The Piano Accordion for The Recycled Muso

Version 3 Defns.txt

This Opus is Copyright - © Robin Hayes who asserts his International Claim to be recognized as the Author of this work. This version is still in Development.



Definitions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the purpose of consistency in this "Opus", the following definitions apply. Some of these may seem pedantic, however you will see some of these terms used in other works to refer to different concepts.

I have tried to arrange them in a logical order by building on previous concepts. Some of the definitions form self-referential loops.



Chromatic and Diatonic Instruments.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Chromatic" is a musical term signifying the use of notes extraneous to the Musical Scale in which the piece is written, and introduced to intensify melodic design or harmonic structure. It is from the Greek term "Chroma" - "Color". There is only one "Chromatic Scale" - it contains all 12 semitones; that is, all the black and white notes on the Piano Keyboard between any note and its octave.

Piano Accordions are fully "Chromatic" Instruments: the Keyboard Side of the "standard" 120 Bass Instrument allows easy playing of any note, and sequences or chords of notes, and most normal chords for Classical, Trad and Folk Music are immediately available as direct Left Side Buttons. Smaller Piano Accordions with fewer features may have some restrictions.

The rest of this discussion about "Diatonic Instruments" and "Single and Double Action" is of direct interest to you only if you want to play The Piano Accordion in imitation of the Styles of other "Button Accordion/ Concertina/ Melodeon/ etc" instruments!

This Opus assumes that the Recycled Muso already knows about Keys and Modes - if you don't, please seek help elsewhere for more detailed explanations - sufficient is included here only of the purposes of explaining the differences between The Piano Accordion and other instruments for which we are trying to emulate the Sounds and Styles.

"Diatonic" comes from an ancient Greek Musical term defined as - signifying literally "through the tones": music in which the notes employed are confined to those of the Musical Key, Major or Minor, in which it is written. These two particular Musical Modes are called "Diatonic Scales" and they contain only 8 notes, the 8th being the Octave of the Fundamental, or starting tone.

There are many different other types of Scales other than these two "Classical Music" forms. Folk and Trad Music, and indeed music from cultures outside Western Europe had many different ways of organizing a Scale. Indian Music even has rules which define what notes are suitable for a piece, depending on the time of day during which it is to be performed. Some cultures also incorporate "Quarter Tones" - notes which lie between the normal Semitones of Western European Music.

I know of no "Diatonic Boxes" which have Button Rows organized in other than Major Scales.

Since "Western European Folk & Trad Music" has more than just Major & Minor Scale Modes, "The Diatonic Scale" is assumed to include the other Western European Modes especially Dorian and Mixolydian, which are common in Irish and Scottish music respectively. A full discussion of Modes and their place in "Western European Folk & Trad Music" is outside the scope of this Opus.

The reason for the mention of only "Major & Minor" in the Definition of "Diatonic" is because the representation of Minor Scales in printed sheet music (due to Classical Music background!) is to display the related Major Scale Key Signature and insert accidentals where needed to generate the Minor Scale. The same "convention" is also used for any other "Mode". If we don't put the accidentals in the music, that would take us back to the Medieval/Renaissance conventions of "Musica Ficta", and I don't want to go there!

Of course now printed Sheet Music is used for anything from Irish Tin Whistle to Orchestral Swing/Jazz, so there are a multitude of "conventions" anyway. One is that many styles of music, including "Irish music" is printed with certain Classical Music note values, but that it is always played "as per the tradition", which means that reading the exact "Classical Music" time values for the notes will give you the WRONG note values and rhythm!!!

Some forms of "Button Boxes" are referred to as "Diatonic Boxes". Many tunes may contain "accidental" (or Chromatic) notes, which are additional to the Key Signature of the Scale that the piece is written in. These are noted by Sharps, Flats or Natural symbols inserted in each bar where appropriate in the sheet music: they are unobtainable on a single row "Diatonic Box".

Such "Diatonic Instruments" may have only a couple of rows of Right Side Buttons set in particular Diatonic Scales, e.g. C/G. It gets complicated thereafter, because with the right combinations of Diatonic Scales, you can achieve all the black and white notes on a Piano Keyboard. Some notes on a particular Instrument organized thus, however, may not be available in a particular Bellows direction, or nearby pitched notes may be located apart by large jumps, making some runs or chords tricky.

