THE GREAT ACCORDION MYTH UNCOVERED
The purpose of this article is to explain it detail the myth about the most frequently asked question when buying an accordion. “What does the accordion weigh”? This article would be completely pointless if accordions were sold by the pound. The truth is all accordions with the same musical features will be similar in weight give or take only a pound or two. Many accordions have shed a few pounds due to pre-manufactured components being substituted for plastic or metal in lieu of the traditional high quality sound of unique woods. The types of material accordions are made from are an important function of balance and playability. The only way to substantially reduce scale weight is to compromise musical ability or physical size. But there are more important things to consider than weight alone. So let us begin to understand what really makes an accordion lighter or heavier.
Firstly, the accordion can be made smaller (lighter) or larger (heavier) by changing the number of playing notes and or reed sets. The less notes and/or reed sets, the smaller an accordion can be made. The other alternative to obtain a smaller size accordion while maintaining the same amount of notes is by reducing the individual key width and spacing of the bass buttons. This design is for smaller statured adults or more commonly, children. The most prevalent misconception is that less bass buttons means a smaller and lighter accordion. This couldn’t be further from the truth. There are full size 41 note accordions with 72 basses identical in size and weight to a 120 bass. Accordions are available with less than 39 notes but maintain 120 basses. So let’s understand what and why you should know in order to make an informed and appropriate decision.
Changes on the bass side are unlike the treble side. There is not much difference between a 48 bass and 120 bass accordions other than the number of buttons and the spacing. The standard stradella bass system offers a 12 note musical range using either 4 or 5 sets of reeds with a respective 3 or 4 octave musical range. The bass reeds are called: Bass, Tenor, Alto, Contralto and Soprano (the soprano set adds an additional approx. 4.5 oz of weight). Whether 4 or 5 sets of reeds and 48 or 120 basses, the bass mechanics are nearly identical with twelve bass fulcrum rods and valves along with twelve chord fulcrum rods and valves running the length of the bass box. The difference is the number of additional buttons, which play a duplicate note. The purpose and advantage of more buttons is to ergonomically improve the player’s ability to access different bass buttons without having to make huge jumps, thus making it easier to articulate.
In essence, the more bass buttons, the more accessible and efficient the fingering. The additional weight per chord button is an amazing .009 oz. The scale weight difference between a 120 and 60 bass accordion, everything else being equal, is a mere 6 oz!
Understand the right hand note range and the overall keyboard length measurement from key end to key end determine the size of an accordion. This is why we see keyboard measurements described in specifications, as 19 ¼”, 18”, 17”, etc. If you divide the keyboard measurement (i.e. 18”) by 24 (the number of white keys on standard 41 key accordion), you will obtain the width measurement of each white key, less the amount of space between the keys. The spacing between keys will vary depending on the quality of the accordion. The least amount of space the better. Also check out the lateral movement of the keys. See how far one can be moved side to side. A well made keyboard will not allow one key to move laterally and touch another. The bass side is designed to accompany the musical range of the right hand. Therefore, the less keyboard note range the less bass buttons necessary. Standard Right and Left combinations are 41 treble and 120 bass (shown as 120/41), 37 treble and 96 bass (shown as 96/37), 34 treble and 72 bass (shown as 72/34) and 26 treble and 48 or 12 bass (shown as, you got it, 48/26). Don’t be afraid of having too many bass buttons, they don’t add weight, or make the accordion larger. Besides, when the accordion is on, how do you know how many are there? How many can you see?
The second principal to understand is the accordion is something you wear, like a dress, suit or pair of shoes. One thing we all do before buying clothing is to try the items on to make sure they fit right and feels comfortable. Most of us will try on a few different items to see which one fits the best. And of course a tailor made suit fits the best. Additional labor and skill is taken to ensure a proper fit. Accordions are made in the same way. Some have taken additional labor and skill for a better balance. Why would you buy an accordion without trying it and or comparing it with others? Like clothing, accordions fit differently and every accordion will fit an individual differently. Accordions should be compared to see which one feels the most comfortable to you. A correctly fitting instrument can help improve your learning and performance ability. The idea that accordions with the same keyboard length, reed sets and playing notes are alike is absolutely untrue.
The most critical aspects in choosing the right accordion are; Fit, Balance and Compression. You will soon learn this is more important than the “scale weight. (This is referred to as the “playable weight”.)
