Welcome – to the NEW International Accordion Blog
FINALLY 2121! – We have over 945,000 hits on this BLOG (See list below!) – AND – as of Dec 30th – we hit 672,000,000 unique visitors – which means each person found at least 10 songs within the blog – THANK YOU! And even if I charged $2 per song or download – that would have only been $20. So Please donate! (PayPal – slee@shelialee.com) Watch Spelling!
There is no NEED TO LOG IN – just enjoy – Please email (slee@shelialee.com) me for any passwords you find you need – THEY ARE FREE – I will email it. ALSO if you do not SEE the Menu BAR to the LEFT – please scroll to bottom – and you will see the entire categories available for the selections on this blog.
The Accordion Blog is designed to progress you through various techniques – so start in the Archives with the Month of August 2014 – then Sept, then Oct – etc. Do the monthly lessons and progress through the exercises at your own pace. Each new technique can take as much as a month to 3 months to master – so PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME.
If you are a beginner – please start with the Palmer/Hughes Book 2 then PH 3 lessons – (Find in the Beginner Link) – take each session and work at least 2 to 3 weeks of each. There is additional theory and additional solos to play at each session level.
THE ACCORDION BLOG – GOAL:
- Furnish a location to find multiple ideas for practice and technique building
- Have a Monthly Accordion LESSON for all to share – with exercises and NEW SONGS (arranged for Accordion)
- FORCE SHELIA to produce the PROMISED songs – “60′ & 70’s Hits” – at least 2 a month! (I have been averaging 12 or more!!!) AND NOW – a NEW PAGE – “80’s & 90’s Hits”
- PLAY LIST – suggested songs to PLAY at a gig – with songs listed by Genre (Italian – Country – French – Ukrainian (Russian) etc.)
- Keep the site FREE – with donations to pay for the copyright royalties
- NEW – Certificate Program – check it out – top of the page
PS – please share this site (but not the passwords) with your accordion friends and Accordion Clubs. Teachers – this will be a great source for material for you and your students.
If you found this site on your own – I can add you as a member and email you the same FREE PASSWORDS. I have not changed the password since Sept. 2015 – otherwise I can email it to the people I have emails for. Please let me know who you are.
INFORMATION: Shelia Lee – slee@shelialee.com
If you would like to contribute to support this FREE BLOG – please use Shelia’s email address above and send through (p a y p a l). $50 contribution will get you a custom arrangement for a song of your choice!
These are the Countries that have visited the Accordion Blog. The ones in Red – have been the TOP 10 HITS within a month!
| Albania
Angola |
Cypress
Czech Republic |
Liechtenstein
Lithuania |
Romania
Russia |
| Argentina | Denmark | Macedonia | Serbia |
| Armenia | Ecuador | Malaysia | Singapore |
| Aruba | Estonia | Malta | Slovakia |
| Australia | European Union | Mauritius | Slovenia |
| Austria | Finland | Matteo | South Africa |
| Azerbaijan | France | Mexico | South Korea |
| Bangladesh | Germany | Moldova | Spain |
| Belarus | Greece | Namibia | Sweden |
| Belgium | Guam | Nepal | Switzerland |
| Bolivia | Hong Kong SAR China | Netherlands | Taiwan |
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | Hungary | New Zealand | Thailand |
| Brazil | Iceland | Norway | Trinidad & Tobago |
| Brunei | India | Oman | Turkey |
| Bulgaria | Indonesia | Pakistan | Ukraine |
| Canada | Ireland | Peru | United Arab Emirates |
| Chili | Israel | Philippines | United Kingdom |
| China | Italy | Poland | United States |
| Colombia | Japan | Portugal | Uruguay |
| Costa Rica | Jordan | Puerto Rico | Uzbekistan |
| Croatia | Latvia | Qatar | Vietnam |
Shelia Lee's Accordion Blog 
Hi I am Irish woman living in Australia the pass thirty years .I played in a accordion band as a child
but stoped playing when I emigrated .I am happy to say I am playing again in two bands and love it.
I am trying to master playing Jigs reals fast tunes with out reading the music.
If you have any helpful tips for me to learn to play fast I would be grateful .
regards Maggie
Hi Maggie, I sent you a private email with 3 great ideas to help you with your technique building. Hope the ideas help you. Thanks for visiting the Accordion blog.
Hello Shiela….I’m glad I stumbled across your website, which has proved to be very encouraging. At 86 I’m no doubt among the older accordion players viewing your site. I’m just now returning to playing after many years (40) away from it, and that’s due the insistent encouragement of a young relative who discovered the button accordion and has become fascinated by it. He absolutely insisted that I start playing again–which required (first of all) trading in my sadly exhausted old Excelsiola for a factory-reconditioned Petosa 1400 Concert that, I must say, is delightful to play. It also has meant many hours spent reawakening and limbering my fingers and revisiting the Circle of Fifths–i.e., getting back to basic theory. I’ll never be the player I once was, but I’m having fun with it. A hint to your readers: I found a piece of software for my iMac called “Anytune.” It permits a song to be played, slowed down, speeded up, key changes, replay of difficult passages. I upload a tune to it–and then jam along with it until I learn it it correctly. Neat.
