If you are learning to play an accordion or adding it to your musical instruments collection, selecting one made with quality material will ensure it sounds great while lasting for years. This will guarantee you are happy with its sound and durability.
Accordions feature multiple banks of steel reeds inside that produce sound when air passes over them, creating its sound. Each reed bank features its own tone switch which enables or disables certain sets of tones.
Accordion History
The accordion is an internationally popular instrument. Its versatility enables it to be utilized across numerous genres of music such as folk, rock, jazz and classical.
This wind instrument was invented during the 1800s, and can be classified as either free-reed (like concertina and harmonica) or nonfree reed.
Cyrillus Damian first patented it in Vienna in 1829 and initially saw widespread acceptance as a folk instrument across many nations.
However, during the 1920s manufacturers attempted to shift perception of accordions from being perceived as folk instruments to more respectable instruments by developing the chromatic accordion; this allows players to play chords instead of single notes.
Although many older accordion brands continue to produce quality instruments, more affordable models have begun coming from China and other countries at more reasonable prices. Unfortunately, these cheaper accordions tend to use inferior materials and craftsmanship, which can deteriorate sound and quality over time. Luckily, some manufacturers specialize exclusively in high quality instruments with good records of production.
Accordion Basics
The accordion is an iconic instrument known for its distinctive sound. Having been around since ancient Greece, its use spans many genres today and it offers beginner musicians an ideal introduction to musical playing.
Accordions are constructed using wooden and plastic parts produced through various processes, with wood pieces typically cut using machines into precise shapes and forms.
Liquified plastic is injected into molds to create plastic parts, then carefully inspected and treated to make them durable.
If you want to learn the fundamentals of accordion, there are various websites offering online courses and lessons for beginners. Some even allow you to book private tutor lessons!
Accordion Styles
Accordions come in an array of styles, with certain models better suited for certain genres of music (i.e. Irish/Celtic music than Latino/Tex-Mex).
There are also accordions available that can be played without prior experience or training, often known as beginner-friendly accordions, which make learning the instrument much simpler for newcomers. These beginner-friendly accordions can help people quickly get underway!
Diatonic button accordions offer an effective means for learning basic scales. These instruments tend to be straightforward to play and feature small buttons close together that make learning easy.
These accordions often use hand-selected materials for their reeds to ensure superior quality and tone, typically produced in Europe.
Accordion Repair
Accordion for sale can be costly instruments due to their complex production process and time commitment required in creating each one from high-grade materials. Repair or maintenance expenses are also significant.
However, an accordion in good condition should last many years with proper tuning; nonetheless it’s essential to inspect its reeds for signs of wear.
Before tuning can begin, any dirty or worn-out reed must first be cleaned or replaced – especially those exposed to moisture or salt rust.
Dirt and corrosion build-up on keys often result in sticking, as this requires cleaning them thoroughly to restore functionality. In such instances, removing and cleaning off the entire treble keyboard assembly might be required in order to free the stuck key and clean its surfaces properly.