Fit is the first step. In order to have complete control of your accordion, it must properly fit your stature. Always try an accordion when seated. The length of the keyboard should begin just below your collarbone, and end slightly resting on the inside of your right thigh (this prevents movement when closing your bellows). Second, the accordion must remain stationary. It is important that your accordion be secure and not move while playing. With the correct fit, the accordion is locked in place with your shoulder straps and wedged with 60% of the weight on your lap and 40% on the shoulders. We know what it feels like to have a large accordion on...it is overwhelming. But too small can be just as difficult to play. If it is too short, then the accordion is not able to rest on your lap; therefore, 100% of the weight is pressed on the shoulders making it feel heavier. This also allows for too much movement and constant re-adjusting of the position of the accordion. Having to keep adjusting your straps to re-position the accordion back to that comfortable spot adds additional physical effort. If, over a period of playing time, the accordion starts to feel heavier, then all the extra effort takes away from conserving your physical energy in playing.
Try a back strap as well. The most important purpose of the back strap is to hold the shoulder straps together allowing no movement of the accordion. If a back strap is too low, this takes weight off the shoulders by making the straps loose on top. This allows your straps to slide and move. Keeping the back strap higher or diagonally (high on the left straps across to a lower position on the right) secures the shoulder straps from sliding; this, in turn, keeps the accordion stationary. When the straps stay in place, your accordion will stay in place. No extra energy will need to be expended fighting your straps. Once you find the proper size accordion that “fits”, we can move on to understanding the next elements that are also important in obtaining the perfect accordion for you.
Balance is a crucial and intricate part of an accordion. For example: using a 10-pound dumbbell or object with a similar weight. Hold the object in your hand against your chest. You’re holding 10 lbs. Now, fully extend your arm in front of you. Does the weight feel the same or a lot heavier? Even though the scale told us it is 10lbs, it feels much heavier. Did the scale lie? Of course not, it’s called leverage. The further weight gets away for the center point, being you, the heavier weight feels. Another example: what would be more difficult to carry, a 10” X 10” X 10” carton (40 inch circumference) weighing 10 pounds or a 5’ X 5’ X 5’ carton (20 foot circumference) weighing 5 pounds? If you weren’t told the dimensions, you would choose the 5 lb carton because it is lighter. But, knowing the physical size, the 5 lb. carton would be very difficult to carry due to its large diameter. Where weight is located is more important than the weight itself. Did you ever try to bench press when one side of the bar has more weight than the other, making it more difficult to press up because you were also compensating for the balance of the bar? It’s much easier to press up with an equal amount of weight. Having bellows, the accordion is an instrument which is in constant motion. The more weight is evenly balanced, the more control you have. The more control you have, the less weight you feel.
Compression is extremely important. The fit and balance help overcome several relevant weight issues. If you are not able to physically pick the accordion up off the floor, then you need to actually find the accordion that you can pick up. You would need to deal with the musical limitation based on your physical limitation. You might consider starting an exercise program in order to pick up the accordion you would like to play. If you take your playing seriously, then consider that all athletes, amateur and professional work out to help physically support their activity and to avoid injury. The accordion is a physical instrument and you should consider physical exercise in order to maintain your playing ability and help avoid some long-term injuries. Let’s assume you can pick your accordion up onto your lap without difficulty. Most complaints of weight come from playing after an extended period of time. This proves the point that it’s not the physical weight (you can pick it up, right?) but it’s the playable weight that you should be concerned with.
Compression of the accordion refers to the control of airflow utilized by the bellows. The most common thought is that if your accordion leaks then there is a problem with the bellows. 90% of air leaks come from the keyboard and/or bass valves not properly seated. This article concerns new instruments without any initial problems and/or used accordions in need of repair. The main facet of compression is to show how much air is required to make the reeds respond. What is the “expression” range of the accordion? Play a simple musical phrase with a single reed selected. How little bellow movement is required to make each note play equally and in pitch. Play the same phrase softly and then with power “forte” to see how much expression can be obtained. Think of a rating scale between 1 – 10 with 1 being the least amount of air and 10 being the hardest playing of the bellows prior to the reeds choking (stopping the reed from playing due too to much air pressure from the bellows). Do you sense a lot of expression or very little? An accordion with better expression is easier to play because it has more control. Try the same musical phrase on a few accordions using the identical register and consistent volume. Does one take less bellow movement in and out to accomplish the same phrase? Remember, the accordion is a live breathing instrument, an extension of your own heart and lungs. Vocalists learn how to control their airflow in order that it is efficient and they don’t run out of breath when holding a phrase. Learning proper bellow technique is a must, but the accordion should also assist you. The more air the accordion requires to play or “follow your expression”, the more physical energy used. The more physical energy employed, the more you will experience muscle fatigue and then the accordion becomes (feels) heavier. The weight hasn’t changed, but it sure feels like it has. So, it’s not the weight of the accordion. It is the fit, balance and compression which will play a much more important role in how much an accordion weighs. You could compare your quest to finding a balanced energy efficient accordion that you can manage comfortably, play for hours, feels an extension of your body and allows you to express your musical ideas freely. I hope that this discussion clarifies the essential elements you should consider in choosing the right instrument for you. Be guided by professional advice, but ultimately the choice should be yours.