Hi Young-Timer!
Great news about your new accordion – Petosa is GOOD!!! I will need to check out that ANYTUNE! That sounds like a fantastic tool. Please search for Level 1 or Level 2 solos on the accordion blog – that will get you started fast!!! Keep up the great work. Shelia
I have immediately found a gem on your site, the delightful tarantella, “Saltarella.” You have it featured under “Diatonic Accordion,” but it’s great for piano or chromatic accordion as well. I’ve set it up as one my finger warm-up tunes that is also a certain crowd pleaser. Must be my Italian temperament….
Yes – you are right. It can be played on any style accordion – I just included the bellow markings for a 2 row diatonic!!
I wrote this right from a You Tube performance. I too have been wanting MORE TARANTELLAS!!! Thanks. Shelia
Hello Shelia,
I noticed you have copied a lot of my musical arrangements
But you have taken out the name of the Composer and the Arranger which is me.
I do not mind but why do it.
Please contact me by Email. donquattrocchi@hotmail.com
Don Quattrocchi from Australia
Hello Maestro Don,
Thank you so much for contacting me. This is an honor!! I have an entire page on the Accordion Blog – dedicated to you and a link to your page with all your fantastic arrangements. I have made no changes to these arrangements – I just saw how many songs that were there – and used a link only. NOW – I receive accordion arrangements from all over the world – and if I don’t see an arranger on it – I post it. I do not claim it to be my arrangement and I make no changes to the way I receive it. If these are your arrangements – I sincerely apologize. The sender of the song did not tell me the source they got it from. Thanks for letting me know.
Hi Shelia,
Your blog is amazing! I would recommend all my students here in Hong Kong to follow your blog!
I’m accordion teacher in Hong Kong, we have our own accordion resource page at http://www.accordion.asia – maybe you can suggest something to improve our site.
Will study some techniques suggested on your website.
Let’s promote this great instrument more!
Cheers,
Andrew Birkun
HKASM(Asia)
Hi Shelia, I came across this on Facebook, sounds interesting so I thought I’d share the link. It’s a documentary about accordions and accordionists that I believe will be ready for sale in the Spring sometime. If folks sign in for the email updates it will help the filmmaker (Roberta Cantow) find a distributor for it.
http://accordionsrising.com/#front-page-1
Thanks for everything!!
Bobb G.
Thanks for the information and support.
Shelia,
Your blog is outstanding. It will take me some time to read through it all, let alone practice what you preach. See you in November. Thank you.
Ian
We are going to be the “blessed” ones for having you at the Honors Retreat!!!
HI, MET YOU IN VEGAS 2014, WE TALKED ABOUT YOUR WEB SITE PLANS.CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENT ! YOU ARE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB! KEEP UP GOOD WORK!
BILL CARROZZA, PRESIDENT TAMPA BAY ACCORDION ASSOCIATION
I sure appreciate all that you do to help others learn to play the accordion.
I love hearing from you – especially knowing that I have no idea WHERE IN THE WORLD YOU ARE! I need to get you started on playing the chromatic accordion – I have some cool ones in stock! C System.
i have been looking for a C system chromatic for a while. What do you have available I would be particularly interested in LMM or LMMM . I have been looking at the Roland 3b or 1xb because of the versatility that they have.
Hi Lloyd, Thanks for the note. YES – I can make recommendations to you with prices – please see the email I sent you.
great blog let’s bring back the accordion to the youth of this country.this is http://www.aceaccordionrepair.com or http://www.accordionclubofsouthflorida.com thanks Sheila !
YES YES and YES. I have over 125 students. I have an extreme SHORTAGE of qualified teachers! I challenge every accordion player to teach at least 1 friend or 1 child to play. AND if they need help – THE CERTIFICATE PROGRAM is going to “Certify” accordionists to teach as well as reward them for learning! Thank you so much!
Dear Shelia,
I just found your blog last week and want to thank you for providing me and so many others with the opportunity to learn to play new songs. I have found a few pieces that I am enjoying already.
Any chance you could write up the music for the Jarocho tune “la bruja”? You can find a good example of it by Conjunto Jardin on You Tube. It has a lovely waltz baseline and I think even other beginners like me could tackle it with no problem if they had the music in front of them.
Thanks
Nancy Ponder
I like this kind of songs my best wishes are with you.Shelia lee i really increase you have done the great job by singing this kind of song
http://www.ninaleemusic.com/
it is very helpful sites.i like your post.
