National Accordion Convention 2019

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Accordion, Accordion Dance Band Music, Accordion Sheetmusic, Accordion Solos, NAA, National Accordion Convention, Pop Solos, Shelia Lee

The National Accordion Convention (NAA)

CONVENTION LINK – http://accordions.com/naa/

Link – Playing for Dancers Songs

Hyatt Regency Hotel in Richardson(Dallas), Texas: March 7 – 9, 2019

This year the NAA will be hosting a NEW category called:

NAA Dance Band 2019 (60’s, 70’s, 80’s songs and even a 2018 song)

The purpose of the NAA Dance Band is to Create a DANCE BAND from the attendees at the Convention to perform for 1 set at the Friday Night Dance. There will be 2 to 3 rehearsals – designed to INSTRUCT you on how to PERFORM for DANCERS and how to BE A “DANCE BAND MEMBER”. This is NOT a MUSIC Rehearsal!!! You are expected to already know the MUSIC well enough to read it live at a performance. You need to be able to play the simple melody line and a simple chord accompaniment. If chord accompaniment is hard for you – see the chord chart at the beginning of Song Sheet.

This participation workshop includes:

1. Reinforce chord knowledge (with chord chart to read)
2. Meter (speeds) for certain style songs
3. Rhythmic requirements for certain style songs
4. Set development (when to play slow and when to play fast songs and for how many trips through!)
5. Chord accompaniment and solo “hand-off”
6. Group signals, relate to the drummer, feature the next soloist, etc.
7. Instrumentation, assuming that EVERY attendee will be the ONLY ACCORDIONIST, in any given Dance Band

Musical Selections for Shelia Lee’s Workshop and Dance Band Performance:

• The Twist – #1 in 1960 & 1962 Chubby Checkers
• Remember Me – 2018 Academy Award – Best Original Song from Disney’s “Coco”
• Spanish Harlem – #10 – 1960 Ben E King and on Rolling Stones Top 500 of all times
• Could I Have This Dance – Anne Murray #1 Country 1980, #33 Pop from Urban Cowboy
• Y.M.C.A. – Village People – 1978 – #2 Billboard Hot 100 #7 VH1’s Greatest Dance Songs
• Walking After Midnight – Patsy Cline – 1957 #2 Country #12 Billboard Hot 100
• Barbara Ann – Beach Boys #2 Billboard Hot 100 – 1965
• Da Doo Ron Ron – The Crystals 1965 Shaun Cassidy 1977 #1 Billboard Hot 100
• Up Where We Belong – 1982 from “An Officer and a Gentleman” #1 Billboard Hot 100
  • Spanish Harlem and Remember Me will be Medleys
  • Barbara Ann and Da Doo Ron Ron will be Medleys
  • Hokey Pokey will be added if we get them on the floor for The Twist

Link – Playing for Dancers Songs

P.S. This workshop will “teach” you how to be the “only” accordionist in a band and how to “share” the melody with the other players during a performance. THIS IS NOT A JAM!

We will start with EVERYONE playing the single melody – then start pairing up players to play the melody and the others backing off the melody and playing chords, riffs, and rhythm only! Some players will be stronger and will have the lead on certain songs while others might just play chords for all the songs – we will see HOW MUCH YOU CAN LEARN!!!!!

Designed for ALL LEVEL PLAYERS!!!!!! You will NOT NEED TO PLAY LEFT HAND!

 

NEW! LIVE Bi-Weekly Lesson – Session 2B

Tags

Accordion, Accordion Sheetmusic, Accordion Solos, Practice tips

1st & 3rd Mondays – 8 PM CENTRAL DAYLIGHT SAVING – Next – Mon. Aug 15 8pm Central (we are finally back on track – welcome to the 3rd Monday!)

• http://www.ustream.tv/channel/my-accordion-blog—shelia-lee
• Please watch Session 2A – this will be a continuation – 2B
  

The largest motivation I have for doing all this – is that there are NOT ENOUGH ACCORDION TEACHERS out there these days – and those that do teach – are hurting for new and modern materials to use. AND here in the USA – there is NO Certification process – for future accordionists OR teachers and no accordion organizations that offers it.

