| Although the mainstream music world has often | | | | associated with Cajun music. The Hohner Ariette, |
| relegated accordions to second-class status, | | | | for instance, has ten treble buttons, two bass |
| squeezeboxes are once again coming into their | | | | buttons, four sets of treble reeds, and three sets |
| own. Making appearances in productions ranging | | | | of bass reeds. |
| from those of Cirque du Soleil to albums from top | | | | A two-row button accordion typically has 21 |
| name rock stars, the accordion's unique sound is | | | | treble buttons, eight bass/chord buttons, and two |
| getting some well-deserved attention. | | | | sets of treble reeds. Such an accordian is available |
| Although most people can conjure up a mental | | | | in key combinations like GC, AD, CF, and DG. A |
| picture of an accordian, many do not realize that | | | | three-row button accordion, such as the Hohner |
| there are several different kinds of accordions, | | | | Corona, has 31 treble buttons and two sets of |
| developed over the years for specific musical | | | | treble reeds. The third row of keys means that |
| genres. As free reed instruments, the opening and | | | | the key combinations differ from those of a |
| closing of an accordion's bellows (or squeezebox) | | | | two-button accordion, and might be, for example, |
| causes the air to flow over the reeds, which | | | | GCF, FBbEb, EAD, and ADG. |
| makes the sound. An accordion also has buttons, | | | | A piano accordion is fully chromatic instrument |
| or both buttons and a keyboard. These serve to | | | | with a varying number of piano keys, depending |
| direct the airflow to certain reeds and not others, | | | | on the size of the instrument. From the gold |
| thereby controlling the tones played. | | | | standard Gola piano accordion to the Hohnica |
| Some accordions have one row of buttons; some | | | | piano accordion for the budget minded, there truly |
| have two rows of buttons; and still others have | | | | is a piano accordion for everyone. |
| three rows. Accordions with one row of buttons | | | | One of the most beautiful aspects of accordions |
| include the Hohner Concertina and the Hohner | | | | is that they can't be completely mass-produced |
| Ariette. The latter is often used for playing Cajun, | | | | and assembled. Like other fine musical |
| Quebecois, Zydeco, and Irish folk music. These | | | | instruments, the handmade components (in the |
| buttons typically play the diatonic scale, with each | | | | case of accordions, most notably the reeds) are |
| button able to play two notes: one when the | | | | what give the instrument its unique sound. |
| bellows is squeezed in and another when it is | | | | There's no doubt that the accordian has traveled |
| spread apart. An accordian with one row of | | | | far from its stereotypical uses as an instrument |
| buttons is often tuned for the type of music | | | | for polkas. From Cajun and Zydeco to Klezmer |
| being played. For example, certain reeds may be | | | | and Classical music, from Lawrence Welk to |
| filled in order to produce the sounds typically | | | | Sheryl Crow, accordions are here to stay. |