Would an Instrument in the Key of GCF Work in Church?

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I’m not sure if this is the right section to post this, but I think it might be.

I recently purchased a second accordion which has three rows. Each row is a different key, one row is in G, one row is in C, and another in F. Here is the keyboard layout. Would this instrument be capable of playing in the Church music group?
 
It would depend on the group, but I doubt it. Guitar-based groups would gravitate toward the sharp keys (D, A, and E), while keyboard-based groups would tend read straight from the hymnal, meaning they would play wherever the piece is written, including the various flat keys.
 
Accordions aren’t really traditionally thought of as instruments used for Mass. They’re more for folk music, especially dancing. However, I guess you could play the hymns as long as the rest of the group only chose music in those three keys. Hymns in the key of C are kind of rare because of the range, but G and F are more popular. Presumably, you could also play in A, D, and E minor?
 
If everyone else is playing in the keys you mention, yes. But I doubt you’ll find a group that would welcome an accordion. Accordion, like drums, are often considered way too “big” a sound for the Mass.
Any hymn can be transposed to another key.
Learn to read music, and you’ll find you can play anything, so long as you can transpose it to where everyone else is comfortable.
 
I guess it most likely wouldn’t work in Mass then. Button Box/Melodeon type accordions are not the best at playing in keys other than the ones they are tuned in (they are similar to harmonicas, blowing air in produces a different note than sucking air out.) I don’t know if it can play in other keys. I believe that you can play other keys in the rows, but you have to leave out some of the notes that aren’t available.

However, I remember reading that the keys G, C, and F work well with guitars. The music in the parish I go to has a guitar I believe. Does this mean they play in the key of G? Or are guitars chromatic, like pianos?

I can read sheet music to an extent. I struggle a bit with determining how long a note is supposed to be, if I don’t know the song. Otherwise, I can read it easily.
 
Guitars have a full range of notes, but flats are difficult.
There are easy G chords yes. But that does not mean that everything they play is in G.

You need a music instructor than explain to you musical concepts of composition, like the circle of 5ths and key signatures.
You can learn rhythm and note values online.
If you were to trade someone guitar lessons for accordion lessons that might be an option.
 
Melodeonist said:
I guess it most likely wouldn’t work in Mass then. Button Box/Melodeon type accordions are not the best at playing in keys other than the ones they are tuned in (they are similar to harmonicas, blowing air in produces a different note than sucking air out.) I don’t know if it can play in other keys. I believe that you can play other keys in the rows, but you have to leave out some of the notes that aren’t available.

However, I remember reading that the keys G, C, and F work well with guitars. The music in the parish I go to has a guitar I believe. Does this mean they play in the key of G? Or are guitars chromatic, like pianos?

I can read sheet music to an extent. I struggle a bit with determining how long a note is supposed to be, if I don’t know the song. Otherwise, I can read it easily.
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Actually, guitars are easily played in any key. Even an extremely novice guitar player can transpose keys almost effortlessly with the use of a capo. In fact, much of the guitar chord progressions in the hymnal are already written in the “easy keys” of D, Amin, G, C, Emin, etc and the player is instructed to capo to the correct key in order to match the rest of the instruments. The issue wouldn’t be matching the guitar, it would be keeping the song in a range that is reasonable for the congregation to sing.
 
I guess the only accordion that could work in Mass would be a Piano Accordion then. Diatonic Button Accordions only have two scales. Chromatic Button Accordions are a different story.
 
Melodeonist said:
I guess the only accordion that could work in Mass would be a Piano Accordion then. Diatonic Button Accordions only have two scales. Chromatic Button Accordions are a different story.
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I’d think it would be hard to find a choir/music director that would welcome an accordion, despite all your talents and desire to help. They’re really strong.
Master your instrument, and transfer your knowledge to something a bit more accessible for Mass.
Not saying it can’t be done…but people carry on about Mass music.
God bless you for wanting to serve in song!
 
It is the hope of many people that the fad of “contemporary” or “folk” ensembles (most of which perform music that is neither contemporary nor traditional folk) would die out. No offense, but while I love the accordion and play it myself, I would never condone its use at Mass. It is a secular instrument with secular associations. I believe the same thing about drums, Scottish bagpipes, and, yes, guitars.
 
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