These sessions will be recorded so you can catch it at another time – or use it for review. AND see that even though I am starting VERY LOW – I will have challenges for the advance beginner, the intermediate player and the teachers!

I will be teaching on a TRI-Level basis. Please print out material needed:

• Level 1 Session 2B – See Below
• Dizzy Fingers pg 4 & 5 – please print pg 4 (should already have printed)
• 1 Sleep, Sleep – (Du, Du, Liegst Mir Im Herzen)  should have from last session
• Que Sera Sera Alternating Basses (Tonight’s Sight Reading)
• 2 Favorite Polka Solo – Additional Solo
• Drink To Me Only – 1st song in PH Bk 2 (print if you don’t have bk 2)
• Camptown Races – 2nd song in PH Bk 2 (print if you don’t have bk 2)
• Chord Positions All Keys – this is the CORRECT chart – should already have
• Teachers – Level 1 Session 2B – I will get the print out polished and get posted here

************

1. Beginner – Session 2B
   
   1. We did a fantastic Review in 1C and starting 2A
      
      1. Review C, F & G Scales – now 2 octaves (adding the first 4 bass notes)
      2. Intro to 4 note Bass Scales
   2. Book Lesson Songs
      1. 1 Sleep, Sleep – (Du, Du, Liegst Mir Im Herzen)  Review with Bass Solo
      2. Intro to Counterbasses (please print) (should have from last session)
      3. The Can-Can (Hand moves) PH Bk 1
         
      4. Vegetables on Parade (Too Fat Polka) PH Bk 1
         
      5. All with backtracks
   3. 1. Review Reading Lines and Spaces BOTH HANDS
   1. Beg. Sight Reading – Que Sera Sera & Favorite Polka
   2. Intro to PH 2 – First 2 Songs
      
   3. Theory Book through the Review 21
2. Intermediate – Chords and 1 Advanced Solo
   1. Dizzy Fingers Pg 4 (you already have pg 5)
   2. Add Chords to Sight Reading Songs
   3. Chord Positions All Keys 
3. Teachers – How to relate these ABOVE skills to your students
   1. Reinforce – reading left hand staff
      
   2. Teachers – video all songs from this session – two speeds – Slow and Performance
4. ALL LEVELS – ALFRED’S ESSENTIALS OF MUSIC THEORY
   1. Theory Book – section to 10-13, ear training and the review (pg 21)
   2. I will review these with you on the live broadcast
   3. Fill in the TEST at the back of Book 1 and we will check these off in Session 2C
5. Assignment – master these new songs and techniques

New Posts for June 2016

Tags

Accordion, Accordion Sheetmusic, Accordion Solos

Archive of Songs Posted in June

WOW – where has the month gone? We are past Silver Falls Accordion Camp, past Leavenworth Accordion Celebration – and now on to AAA and ATG in July – and Las Vegas in Aug.

Before you know it – the Accordion Cruise will be here!! Be sure and SIGN UP NOW!!! We still have cabins available!!

 

These songs have been added to the Accordion Blog – Since the last email broadcast.

1. Ambiance Musettienne, page 2
   1. Ambiance Musettienne, page 1
2. Anantango accordion duet sent in by Alan Sissons
3. Are You Lonesome Tonight? 1960
4. Crying in the Chapel 1965
5. Donna 1959
6. Fairest Lord Jesus
7. Farewell Polka (Grand March)
8. Freely, Freely (Sacred)
9. Holy is Your Name by Mark Haas
10. Krakoujak 1stpg1 (Polish Polka Duet)
    • Krakoujak1stpg2
    • Krakoujak2ndpg1
    • Krakoujak2ndpg2
11. Let it Be Me – 1960
12. Musetta’s waltz song from La Boheme sent by Alan Sissons
13. O Sole Mio 1stpg1 (Duet)
    • OSoleMio1stpg2
    • OSoleMio2ndpg1
    • OSoleMio2ndpg2
14. Preludio e fuga accordion duet sent in by Alan Sissons
15. Prologue from Pagliacci (Level 5!) sent in by Alan Sissons
16. Soleil Lead Line
17. Tinikling (Philippine Bamboo Dance) DUET
18. Valse Chinoise (French)