Written by Joe Petosa
Firstly, the accordion can be made smaller (lighter) or larger (heavier) by changing the number of playing notes and or reed sets. The less notes and/or reed sets, the smaller an accordion can be made. The other alternative to obtain a smaller size accordion while maintaining the same amount of notes is by reducing the individual key width and spacing of the bass buttons. This design is for smaller statured adults or more commonly, children. The most prevalent misconception is that less bass buttons means a smaller and lighter accordion. This couldn’t be further from the truth. There are full size 41 note accordions with 72 basses identical in size and weight to a 120 bass. Accordions are available with less than 39 notes but maintain 120 basses. So let’s understand what and why you should know in order to make an informed and appropriate decision.
Changes on the bass side are unlike the treble side. There is not much difference between a 48 bass and 120 bass accordions other than the number of buttons and the spacing. The standard stradella bass system offers a 12 note musical range using either 4 or 5 sets of reeds with a respective 3 or 4 octave musical range. The bass reeds are called: Bass, Tenor, Alto, Contralto and Soprano (the soprano set adds an additional approx. 4.5 oz of weight). Whether 4 or 5 sets of reeds and 48 or 120 basses, the bass mechanics are nearly identical with twelve bass fulcrum rods and valves along with twelve chord fulcrum rods and valves running the length of the bass box. The difference is the number of additional buttons, which play a duplicate note. The purpose and advantage of more buttons is to ergonomically improve the player’s ability to access different bass buttons without having to make huge jumps, thus making it easier to articulate.
In essence, the more bass buttons, the more accessible and efficient the fingering. The additional weight per chord button is an amazing .009 oz. The scale weight difference between a 120 and 60 bass accordion, everything else being equal, is a mere 6 oz!
Understand the right hand note range and the overall keyboard length measurement from key end to key end determine the size of an accordion. This is why we see keyboard measurements described in specifications, as 19 ¼”, 18”, 17”, etc. If you divide the keyboard measurement (i.e. 18”) by 24 (the number of white keys on standard 41 key accordion), you will obtain the width measurement of each white key, less the amount of space between the keys. The spacing between keys will vary depending on the quality of the accordion. The least amount of space the better. Also check out the lateral movement of the keys. See how far one can be moved side to side. A well made keyboard will not allow one key to move laterally and touch another. The bass side is designed to accompany the musical range of the right hand. Therefore, the less keyboard note range the less bass buttons necessary. Standard Right and Left combinations are 41 treble and 120 bass (shown as 120/41), 37 treble and 96 bass (shown as 96/37), 34 treble and 72 bass (shown as 72/34) and 26 treble and 48 or 12 bass (shown as, you got it, 48/26). Don’t be afraid of having too many bass buttons, they don’t add weight, or make the accordion larger. Besides, when the accordion is on, how do you know how many are there? How many can you see?
The second principal to understand is the accordion is something you wear, like a dress, suit or pair of shoes. One thing we all do before buying clothing is to try the items on to make sure they fit right and feels comfortable. Most of us will try on a few different items to see which one fits the best. And of course a tailor made suit fits the best. Additional labor and skill is taken to ensure a proper fit. Accordions are made in the same way. Some have taken additional labor and skill for a better balance. Why would you buy an accordion without trying it and or comparing it with others? Like clothing, accordions fit differently and every accordion will fit an individual differently. Accordions should be compared to see which one feels the most comfortable to you. A correctly fitting instrument can help improve your learning and performance ability. The idea that accordions with the same keyboard length, reed sets and playing notes are alike is absolutely untrue.
The most critical aspects in choosing the right accordion are; Fit, Balance and Compression. You will soon learn this is more important than the “scale weight. (This is referred to as the “playable weight”.)
Fit is the first step. In order to have complete control of your accordion, it must properly fit your stature. Always try an accordion when seated. The length of the keyboard should begin just below your collarbone, and end slightly resting on the inside of your right thigh (this prevents movement when closing your bellows). Second, the accordion must remain stationary. It is important that your accordion be secure and not move while playing. With the correct fit, the accordion is locked in place with your shoulder straps and wedged with 60% of the weight on your lap and 40% on the shoulders. We know what it feels like to have a large accordion on...it is overwhelming. But too small can be just as difficult to play. If it is too short, then the accordion is not able to rest on your lap; therefore, 100% of the weight is pressed on the shoulders making it feel heavier. This also allows for too much movement and constant re-adjusting of the position of the accordion. Having to keep adjusting your straps to re-position the accordion back to that comfortable spot adds additional physical effort. If, over a period of playing time, the accordion starts to feel heavier, then all the extra effort takes away from conserving your physical energy in playing.
