I was given a good quality accordion that just needs a sticky button fixed and I’m ready to go! I have similar experience and background as Rob. I’ve been sitting on getting it fixed for 4 years. This video is motivating me to get her fixed and take some lessons. Thank you!
I demand an Accordion Mike youtube channel where each episode he shows me a beautiful accordion, tells me it's history, and plays me a period appropriate song.
@@emmajeane black metal is more willing to experiment with that. Sigh used every instrument you can name and Agriculture used lap steel and I believe accordion at one point
no fuckin way, i know Mike from his playing at Wednesday night open mics in willow springs, he's literally the peak of any night he's there. immense joy is derived from his jolly tunes. much love from the masters collection to Mike!
"Fret not" was the only response I got when asking my mentor why music is a upside down insanity when played on guitar. Turns out accordion players suffer too from this madness.
You get used to it very quickly! (or at least, I did :P) I do agree that at first the buttons seem _very_ close together. I've not seldom used a minor instead of a major chord.
My Mom, one lung oxygen patient in her 70s, is weak and frail, but about once a year, she asks me to set her accordian on her lap, and she sits in a chair and plays down heaven.
My music teacher at school played the accordeon but she hurt her back so she could not hold the instrument anymore. She found an adjustable stand with a bracket around the accordeon to hold the weight, so she could play again. Maybe something like that could help your mom play more again, if she likes.
Rob, this video is fucking WILD. My uncle spent his life studying accordion, but passed away in 2009. In 2007, he bought me a Parker Fly as a gift to help him record his final album. He knew he had stage 4 cancer at the time but didn't tell anyone. The Fly is one of my favorite guitars ever, and one that I still play! Well... it was, until yesterday. After my uncle passed, I became the owner of his Petosa Classic Antico, his pride and joy, and a beautiful accordion, which he spec'd out and paid $6500 for (!!!) in 2001. I never played accordion, so it just sat in its case, aside from pulling it out every few months to make sure all was good and the bellows were moved. I finally said that I needed to sell the accordion, to put it in the hands of someone that will actually play it. It didn't need to sit around collecting dust. I sold that accordion this week. Yesterday, I was playing my Fly and a fucking fret fell off the guitar. Just playing casually and a fret landed in my hand. Today, I log onto RUclips, and there's THIS video with a guy playing a very similar accordion to what I just sold. Jesus Christ, Rob, the spirit of my uncle is radically fucking with me. But cool video nonetheless.
@@senLunothat's one of the great things about knowing music theory - moving from one instrument to another becomes mostly about where to put your hands, not about how to make music.
Dude from rural bavaria here. This sound is pure nostalgia for me, love the accordion. Makes me instantly feel like I'm in a big tent with a bunch of fellow drunk country-bumpkins swaying side to side, while eating half a chicken that's been deepfried into oblivion. :D
@travisSimon365 rural parts of the Midwest have similar vibes still. Tho less so as less ppl learn accordion and polkas. Accordions take me back to the fairs and festivals instantly.
You found a great guy for this video. No idea who he is, but he is obviously knowledgeable, both about the instrument and music. On top of that, he is able to communicate. If he doesn’t have a channel already, you should coach him up, Rob.
It’s like the bloke Rob built the guitar with. A bit quiet and reserved at first, but you get to glimpse the incredible wealth of knowledge and a great humour after a few short minutes of warming up. Masters at their craft and the quiet confidence to prove it
It‘s so lovely how everyone just feels for this instrument as an integral part of their traditional culture. Because when I heard it first I felt like „aaaaah yeah this is our german folk music“ but everyone from all around the world feels like this. Like „aah yes this is france, portugal, chile, russia, Wisconsin“
I want an Accordion Mike RUclips channel where he repairs and refurbishes accordions while giving a history lesson on the history and story of said accordion. The outro could just be him playing his accordion!
One of my favourite instruments, I wish it were used more in modern styles. Also yes, "accord" means chord in French, so "accordéon" = the chord instrument. It's the same etymological root as "according to" in English, outside of music it also means "to agree, to go well with, to be in sync, to be harmonious"
No, "éon" doesnt mean instrument in French xD. By the way the trench word "accordéon " comes from german "Akkordeon". "Akkord" is "chord" in german, and comes from French "accord".
As a french man born in the 90's, i always see the accordion as old-fashioned, from another time. Only old people can appreciate this type on sound. But, as always, this series allows you to discover, and rediscover instruments that you might think are boring. It's always magical to see musician talks about their passion, their instrument.
Accordion Mike is amazing!! He has such a gift for playing, but also a gift for explaining it. He should give lessons!! And like so many have said, he should have his own RUclips channel. What a talent! BTW, I'm a little biased...I'm his mom❤ But seriously, isn't he amazing??!!!
Mrs Mike, you have done a fine job and raised a great son. And what foresight to know to name him 'Accordion' and have it turn out to be the instrument he loves.
Rob, I don't know how you do it but you kill it every time with these musicians. Love the series, love the passion you and the guests have for music. 10/10 musical education, thank you!
I would really love to see other stuff like bagpipes and/or tablas show up on this series at some point! This series is so awesome, man. I love it when I finally get the answers to musical questions that have plague me, such as how the hell an accordion is works and is played lol. This show addresses a lot of music-related stuff that I have wondered about but have never taken time to research for myself, which is awesome and really scratches that specific itch. As someone who can play a few instruments myself, it is also cool to see how quickly a multi-instrumentalist like you can pick up a new instrument. Keep going with this stuff, man!
