Just bought a diatonic button accordion and don’t know where to start with it? Or have you been plugging away at it for a few months and are struggling to get both hands playing together?

You’ve come to the right place!

Welcome to Pick Up & Play with Mel Biggs: Let’s Get Started! Let Mel guide you through the basics towards learning your very first tune. Start by finding out what your instrument is and how it works, then go on to learn about basses, chords and rhythm before learning to play a simple traditional English dance tune with both hands together.

Can’t read sheet music? No problem!

The course is split up into sections containing ‘Listen & Learn‘ and ‘Pick Up & Play‘ video lessons. Each of the 65 video lessons demonstrate one concept simplified into a bite-sized piece of information that you’ll be able to pick up really easily by ear.  Mel will guide you expertly over the humps so you’ll be playing your very first tune in no time!

Course Requirements

This course requires practise, persistence and a whole-lotta patience! The course is suitable for all D/G (Re/Sol) diatonic button accordions (also known as: melodeon, button accordion, trekharmonika, accordéon diatonique). Check that you have the correct instrument before signing up.

SUPER SPECIAL BONUS EXTRA! 

When you’ve finished the course, send me a video of you playing Winster Gallop I’ll send you some personalised feedback! For extra help and guidance on certain topics, choose from the 10 ‘Helping Hand‘ lessons positioned throughout the course.

Reviews

Andy Cutting says:

“I thoroughly recommend this course. Mel is a fine teacher, personable, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The pace of the lessons are great.”

Helen Renton (Pick Up & Play course graduate) says:

“An ideal introduction to the melodeon. Mel has a warm, friendly and encouraging teaching style. Filmed with care, the demonstrations are easy to follow and play along with. Once you reach the end of the course you are invited to send Mel a short video of your playing so that she can provide feedback, which she does in a very thorough and helpful manner.“

(Scroll down to the bottom of this page to read the full reviews.)

Click to Enroll

Course Information

Estimated Time: 6 months

Difficulty: Absolute Beginner

Course Instructor

Mel Biggs Author

Mel Biggs is a musician, performer and melodeon teacher based in Derbyshire, UK. Renowned the world over for her perceptive, patient and mindful manner in teaching groups and individuals, Mel is a leading light in the world of melodeon tuition; both on and off-line. Having been teaching since 2009, Mel has an ever expanding toolkit of techniques at her disposal which she adapts to every new teaching scenario. You can expect a bespoke blend of learning-by-ear, call and response playing, analogies, visualisations and pattern recognition, tune deconstruction and notation (in moderation).