Melody bass
Melody bass (also MIII or Manual III bass or BB - baritone bass ) is a keyboard system for the left side (bass side) of an accordion and, in contrast to the widespread Stradella bass system, enables the melody to be played with the correct pitch .
Melody bass systems in various forms were patented and built before the 20th century, but there was no market for such instruments. An early prototype by Mathias Bauer is in the Vienna Technical Museum.
In music academies and with classical concert accordionists, the melody bass now plays a bigger role than the common Stradella bass. However, he is hardly represented in the amateur music field.
Range and technique
The system does not have chord buttons (accompaniment), but only allows one note to be played per button. The range is up to 5 octaves with up to 58 individual tones.
Accordions that are only equipped with a melody bass (freebass) are quite rare. Either the melody bass is in front of or behind the Stradella bass or you can switch mechanically between the two systems (so-called converter bass ).
In the 1940s to 70s, American manufacturers were urged to design a dual melody bass system to allow independent melody lines in the left hand. The design by accordionist John Serry senior, for example, uses two chromatic button keyboards with a total range of three and a half octaves, one of which is only played with the thumb.
Key assignment
The key assignment is identical to the arrangement of the chromatic button accordion , but in comparison it is mirrored. Also with the melody bass there is the C-grip system (C in the outermost row, semitone steps rise towards the bellows) and B-grip system (B in the outermost row, whole steps rise towards the bellows). With the European design, the keys become higher from top to bottom. In the Bajan construction, the arrangement is mirrored so that the lowest notes are at the bottom (B in the outermost row, whole-tone steps towards the bellows).
As on the right side (treble), the timbre of the melody bass can also be changed using registers . However, only 2 choirs are common (8 'and 4' or occasionally 8 'and 8' (double)). In the case of bayan models, 3 choirs if necessary: 8 ', 4' and 2 'or also 8', 8 '(double) and 2' and - as with the organ - various playing aids .
See also
Individual evidence
- ^ Marion Jacobson: Squeeze This !: A Cultural History of the Accordion in America . Ed .: University of Illinois Press. 2012, ISBN 978-0-252-03675-0 (English). - limited preview in the Google book search
- ↑ Explore the Accordion. New School of Music, Inc., accessed February 5, 2018 (Free bass systems section).