SONG SELECTION
“How come all you accordion players always play senior citizen songs?” - Anonymous Fan
“Every accordion player alive plays Beer Barrel Polka and Lady of Spain.” - Federal Agent at a Christmas Party (name withheld because he is never unarmed)
You wouldn't play classical music on bagpipes, you wouldn't play polkas on a harp, and you wouldn't play jazz on an oboe. Because of its versatility, you could play any kind of music on an accordion (Caution: Not sure about Hip Hop). What kind of music do you play? Let's look at a short list of options:
Classical
Baroque
Jazz
Eastern European (Polka, Oberek, Czardas, Mazurka, etc.)
Greek (Rembetiko, Syrto, Kalamatiano, Tsifteteli, Hasaposerviko, Tsamiko, etc.)
Irish (Reel, Jig, Hornpipe, Slide, etc.)
Italian (Opera, Sacred, Neapolitan)
Latin Rhythms (Meringue, Tango, Salsa, Mariachi, Tejano, Bachata, Bandas, etc.)
Caribbean Rhythms and Reggae
African Rhythms (think Paul Simon's Graceland album)
American (Old standards, Folk, Rock, Blues, Cajun, Country, Hip hop, Do Wop, Swing, Disco, Broadway, Gospel, etc.)
If you can now pigeon-hole yourself into only three or four categories, it is simple to be more creative – play other categories of music. You've just become more creative as an accordionist!
The second, more intriguing possibility is that you might pick up innovative ideas that you could then apply to songs in your old play list when improvising.
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USING THE ACCORDION'S CAPABILITIES