Nydana's Accordion Resources Welcome to "the accordion smorgasbord". Here you will find some useful information related to the accordion. You can, for instance, download a chord combination chart for free! If your computer cannot open the featured PDF documents, then install Adobe Acrobat Reader from Adobe (free software). Accordion Types Nydana's Chord Combination Chart Piano Accordion vs. Chromatic Button Accordion CBA-C vs. CBA-B CD Reviews Free Bass Systems Compared Convertor Bass Makers of Free Bass Accordions Contact Information Visit also the following web page where Nydana's alternative accordion bass is presented: The Accordion Bass Project Accordion Types There are many types of accordions. The most common ones are Piano Accordions and Chromatic Button Accordions. The chromatic button accordions come mainly in two different versions: B-system and C-system. There is also the less well-known Kravtsov Accordion; and the nowadays seldom used Uniform (or Reuther) Accordion. The most common bass is the standard stradella bass with its preset chords. Traditional French, Belgian, and Russian accordions, may differ in their respective stradella arrangements. There is also something called free-bass, in which there are no preset chords. Abbreviations that will be used here: PA Piano Accordion CBA-B Chromatic B-system Button Accordion CBA-C Chromatic C-system Button Accordion FB-C C-system Chromatic Free Bass FB-S Finnish C-system Chromatic Free Bass FB-N Norwegian B-system Chromatic Free Bass FB-R Russian B-system Chromatic Free Bass FB-Q Quint Free Bass Nydana's Chord Combination Chart This document shows the stradella layout and how to combine chord buttons to produce various kinds of chords. An interesting article by Stephen Keen, found on Hans Palm's website, was the source of inspiration for this chord combination chart. Left hand chord combining can be useful when you want to leave your right hand free to perform fast melodic lines while providing all kinds of chords with your left hand. The chords you get with these combinations are correct from a music theory point, but the voicing of each chord - that is, in which octave each note is put - is predetermined on your accordion once a specific register switch has been selected. It should be remembered that in many cases it might be better to play simple chords with your left hand and add notes in your right hand to accomplish the desired harmony - this way you have more control over the voicing of the chords. For example, a Cmaj7 chord is formed if you combine a simple left hand C chord with the major seventh (B) in your right hand. If you want to play C13, you can play C7 with your left hand and Dm with your right hand. You can play C7+ by playing C7 in your left hand, while filling in the +5 (G#) in your right hand. This is made possible because the fifth is missing in the left hand C7 chord button. In the same way you can fill in a -5 (Gb) in your right hand and get a C7-. The chords C7+ and C7- can generally work as a substitute for C+ and C- respectively. For a good Csus4 substitute, try C11, C7sus2, or C9sus4. The chords produced by the chord buttons are often comprised of notes taken out of a two-octave range. This makes it somewhat irrelevant to speak of particular chord inversions - or voice leading between chords. If a C major chord button is sounding the following notes: GCEGCE, then you actually have all three inversions hidden in there: CEG, GCE and EGC. The embellishing octave reeds are usually rather faint, and so creates more of a shimmer to the chords, in which the individual notes don't stand out so much. You cannot engage the notes in a preset chord individually. However, if your accordion bass features a high register where the fundamental and counterbass buttons sound only the very same reeds that the chord buttons use, then various chords can be formed using only those bass buttons. A melody can then be played over these chords, in your right hand. If you happen to have a CBA (and big enough hands), you may even be able to manage both melody and bass notes with your right hand. It is thus possible to play a Csus4 by depressing bass buttons F and G, while playing a lower C (and possibly a melody line) in the right hand. In the case where the bass buttons are only sounding the same reeds as the chord buttons, then some additional chord combinations (not mentioned in the chart) are actually possible. For instance, if you combine the C major chord button with the bass buttons for D and A, you get the notes corresponding to C6[9]. The top diagram in the chart shows the complete stradella layout. Then there is also a diagram which shows only the bass buttons and their intervallic relationships. For instance, to play the equivalent of a major scale on the bass buttons, use the following sequence: 1 2 3 4 5 6 M7 1 (intervals 1, 4 and 5 are perfect intervals; 2, 3 and 6 are major intervals). Print the two pages on each face of a single sheet of paper (if your printer allows it), or print on two separate sheets and put them back to back in a transparent plastic cover for easy reference whenever you play the accordion. accordionchart.pdf 2 pages Updated 1 Nov 2008 Here is a magnified stradella layout: stradella.pdf 1 page Updated 10 Apr 2010 Piano Accordion vs. Chromatic Button Accordion This document tries to compare, in an objective way, the pros and cons of respective system. It also lets you give points to either system in order to find out which one is best for your needs. accordiontest.pdf 6 pages Updated 24 Aug 2007 CBA-C vs. CBA-B In case you have made up your mind to begin playing the chromatic