3:39 A "free reed" just means the reed is free to vibrate in its frame without touching anything, as opposed to a "percussion reed" where the reed beats against the frame or against another reed. A crumhorn has a reed inside that you don't blow directly, but it's a double reed like an oboe, where the two parts beat against each other, so it's not classified as a free reed. Great Highland bagpipes are similar, with a double reed inside the chanter and single reeds inside the drones. Free reeds have more stable pitch with varying air pressure than percussion reeds, so the accordion can play more dynamics than those instruments and stay in tune.
I love this. My grandpa played accordion and I regret never asking him more about it or even having him show me how to play. This fills that void a bit. Thanks Mike and Rob!
Holy crap, I can't believe he's just casually playing an instrument that's 96 years old. That's insane that it still has such a wonderful sound after so long.
@DrakiniteOfficial I gave my Gold accordion a refurbish last year, which involved new valve covers, new wax, and a full tuning, but I agree, the sound out of these oldies is just great.
Based off the plug he gave in the outtro, he runs an accordion repair shop, so it stands to reason that it probably sounds that great due to some of the work that he's done on it.
Pointing out that you can improvise a chord progression by just moving the left hand in a small cluster also helped me realise why improvising along with an accordion player is so easy! You either end up doing the exact same Standard progression as them, or by doing other Standard intervals you end up nicely harmonising. So you can’t go wrong! I’ve been humming chord extensions for the whole rest of the video 😊
As an accordionist I am very happy you made this video, not least because I can now just link people to it whenever I get asked how all the buttons work, instead of having to give the same explanation I’ve given so many times I’ve lost count because it’s what literally everybody asks 😂 Also 30:56 - this is basically just Korpiklaani lol
Hey there Rob, I've been waiting for you to make this video for a long time. As a blind accordion player and multi instrumentalist myself, accordion is one of the instruments I find most intriguing teaching people as once they get it they find a light goes on in a very neat way as what happened here. I believe that you will get those bass and cords going with a little bit of time I would definitely keep it when time permits. Also that is a very nice accordion you have there in terms of the features and having all four sets of reads and the different combinations there, that is definitely the hallmark of a professional instrument and the fact that you got it for free, definitely means you should hang onto that for sure. That is a gem right there.
Chilean dude here: Accordion is hella engrained in local folk music, everytime i listen to an accordion, i get in the patriotic september mood instantly
I love how you guys opened it up and explain how all the mechanisms work. This instrument is mind blowing. Very insightful. Thank you for videos like this.
i love watching musicians pick up instruments that they have absolutely no experience with and catch on immediately. dont know what it is but watching someone pick up on power chords for the first time makes me smile.
I love the squints that Rob gets when he's really concentrating on something... Great stuff! I love these exploration videos where Rob learns a new thing. He gets such joy out of making the connections between instruments
In my heavily cartoon-influenced perception, the Accordion was always very goofy, but it's really quite a beautiful instrument! So glad you got me to see it in a new light, and very stoked to see you uploading again
My grandma played accordion. She had two - the fancy red and white one for parties and the black one she played at home. She passed away when I was a kid, but I remember being totally amazed that she could play that thing so effortlessly. She also played piano too. Makes me wish that she was alive so I could start an accordion-guitar band with her lol.
In Germany, traditionally (and if you're cool), we also call this instrument Heimatluftkompressor (hometown air compressor), although if you play sea shanties it's more like a Seeluftkompressor (ocean air compressor), there's also yodel songs and such and it switches to a mountain air compressor.
When I hand someone an electric guitar for the first time, I put it in drop d and show them how to do power chords. I did it for my nieces a while back and she was entertained for hours.
This has been such an interesting video to me so far at the 11:30 mark. I’m an Acadian (Cajun) so accordions are very important to my culture and our music. I’m being completely honest when I say it blows my mind that there are brand names of accordions out there and that some are known as better than others. All the accordions I grew up around were locally made. There were no name brands, just “aye la ba my cousin makes accordions” and that’s it. It’s such a beautiful instrument and I’m glad you’re bringing attention to it. Thanks Rob, from a severely homesick Cajun. Y’all’s jam session at the beginning of the video reminded me of home.
Mybfather played accordion. Before marriage he was a seaman, ship's engineer, actually. He said that he chose accordion because he could smuggle contraband inside the bellows.he played very well if you disn't mind the constant tang of a polka beat regardless what time signature he was playing. Dad just had a polka heart.
As a guitar player, I've always thought of the accordion as just a cheesy polka instrument. I have to say, this video has changed my mind. That dude is a beast. Great video, bro.
Oh, there is so much more to it than that. You can play everything from classical organ repertoire to pop tunes, to tejano, tangos, jazz, folk...I think I've even heard somebody play the Deep Purple "Highway Star" organ solo on one! They are far more versatile than most people give them credit for. As an accordionist myself, I still get blown away by what people are able to do with it!
As someone who plays an Accordion, I completely understand. As fun as it is to lean in on the stereotype with Beer Polka--I usually prefer playing classical, musettes, or stuff you would hear in a coffee shop. But it doesn't mean I couldn't also play jazz, pop, or music you would hear from video games. In-fact, I was playing System of a Down just yesterday >_>... lol
The thing that really opened my eyes to the accordion was getting into Latin music. When you hear the way accordion is played in like Mexican Norteño or Columbian Cumbia or Argentine Tango, it’s SO FUNKY. But then again, I also like polka, so maybe I just dig the accordion lol.
