Left hand technique

Hi, a long time since I wrote in this blog but as I lately had more time to pursue music and other interest I am hoping to start to write more.

Today I am going to write about proper bellows tech
nique. It will be quite hard to explain in text but I do my best.

When playing pull out two measures and in two measures. Keep your left
elbow close to your side. The bellows pull out in a slight downward
movement and back as you go. Never lift up as you pull out; the bellows
move automatically downward slightly when pulling out. Make sure both
bellows straps are unlocked.

The bottom of the bellows act as a kind of hinge but will open more if you have to pull out a greater distance. Simply retrace your steps pushing in. Never lift up your
bellows when pushing in causing the top portion to become a hinge as
witnessed too often. This wastes air and probably
was only done to rest the arm a little but it is still very poor bellows
technique and looks ugly and cornball!

You do have you get used to the bellows strap being both loose and tight
feeling. Even "properly" adjusted the tension on your hand will vary during
push and pull, hand alignment and vertical placement - the farther vertically
from center you are the tighter you strap will be.

Hopefully I am going to be able to show this in pictures later.

Cheers!