Articles:

1. Where’s That Darn C Bass!
2. Everything ELVIS!
3. NEW! LIVE Bi-Weekly Lesson – Session 1B
4. NEW! LIVE B-Weekly Lesson – Session 1C (I will be redoin this one Sunday July 3rd 7 pm Central Time

 

NEW! LIVE Bi-Weekly Lesson – Session 1C

Tags

Accordion, Accordion lessons, Accordion Sheetmusic, Accordion Solos, Practice tips

Honors Accordion Level 1 Session 1C

1st & 3rd Mondays – 8 PM CENTRAL DAYLIGHT SAVING – Mon. June 20th (next live Sunday July 3rd Level 1 Session 2) (normally on Monday – but – USA – Holiday is Monday July 4th)

• http://www.ustream.tv/channel/my-accordion-blog—shelia-lee
• Please watch Session 1A & 1B – this will be a continuation
• I DID do this LIVE – Now I am having problems with the USTREAM feed

The largest motivation I have for doing all this – is that there are NOT ENOUGH ACCORDION TEACHERS out there these days – and those that do teach – are hurting for new and modern materials to use. AND here in the USA – there is NO Certification process – for future accordionists OR teachers and no accordion organizations that offers it.

These sessions will be recorded so you can catch it at another time – or use it for review. AND see that even though I am starting VERY LOW – I will have challenges for the advance beginner, the intermediate player and the teachers!

I will be teaching on a TRI-Level basis. Please print out material needed:

• Level 1 Session 1 – no need to reprint – should already have from last lesson
• Dizzy Fingers pg 4 & 5 – please print pg 4
• This Land is Your Land – please print
• Chord Positions All Keys – this is the CORRECT chart – should already have
• Teachers – Session 1 – no need to reprint – should already have from last lesson

1. Beginner – Review 1b (Page 17 to 27)
   
   1. 1 PH Bk 1 – Keyboard – Session 1
      
      1. Review & Check off Songs and Drills-C, F & G Scales
         1. Go ‘Way & Merrily We Play Along
            1. All with backtracks
         2. Legato – Horse Sense
         3. The Donkey, Jingle Bells (Write in Bass Chord Bass Chord pattern)
         4. All with backtracks
         5. Join the Fun! & Charlie the Chimp (Write in Alternating basses)
         6. All with backtracks
      2. Review Reading Lines and Spaces and 5 Bass Notes
2. Beginner – Session 1c (pg 17 to 27)
   1. Beg. Sight Reading – This Land Is Your Land
   2. Beg. Sight Reading – When the Saints
      
   3. Theory Book through the Review 10
   4. Assignment
      1. Record yourself playing 1 song in 4/4 and one song in 3/4
      2. Be proud enough of the recording to post to You Tube and send the link!
      3. Answer Questions pg 29 (Done in 1b)
3. Intermediate – Chords and 1 Advanced Solo
   1. Dizzy Fingers Pg 4 (you already have pg 5)
   2. He – Level 2 – Sight Reading
   3. Chord Positions All Keys (Correction – wrong one posted last week)
      1. He – Chords Only
4. Teacher – How to relate these ABOVE skills to your students
   1. 1 PH Bk 1 – Workbook Level 1 Session 1
      1. Review Teacher Book pg 15 to 17
      2. Teachers – video all songs from this session – two speeds – Slow and Performance
      3. All through the Night (Teacher’s Explanation) (SKIP)
      4. This session and the Last Session – Great time to send home the worksheets to reinforce reading of notes and counts.
      5. Review – with teachers – how to use Drop Box
5. ALL LEVELS – ALFRED’S ESSENTIALS OF MUSIC THEORY
   1. Theory Book of Intermediate players – next section to review 10
   2. Beginners – under 12 years old – do the teacher handouts

Everything ELVIS!!!