Dude I went to this accordion shop about 1 weeks ago ago to rent one out and failed miserably. This is such a huge coincidence to see Mike on your channel and in real life all in one week lmao. Fantastic video. Glad to you see you around more…south.
Accordion has probably been one of the most important parts of my musical journey. I remember the night I pulled my family accordion out of my basement. It was buried beneath a bunch of my grandmas stuff that we meant to sell after her house, but we live in a small town in the Midwest and had no recourses to appraise it, so it just sat down there collecting dust. One night though, I couldn’t sleep so I dug through every old thing we had. At first I thought it was some sort of travel case. It was actually locked when I pulled it out of the pile so I had to pick it with some paper clips. (The locks are more to prevent the case from accidentally opening than to prevent theft so it was pretty easy.) When I finally got it open, I was amazed by what I saw. It looked pristine save for 2 bass buttons stuck down that I was actually able to fix myself. I immediately took it out to the garage to listen to it because I wouldn’t wake up my family that way. Earlier that year, I had joined my high school band as an percussionist (because I couldn’t play any other instrument) but it never felt quite right. I was years behind compared to my fellow band members and always felt like I was dragging the band down. Accordion felt right though. It also helped that it practically taught me basic music theory. I’m still not very good at it, but I was able to play it for my states solo ensemble competition as a duet with a close friend on marimba and got a D1 😊 Thank you for bringing a little more attention to my favorite instrument and best of luck if you intend on continuing with it.
I loved the Acoustic and Accordion jam at the end. A sign of two great musicians is when they can immediately come together and show great chemistry and understanding of where each other is going with the music.
Rob mentions at 12:27 using a button pressing technique he learned from the late Tetris ambassador and legend Jonas Neubauer. Their video where he teaches Jonas how to play drums is still my fav vid of his from the joy of music Jonas had learning to play drums with Rob. That still being with him brought me to tear up :').
the Maria Schneider Orchestra introduced me to accordion outside of a polka/Urkel context and I was BLOWN away by how beautiful it sounded. Been a fan ever since. Bought a crummy one at a flea market, sorta figured out the bass key arrangement and have been goofing around for 10 years. This is finally giving me the motivation to get it back out of the basement! Thanks Rob! and Mike!
Proud to be an accordion player! It belongs in rock and roll, I'm telling you. Atlantic City by the Band, the Subdudes, John Mellencamp and Springsteen, Kokomo and God Only Knows by the beach boys, nitty gritty dirt band, Little Feat, man the list goes on!
One of my favorite musical combinations is rock-'n'-roll and accordion. There's a band from the South of Brazil called Nenhum de Nós that adds accordion to most of their songs and it's fantastic! Edit: the accordionist of the band passed away today (march 27th) and now I'm just devastated 😢
@@evandrochaves9596 É boa demais! Já vi pelo menos 6 vezes ao vivo e é genial. Teve uma música deles que ficou famosa nacionalmente nos anos 90 "O astronauta de mármore", que é uma versão em português de "Starman" do David Bowie. Se você não é gaúcho talvez conheça essa música
as a brazilian musician who is into midwest emo and also brazilian traditional music, the jam at 7:44 opened my eyes for such a sound that for some reason i never thought of before. I'm from northeast brazil, and here one of the most prevalent music genres is Forró, and one of the most prevalent instrument in the forró bands is the accordion, and something about the sound of the instrument makes it magical for me, it can be so fast and uplifting but also so chill and emotional. The emotional accordion melodies mixed with the emo opentunning-like chords makes for such a great feel that i cant even describe. thank you Rob, with your videos you bring so much inspiration and ideas to all of your subscribers who aspires to be a musician and who wants to express themselves with music. and also shout out to Accordion Mike, you rock!! (sorry if theres any grammar errors, still learning english lol) [and also sorry for the over-emotional comment]
I love Rob! He can pick up any damn instrument and it clicks with him almost immediately! And he doesn't make me feel like an outsider while doing it (as a non musically-inclined person), if that makes any sense at all. Every video is fantastic!
Loved Mikes whole vibe, he makes me want to practice my instrument even if it feels hard. He is the type of teacher that wants you to succeed by making the instrument less intimidating. What a great guy!
32:32 through the whole video I was thinking that guitar and accordion just don't quite work together, but then he brought the acoustic in! It almost sounds like they were designed to be played together. Simply beautiful.
I know this series is more for less common instruments... but like dude how cool would it be to see a bass episode with Les Claypool! Also I want to recommend a couple instrument episode ideas. The Array Mbira and Daxophone have been on my mind recently and I think it would be fun to see.
My favorite series on RUclips, I have been watching this since I think this series started because I’ve been watching Rob since before it. Thank you Rob for being such an inspiration, you are one of I will admit many reasons but a big reason at that on why I am pursuing my current career choice of being an audio engineer and it means a lot to be able to watch your videos and see you still doing this stuff and better than ever and I hope one day I’ll get to meet you and maybe work with you
As a fellow (diatonic button) accordion player I'm so hyped to see you play and enjoy the accordion and your guest actually having and playing an Accordion that looked just like my first instrument. Thank you so very much!
I ABSOLUTELY love these videos where you take a instrument, and expert on that instrument and just dive into it, these are fascinating, interesting and full of knowledge that makes these videos just stand apart from other videos !
I bought an Accordion few months ago, and when I picked it up, I did it the wrong way where the chords in the right hand the notes (piano) on the left hand, I found it easier as a guitarist to coordinate the chords and melodies like that, where the right hand controls the rhythm and the left hand controls the melody.