It is difficult to draw the line anywhere after one or two row Button Boxes. There are many conflicting usages of Terms that result in confusion. Some Button Boxes may be referred to as "Chromatic Button Boxes", but playing in particular Scales may be very difficult due to Button placements and Bellows direction restrictions. Also "Diatonic Boxes" mostly have very few Left Side Buttons, thus restricting the number of Scales and Chords practicable on the Instrument.

The 3-row A/D/G, G/C/F, D/G/C style boxes can play almost 2 octaves of Chromatic scale. Some players hesitate to call them fully "Chromatic", because of the previously mentioned restrictions: but a (usually French) 2½-row "Club" model is often considered more or less "Chromatic" - because it has alternate direction notes and a "dedicated" ½-row for "out of scale" accidentals.



Single and Double Action.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These two terms cause perhaps even more confusion than "Diatonic and Chromatic" - in fact the terms "Single Action" and "Double Action" cause endless confusion just as they do in firearms training! You will doubtless hear the terms used in reverse as much as used correctly.

Double:
having two of a sort together; being in pairs; coupled. - Funk & Wagnall.

Single:
(a) consisting of one only; separate; individual.
(b) having no companion or assistant; alone.
(c) Of or pertaining to one alone; hence, uncommon; singular; unique.
(d) Consisting of only one part; simple; uncompounded.
- Funk & Wagnall.

Single-acting: Doing effective work in only one direction; as a motor having a reciprocating action. - Funk & Wagnall.

Single-action: Designating a type of firearm in which the trigger must be cocked by one action and released by another. - Funk & Wagnall.

Wheatstone call large English system Basses, specially voiced "Clarinet" or "Oboe" models of Concertinas that have huge flap valves to refill the bellows quickly on the draw and only sound on the push - "Single Action" - you are only confused by this if you have got your understanding of the two terms back-asswards. Popular misconception is that the terms refer to "one" note for "both" bellows directions to be a single action, or "two" notes for "two" directions to be a double action. This is simply wrong!

Piano Accordions are "Double Action" Free Reed Instruments. They double the reeds for each pitch, one for each bellows direction. Thus, they always generate a single pitch for both bellows motion actions on each actuator (key or button).

A "Single Action" Free Reed Instrument generates a single pitch for each bellows push and pull motion action for each actuator (key or button) - simple "Diatonic" "Button Boxes" normally do this. There is a single Reed for each pitch for each Bellows direction for each actuator in a single Reed Rank instrument. Additional Reed Ranks do not affect this basic action, they just parallel it.

There is no insistence in Music Theory for any connection between the "Diatonic" and "Single Action" Terms, any more than there is a connection between the concepts of Color and Smell: it is a result of the physical way that Harmonicas, Anglo Concertinas and similar "Button Boxes" are constructed.

Some less simple "Musical Instrument Bellows Driven Free Reed Boxes with Buttons and no Piano Keyboard!" may be "Double Action" - Diatonic or Chromatic! You would need to get more deeply into the nomenclature and technical design & construction of these boxes, which is well outside the scope of this Opus. I only mention it because if you hang around Folk & Trad Musos, you WILL be engulfed in the confusion! "You play an Accordion, you MUST be an Expert!" - "Yes, but not that type of Accordion!"



The Cycle of Fifths.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is the heart of the Stradella Bass System. A German musician called Johann David Heinichen defined this term in 1728. A circular chart of all 12 semitone pitches is arranged so that any clockwise pair of adjacent pitches represents the interval of an ascending "Perfect" fifth. The counter clockwise pairs seem to be a descending fourth, but things are not quite as simple as they seem. You should perhaps consult a proper chart to follow this - or draw up your own!

The chart starts off from a convenient point in a clockwise direction thus:

F - C - G - D, etc.

The fifth note of the C Major Scale is G.
The fifth note of the G Major Scale is D, the fourth note of the G Major Scale is C.
Successive steps in the clockwise direction are additive base 8 - Octal Maths for the Computer Nerds! Thus V + V = II.
The Second Note of the C Major Scale is D.