button accordion (CBA), then it might be difficult to choose between C-system and B-system (can also be referred to as C-griff and B-griff, or C-grip and B-grip). C-system is used in, for example, France, Italy and Sweden, and is also sometimes referred to as the "international system". In Finland they also play the C-system, but the rows have been shifted so that the note E is found on the first row. The B-system is used in, for example, Russia and Norway. C-system is strongly associated with French musette, while B-system is preferred for Balkan music. When comparing these two systems, it may also be of interest to consider the free-bass systems associated with each type. C-system features The C-system feels somewhat more like a piano accordion when you play it. The diagonals, along which the fingers naturally align, feature major seconds. This makes diatonic music quite comfortable to play. You can usually place all available fingers on the buttons that are to be played, and thus get a very good "legato flow" - much like the piano accordion - provided that you know how to employ the duplicate rows efficiently. A very common musical ornament is the so-called turn. It could, for example, look like this: C -> D -> C -> B -> C. This particular pattern is very comfortable on the C-system. The basic shapes for minor and major chords are comfortable, especially when adding the root (lowest note) on top of the chord, like C_Eb_G_C, provided that the duplicate rows are sometimes employed. The C-system is generally well suited for melodic/diatonic music and harmony. The diatonic C major scale, for example, has mostly whole steps, and only two half steps between E and F, and B and C, respectively. A scale like this will have a nice flow along the buttons when using all five rows. The duplicate rows are comfortably placed, and thus very convenient for easy finger switches in legato playing, without having to cross your index finger over the thumb, for instance. The thumb moves very naturally in chromatic steps along the diagonals. The thumb is perhaps also more likely to be employed than on the B-system. B-system features The button diagonals that are in line with your fingers are chromatically arranged, and this could be useful for those who like to play Balkan music; or, for technically challenging music that contains a lot of chromatic passages. The B-system makes it somewhat easier to stick to three rows (cf. playing D_F#_A_D on the first three rows of a CBA-C). B-system is also convenient in case you don't want to use your thumb at all. Reaching the next higher note a half step away, especially with the little finger, is perhaps slightly more convenient than on the C-system (where you rapidly get further and further away). The B-system allows the sliding up a semitone (a technique used frequently in rock and blues) in much the same way you do it on the piano (and moreover, you are not limited to slide from only the buttons that correspond to the piano's black keys). The duplicate rows will sometimes require that you cross your index finger over your thumb, much the same way you do on the piano, in order to play some notes legato. In this particular case, the hand is moved further up than on the C-system since the duplicate buttons are positioned slightly higher up along the button row. Another consequence of how the duplicate buttons are positioned, is that striking the same note repeatedly, by alternating between a button and its duplicate, seems easier and more comfortable on the B-system; although one has to remember that this technique cannot be used on the third row of a five-row CBA, simply because the third row has no duplicate row (there are nevertheless other, more difficult techniques, that can be employed to achieve a similar result). CD Reviews CDs would not normally be reviewed on this web page, but the following two are exceptions. They are both good examples on what can ultimately be achieved on CBA and piano accordion, respectively. Phantasie 84 If you are only going to buy one CD containing mostly classical music, performed on the accordion, in your lifetime, then have a serious look at "Phantasie 84" by the young Swedish free bass accordionist, Daniel Andersson. Daniel plays a chromatic C-system button accordion. Although he recorded this CD at the age of only 19, he handles his instrument not only technically stunning, but also with great musicality. The recording features excellent sound quality and is really worthwhile. Absolute "Absolute" is another one of those must-have acccordion CDs. Alexander Shirunov plays the piano accordion at the very highest level in the virtuoso entertainment genre. Highly enjoyable, and very inspirational. Free Bass Systems Compared Why free-bass? Free-bass gives the accordion a different sound - a sound that is suitable for all kinds of music, but works particularly well with classical, jazz, and pop. Free-bass allows you to play sheet music written for piano. You can play melodies in your left hand that extend over several octaves. Chords can be played in different inversions. Free bass is sometimes also called melody bass because you can play a melody in the bass without experiencing the octave breaks you sometimes get with a stradella bass (although one should remember that there are usually multiple octaves sounding when you play a stradella bass, which has the effect of making those octave breaks less apparent). Most accordions that feature free-bass are so-called convertor accordions, which means that you can alternate, with the help of register switches, between the usual stradella layout and a free-bass