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#424667 - 08/10/16 08:31 PM how do YOU communicate with other band members
Mark79100 Offline
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Registered: 10/23/06
Posts: 1661
Loc: USA
I think about this every so often. I thought I'd throw it out there this time.

I was hired to be the "German accordionist" with a band last year. I never played with them before. I did the customary "salute" during playing to advise the band members what key I was going into. Every time we ended up playing in different keys.

I questioned the guitarist. I said I had one finger "UP" meaning I'm going into the key of G. Two fingers "DOWN" means entering B flat. He argued endlessly that I had it wrong...one finger up means F and two down means D.

I haven't played in a band in years. Do I have it wrong?

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#424669 - 08/10/16 10:09 PM Re: how do YOU communicate with other band members [Re: Mark79100]
Uncle Dave Offline
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Registered: 12/01/99
Posts: 12800
Loc: Penn Yan, NY
That's the way I always called the keys. Up for sharps!
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#424676 - 08/11/16 03:25 AM Re: how do YOU communicate with other band members [Re: Mark79100]
Bernie9 Online   content
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Registered: 09/21/02
Posts: 5520
Loc: Port Charlotte,FL,USA
My band has always done the same.
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#424677 - 08/11/16 03:35 AM Re: how do YOU communicate with other band members [Re: Bernie9]
bruno123 Offline
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Registered: 06/04/02
Posts: 4912
Loc: West Palm Beach, FL 33417
I don't remember it being anything different. The words themselves tell the story. Flat is flat.

John C.

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#424681 - 08/11/16 06:27 AM Re: how do YOU communicate with other band members [Re: Mark79100]
Fran Carango Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 05/26/99
Posts: 9673
Loc: Levittown, Pa, USA
Originally Posted By: Mark79100
I think about this every so often. I thought I'd throw it out there this time.

I was hired to be the "German accordionist" with a band last year. I never played with them before. I did the customary "salute" during playing to advise the band members what key I was going into. Every time we ended up playing in different keys.

I questioned the guitarist. I said I had one finger "UP" meaning I'm going into the key of G. Two fingers "DOWN" means entering B flat. He argued endlessly that I had it wrong...one finger up means F and two down means D.

I haven't played in a band in years. Do I have it wrong?




Mark,if your original key was C in your example, you are using circle of fifths (accordion players)...
If your guitar guy was in the key of E...than he is correct..
I have always based on half steps.up or down, self explaining. Up 1, raise a half step..
Even girl singers get this.


Edited by Fran Carango (08/11/16 06:28 AM)
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#424688 - 08/11/16 07:49 AM Re: how do YOU communicate with other band members [Re: Fran Carango]
tony mads usa Offline
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Registered: 01/16/02
Posts: 14376
Loc: East Greenwich RI USA
For me - and my band mates - it was always up for sharps, down for flats ...
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#424689 - 08/11/16 09:08 AM Re: how do YOU communicate with other band members [Re: Mark79100]
124 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 01/01/09
Posts: 2195
Not sure how any of that works. I was always in bands that knew what song was coming next, and what key they were in.

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#424690 - 08/11/16 10:11 AM Re: how do YOU communicate with other band members [Re: Mark79100]
travlin'easy Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 12/08/02
Posts: 15576
Loc: Forest Hill, MD USA
Ditto!
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#424692 - 08/11/16 10:17 AM Re: how do YOU communicate with other band members [Re: 124]
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
Originally Posted By: 124
Not sure how any of that works. I was always in bands that knew what song was coming next, and what key they were in.


ditto.................

as musical director playing keyboards on tour years ago with show bands during sound check & rehearsals,I would always single out each player randomly to play their part solo to see if they were holding their own as a slacker could ruin a show,....everyone had to pull their weight always or your gone. Simple as that.


Edited by Dnj (08/11/16 10:18 AM)

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#424696 - 08/11/16 11:12 AM Re: how do YOU communicate with other band members [Re: Fran Carango]
bruno123 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 06/04/02
Posts: 4912
Loc: West Palm Beach, FL 33417
Fran, I do not understand your post. Where did you find C in Marks post? And what does the circle of fifths have to do with hand signals?

Just trying to understand.
John C.

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#424738 - 08/12/16 04:03 AM Re: how do YOU communicate with other band members [Re: bruno123]
Bernie9 Online   content
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/02
Posts: 5520
Loc: Port Charlotte,FL,USA
"C" was only an example I believe. However,if the signals given are in Concert C, Bb people would always have to transpose the 2 step difference in their heads to move to the new key.
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#424739 - 08/12/16 05:58 AM Re: how do YOU communicate with other band members [Re: Mark79100]
bruno123 Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 06/04/02
Posts: 4912
Loc: West Palm Beach, FL 33417
The greater part of my music career was playing in a band. Sax players and trumpet players and bass players wanted the hands signs to be given from a concert key of C major. They transposed the rest themselves.

How confusing t would be if we were giving hand signals based on the different instruments ( Bb Eb) in the band.

In all my 45+ years of playing with other musicians I have never seen a musician use Up for flat keys and Down for sharp keys.

Just saying, John C.

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