Beginner's Guide to Bayan Playing Techniques

Author: Zhang Xiangmin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: The bayan accordion (also known as the button accordion, hereinafter referred to as bayan) is one of the most advanced, easy-to-play, and flexible-fingered accordions in the world. Despite its numerous advantages, it is not widely popular in China. As a result, many people are eager to learn about it and master its playing techniques. In recent years, I have discovered some patterns in bayan accordion teaching through my teaching practice. To help more people avoid detours and to allow beginners or children who find playing keyboard accordions difficult to enjoy the joy of playing the accordion, I have compiled this teaching material. This teaching material is divided into three parts.
The first part is the beginner's guide. This section is primarily aimed at learners who have never touched a bayan accordion, with the main focus on cultivating their interest. I have specially selected over 50 songs familiar and beloved by children from primary school music textbooks and arranged them in a one-year curriculum (including some time during winter and summer vacations). The goal is to learn one piece of music while singing one song. Learners can play the songs they enjoy singing, so they have more opportunities to showcase their artistic talents at school, in class, or in society. It is worth noting that the beginner's guide does not include dedicated practice pieces. Years of practice have proven that this arrangement allows beginners to better master basic playing techniques.
The second part is the basic finger technique training section. This section provides a detailed introduction to the various major and minor scales, arpeggios, intervals, chords, and their position diagrams for both the B and C systems of the bayan accordion, along with their fingerings. The purpose is to help learners with keyboard accordion experience quickly familiarize themselves with the basic playing techniques of the bayan accordion after understanding its positions and basic fingerings, preparing them for the content of the third part.
The third part is the examination and improvement section. I have selected 10 practice pieces, 10 polyphonic works, and 30 pieces from the national examination syllabus levels 1-5, which can be arranged as the learning content for the second year and also lay a solid foundation for further studies.