My grandfather would play the accordion all the time, now I have his accordion and no idea how to play it but this video brought back so many great memories ☺️ Thanks Rob and Mike!
These videos are always so fantastic. I can't tell if you just bring out the best in people or you always just find the best people, but each instrument deep dive is always such a joy to watch and listen to, both from the exploration of the instrument and seeing people who love their craft get to share it.
I picked up a used accordion last year. I've been concentrating on guitar, but will get to spend some time with it eventually... Really interesting instruments.
I've been playing accordion ever since I was 4 years old. It's such a unique instrument and is super underrated and kind of a lost art in this day and age, especially if you play the bayan accordion like I do! It's so nice to see people have an appreciation for this instrument.
one of my best friends, Marc Robert, was a lifelong professional accordion player who played for early Cirque Eloize/du Soleil, he could play a tad better than the guy in the intro, but the crazy part is how he never needed to look at the instrument and could entertain, chat and laugh as he played it while keeping perfect tempo, RIP truly an incredible instrument for someone to master
I was putting off this video because in my mind the accordion is the stuffiest old timey instrument ever made but Mike is so infectious and the construction of the machine so interesting that I think you just made an accordion fan out of me.
Mike was absolutely amazing and I'm very glad to see you again Rob. I got tears in my eyes right after the tango... Reminded me of my great grandma teaching me to polka as a young man. 💙
I thought my clarinet was complicated, but this is mind-blowing! Thanks. This is is accordion intro video I was looking for--answered lots of questions. Accordion Mike is amazing!
Rob, I love your videos! It's so inspiring to see you discover and learn new stuff. Please consider looking a bit more into your sponsors. BetterHelp has a long history of privacy breaches.
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Wow you made me sound smart! Pleasure making this video with you, Rob! Lets meet up again soon!
It is an amazing video! Makes me wanna learn to play that small accordion I got at home.
I was given a good quality accordion that just needs a sticky button fixed and I’m ready to go! I have similar experience and background as Rob. I’ve been sitting on getting it fixed for 4 years. This video is motivating me to get her fixed and take some lessons. Thank you!
Great to see you spitting accordion facts! Thanks Mike!
This video made me realize I absolutely love accordion and didn't know I did ❤
you have such a charming personality would love to see you making some new youtube content!!
Very happy to be back :)
So stoked to see this upload - I almost forgot what it's like to have these videos! Hope you've recovered from your health stuff.
Impressive work as always
Welcome back!
Happy to have you back!
🤘
I demand an Accordion Mike youtube channel where each episode he shows me a beautiful accordion, tells me it's history, and plays me a period appropriate song.
its a travesty there isn't one
Agree! He's a natural on camera!
I SECOND THIS MOTION
YES! I was so sad to see there wasn't a link to HIS channel in the comments!
Would sub
"Find the music you're interested in and do the best you can."
Probably some of the best musical advice ever.
Love how every time he brings a guest musician on the channel, he always finds a way to rope them into playing some good old midwest emo.
melodicas and accordions should show up in the same way saxes and synths already do in midwest emo, it sounds cool as hell
@emmajeane for sure I've like always wanted to own one because that sound is like so warm and homey it's gorgeous
@@emmajeane black metal is more willing to experiment with that. Sigh used every instrument you can name and Agriculture used lap steel and I believe accordion at one point
@@insederec accordion and folk instruments in black metal fuckin whip as long as its not scandinavian white pride music which its unfortunately often
Midwest Emocordian sounded a bit like minecraft music
no fuckin way, i know Mike from his playing at Wednesday night open mics in willow springs, he's literally the peak of any night he's there. immense joy is derived from his jolly tunes. much love from the masters collection to Mike!
Ashbary in the house!
Willow springs like the race track?
Next time you see him, tell that man to start a RUclips channel.
I do squeeze sessions with him in oak lawn at romagnolis accordion shop
Damn I thought he looked a lot like someone from the coffee shop days
"by under i mean diagonal towards the ceiling" the accordion in a nutshell
By down I actually mean up and left 😆
"Fret not" was the only response I got when asking my mentor why music is a upside down insanity when played on guitar. Turns out accordion players suffer too from this madness.
turn the middle side topwise. TOPWISE
By left I mean green
You get used to it very quickly! (or at least, I did :P) I do agree that at first the buttons seem _very_ close together. I've not seldom used a minor instead of a major chord.
19:02 - the tango piece
31:38 - the french waltz piece (Sous le Ciel de Paris by Hubert Giraud)
The french waltz is Sous le Ciel de Paris by Hubert Giraud
He always picks the best people to showcase the instrument. They're always super educated about their instrument and super awesome attitudes.
Yeah!
That teacher is so enthusiastic, encouraging and loves the accordion, what a legend! Such a pleasure to watch him.
My Mom, one lung oxygen patient in her 70s, is weak and frail, but about once a year, she asks me to set her accordian on her lap, and she sits in a chair and plays down heaven.
Try to record it if you can, for memory sake
That's incredible. What a gift!
My music teacher at school played the accordeon but she hurt her back so she could not hold the instrument anymore. She found an adjustable stand with a bracket around the accordeon to hold the weight, so she could play again. Maybe something like that could help your mom play more again, if she likes.
@@DanielWallace I will look into this! THANK YOU!!!
Record. This. For your family's sake.
Rob, this video is fucking WILD. My uncle spent his life studying accordion, but passed away in 2009. In 2007, he bought me a Parker Fly as a gift to help him record his final album. He knew he had stage 4 cancer at the time but didn't tell anyone. The Fly is one of my favorite guitars ever, and one that I still play! Well... it was, until yesterday.
