Accordion

[ccnokes]

Does anybody know anything about the accordion?  I just bought one recently and wondered if anybody had any basic knowledge they would like to impart to me like:

Does the accordion need to be tuned?

What is the proper way of drawing/pumping(?) it?

Any basic maintainence I need to know?

And if I were to upgrade(because right now its a cheap student grade one) what is a good brand to buy?

[andyd]

A little, I'm a concertina player.  I'm assuming you've bought a piano accordian and not a button/continental chromatic.

Yes they occasionally need tuning/servicing depending on use mainly.  Maybe every 2-5 years.  Simple things like dust can block a reed, but you ought to be able to fix that yourself.  Keep it in it's case when not in use.

Pumping it...if you see a pro they pump smoothly and slowly most of the time, in contrast to amount of notes played, but know when to open up for volume.  Beginners on any bellows instrument tend to pump erratically and fast in contrast to the notes they play, and not know when to change direction.  It's all practice.
Accordionists wear their watch on the right wrist so it doesn't damage the instrument.

Upgrade - go Italian:  Borsini, Guerini.  A handbuilt with hand made reeds can cost £10 thousand.  Richard Galliano plays one such fabulous button handbuilt and takes the cover off to let the treble sing and my goodness what a player.


Andy