layout. Is it difficult to play free-bass? It need not be more difficult to play than the stradella; but to get a fuller sound, both your left and right hand need to be very active. Being able to read sheet music is desirable, but you can also learn to improvise bass parts from chord symbols if you don't like to read bass clef. Long jumps in your left hand can often be avoided (unless you want to mimic a stradella by playing a stride accompaniment). Furthermore, chromatic passages, on a chromatic free-bass, are also very easy. There are several different free-bass systems in use (only the most common are mentioned here). You have chromatic layouts that are similar to the right-hand side of a chromatic button accordion. These layouts have more or less become the norm, and are relatively easy to learn and to play. Let's call these FB-C, FB-S, FB-N and FB-R, respectively (where FB stands for Free Bass). Then we also have the Quint Free Bass, which we could call FB-Q. It is laid out in fifths rather than having chromatically arranged notes. Here are some of the features that the chromatic free-bass systems all have in common: Not necessary to keep track of any octave breaks (cf. FB-Q) Good for left hand chord progressions Can potentially have a range of almost up to five octaves without switching registers FB-C is the most commonly used chromatic free-bass. You find it on CBA-C and PA. It is a mirror version of the right hand side of a CBA-C. The FB-S is basically an FB-C that is shifted one step closer to the bellows. Low notes are closer to your chin. FB-C has the following features: Easy and comfortable chromatic passages Your stronger fingers work the lower bass notes, and higher notes are added occasionally with your less stronger fingers, such as the little finger Bass notes consume more air, and if you hold your hand higher up on the instrument, you can more easily produce a greater flow of air, and have better bellows control When you read music, both left hand and right hand move downwards when note symbols move upwards Chords are usually comfortable FB-N is sometimes used with CBA-B (primarily in Norway), and is a mirror version of the right-hand layout. It has the following features: Your stronger fingers work the lower bass notes, and higher notes are added occasionally with your less stronger fingers, such as the little finger Bass notes consume more air, and if you hold your hand higher up on the instrument, you can more easily produce a greater flow of air, and have better bellows control When you read music, both left hand and right hand move downwards when note symbols move upwards Good for using only three rows (less need to use any duplicate row) FB-R (R for Reversed, or Russian) is the chromatic free-bass that has the lowest sounding notes closest to the ground. The available range may influence how high up on the instrument your hand is usually held. The lowest notes may be slightly more difficult to control because their buttons are at the bottom, and they will be operated by the less stronger fingers. It is harder to reach intervals such as 10ths. FB-R has the following features: Having low notes close to the ground is by some people felt as more natural, especially if you have played the piano Chords consume more air than single notes, so for these it might be good to have them further up on the instrument, for better bellows control Your stronger fingers can be used for runs while the little finger plays a bass note Easy and comfortable chromatic passages Good for using only three rows (less need to use any duplicate row) FB-Q (Quint) has the stradella bass- and counterbass rows duplicated twice, with increasingly higher octaves toward the bass strap. It has a maximum range of almost three octaves without switching registers. It has the following features: Easy to adapt to if you already play stradella You can reach notes that are far apart from each other (in terms of pitch) within the same uniform system Convertor Bass A convertor accordion has both a stradella and a free bass arrangement. Some of the register switches on a convertor accordion will engage the various free-bass modes. The register switches simply redirect the airflow inside the accordion with the help of mechanical sliders under the reed blocks. The document below shows a typical convertor bass layout with a C-system chromatic free-bass (which is more or less the default system on both CBA-C and piano accordions). Please note, however, that the way the stradella bass rows and the chromatically arranged rows are positioned relative to each other, can vary between different accordions. Although the convertor bass is extremely versatile, one has to keep in mind that an ordinary accordion, that only features a stradella bass, can be optimized for the stradella sound. combobass.pdf 1 page Updated 10 Apr 2010 Makers of Free Bass Accordions Makers of free bass and/or convertor accordions include (in alphabetical order): Accordiola (Belgium), Baldoni, Ballone Burini, Beltrami, Beltuna, Bengts (Swedish brand made by Bugari), Bompezzo, Borsini, Brandoni, Bugari, Cooperfisa, Dallapé, Delicia, Dise (Swedish brand made by Pigini), Excelsior (merger with Pigini), Fantini, Fisart, Fisitalia, Fratelli Alessandrini, Geuns (hybrid bandoneons, Belgium), Giustozzi, Golden Cup (China), Hohner, Jupiter (Moscow), Mengascini, Monarch, Ottavianelli, Petosa, Pigini, Polverini, Ranco Antonio (made by Polverini), Roland (digital accordions), Scandalli, Serenellini, Teknofisa, Titano, Verde, Victoria, Vignoni, Zero Sette (merger with Bugari), Zonta (Belarus). 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