Try a back strap as well. The most important purpose of the back strap is to hold the shoulder straps together allowing no movement of the accordion. If a back strap is too low, this takes weight off the shoulders by making the straps loose on top. This allows your straps to slide and move. Keeping the back strap higher or diagonally (high on the left straps across to a lower position on the right) secures the shoulder straps from sliding; this, in turn, keeps the accordion stationary. When the straps stay in place, your accordion will stay in place. No extra energy will need to be expended fighting your straps. Once you find the proper size accordion that “fits”, we can move on to understanding the next elements that are also important in obtaining the perfect accordion for you.
Balance is a crucial and intricate part of an accordion. For example: using a 10-pound dumbbell or object with a similar weight. Hold the object in your hand against your chest. You’re holding 10 lbs. Now, fully extend your arm in front of you. Does the weight feel the same or a lot heavier? Even though the scale told us it is 10lbs, it feels much heavier. Did the scale lie? Of course not, it’s called leverage. The further weight gets away for the center point, being you, the heavier weight feels. Another example: what would be more difficult to carry, a 10” X 10” X 10” carton (40 inch circumference) weighing 10 pounds or a 5’ X 5’ X 5’ carton (20 foot circumference) weighing 5 pounds? If you weren’t told the dimensions, you would choose the 5 lb carton because it is lighter. But, knowing the physical size, the 5 lb. carton would be very difficult to carry due to its large diameter. Where weight is located is more important than the weight itself. Did you ever try to bench press when one side of the bar has more weight than the other, making it more difficult to press up because you were also compensating for the balance of the bar? It’s much easier to press up with an equal amount of weight. Having bellows, the accordion is an instrument which is in constant motion. The more weight is evenly balanced, the more control you have. The more control you have, the less weight you feel.
Compression is extremely important. The fit and balance help overcome several relevant weight issues. If you are not able to physically pick the accordion up off the floor, then you need to actually find the accordion that you can pick up. You would need to deal with the musical limitation based on your physical limitation. You might consider starting an exercise program in order to pick up the accordion you would like to play. If you take your playing seriously, then consider that all athletes, amateur and professional work out to help physically support their activity and to avoid injury. The accordion is a physical instrument and you should consider physical exercise in order to maintain your playing ability and help avoid some long-term injuries. Let’s assume you can pick your accordion up onto your lap without difficulty. Most complaints of weight come from playing after an extended period of time. This proves the point that it’s not the physical weight (you can pick it up, right?) but it’s the playable weight that you should be concerned with.
Compression of the accordion refers to the control of airflow utilized by the bellows. The most common thought is that if your accordion leaks then there is a problem with the bellows. 90% of air leaks come from the keyboard and/or bass valves not properly seated. This article concerns new instruments without any initial problems and/or used accordions in need of repair. The main facet of compression is to show how much air is required to make the reeds respond. What is the “expression” range of the accordion? Play a simple musical phrase with a single reed selected. How little bellow movement is required to make each note play equally and in pitch. Play the same phrase softly and then with power “forte” to see how much expression can be obtained. Think of a rating scale between 1 – 10 with 1 being the least amount of air and 10 being the hardest playing of the bellows prior to the reeds choking (stopping the reed from playing due too to much air pressure from the bellows). Do you sense a lot of expression or very little? An accordion with better expression is easier to play because it has more control. Try the same musical phrase on a few accordions using the identical register and consistent volume. Does one take less bellow movement in and out to accomplish the same phrase? Remember, the accordion is a live breathing instrument, an extension of your own heart and lungs. Vocalists learn how to control their airflow in order that it is efficient and they don’t run out of breath when holding a phrase. Learning proper bellow technique is a must, but the accordion should also assist you. The more air the accordion requires to play or “follow your expression”, the more physical energy used. The more physical energy employed, the more you will experience muscle fatigue and then the accordion becomes (feels) heavier. The weight hasn’t changed, but it sure feels like it has. So, it’s not the weight of the accordion. It is the fit, balance and compression which will play a much more important role in how much an accordion weighs. You could compare your quest to finding a balanced energy efficient accordion that you can manage comfortably, play for hours, feels an extension of your body and allows you to express your musical ideas freely. I hope that this discussion clarifies the essential elements you should consider in choosing the right instrument for you. Be guided by professional advice, but ultimately the choice should be yours.
Written by Joe Petosa