After my uncle passed, I became the owner of his Petosa Classic Antico, his pride and joy, and a beautiful accordion, which he spec'd out and paid $6500 for (!!!) in 2001. I never played accordion, so it just sat in its case, aside from pulling it out every few months to make sure all was good and the bellows were moved.
I finally said that I needed to sell the accordion, to put it in the hands of someone that will actually play it. It didn't need to sit around collecting dust. I sold that accordion this week.
Yesterday, I was playing my Fly and a fucking fret fell off the guitar. Just playing casually and a fret landed in my hand.
Today, I log onto RUclips, and there's THIS video with a guy playing a very similar accordion to what I just sold.
Jesus Christ, Rob, the spirit of my uncle is radically fucking with me.
But cool video nonetheless.
the spirit of your uncle is whattt
One does not simply fuck. You must radically fuck..
How does a fret just fall of a guitar? I just developed a new phobia.
Don't worry about the fret, it can easily be put back by a professional. Maybe it's your uncles way of saying you should play the accordion though
I wouldnt fret about it
The absolute joy on Mike's face while he was playing the guitar was so wonderful to see
They really ROCK
Bruh he was picking it up pretty quickly too
@@senLunothat's one of the great things about knowing music theory - moving from one instrument to another becomes mostly about where to put your hands, not about how to make music.
Seeing a guitarist learn to accordion and seeing an accordionist learn to DJENT is such a joy.
@@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721 You rock
Dude from rural bavaria here. This sound is pure nostalgia for me, love the accordion. Makes me instantly feel like I'm in a big tent with a bunch of fellow drunk country-bumpkins swaying side to side, while eating half a chicken that's been deepfried into oblivion. :D
Won't lie, that sounds like a lot of fun
Sounds like heaven
@travisSimon365 rural parts of the Midwest have similar vibes still. Tho less so as less ppl learn accordion and polkas. Accordions take me back to the fairs and festivals instantly.
You found a great guy for this video. No idea who he is, but he is obviously knowledgeable, both about the instrument and music. On top of that, he is able to communicate.
If he doesn’t have a channel already, you should coach him up, Rob.
It’s like the bloke Rob built the guitar with. A bit quiet and reserved at first, but you get to glimpse the incredible wealth of knowledge and a great humour after a few short minutes of warming up. Masters at their craft and the quiet confidence to prove it
It‘s so lovely how everyone just feels for this instrument as an integral part of their traditional culture. Because when I heard it first I felt like „aaaaah yeah this is our german folk music“ but everyone from all around the world feels like this. Like „aah yes this is france, portugal, chile, russia, Wisconsin“
Lots of absolutely beautiful accordions can be found at thrift stores from around the world in Wisconsin
@@VioletPrism I'm in michigan. I should check my local thrift stores for accordions
I want an Accordion Mike RUclips channel where he repairs and refurbishes accordions while giving a history lesson on the history and story of said accordion. The outro could just be him playing his accordion!
Geeko, you're giving me ideas.
That's like the accordion version of Ted Woodford's channel
check out the "Rich Edwards' He has a great accordion repair channel
We must protect Accordion Mike at all costs. He is a national treasure.
5:04 "...and this doesn't break all the time?" hahah this was exactly my thought too when it got opened up! So many little parts
Air is mostly among the gentler things to use when extracting sound from something. Certainly more gentle than a pick.
the mechanical genius involved in making these instruments is astonishing
One of my favourite instruments, I wish it were used more in modern styles. Also yes, "accord" means chord in French, so "accordéon" = the chord instrument. It's the same etymological root as "according to" in English, outside of music it also means "to agree, to go well with, to be in sync, to be harmonious"
D'accord!
Harmonious you say? I saw the harmonicas inside and it all makes sense
So if accord means chord in french, your saying. Ion means instrument?
Or éon..
No, "éon" doesnt mean instrument in French xD. By the way the trench word "accordéon " comes from german "Akkordeon". "Akkord" is "chord" in german, and comes from French "accord".
As a french man born in the 90's, i always see the accordion as old-fashioned, from another time. Only old people can appreciate this type on sound. But, as always, this series allows you to discover, and rediscover instruments that you might think are boring. It's always magical to see musician talks about their passion, their instrument.
I'm French too and I don't perceive the instrument this way at all. It's very relevant to this day, including in France.
@@RedHair651 we have our own history and sensibility, i didnt make mine a generality. What do you mean by "relevant to this day" ??
wow! VVVVVV. Haven't seen that game in forever
I had no idea how an accordion worked. Far more complicated than I ever imagined.
Cant wait for the spinning guitar video tho.
Accordion Mike is amazing!! He has such a gift for playing, but also a gift for explaining it. He should give lessons!! And like so many have said, he should have his own RUclips channel. What a talent!
BTW, I'm a little biased...I'm his mom❤
But seriously, isn't he amazing??!!!
I love you, Mom!!!
This is so wholesome
You have a really cool son, ma'am. He definitely seems amazing to me!
@@Benzy670thank you!❤
Mrs Mike, you have done a fine job and raised a great son. And what foresight to know to name him 'Accordion' and have it turn out to be the instrument he loves.
As a born and raised Wisconsinite musician, I'm WAY too excited for this video!
Accordion is so mainstream underrated!
These videos are always my favourites, the one with the koto is one of my go to videos when I'm super depressed.
Rob, I don't know how you do it but you kill it every time with these musicians. Love the series, love the passion you and the guests have for music. 10/10 musical education, thank you!
