Understanding the Different Types of Accordions
Accordions belong to the reed family of instruments and are bellow driven. The origin of the accordion can be traced back to the 1800s where they were first played as diatonic accordions. Today, however, we can enjoy the instrument in many different styles and key-note systems. Listed below are the main types of generic accordions and their specifications to help you brush up your knowledge and make an informed buying decision.
Diatonic Accordions
Made in the early 1800s, these accordions consisted of one row of 10 buttons on the right hand. For every note on the button board, there are a minimum of two reeds present with different pitched reeds for both “in” and “out” bellows. Relevant chords and bass notes are the foundation of the bellows and the fifth of “out” bellows’ scale. The diatonic accordions can be further divided into:
- Single row diatonic
- Two row Diatonic
- Three row Diatonic
- Organetto
- Italian Diatonic
- Shand Accordion
- Helikon Diatonic
Diatonics are typically used by dance and folk groups thanks to their brilliant sound output, light weight, simplicity and low cost. All these qualities make the diatonic accordion popular worldwide. The note pattern of the instrument is rather identical to that of a harmonica.
Concertinas
Concertinas have a distinct design, ranging from 4 to 12 sides (in cross section). This type of accordion has two keyboards, one at each end of the bellows. Fixed chords are absent and all the buttons have individual notes. The number of systems and notes differ significantly that an accordionist of one system will find it difficult to grasp the technicalities of a different system, and will certainly need to learn it from scratch.
Every side of the concertina has a thumb, finger or wrist wrap for ease of use and is normally held up against the knee. Because it is so compact and lightweight, this type of accordion makes for a great choice for visual entertainment since players can move around easily. There are several different types of concertina accordions:
- English Concertina
- Chemnitzer (German Concertina)
- Duet Concertina
- Anglo-German Concertina
- Bandoneon
Chromatic Accordions
First created by F. Walter in the 1850s, the chromatic accordion was the result of the rearrangement of the Three Row Diatonic reeds. Although the chromatic is no more a diatonic accordion, but still has an incredibly wide range of treble notes available today. The sizes range from 12 bass buttons and 20 treble keys to 160 bass buttons and 6 strings of treble keys. The chromatic keyboard consists of more than one system, and can have 3 to 6 rows of keys. The 4th and 5th rows are replicas of the first 3 rows, for increasing the possibilities of fingering.
The layouts can be divided into two primary types: B and C systems, where the B system is ideal for technically complex works, while the C system offers much easier control of the chords to help you play melodic music better. The bass system can be free bass, stradella (normal bass) or a combination of the two (convertible system). The chromatic is most popular in Russia, where it is commonly referred to as the Bayan.
Button Accordions
Button Key Accordions work by pressing a set of buttons whilst the player expands and contracts the instrument. These are used widely and involve a variety of differently set keys and buttons, allowing users to easily move their fingers and reach more notes without having to stretch their hand much.
Moreover, many notes have duplicates, which offer more substitute options for fingering. The hand can easily reach more than two octaves without moving it and fingering patterns stay steadier. The buttons are upright and each row plays a major scale, which means if the player wishes to play more than one scale, he or she will have to play buttons in different rows.
Piano Key Accordions
The piano keyboard was originally made part of an accordion in 1852 in Paris by Bouton. It continued to go unrecognized until the early 1900s, but the real developmental phase came in 1910 and onward when the instrument became prominent almost worldwide. Piano accordions are most popular in the US and the UK and have a similar style to that of a piano or keyboard instrument. This type of accordion comprises of a piano type keyboard for the right hand and bass accompaniment with a field of buttons for the left hand.
A full-size piano accordion features 120 bass buttons and 41 treble keys, and ranges from a low “f” to a high “A”. This accordion facilitates quick pick up and addition of the bass as the bass chords and notes for a precise key are normally huddled close together. A hit on a range of bass notes makes it easy for the player to locate a note just by feeling it. The suggested professional size is 120 bass and 41 treble notes, but you can always opt for smaller versions with different sounds and notes that best fit your needs.
Piano reeds are virtually the same as a chromatic accordion, apart from its design, keyboard notes and the overall layout of the keyboard. Thanks to its universal note system, the popularity of the piano accordions has far exceeded that of button accordions from the early 1920s until today.
Reedless Accordions
Also known as digital accordions, reedless accordions are handy instruments which produce an authentic accordion sound even in the absence of reeds. This accordion type offers a big benefit to accordionists who find it difficult to manage the heavy weight of a standard accordion and are ideal for public entertainment. In a digital accordion, sound is produced with the help of electronics, and the result is crisp, high quality sound with transparent bass.
- Published in accordion, Buying an accordion, choosing your accordion
The Piano Accordion
- Published in accordion, choosing your accordion, knowledge
Tips for Buying an Antique Accordion
Thinking for a purchase of an antique accordion? If so, then you should note first that there are some helpful steps to consider when buying an antique accordion. Few of them are mentioned below.
Examine the Carrying Case
When you purchase an antique accordion, don’t forget to check the condition of the carrying case. Look for broken or missing hardware as possible. Note that a musty smelling case or bellows is one of the many indications that the accordion or other instrument may have been improperly cared for and stored, probably in damp basement. A musty case may also cause damage to the wood and leathers in the interior of the instrument. With this, it’s not impossible that the reeds may be rusted.
Check the Body of the Instrument
When we say antique, we are referring to something old, thus a certain defect is possible, unless the thing is really properly cared for. So, in terms of buying an antique accordion, looking for chips missing from the corners, cracks in the celluloid, scratch marks indicating abuse, and others is a pretty nice move to take. If possible, check the condition of all the leather straps, especially the ends that go through the metal holding brackets on the accordion, both top and bottom. If you find that the straps are much worn, then I think it is safer if you remove them entirely than risk their breaking while you are wearing the antique accordion.