Tags

Accordion, Accordion Sheetmusic, Accordion Solos

Elvis Presley – #1 Hits and others

I have to admit – my mother didn’t like Elvis because she was old school – she loved Eddie Fisher and Frank Sinatra and my Dad loved Polkas and Bob Wells. SOOO I did not grow up hearing many Elvis tunes. Then when I became a professional accordionist – I had to go and learn his tunes because that was all that I was getting requests for – and I sincerely fell in love with his voice and his style AND I saw EVERY MOVIE!!!

My band always played Can’t Help Falling In Love as our 2nd song of the first set and always ended the evening with My Way. If we had a crowd that was into good old Rock N Roll – we had to run through – Heartbreak Hotel, Jailhouse Rock, & Hound Dog overlaid with Don’t be Cruel (same chord structure!)

I hate to list songs that ARE NOT ON THE ACCORDION BLOG YET – because they will catch in the search – BUT this list is getting pretty well done – so I will continue to add songs to the list as I get the written!

SOO here is my list of Elvis tunes arranged in the year they were published – VIVA! ROCK N ROLL!

• That’s Alright Mama 1954
• Heartbreak Hotel Level 3.5 1956
• Hound Dog (Level 2) 1956
• I Want You, I Need You, I Love You – lead line
  • I Want You, I Need You, I Love You – Level 3 1956
• Blue Suede Shoes – Lead Line 1956
• Don’t Be Cruel Key of C 1956
• Love Me Tender arr by Shelia 1956
• All Shook Up 1957
• Teddy Bear 1957
• Jailhouse Rock 1957
• Are You Lonesome Tonight? 1960 NEW
• It’s Now or Never 1960
• Good Luck Charm 1961
• Can’t Help Falling In Love 12:8 Key of F 1961
• Blue Hawaii 1962 (Soundtrack Grammy Nominated)
• Return to Sender 1962
• Muss I Denn Key G (Wooden Heart) 1964
• Viva Las Vega 1964
• Crying in the Chapel 1965 NEW
• How Great Thou Art Simple 1967 Grammy (there is a TRIO TOO)
• Suspicious Minds 1969
• The Wonder of You 1970
• Kentucky Rain 1970
• Burning Love 1972
• My Way 1969 – Elvis 1977

About Elvis’ Songs:

Most fans are not aware that Elvis only won only three Grammy Awards, and those were all for Gospel recordings!

How could the King of Rock & Roll not win any Grammys for his rock & roll records? One big reason is that the Grammy awards did not start until 1958. In 1956 and 1957, Elvis changed the sound of popular music and had hit after hit. If there had been Grammy Awards for those years, Elvis surely would have won a cabinet full of trophies. How could he have been denied the title for Best Vocal Performance, Male, or Best Performance By A Top 40 Artist?

In 1967, he finally won a Grammy for Best Sacred Performance for the album How Great Thou Art. In 1972 Elvis won his second Grammy when his album He Touched Me took the Best Inspirational Performance award. In 1974 Elvis won this category again for his third and last Grammy. But instead of winning for a single or an album, Elvis won for the live version of the song “How Great Thou Art”.

It should be noted that the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences partially rectified their earlier snubs of Elvis by granting him their Lifetime Achievement Award in 1971.

Donna by Ritchie Valens

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Accordion, Accordion Exercises, Accordion Sheetmusic, Accordion Solos

Valen’s last Hit before his death in Feb. 1959

Valens’ Donna was positioned at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart when Valens died. Three weeks after Valens’ death, the song peaked at #2.

I hate to date myself – but I REMEMBER hearing about the plane crash on the radio – sitting in my kitchen when I was 10 years old! It was more noted that the BIG BOPPER and Buddy Holly  – also died in the crash! That event has become known as “The Day the Music Died” because it is so called in Don McLean’s 1971 song “American Pie”.