I would really love to see other stuff like bagpipes and/or tablas show up on this series at some point! This series is so awesome, man. I love it when I finally get the answers to musical questions that have plague me, such as how the hell an accordion is works and is played lol. This show addresses a lot of music-related stuff that I have wondered about but have never taken time to research for myself, which is awesome and really scratches that specific itch. As someone who can play a few instruments myself, it is also cool to see how quickly a multi-instrumentalist like you can pick up a new instrument. Keep going with this stuff, man!
3:39 A "free reed" just means the reed is free to vibrate in its frame without touching anything, as opposed to a "percussion reed" where the reed beats against the frame or against another reed. A crumhorn has a reed inside that you don't blow directly, but it's a double reed like an oboe, where the two parts beat against each other, so it's not classified as a free reed. Great Highland bagpipes are similar, with a double reed inside the chanter and single reeds inside the drones. Free reeds have more stable pitch with varying air pressure than percussion reeds, so the accordion can play more dynamics than those instruments and stay in tune.
That guy is such a joy to listen to and watch him do his magic. What a fantastic instrument.
He seems to know everything about this instrument!! Fun to listen to!🎵🎵
I love this. My grandpa played accordion and I regret never asking him more about it or even having him show me how to play. This fills that void a bit. Thanks Mike and Rob!
Holy crap, I can't believe he's just casually playing an instrument that's 96 years old. That's insane that it still has such a wonderful sound after so long.
@DrakiniteOfficial I gave my Gold accordion a refurbish last year, which involved new valve covers, new wax, and a full tuning, but I agree, the sound out of these oldies is just great.
Based off the plug he gave in the outtro, he runs an accordion repair shop, so it stands to reason that it probably sounds that great due to some of the work that he's done on it.
There's nothing i love more, than people who use old instruments/vehicles/firearms in the way they're intended, to be enjoyed.
And that its so complex! A violin is pretty simple in comparison, you understand how a box with strings could be played for hundreds of years lol
Pointing out that you can improvise a chord progression by just moving the left hand in a small cluster also helped me realise why improvising along with an accordion player is so easy! You either end up doing the exact same Standard progression as them, or by doing other Standard intervals you end up nicely harmonising. So you can’t go wrong! I’ve been humming chord extensions for the whole rest of the video 😊
Mike is a better guitar player in 1 day then my old bandmate was after years.
As an accordionist I am very happy you made this video, not least because I can now just link people to it whenever I get asked how all the buttons work, instead of having to give the same explanation I’ve given so many times I’ve lost count because it’s what literally everybody asks 😂 Also 30:56 - this is basically just Korpiklaani lol
accordion gang 🪗
Hey there Rob, I've been waiting for you to make this video for a long time. As a blind accordion player and multi instrumentalist myself, accordion is one of the instruments I find most intriguing teaching people as once they get it they find a light goes on in a very neat way as what happened here. I believe that you will get those bass and cords going with a little bit of time I would definitely keep it when time permits. Also that is a very nice accordion you have there in terms of the features and having all four sets of reads and the different combinations there, that is definitely the hallmark of a professional instrument and the fact that you got it for free, definitely means you should hang onto that for sure. That is a gem right there.
as a portuguese the sound of the accordion is sooooo engraved in my brain that only as a adult i can apreciate it
Same for me as an austrian. Completely different style tho i imagine 😅
Chilean dude here:
Accordion is hella engrained in local folk music, everytime i listen to an accordion, i get in the patriotic september mood instantly
Huh, I guess fado does have an accordion.
Same here from Russia.
Quite the instrument.
Robs ability to pick up instruments is mind blowing.
"I must be doing something wrong." "Nope! It just hurts." 😂😂😂
I love how you guys opened it up and explain how all the mechanisms work. This instrument is mind blowing. Very insightful. Thank you for videos like this.
Fastest click of my life! So pumped to see new videos!
Same
i love watching musicians pick up instruments that they have absolutely no experience with and catch on immediately. dont know what it is but watching someone pick up on power chords for the first time makes me smile.
I love the squints that Rob gets when he's really concentrating on something... Great stuff! I love these exploration videos where Rob learns a new thing. He gets such joy out of making the connections between instruments
In my heavily cartoon-influenced perception, the Accordion was always very goofy, but it's really quite a beautiful instrument! So glad you got me to see it in a new light, and very stoked to see you uploading again
My grandma played accordion. She had two - the fancy red and white one for parties and the black one she played at home. She passed away when I was a kid, but I remember being totally amazed that she could play that thing so effortlessly. She also played piano too. Makes me wish that she was alive so I could start an accordion-guitar band with her lol.
Rob looks so emotional at times, whether it reminds him of his grandmother, or whatever ,its nice to see ppl cry for music.
No way , Rob scallion and accordion Mike in the same video !?!??! This is the best way to start the day .
In Germany, traditionally (and if you're cool), we also call this instrument Heimatluftkompressor (hometown air compressor), although if you play sea shanties it's more like a Seeluftkompressor (ocean air compressor), there's also yodel songs and such and it switches to a mountain air compressor.
When I hand someone an electric guitar for the first time, I put it in drop d and show them how to do power chords. I did it for my nieces a while back and she was entertained for hours.