Eyeball the Bellows
When you consider buying an antique accordion, try looking for signs of wear, especially on the folds at the base, as well as on the belt buckle wear (facing the chest of the player). Aside from this, check the corners of the bellows and look for corners that are missing or coming loose. Also make sure that in an antique accordion, all the bellows pins are still present and they are not folded or frozen in place with rust. Also note that in a piano accordion, for instance, the air release button is found poking through the bass cover at the left hand side towards the top of the instrument when held in playing position. So, if your antique accordion doesn’t have one, then this is a serious design flaw.
Look at the Keyboard
When checking the antique accordion, try looking at the keyboard edge on, especially the white keys. Note that a properly labeled keyboard is unusual in a very old instrument, unless it has been well cared for. So, check for keys that are out of level as the irregularity of the keys will impede performance in general.
Play It Yourself
It is often said that the best to check the performance of an instrument is to play it yourself. Try listening for the intonation, overall tone, dynamic range, volume, balance between the left and right sides, and the action of the antique accordion. Or, let another person play it, and listen to the sound.
- Published in Buying an accordion, choosing your accordion
The difference between the cabinets of chromatic accordions from the piano accordion’s cabinet.
We often hear about accordionists accustomed to playing on chromatic accordions who have a chromatic accordion made from a piano accordion body. What are the reasons that lead them to make this choice and what is the difference between the two options? This article tries to make the point. (more…)
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Things to Consider When Purchasing Used Accordion
Thinking for a purchase of a used accordion? If so, then I think that it is better for you to know first some of the important things to consider when purchasing a used accordion.
It is necessary to note in the first place that most of the used accordions need repair. Apparently, most of them are sold because most of them are not in good condition. One of the common characteristics of a used accordion is the keys and buttons are usually noisy. Also, you may find that some of the keys may be misaligned and a number of the accordion reeds may not be speaking properly. It is actually during this case that an overhaul is typically called for. This may sometimes involve a keyboard leveling, a full retuning, new leathers, and re-waxing of the reed plates. This then means that this is not cheap as it takes a great deal of time. In fact, a usual big repair job of a used accordion requires as much as 20 hours of work.
Also, don’t expect that you will be able to find a very old accordion of any kind, at any price that will give you consistently a trouble-free service for more than a year or so. This is very typical especially at auction, and this is only possible unless the used accordion has been overhauled. But, speaking of hauling, it is worth noting that if you need a reliable instrument for the long haul, then you should either be looking at new instruments or those accordions that are well-maintained no more than 15 years old. If not, then be prepared to invest whatever it takes in overhauling an old, used accordion. Perhaps the best option here is to be trailing into the repair shop every couple of months every time the parts of the used accordion develop a problem.
But, trudging into a repair shop is not only appropriate every time the used accordion develops a problem. Rather, it is best to note that even if a used accordion is not obviously in need of repairs, it should still go into the repair shop for maintenance examination at least every couple of years. Most of the professional accordionist, even those with hectic touring schedules often do this yearly. What usually takes place during the maintenance check up is that the technician will give the used accordion a thorough cleaning and lubrication as necessary, examine the action of the instrument, including the leathers and the wax. The tuning might also be touched up if necessary. It’s no doubt that this is a wise investment in the good sake of your used instrument.
- Published in accordion, choosing your accordion
Pointers for Accordion Repair
The accordion had gained immense popularity throughout the world. Many people enjoyed playing it in concerts and other performances, while some love to own it. Also, many people today consider for an accordion repair, while some are selling the instrument. Well, in terms of the accordion repair, note that there are some things to consider when dealing with this matter. This is for the fact that accordion is a sensitive musical instrument that needs proper care.
As you may know, the accordion is a musical instrument that belongs to the handheld bellows-driven free reed aerophone family and is sometimes known as squeezebox. It is played by way of compressing and expanding the bellows, which generate air flow across the reed. Just like some keyboard instruments, the accordion has keyboard controls which are capable for the production of tones.
Can I try to repair my accordion myself? Yes if it is NOT to valuable.
Being a sensitive reed instrument, the accordion has a lot of extremely delicate parts inside that can easily damaged if you don’t know about them. So, when you are considering an accordion repair, my recommendation is never to take it apart unless you are very mechanically wise and careful. Moreover, if you are planning for taking your accordion apart for an accordion repair, then take it apart slowly. There’s nothing bad with taking time to note where each part came from. This could in fact help you put the parts together correctly when you’re done with your DIY accordion repair.
In accordion repair, never take apart the bass mechanism of the piano accordion, in particular, unless you’ve successfully done it before or been trained about the proper way of doing it. Note that each of the 120 buttons fits in exactly in one location only. So when considering an accordion repair, it’s best to have a special made fixture to handle every button in its respective location so that they don’t mixed up while the bass mechanism is apart.
Another thing to consider is never to attempt replacing a reed skin with anything other than the proper reed skin leather from an accordion supply shop. Note that it has a very distinct properties not found in most other types of leather. In relation to this, when you consider an accordion repair, avoid removing and replacing a reed skin as this will cause the note to play out of tune, thus requiring re-tuning.
Finally, be careful not to get dirt on the base of the reed block. Removing the reed block is something that you should not try unless you are experienced or have an old accordion that you don’t care if you impose further damage on it. Generally, tuning, waxing and other necessary things in accordion repair require year of practice, thus should be best left to the experts.
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