Link – Donna

Reading Exercise: I am calling this a Level 3 – it has triples, is counted using SWING TIME – and has a few “scale runs” that all use the same fingering!!!!

The song is originally written in 12/8 – and I wrote in 4/4 using triples to make it easier. SOOO – when you see a Dotted 8th followed by a 16 note – you will play it like a triplet – with the first 2 notes of the triplet tied together – like in the example!

Measure 5 – count 3 – is the best example!                                                          When you are counting – just SAY “TRI – PO – Let” for each of the 3 counts of the triplet! AND if you are having further problems – start by NOT playing the ties – lift each note – so you are sure you are hitting the correct count!

So the first two measures would count this way (without the ties):

One    tri po let   tripo  let    four (then tie the last “let” to the “four”)

tripo  let     tri  po  let     Three(four) (then tie the first “let” to the next “tri”) – UNDERLINED!

About the Song:

“Donna” is a song sung by Ritchie Valens, featuring the 50s progression I IV V7 I. The song was released in 1958 on Del-Fi Records. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart the following year, becoming Valens’ highest-charting single. It was written as a tribute to his high school sweetheart Donna Ludwig.

The song was notably covered by Los Lobos for the soundtrack to the 1987 film La Bamba which portrayed the life story of Ritchie Valens. Donna”, the second Ritchie Valens single released, was the A side of the influential and more famous song “La Bamba”.

Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.

Tinikling – Philippine Bamboo Dance

Tags

Accordion, Accordion Duets, Accordion Sheetmusic, Accordion Solos

Tinikling – Accordion Solo/Duet

I have had more fun with this song – and even as an ensemble. Purchase 2 bamboo sticks you are in business. Get a few members of your accordion band to watch a few videos and then they can PLAY THE BAMBOO while you invite the audience to participate.

Be ready for a Cardio – Workout!!! This is more fun than Jump Rope!

This is a Pietro Diero Jr arrangement.

• Tinikling1stpg1
• Tinikling1stpg2
• Tinikling1stpg3
• Tinikling2ndpg1
• Tinikling2ndpg2
• Tinikling2ndpg3

About the Song:

Tinikling is a traditional Philippine dance which originated during the Spanish colonial era. The dance involves two people beating, tapping, and sliding bamboo poles on the ground and against each other in coordination with one or more dancers who step over and in between the poles in a dance. It is traditionally danced to rondalla music, a sort of serenade played by an ensemble of stringed instruments which originated in Spain during the Middle Ages.

The dance originated in Leyte, an island in the Visayas in the central Philippines. It imitates the movement of the tikling birds as they walk between grass stems, run over tree branches, or dodge bamboo traps set by rice farmers. Dancers imitate the tikling bird’s legendary grace and speed by skillfully maneuvering between large bamboo poles.

Let it Be Me – 1960

Tags

Accordion, Accordion Sheetmusic, Accordion Solos

Everly Brothers – 1960

If you look up the song – you will find that EVERYONE has recorded this song!! Not a year has gone by since 1960 – that there isn’t a recording by some one – even – Emma Hamilton in 2011 recorded a Jazz version of this song on her La Musique album with both French and English lyrics.

An accordionist and subscriber to the Accordion Blog – Katherine was so excited that she is now writing out her own arrangements using Finale NotePad (FREE Program) – that she sent me this one to share with the Accordion Blog World. I asked – kinda’ sheepishly – could I add the FAMOUS harmony notes and she replied – and I quote – “Ooooh yes! Harmonize please!” 

So here it is. I kept her arrangement just as she wrote it – but added the 3rds and the 6ths – to emulate the style that the Everly Brothers always sang in. Thank you Katherine.

This is lead line – so add your bass style by reading the Bass Cues above the line.

Let It Be Me (harmonized)

HINT – instant DUET – the first phrase is played unison (or 2nd can play chords only!) and then the 2nd accordion plays the harmony note!

About the Song:

“Let It Be Me” is a popular song originally published in French in 1955 as “Je t’appartiens“. It became popular worldwide with an English version by The Everly Brothers and later with the duet by Betty Everett and Jerry Butler.

