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