This has been such an interesting video to me so far at the 11:30 mark. I’m an Acadian (Cajun) so accordions are very important to my culture and our music. I’m being completely honest when I say it blows my mind that there are brand names of accordions out there and that some are known as better than others. All the accordions I grew up around were locally made. There were no name brands, just “aye la ba my cousin makes accordions” and that’s it. It’s such a beautiful instrument and I’m glad you’re bringing attention to it. Thanks Rob, from a severely homesick Cajun. Y’all’s jam session at the beginning of the video reminded me of home.
Mybfather played accordion. Before marriage he was a seaman, ship's engineer, actually. He said that he chose accordion because he could smuggle contraband inside the bellows.he played very well if you disn't mind the constant tang of a polka beat regardless what time signature he was playing. Dad just had a polka heart.
As a guitar player, I've always thought of the accordion as just a cheesy polka instrument. I have to say, this video has changed my mind. That dude is a beast. Great video, bro.
Oh, there is so much more to it than that. You can play everything from classical organ repertoire to pop tunes, to tejano, tangos, jazz, folk...I think I've even heard somebody play the Deep Purple "Highway Star" organ solo on one! They are far more versatile than most people give them credit for. As an accordionist myself, I still get blown away by what people are able to do with it!
As someone who plays an Accordion, I completely understand. As fun as it is to lean in on the stereotype with Beer Polka--I usually prefer playing classical, musettes, or stuff you would hear in a coffee shop. But it doesn't mean I couldn't also play jazz, pop, or music you would hear from video games. In-fact, I was playing System of a Down just yesterday >_>... lol
The thing that really opened my eyes to the accordion was getting into Latin music. When you hear the way accordion is played in like Mexican Norteño or Columbian Cumbia or Argentine Tango, it’s SO FUNKY. But then again, I also like polka, so maybe I just dig the accordion lol.
Dude I went to this accordion shop about 1 weeks ago ago to rent one out and failed miserably. This is such a huge coincidence to see Mike on your channel and in real life all in one week lmao. Fantastic video. Glad to you see you around more…south.
Accordion has probably been one of the most important parts of my musical journey. I remember the night I pulled my family accordion out of my basement. It was buried beneath a bunch of my grandmas stuff that we meant to sell after her house, but we live in a small town in the Midwest and had no recourses to appraise it, so it just sat down there collecting dust. One night though, I couldn’t sleep so I dug through every old thing we had. At first I thought it was some sort of travel case. It was actually locked when I pulled it out of the pile so I had to pick it with some paper clips. (The locks are more to prevent the case from accidentally opening than to prevent theft so it was pretty easy.) When I finally got it open, I was amazed by what I saw. It looked pristine save for 2 bass buttons stuck down that I was actually able to fix myself. I immediately took it out to the garage to listen to it because I wouldn’t wake up my family that way.
Earlier that year, I had joined my high school band as an percussionist (because I couldn’t play any other instrument) but it never felt quite right. I was years behind compared to my fellow band members and always felt like I was dragging the band down. Accordion felt right though. It also helped that it practically taught me basic music theory.
I’m still not very good at it, but I was able to play it for my states solo ensemble competition as a duet with a close friend on marimba and got a D1 😊
Thank you for bringing a little more attention to my favorite instrument and best of luck if you intend on continuing with it.
You gotta line out on that thing... pedal board that beast. (Sooo glad to see you back!)
I loved the Acoustic and Accordion jam at the end. A sign of two great musicians is when they can immediately come together and show great chemistry and understanding of where each other is going with the music.
I've played the Accordion way back when, but I've never seen the insides of the instrument. Fascinating!
Rob mentions at 12:27 using a button pressing technique he learned from the late Tetris ambassador and legend Jonas Neubauer. Their video where he teaches Jonas how to play drums is still my fav vid of his from the joy of music Jonas had learning to play drums with Rob. That still being with him brought me to tear up :').
RIP
RIP the GOAT ❤
the Maria Schneider Orchestra introduced me to accordion outside of a polka/Urkel context and I was BLOWN away by how beautiful it sounded. Been a fan ever since. Bought a crummy one at a flea market, sorta figured out the bass key arrangement and have been goofing around for 10 years. This is finally giving me the motivation to get it back out of the basement! Thanks Rob! and Mike!
Proud to be an accordion player! It belongs in rock and roll, I'm telling you. Atlantic City by the Band, the Subdudes, John Mellencamp and Springsteen, Kokomo and God Only Knows by the beach boys, nitty gritty dirt band, Little Feat, man the list goes on!
One of my favorite musical combinations is rock-'n'-roll and accordion. There's a band from the South of Brazil called Nenhum de Nós that adds accordion to most of their songs and it's fantastic!
Edit: the accordionist of the band passed away today (march 27th) and now I'm just devastated 😢
Hmmm eu devia checar essa banda hein
@@evandrochaves9596 É boa demais! Já vi pelo menos 6 vezes ao vivo e é genial. Teve uma música deles que ficou famosa nacionalmente nos anos 90 "O astronauta de mármore", que é uma versão em português de "Starman" do David Bowie. Se você não é gaúcho talvez conheça essa música
as a brazilian musician who is into midwest emo and also brazilian traditional music, the jam at 7:44 opened my eyes for such a sound that for some reason i never thought of before.
I'm from northeast brazil, and here one of the most prevalent music genres is Forró, and one of the most prevalent instrument in the forró bands is the accordion, and something about the sound of the instrument makes it magical for me, it can be so fast and uplifting but also so chill and emotional. The emotional accordion melodies mixed with the emo opentunning-like chords makes for such a great feel that i cant even describe.
thank you Rob, with your videos you bring so much inspiration and ideas to all of your subscribers who aspires to be a musician and who wants to express themselves with music. and also shout out to Accordion Mike, you rock!!