The Everly Brothers helped to further popularize the song with their 1960 rendition of “Let It Be Me” which reached 7th position on the Billboard Hot 100. The harmony arrangement of this version was often emulated in subsequent remakes.

 

 

New Posts in May 2016

Tags

Accordion, Accordion Duet, Accordion Sheetmusic, Accordion Solos

See what You missed if you don’t Subscribe!!!

In May – I was really busy working on the arrangements for the ATG Prep Orchestra, planning the Accordion Cruise for this coming November, working hard on the Certificate Program Levels, and the Bi-Monthly LIVE lessons that went LIVE MAY 2, 2016. 8 PM Central Daylight Savings Standard US time. (Session 1B – Live Monday June 6 – 8 pm)

Here are the songs that were posted in May:

1. All I Have to Do is Dream (1958) Solo/Ensemble
2. Camptown Twist Ensemble
3. Chicagoland Twirl Page 2 (Polka by Yakovic)
   1. Chicagoland Twirl Page 1
4. Saltarella Tarantella
   1. Saltarella in G (written for Diatonic Accordion)
5. Ballad of the Green Berets (Solo/Duet)
6. A Teenager in Love BH – (Sight Reading from Live Lesson)
7. The Old Piano Roll Blues – arr. by Bob Butchart
8. Madame Butterfly selection (furnished by Alan Sissons)
9. L’Ultima Parola Tango (furnished by Alan Sissons)
10. Arrangements by Dunday
    1. Piano Man
    2. Yesterday
    3. Pearly Shells
    4. Tiny Bubbles
    5. Aloha ‘Oe
    6. I Love Paris
11. There’s Something About That Name
12. Macarena
13. Hukilau

A Review from April:

• I Walk the Line
• Happy Days Theme (Quartet)

Live Videos of Some of the Ensemble Arrangements on this site performed by The Norwich Accordion Band in England:

• Hey Jude
• Oh, Pretty Woman
• The Rose

Live Videos of Some of the Solo Arrangements on this site performed by Dr. Alan Sissons (please send me your videos and I will feature them too!)

• Dream a Little Dream of Me
• He
• Summertime

Leavenworth International Accordion Celebration

Collection of Music for playing in the Gazebo

Leavenworth Gazebo Music 2016

Tags

Accordion, Accordion Duets, Accordion Sheetmusic, Accordion Solos

PDF’s for Leavenworth Gazebo Music

We have people from our Accordion Club here in the Houston, TX area – that Travel all the way to Washington to attend this Accordion Celebration. They also have a competition for all ages!

Check it out: http://www.accordioncelebration.org/

They have greatly increased the number of songs they have included in their Gazebo Music collection. Here is a list of the songs for this year:

Leavenworth Gig Book 2016

1. Ach! Du Leiber Augustin
2. Alle Vogel sind schon da
3. Basaglieri Polka
4. Bella Mia
5. Beer Barrel Polka (Key of G)
6. Bury Me Not (DUET)
7. Can-Can (Gallop from Orpheus) (DUET)
8. Chicken Dance
9. Country Garden (DUET)
10. Die Musica
11. Edelweiss
12. Entertainer, The
13. Freut Euch Des Lebens
14. Give Me My Heart Back
15. God Bless America (DUET)
16. Greet Them At Home
17. Happy Wanderer
18. Hasselbysteppen
19. Hejsan Grabbar
20. It’s a Small World (DUET)
21. Joan Pa Snippen
22. Just Because
23. La Golondrina (DUET)
24. Life in the Finnish Woods
25. Lili Marlene
26. Pa Stattern
27. Put Your Arms Around Me
28. Red Raven Polka
29. Redwing
30. Saturday Waltz
31. Scotland the Brave (DUET)
32. Snow Waltz
33. Sunrise, Sunset
34. Trink, Bruderlein Trink
35. Waltzing Matilda (DUET)
36. Westphalia Waltz
37. When It’s Springtime in the Rockies
38. Wooden Heart
39. Worried Man Blues (DUET)