The button accordion is a traditional instrument, but its popularity is as strong as ever.
The accordion family includes a wide variety of styles and forms. The piano, diatonic and chromatic accordions are just a few of the most popular choices. Another important branch on the family tree, the button accordion, has been popular since it was first developed in the late nineteenth century.
The button accordion is an adaptation of the melodeon, an older and more basic instrument. The button accordion is physically unique in that it has an extra row of buttons that have been pitched a semi-tone above or below those of the melodeon. The musician can actually manipulate the bellows to create two notes from one single button. This is what gives the button accordion greater articulation, and greater fingering economy.
There are variations within the family of button accordions. The widest variations can be seen on the basic construction, keyboard systems, action and tuning of the individual instruments.
One of the most notable styles of button accordion is the diatonic. On a diatonic accordion, there is a melody-sized keyboard that is limited to the notes of diatonic scales. These notes are provided through a small number of keys, or even just one key. It is worth noting that the bass side of the diatonic usually contains the principal chords of the instrument's key, including the root notes of those chords.
Most diatonic button accordions are bisonoric, so every button produces a couple of notes. One note is produced by compressing the bellows, and another note is created when the bellows are expanded.
Some diatonic button accordions, however, are unisonoric. In other words, each button on the garmon produces the same note, regardless of the direction of the bellows. Others offer a combination of the two styles.
Another well-known variation of the button accordion is the chromatic. This instrument has a melody-sized keyboard composed of uniform rows of buttons. These buttons are arranged to provide a chromatic pitch increase along the diagonals. The bass side keyboard of this instrument typically uses a Stradella system, which is one of many converter or free-bass systems.
There are some instruments in this class that are known simply as "chromatic" accordions. Other types, including the piano accordion, can also be fully chromatic. Ever since the chromatic buttons were introduced, this type of accordion has become the choice of many classical music performers. The treble keyboard is denser than that of a piano accordion to provide a much greater musical range.
Various cultures have developed their own versions of modern button accordions. They have also adapted these unique inventions to suit their own traditional styles of music. In Russia alone there are a number of accordion styles including the Garmon, Saratovskaya Garmonica, Livenka and the very popular Bayan.
If you love the unique sound that an accordion lends to traditional and popular music, pick up a button accordion and try your hand at playing this age-old and ever-popular instrument.
The accordion family includes a wide variety of styles and forms. The piano, diatonic and chromatic accordions are just a few of the most popular choices. Another important branch on the family tree, the button accordion, has been popular since it was first developed in the late nineteenth century.
The button accordion is an adaptation of the melodeon, an older and more basic instrument. The button accordion is physically unique in that it has an extra row of buttons that have been pitched a semi-tone above or below those of the melodeon. The musician can actually manipulate the bellows to create two notes from one single button. This is what gives the button accordion greater articulation, and greater fingering economy.
There are variations within the family of button accordions. The widest variations can be seen on the basic construction, keyboard systems, action and tuning of the individual instruments.
One of the most notable styles of button accordion is the diatonic. On a diatonic accordion, there is a melody-sized keyboard that is limited to the notes of diatonic scales. These notes are provided through a small number of keys, or even just one key. It is worth noting that the bass side of the diatonic usually contains the principal chords of the instrument's key, including the root notes of those chords.
Most diatonic button accordions are bisonoric, so every button produces a couple of notes. One note is produced by compressing the bellows, and another note is created when the bellows are expanded.
Some diatonic button accordions, however, are unisonoric. In other words, each button on the garmon produces the same note, regardless of the direction of the bellows. Others offer a combination of the two styles.
Another well-known variation of the button accordion is the chromatic. This instrument has a melody-sized keyboard composed of uniform rows of buttons. These buttons are arranged to provide a chromatic pitch increase along the diagonals. The bass side keyboard of this instrument typically uses a Stradella system, which is one of many converter or free-bass systems.
There are some instruments in this class that are known simply as "chromatic" accordions. Other types, including the piano accordion, can also be fully chromatic. Ever since the chromatic buttons were introduced, this type of accordion has become the choice of many classical music performers. The treble keyboard is denser than that of a piano accordion to provide a much greater musical range.
Various cultures have developed their own versions of modern button accordions. They have also adapted these unique inventions to suit their own traditional styles of music. In Russia alone there are a number of accordion styles including the Garmon, Saratovskaya Garmonica, Livenka and the very popular Bayan.
If you love the unique sound that an accordion lends to traditional and popular music, pick up a button accordion and try your hand at playing this age-old and ever-popular instrument.
About the Author:
Essayist Angelina Pyrkins is a freelancer for a variety of Internet sites, on my family and kid family topics. This and other unique content 'accordion' articles are available with free reprint rights.
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