Accordion

An accordion is a musical instrument that has keys similar to a piano, but is small enough for a person to hold. It makes sounds using air pushed and pulled through reeds using bellows. The accordion can also have buttons instead of keys. The 6-plus-6-system with three rows has the same fingering in all twelve scales.

Accordion

An accordion
Classification	Keyboard
Inventor(s)	Friedrich Buschmann
Developed	1822
Related instruments
Concertina

An accordionist

A person holding an accordion

On May 6, 1829, in Austria, Cyrill Demain and his sons presented a new instrument to the authorities for patent. The patent was granted to Cyrill for the accordion in 1829.

According to the OnMusic Dictionary, the accordion was first invented in Germany by Friedrich Buschmann in 1822. Although many people believe it was invented by Cyrill first. Since then, the instrument has made a significant impact on the world of modern and classical music. The accordion is similar to a portable piano. It is a wind instrument, comprising two reed organs that are connected by folding bellows.

Accordion Media

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  Eight-key bisonoric diatonic accordion (c. 1830)

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  The first pages in Adolf Müller's accordion book

• A diatonic button accordion being played

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  Bellows-driven instruments*

  • Piano accordions: 1, 2, 13*
  • Diatonic button accordion: 3*
  • Chromatic button accordions: 11, 12, 14*
  • Digital accordions (V-Accordions, Roland Corporation): 11, 12, 13, 14*
  • Bandoneon: 4*
  • English concertina: 5*
  • Anglo-German concertinas (Anglo concertinas): 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
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  Showroom of accordions (Petosa Accordions, Seattle, Washington)

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  Typical 120-button Stradella bass system. This is the left-hand keyboard system found on most unisonoric accordions today.

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  The bass buttons trigger a complex mechanism of wires, rods, and levers, which is normally hidden inside the instrument.

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  Accordion reed ranks with closeup of reeds

• Golden Prague.

Related pages

• Bandoneon