Piano accordions were manufactured at an astonishing scale during the 20th Century, even through two world wars, Prohibition and political upheavals.
Accordions are typically measured by their number of bass buttons. Standard Right and Left combinations usually consist of 37 treble and 120 bass buttons; however, other configurations are also possible.
Keyboard
The accordion (derived from 19th-century German ‘akkord’, meaning musical chord) is a box-shaped free-reed aerophone instrument that combines melody and accompaniment functionality into one instrument. A musician plays melody on buttons or keys on the right-hand side known as keyboard or manual while bass or pre-set chord buttons reside on its left.
Different accordions utilize different systems for organizing their buttonboard into octaves, each with their own musical characteristics. For instance, diatonic accordions typically utilize either B or C system buttonboards while Russian bayans employ chromatic systems instead.
Piano accordions typically feature 37 treble and 96 bass buttons arranged in two rows each, and often feature an option that transforms one row of bass buttons into single-note Free Bass accordion rows – which can be useful for jazz musicians who require greater chording possibilities than what are provided by the Stradella bass system. Other ways of expanding chord options on Piano accordions may include using combinations of chord buttons and bass notes or tuning off pitch from main set for creating a tremulant effect.
Bass
Piano accordions typically consist of a keyboard-like melody section on the right hand side and an accompaniment or basso continuo section on the left, known as an accordion keyboard. Diatonic button accordions provide limited range by using only one row of buttons per key; bass accordions feature up to five rows of preset chord buttons that enable musicians to create major and minor triads when closing bellows and dominant seventh and half-diminished chords when opening them.
Larger accordions such as 72 bass models may be difficult to hold for extended periods. To make playing more comfortable and maintain proper posture while preventing neck and shoulder strain, many accordions come equipped with two shoulder straps which help alleviate this pressure, keeping players in their correct positions and maintaining correct posture. A smaller 48 bass model offers full note coverage.
Reeds
The accordion reed is composed of thin steel rods that are riveted onto a plate (typically made of aluminium or duralumin). One end can vibrate freely in and out of its slot when air pressure from bellows is applied; this creates the unique sound produced by accordions.
Reeds should have few file marks and should lie flat against their respective reed plate. Reeds change pitch with age due to exposure to dust, dirt or humidity.
Accordions differ from other instruments in that they use special wax specifically tailored to accordions for their reeds, which cannot be substituted with candle or car wax. Instead, this kind of beeswax-rosin combination must be used exclusively with accordions; replacing all the reeds requires extensive knowledge about both the instrument itself and a lot of experience from its repairperson.
Maintenance
An accordion is a sophisticated musical instrument that requires proper maintenance to keep working at its best. To ensure its best condition, regularly inspect its straps and bellows for signs of damage or wear and tear.
When not playing, the best way to keep your accordion in good condition is to store it in its case when not being used. This will protect it from extremes of temperature that could bend out-of-tune reeds and warp or crack wooden components of your accordion.
If your accordion is out of tune, check its register tabs for any that have not been fully depressed, sharing air flow with another tab, or not depressing fully when being played. This could cause sudden drops in pitch while playing and can easily be fixed by depressing each button firmly and thoroughly.