(sorry if theres any grammar errors, still learning english lol)
[and also sorry for the over-emotional comment]
This has got to be one of the most fun people rob has had on the show! great video!
these interviews with the unique instruments are some of the best content on this channel. the musician's enthusiasm for the instrument is great.
I love Rob! He can pick up any damn instrument and it clicks with him almost immediately! And he doesn't make me feel like an outsider while doing it (as a non musically-inclined person), if that makes any sense at all. Every video is fantastic!
Loved Mikes whole vibe, he makes me want to practice my instrument even if it feels hard. He is the type of teacher that wants you to succeed by making the instrument less intimidating. What a great guy!
love the shoutout to Jonas - R.I.P.
He started to feel the tango at 18:58 and the world is a better place for it.
So excited for the "2 Hours of Relaxing Accordion" Video.
32:32 through the whole video I was thinking that guitar and accordion just don't quite work together, but then he brought the acoustic in! It almost sounds like they were designed to be played together. Simply beautiful.
I know this series is more for less common instruments... but like dude how cool would it be to see a bass episode with Les Claypool!
Also I want to recommend a couple instrument episode ideas. The Array Mbira and Daxophone have been on my mind recently and I think it would be fun to see.
My favorite series on RUclips, I have been watching this since I think this series started because I’ve been watching Rob since before it. Thank you Rob for being such an inspiration, you are one of I will admit many reasons but a big reason at that on why I am pursuing my current career choice of being an audio engineer and it means a lot to be able to watch your videos and see you still doing this stuff and better than ever and I hope one day I’ll get to meet you and maybe work with you
YES!!! Was hoping that someday I’d see the accordion on this channel. It’s the most fun instrument to play :)
As someone coming from a place where traditional music is heavily based on a accordion, it's lovely to watch someone trying to crack it
As a fellow (diatonic button) accordion player I'm so hyped to see you play and enjoy the accordion and your guest actually having and playing an Accordion that looked just like my first instrument. Thank you so very much!
I ABSOLUTELY love these videos where you take a instrument, and expert on that instrument and just dive into it, these are fascinating, interesting and full of knowledge that makes these videos just stand apart from other videos !
I bought an Accordion few months ago, and when I picked it up, I did it the wrong way where the chords in the right hand the notes (piano) on the left hand, I found it easier as a guitarist to coordinate the chords and melodies like that, where the right hand controls the rhythm and the left hand controls the melody.
My grandfather would play the accordion all the time, now I have his accordion and no idea how to play it but this video brought back so many great memories ☺️ Thanks Rob and Mike!
When Mike went into that Waltz at 7:15 I was like just 'YES! MORE!' - He's amazing. I love his vibe and humour too. Fantastic musician.
Awesome! Need a part two where you plug the electric accordion into some pedals!
These videos are always so fantastic. I can't tell if you just bring out the best in people or you always just find the best people, but each instrument deep dive is always such a joy to watch and listen to, both from the exploration of the instrument and seeing people who love their craft get to share it.
I picked up a used accordion last year.
I've been concentrating on guitar, but will get to spend some time with it eventually... Really interesting instruments.
Mike's sense of phrasing is absolutely phenomenal
love mike's classic chicago accent and his great knowledge and good vibes !
Thanks, pal!
I've been playing accordion ever since I was 4 years old. It's such a unique instrument and is super underrated and kind of a lost art in this day and age, especially if you play the bayan accordion like I do! It's so nice to see people have an appreciation for this instrument.
I love the accordion.
What this series teach us is even the most campy instrument, in the hand of a master can make you cry!
Having a 1/4” output means you can run that accordion through your guitar rig, Rob.
Accordion Metal incoming? 🤘
Rob needs to see this.
I was wondering why he didn't go for the obvious.
"PLAY BLEED!!!!"
"SLAAAAAYYYYYEEEEERRRRRRR!!!"
one of my best friends, Marc Robert, was a lifelong professional accordion player who played for early Cirque Eloize/du Soleil, he could play a tad better than the guy in the intro, but the crazy part is how he never needed to look at the instrument and could entertain, chat and laugh as he played it while keeping perfect tempo, RIP
truly an incredible instrument for someone to master
Accordion Mike is the coolest guy at our coffeehouse! Ashbary Coffeehouse of willow springs🤙
I was putting off this video because in my mind the accordion is the stuffiest old timey instrument ever made but Mike is so infectious and the construction of the machine so interesting that I think you just made an accordion fan out of me.
The guitar and accordion rock collab went crazy.
Mike was absolutely amazing and I'm very glad to see you again Rob. I got tears in my eyes right after the tango... Reminded me of my great grandma teaching me to polka as a young man. 💙
Congratulations on your feature, Mike! 🫔🫔🫔🫔
Thank you Tamales!!!!
@@iwema93Mike, you're awesome was the name of song you played at the beginning of the vid, that was great.
I thought my clarinet was complicated, but this is mind-blowing! Thanks. This is is accordion intro video I was looking for--answered lots of questions. Accordion Mike is amazing!
i was on a Rob Scallon binge, and he drops a new video, as i come to the end of a playlist. 0_o
That part you play at 28:55 is the intro to a song from a danish band called D-A-D and the song "Sleeping My Day Away".
I have been waiting so long for this video!
Rob, I love your videos! It's so inspiring to see you discover and learn new stuff.
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You came in wanting to learn about the accordion (and you did, as we all did!), but I think you ended up converting your pro to the guitar :P