I am now 70 years old. I took accordion lesson when I was in junior high and high school. I stopped playing when I left for the military in the 60s. When to an auction about a month ago. It had an accordion on it. It did not look in good shape. But this got me to thinking. So I now own a brand new accordion. The music store I bought the accordion from sent a book called MEL BAY’S DELUXE ACCORDION METHOD BY FRANK ZUCCO. I went through the first 30 pages in the last two weeks. Things are starting to get a more challenging. I have also been using fast track lessons and now I have found your blog. This should give me some information to learn with.
Thank you so much for the wonderful music. We have a group of 5 members in Fredericksburg, TX and are playing several of your arrangements. Especially like the multiple parts and the big notes!!
Time to get the old accordion out for sure!
Thank you so much for your blog. I really enjoy the duets. I play with several other ladies and we play at level 4-5. Our average age is 70. Keep the music coming.
Undeniably consider that which you said. Your favorite justification appeared to be at the web the simplest thing to bear in mind of. I say to you, I definitely get annoyed at the same time as other folks consider concerns that they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the highest and defined out the whole thing without having side-effects, people could take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks
Thank you so much for the wonderful lesson guides. I had a man teaching me the accordion for a few months but, I didn’t learn anything because he had played so long that he has forgotten how to read music. That was not helpful when it came to the base notes. I am VERY new and that didn’t help so, I went off on my own and finally got to the 3rd PH book. but, am now at a point that I need more help with the left hand notes. Am looking forward to your January, February, etc. posts to help me with the left hand. I play the piano so the right hand isn’t the problem. Thank again. You are such a blessing for me.
Shelia,
I have a Roland FR-1x and am having a hard time getting the shoulder straps correct. I have been playing the accordion for more years than I want to remember and have 3 other accordions, but just can’t get the Roland to sit correctly. It seems to me that I saw that you had a video on that a few years ago and was wondering if you had any advice.
PS Just found this blog and it seems wonderful.
Hello Joe,
Usually the right strap is longer than the left – so the accordion is SNUG on the left shoulder. The smaller accordion – probably needs to ride a little lower that the big 120 bass accordion. So the top should be even with your arm pits. If the accordion still seems to SLOSH around – try a back strap. (High across the shoulder blades is a smaller accordion or you stand when you play – or lower on the back if you sit with a larger accordion). Please let me know if any of these ideas helped.
That is perfect – just what i needed. Thank You!
Shelia,
Thanks for sharing this wonderful website with me on facebook.
You are doing an amazing job.
I did not use it yet but will do the monthly exercices to get a better ear.
Where are the free sheet music, you were talking about.
I am a beginner started two months ago and would like to play along with my boyfriend and his colleagues who are all playing the guitar.
I would be interested in
Amazing grace
Folsom prisn
Mad world
The sound of silence
Simple man
Ring of fire
Heart of gold
Hallelujah
Click on the left menu items – for Beginners and for NEW Solos. OR there is a page for each month listing the songs that have been posted – check the Archives
Hi Sheila
I have just turned 60 and would love to be able to play the accordian. I have no musical knowledge but am considering purchasing an accordian and giving it a go. I came upon your site when I did a search for Love is Blue – one of my favourite all time favourite tunes. In hope to be able to push on with this soon and will be revisitin your site.
Thanks
Paul Purdham
Great news – when you get your accordion – go to the beginner link and start with the Palmer & Hughes Lesson Book 2 – there are 17 lessons there – this will help you get a solid start and by Dec. when I post Love is Blue – you will be ready!!! Again – thank you for your comment.
Great blog Shelia! Good work and keep it up! Christa T.
I really like this site. I love your personality, Shelia! I wish I took up my accordion 3 years earlier. I bought an accordion and a lesson book 25 years ago. I tried to play but got no where. I found the P and H video lessons you made. You made it look possible to learn. I got out my accordion and by golly I am playing songs! you were the motivation I needed. Thank you so much Shelia. And the best part is I am having a lot of fun. I just wish that work would stop interfering with my practice and play time. I am 55 and hope to be playing for a long time.
Re: PayPal contribution:
When I was a “Level I” accordion player, you were writing easy songs to play. I have played these songs and continue to play them. I am using them now to learn accompaniment. Now, I am a “Level 5” player and you are writing songs for me as well. I gladly contributed to your PayPal account for myself and hopefully for some other accordion player out there who may not have the funds to do so. The Gift of Music is priceless and I hope that others honor all the years of “free”. Thanks for sharing your gift. Thanks for the Blog! I will continue to read and help support you in your new endeavor!
Beverly
This is really cool. Hope it does well.
You do such great things to help people learn the accordion and to see and hear all the great music and different styles of accordion music. I appreciate all that you do!