Lesson - La Valse Des Pins (The Waltz of the Pines)

"The Valse de Pins" (or waltz of the pines) was originally recorded by accordion legend, Lawrence Walker.
The author learned this song from Accordionist - Fiddler Dirk Powell.  Dirk performs with Balfa Tourjours.
You can listen to the entire song being played live by Balfa Toujours on their "Live at Whiskey River Landing" CD.  (Rounder 11661-6096-2)

Or better yet, follow this link for this and numerous other great Cajun tunes played by the original artists:  http://npmusic.org/

One of the key features of learning "Valse de Pins" is a very useful style pattern that can be applied over and over again in other songs.  (It can be used in 2/4 as well as 3/4 timing.)

This style "trick" is really simple when broken down.
It amounts to playing an Octave with your index finger and pinky (and those of you that have been following along know how much the author has been stressing the play-in-octaves technique) and alternately playing a single note with your ring or middle finger.
Click here for a video demonstration.

This song is presented at "full-speed" with accompaniment with a few of the embellishments that Dirk uses on their recording of it.

The song is also played slowly without accompaniment, and the phrases separated.

Note that several phrases are repeated.  To save room, the repeated phrases are presented just once.

Also available is the accompaniment, all by its lonesome, so that you can practice along .. And the author hopes you will!

That's it for now!  Thanks for stopping by.  Keep those cards & letters coming!

Big Nick & the Cydecos will be releasing their third CD this spring of 2004, "Big Nick Picnic".
Plans are to include some of the CD tracks on this box lesson seminar as well.
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