Piano accordions are a type of melodeon that feature a piano-style keyboard for right hand use, often boasting both treble and bass buttons that produce chords or single notes depending on bellows movement direction.
Tadhg first gained national prominence on Irish talent show Lorg Lunny in 2010. Since then he has formed Ciorras with Micheal O Suilleabhain and Joanna Boyle.
Functions
The piano accordion features many bass buttons and keyboards to complement its treble keys, each covering one of several holes leading to the reeds. When an accordion player presses one of these buttons, air passes through those holes to vibrate the reeds and generate sound.
Each bass accordion type offers its own distinctive bass and chordal arrangements; some models use diatonic chords arranged similar to white and black piano keys while others feature chromatic layouts which accommodate for various combinations of notes.
No matter the type of accordion, it is crucial that players sit properly to prevent stress and injury. A back strap that draws the shoulder straps together can make it easier to hold and control the instrument while sitting down, while loose clothing that does not restrict breathing or movement should also be worn by players to maximize control. A padded accordion cover can further minimize accidental scratches to its bellows.
Controls
An accordion’s number of treble keys and bass buttons determines its musical versatility. Smaller models may feature lighter cabinet construction with less buttons; however, this reduces tonal quality, rigidity, and durability.
Accordions equipped with multiple treble buttons allow more chromatic treble scales to be played. In addition, they often come equipped with a coupler that activates an additional set of reeds in their tone chamber to produce higher notes.
Piano accordions typically feature between 12 and 72 bass buttons arranged in six linear rows of 20 buttons, providing six chord types: bass/tonic chord, major, minor diminished and augmented chords as demonstrated by folk musician Sam Pirt. Furthermore, using just the bass side’s buttons alone a powerful accompaniment can be provided for songs like ballads.
Keyboard layout
Piano accordions differ from unisonoric bandoneons in that their bellows produce the same tone regardless of whether they’re open or closed by featuring a chromatic keyboard layout with each key playing either a major, minor, arpeggio chord. They also contain four rows of buttons duplicating the first row allowing you to create diminished seventh chords.
Other innovations include couplings to activate additional sets of reeds (one pitched an octave lower and off-tuned to create a tremulant), as well as various methods of internal construction to improve sound quality, stability and durability. Modern accordions often come equipped with MIDI ports for connection to electronic music devices like keyboards or computers for use during live performances.
Most piano accordions feature the Stradella bass system on their left-hand keyboard, though other options such as free bass or Belgian systems are also available for those wishing to perform melodies on their left hand without using their thumb.
Reeds
Accordions depend on high-quality reeds as the foundation of their instrument. A professional accordion reed maker uses natural wood sourced from around the world along with a blend of rosin and linseed oil to craft his reeds with uniform thickness and consistency for maximum sound production.
Piano accordions (sometimes referred to as diatonic button accordions) consist of a treble section resembling that of a piano keyboard with rows of keys, while their bass side features rows of basses arranged vertically across 6 buttons for every key (including counter bass/chord, major/minor seventh & diminished keys).
Some piano accordions feature a fifth bass register which is higher in terms of an octave than their basic middle reed rank, providing extra harmony options. Some also incorporate a “tremolo” rank – typically an octave above this basic middle reed rank for added color in chromatic pieces.