I'm definitely guilty of 'the claw' at times. What habits in this video can you relate to?

Excellent topic. There have been too many generations that believe exploiting your body is a right of passage. You are a good person for talking about this.

After playing for 20 years I've only recently learnt about tucking the accordion into the right thigh and letting the left leg hold some of the weight. Great points that you raise in this video.

Genuinely useful! So many tutorials head right into the keyboard layout -- I've been playing for eight months and learned a ton from your 14 minutes. Thank you!

Thank you Lucy. I have been playing accordion for several years and you just taught me to play so much better and easier.

Lucy, I think you just pointed out my big mistake. I was using my wrist and elbow instead of my whole arm and that caused me a lot of problems with pain and fatigue. I also forgot to spread my left leg properly to hold the instrument and that was a bad habit I've developed. After addressing some of the things you mentioned on this video, I can feel a difference now. Thank you so much for making this video.

Hi Lucy, I'm not a beginner, but this is still useful information, well done. Thankyou.

the most helpful video for beginners I have found, great friendly, clear and “all business” approach - refreshing and inspiring, THANK you!

Thank you Lucy. I learned so much watching this video. I haven't played my accordion for quite awhile, and listening to your great tips made me want to get it out and start practicing again.

thank you for the video. It made me realize that my straps were too short and the accordion was not resting on my lap. I had another pair of straps that are longer and swapped them. What a difference it made both in my shoulders discomfort and my playing. I also added a back strap but I did not know that you have to be a contortionist to snap it together. 😵‍💫

Thanks so much Lucy - all your beginner videos are brilliant!

Finding straps that fit well is SO important. I used to have these nice thick leather straps for my 120, but they were always a touch too big, and I could never find the right buckle hole for them to feel just right. I later switched to and accordion harness from Neotech. It did feel a little bit like sacrilege going to non-leather straps, but they work so much better for me. I probably wouldn't trust them with a giant converter or a tone chamber instrument, but for my no-name (Likely Guerrini and Sons?) LMH 41/120, and my Titano Ideal, they are super comfy and work very well!

Lucy, you forgot the best seat for practicing and playing the accordion: a piano bench. It is height adjustable, soft but not too soft and it doesn't have a back that distracts your arms. This has helped me a lot. For the size of the accordion: I wouldn't say it depends on your level of playing but your body size. I am a big man so a 48 oder 72 bass accordion is just too small for me, so i have a 120. 120 is indeed probably too big for you and you play WAY better than me 🙂 Also: a larger accordion means a larger bellows so you have more air ;-) I have also learned to set up the straps so that the right strap is a bit longer than the left one.

Another great video. I stopped taking lessons about 60 years ago, but get my accordion out once a year at Christmas to play Christmas carol for friends and family. I think you covered everyone of my bad habits. I did not even know that back straps existed and have a constant problem with the left strap dropping down the side of my arm and the left arm strap is too loose, but the adjustment screw is always slipping so I can't keep contact with the left side. I'm going to look for an accordion repair store who might be able to help me fix that. I love your playing too. I'm going to try some of your French songs. You play them so beautifully. Thanks for making these videos.

I've been playing for years and still found a lot of mistakes I was making! Thanks so much!

Lucy, I studied this video earlier and as things stand now, I am doing most of my playing standing up. Very soon I am certain, I will have to store a straight backed folding chair hear near the PC to set aside the office chair for study and practice. Formerly, MOST of my playing was done at the foot of the bed. Much oblige The last few days I have been picking the accordion up more often and keeping it on my longer and my back woes are a bit less then they were. I'll need to invest in new straps, though not just now. Eventually they will be the first item on an order to Liberty Bellows :)

So glad I found you!

Thank you this is an incredibly useful video! My left arm and wrist have been paining. figured out the mistakes :)

Lucy lots of good help and information here. One aspect I was hoping for was how to use the shoulder straps to position the accordion correctly.

Excellent advice. All very helpful. Thanks -a-million! Game changer!

I'm learning so much from your videos . Thanx ❤

Very good information

Another great video Lucy. Well done . very informative

Soo useful video, tysm!

