo soprani elite 4 and live near Southport, Merseyside.