Piano accordions are full-chromatic instruments and have become extremely popular instruments of both folk and traditional music styles. Their large range makes them very portable – perfect for traveling.
Right-hand keyboards produce diatonic scales using a fixed set of keys (eg G on press and A on draw). Chords are created through additional rows which produce major, minor, diminished seventh and dominant chords.
Size
Accordions come in all sizes to meet their various uses. One such instrument is the Schwyzerorgeli – a small diatonic accordion popular in Switzerland which features a right-hand keyboard and two bass rows each featuring nine buttons; its layout resembles that of a concertina but differs due to having both bisonoric treble and unisonoric bass parts.
Some larger piano and chromatic button accordions, like 48 or 72 bass models, feature an additional bass row that provides additional range to players. This feature makes chording possible without switching reed sets – especially useful when performing traditional folk music.
Accordions are usually played sitting down, though they can also be modified for standing use. A backstrap can help relieve some of the strain off a player’s body; pulling together its shoulder straps at the back helps prevent injury by keeping the accordion from falling forwards when being pulled up or down.
Keyboard layout
The keyboard side of an accordion resembles that of a piano in terms of its chromatic layout, enabling chording as well as melodies with true pitch to be played without chording being necessary. Musicians such as Karen Tweed or Sam Pirt who possess distinctive tonalities in their playing have taken to using this instrument with success.
The treble keyboard features a diatonic button layout with paired reeds that sound adjacent notes of the scale when pressed or drawn upon, providing over two octaves of range. Most accordions come equipped with 10 buttons providing this range, while some provide additional “free-bass” buttons which play single notes.
N.A. Kravtsov successfully reduced the size of modern accordions by eliminating gaps between black keys, replacing them with white B and C keys which in turn made the octave 30% shorter while widening helper rows and shifting narrow parts of white keys to other sides of keyboards. This made his innovation one of a kind.
Bass buttons
As part of an accordion (or the right hand keyboard of a chromatic button accordion), its bass side contains rows of buttons which play complete chords when pressed; these include bass/tonic notes followed by major, minor, dominant seventh, and diminished chord rows.
Also available is a chromatic note row which allows for extended suspended chords e.g. G on beat followed by D# an octave higher; these chords can be challenging to play on any instrument and sound completely unique!
Most piano and chromatic accordions use the Stradella bass layout, in which the bass row starts with C (the standard bass note). Furthermore, an extra chord row has been included above it so that bass notes duplicating chords one step up from their roots (CM, Cm and Cdim7) may also appear within it e.g. CCM Cm and CDim7 chords may duplicate themselves within it.
Weight
The piano accordion is an ideal instrument for beginners as its versatile nature allows it to cover various styles of music – classical to folk alike. Furthermore, its easier playing experience makes this option the go-to choice when starting out on music.
The accordion has an illustrious past in classical music, featured by composers such as Henri Dutilleux and Sofia Gubaidulina in several pieces that they created. Additionally, accordionists have graced concert stages at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.
Finding an accordion suitable for your child can be tricky, but it’s crucial that they find one with which they feel comfortable playing. An ideal accordion should fit comfortably without being too heavy or light; and be in place so it does not move while they practice effectively.