Very useful, thank you Lucy

Thank you! Have been having sore left shoulder when playing for several hours---no backstrap! So I just ordered one. Your points are all so clear. I find I have to be very picky about the lengths of my shoulder straps and even which end I shorten in order to get the keyboard comfortably in line with my chin. Then, even playing the lowest notes works well with only a slight bend in my right wrist. You taught yourself really well!

Hi Lucy, this is all great advice! One thing you might want to explain more is putting on a back strap, which can be tricky to do without assistance. This is why when I bought one, I didn’t use it much for years. Though I don’t know if this is best, I later found that putting the back strap on quite high, near my neck, and then pushing it down worked well for me. I don’t know how important placement is, but it seems fine as long as it keeps the shoulder straps from sliding off.

Many thanks.

Well done Lucy..it helped me a lot. Allan

Nice one...helpful ❤

Very helpful!

excellent

Thank you so much Lucy! Helpfull advise to when I get a bigger accordion

Excelente Lucy !!!

Extremely good video. You're a small person but I am a very big man but nonetheless applying your instructions will definitely make it easier on me even if I have the strength to move my instrument

Thanks very much for posting this video Lucy. I was recently given an accordion that belonged to my late brother and have been looking for a bit of guidance on playing and holding it correctly. I had the straps slipping off the shoulders, etc. I've also been doing "the claw" and just tried holding my elbow out and arm straight and it's made an enormous difference. Looking forward to learning more and playing. Thanks & regards, Mark

Only recently realised the shoulder straps on my Hohner are only as wide as the backstraps you have, You've confirmed here why I don't have full control, so thanks Lucy. Didn't have back straps come with it! Looking to order some wider leather shoulder straps and use the old straps to hopefully make a suitable back strap. A brilliantly informative video throughout

Excelent!!!👏👏👏👏👏🌹🌹🌹

Lucy super bravo grand performance the músic the akordeon fantástic Thanck Joli 😢

Great idea for video - i find it so frustrating when i see people not having accordion in correct position. You just know that with a few adjustments their playing would improve significantly. Sometimes , if it is appropriate , i have pointed this out to the person - great to see the light bulb moment for them !

Loved your video .. I need to learn more and more, especially for the bass area .. I have good ears and know some basics of reading musical scores .. but do I really need to actually learn the musical scores in order to play professionally the accordion. I have many pro accordion player friends who tell me you don't need to. But I can't find someone who can teach me where I live .. please help!

Very interesting on placement. i think my accordion may be too small to wedge the keyboard into my right thigh. Also, you definitely put the accordion farther right than I do. Will defintely have to try that. I generally put the it farther left overall. Seems weird to have the bellows almost resting on the left leg. But im new, so idk.

any thoughts about playing/performing while standing vs. sitting? I note that in older videos (Lawrence Welk era) the accordionist almost always plays standing and has memoraized the music; in more current performances, the player sits and frequently is looking at the music off camera; I'm trying to figure how to train myself ....

Hi Lucy! Do you also play a small accordion?

Do you offer lessons? I am also based in Melbourne and looking to pick up the accordion

Very useful information, thank you! The back strap is what I need to get! I am also wrestling with the idea of downsizing from my 96-bass, it’s heavy!

Do you plan on owning a 120 bass?

The more I think about it, the more posture issues seem to arise. The more posture issues I have, the less fun I have playing the accordion. Love hate this instrument after 3 months.

You are so beautiful ❤

To be honest most of the tips you give on this video aren't going to help a beginner, quite the opposite actually. You don't want your accordion hanging 4,5 or 6 inches down from your shoulders and in between your thighs, you really haven't got any control of the movements that way. For the best control and least strenuous way to holding it, it should not be hanging on you shoulders like a school bag but should be tightly held onto your body so it's your whole back that's lifting it. The right height of it is equally important the top corner of the keyboard should be about 1 or 2 inches down from your shoulder, press you finger in at the should joint and feel where the lower edge of the knuckle is and that's where it should be. If you have the accordion hanging so loosely you also won't have proper control of your bellows.