These simple relative relationships hold all the way around the Circle.
But...

The Seventh note of the D Major Scale is C - plus a semitone = C#. You really need to go sufficient steps clockwise to get to the correct note. Going counter clockwise, you seem to end up some semitones out in the additions, because it is not just a simple "perfect" fourth - there are "adjustments" to be made.

And don't forget, that often mentioned Tonic - Subdominant - Dominant: I - IV - V chord progression is in fact really I - IV - V7. The Note (Natural) C is the Flattened 7th of the D Major Scale.

Transposing correctly from one Musical Key to another involves taking two Circles of Fifths, and offsetting them: e.g., to transpose the Key of C to the Key of G, align the C of the first Circle to the G of the second Circle, and always read in the same direction from the first Circle to the second Circle.


The Bellows.
~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is the most distinctive visual feature of the instrument. The Bellows is "The Engine" of the Piano Accordion mechanism which propels air through the Reeds, by either opening or closing. One must not strenuously force the Bellows in any direction when no Keys or Buttons are depressed, as this may cause damage to the Instrument. There is a special Air Release Button on the Left (Bass) Side. If not a separate button, it may be hiding as one of the lesser used Stradella Bass Buttons at the right hand end of the rows, perhaps as the last A# row Button.

The Style of Manipulation of the Bellows is what distinguishes the sound of the Instrument from imitations such as Harmoniums and other Keyboard Reed Instruments, Electric/Electronic Organs and Midi Generated Imitation Sounds. It is also mostly responsible for the distinctive sounds of certain musical styles that use any form of Accordion or Concertina.

With a practiced ear, you can tell quickly whether it is a real or imitated Instrument. Most "Pop Music" does not use a real Instrument to generate the sound, as the tone pattern of it is available as a "Stop" on Electronic Keyboards, along with "Harpsichord", "Piano", etc.



Change of Direction of the Bellows.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Slower movements (more notes before Change of Direction) are used for Legato Style and musical phrasing purposes: faster movements (including multiple direction changes on a single note) involve "Bellows Shake" Techniques.

Legato can only be done easily with uni-directional bellows movements. While forms of Staccato can be achieved purely with Keyboard or Button finger work as per Piano techniques, Bellows direction changes and pulsing techniques lend themselves to many different Staccato Styles of playing.



The Free Reed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At the heart of what makes the Piano Accordion work is "The Free Reed". It is used in all Accordions, and Concertinas, as well as Harmonicas and Harmoniums.

The Reed vibrates mechanically, imparting vibrations to the air, which we detect as sound waves with particular frequencies. There are different types of Reeds in musical instruments: woodwind instruments use a single or double reed closely coupled to a tube, trumpets use a reed formed with the player's lips closely coupled to a tube.

The Free Reed does not depend on being part of a tube assembly. It is supported at one end and vibrates freely without any hindrance at a rate determined by the physical properties of the material of which it is constructed, similar to a pendulum. It produces a sinusoidal waveform, larger Reeds of more mass having a lower frequency of vibration. It may rarely be mounted in a "Tone Chamber" which modifies the impedance matching, and thus the Tone Color. This is referred to as "Cassotto".

The Standard Piano Accordion version of the Free Reed is an "asymmetric" "uni-directional" assembly: the unexcited reed tongue sits just outside one side of the Vent in the Reed Bed. As it vibrates back and forth, it interrupts the airflow coming out of the Vent, causing pressure fluctuations at the frequency at which it vibrates. This "asymmetric Free Reed assembly" is loud enough to be heard without a resonating chamber, although "Cassottos" are occasionally used.

It requires a minimum flow of air to sound. A well adjusted Accordion will have all Reed Ranks set to the same minimum air flow, so all Ranks should sound together. It only generates a clean sounding pitch when air is passed through in one direction. A Valve is used to prevent back flow of the air.

Reeds for the lowest pitches have small metal weights on their ends to add mass, which slows down the rate of vibration. Don't fiddle with them!

The Free Reed produces a string-like sound, and it can whisper, moan, roar, shriek and bark!

Free The Reed!



"Bending" The Accordion Reed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You may hear claims that some players can "bend" Standard Accordion Reeds in a similar way to Harmonica Reeds. For a start, Diatonic Harmonicas (the normal ones people think of) which are played for "Blues" have no Valves. Chromatic Harmonicas (the ones with a "change button") normally have Valves called "Wind Savers" - so they don't bend Pitch. Advanced Harmonica Experts may have a Chromatic Harmonica from which they remove the Valves ("Wind Savers") in order to be able to "bend" Pitch.

Now this "pitch bending effect" does not work on all Piano Accordions, indeed it is normally designed to not work this way. Piano Accordion designers have gone to great trouble to build their Reed and Valve assemblies so that they will not change Pitch with change in Bellows pressure. High quality hand made Reeds, or hand finished Reeds, properly installed and adjusted will not bend in Pitch. Some cheaper Reeds may "bend" if the Reed is not adjusted "correctly" for normal use. If the Valves are really so bad as to be ineffective, you may experience some "bending".

Now some "Chorus Effect" may occur as you increase Bellows pressure, as stated elsewhere, which may give the sensation of a slight Pitch change.

Harmonica Reeds are normally "pulled" down in Pitch one or occasionally two Semitones; or more rarely by extremely advanced players, up one or two Semitones; by changing the shape of inside the mouth and "drawing down" using overblowing and overdrawing techniques. If you were to just increase the Bellows pressure, then the Accordion Reed that is sensitive to this technique would normally be expected to increase in Pitch. Some Concertinas and Melodeons are alleged to exhibit this behavior, but the Reeds in those instruments are normally constructed differently from Accordion Reeds - although some Concertinas and Melodeons are indeed built with Accordion Reeds.

One alleged way is to just press the Key so the Reed is only beginning to speak, and then increase the Bellows pressure - sometimes you may hear the note bend upwards in Pitch. Another claimed way is to start the note, then increase the Bellows pressure.

It is most likely that what is happening, is a combination of what are Traditionally considered "Bad Techniques":
#1) The Reed is not aligned "correctly" with regard to the "Vent" by normal standards;
#2) The Valve is in poor condition, and is not functioning "correctly" by normal standards;
#3) The Pallet may be leaking; Pallet sealing material may be worn, or dirt may adhering thereto.
#4) Impedance mismatching in the air feed path due to the Pallet not fully opening because the actuating rods may be out of correct adjustment, or by means of the actuating Key or Button not being fully depressed;

Take care, if your instrument is not sensitive to what is normally considered a "wrong" or "bad" Piano Accordion sound: trying to force it may most likely damage it! The same warning applies to other Bellows Driven Free Reed Instruments!

Warning: if you take an Accordion exhibiting this unusual behavior to a Tuner, unless you insist on retaining this "rare feature", it will most likely be returned "totally fixed"! Tuners firstly remove the Reed Blocks, and reset all Reeds that are not correctly positioned in their Vents (adjusting the gaps): or if that doesn't seem to work, they just replace the whole Reed Block (both Reeds) for that Pitch: then they replace ALL defective Valves: then they retune ALL the Reeds (at this step they can easily alter "Chorus" and "Musette" or "Tremolo" Sounds to taste - indeed some Tuners may automatically alter setups to what they were taught was the "correct sound") - again, if necessary, replacing any difficult Reed Blocks that are misbehaving and not responding to treatment - in that order. The Reeds are then reinstalled in the Instrument, and in some cases, Pallets may be found to be sealing incorrectly due to dirt or wear, and these would normally be recommended to be serviced as well. Any Reeds that WERE originally bending WILL thus now be eliminated. The Borg would be pleased.

Tom Tonon, however, since starting development in 1990, has patented and is now manufacturing and selling new BluesBox™ Piano Accordions with special Reed Assemblies based on different principles from Standard Piano Accordion Reeds - DESIGNED to "bend" in Pitch - the prototypes are currently designed to bend one Semitone downward with a controllable infinite gradation of bend, from zero to maximum. 62 year old Kenny Kotwitz, one of the world's top Jazz Accordionists has assisted with the development. See www.bluesbox.biz for details and sound files, as well as a demonstration CD. See http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20954~1829850,00.html for a L.A. Daily News Article if it is still online. These Instruments are highly unlikely to be available yet to the Recycled Muso seeking to pick up a cheap Second Hand Instrument, as so few have been made as yet - and the techniques are also applicable to the manufacture of "Button Boxes". Detailed discussion of Mr Tonon's impedance mismatching construction techniques are beyond the scope of this Opus.



Valves.
~~~~~~~

The Valves are the little flaps of leather or plastic which seal the Reeds in "reverse mode". They are also called "Skins", and are usually not applied to the smallest Reeds, as there the leakage is minimal.

The Valves are very delicate and easily damaged. Don't fiddle ignorantly with the Valves: this is a skilled craft. When a Valve is replaced, the associated Reed usually needs minor retuning.



Register Switches.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Each Keyboard Key or Bass Button is connected to potentially more than one "Reed Rank", and each Reed Rank is allowed to speak in potential combination with each other Reed Rank through the action of Register Switches. These may also be called variously by different people "Switch", "Register", "Stop", "Shift", "Change", or "Coupler".

These Switches cause to slide small pieces of metal which open or close whole individual Reed Ranks at the one time. Not all Register Switches stay depressed after activation. Some Bass Side Register switches may be a single actuator that cycles between the different possibilities as it is depressed. A few Instruments had a Keyboard "Palm Switch" which cycled between the two possible settings of one or two Reed Ranks.

Some Instruments had "Toggle Switches", which allowed selecting between two preset set-ups - they were delicate and may be damaged on surviving Instruments.



Reed Block.
~~~~~~~~~~~

For each sounding pitch, there are two identically pitched Reeds (this is why it is a "Double Action" Instrument!), one for each direction of air flow, as the Reeds only speak properly in one air flow direction, mounted in a metal "Reed Bed". These are both mounted in a small solid metal block, which is held in place in the wooden reed-bank, usually by a wax based mixture, but some instruments may use mechanical fasteners and seals, or even a special PVA style glue.

With the very high pitches, the gap between the Reed and the sides of the Vent (the hole the Reed sits partly in and over) of each individual Reed Bed is so small as to allow almost no air through when the Reed is "in reverse": definitely insufficient air to cause the reed to speak. The rest of the Reeds have Valves - a small flap of leather or plastic designed to prevent reverse air flow.



Reed Rank.
~~~~~~~~~~

A Reed Rank refers to all of the single fundamental pitches in a particular set of Reeds with the same Tone Color conceptually grouped together and simultaneously brought into use or disuse through a Register Switch - much as a Pipe Rank or "Stop" in a Pipe Organ, and imitated in Electric/Electronic Organs and Harmoniums. Other terms used by Accordion Technicians for this are "Line" and "Voice".

Harmoniums often split the Keyboard Reeds into upper and lower sections around Middle C for a greater range of contrasts, especially on a single keyboard manual model: Piano Accordions do not need to do this, as you only use the right hand.

Not all instruments are manufactured have Register Switches to individually actuate individual Reed Ranks - but theoretically, they could - they cannot easily be installed later. Many Instruments, especially smaller ones, manage well without individual control of individual Reed Ranks - especially on the Bass Side.



Reed Bank.
~~~~~~~~~~

All of the individual metal Reed Blocks for each "voice pitch color", which is normally activated by a particular Register Switch, are gathered together into a hollowed out wooden block which is mounted on the holes opposite the pads of the pallets.

On many instruments, they may be split into two or three separate sub-banks, with gaps in the middle.

On "miniaturized" instruments, they may be arranged differently, for some very good practical physical construction reasons. Putting two Reed Block sets part by part into the same 'Dual Reed Rank' Wooden 'Reed Bank', but with two separate sets of air feed holes, allows them to be compressed into a smaller space, but still controlled by the individual sliders from the Register Switches. The Keyboard Levers which actuate the pallets in miniature instruments then can alternate from one Combined Reed Bank to another to allow the total length of the Keyboard to be shorter; narrower keyboard keys also then being used.

In most Instruments, the Reed Blocks are few and run in the direction parallel to the Keyboard, but in some Instruments, there are more & shorter ones, and they run at right angles to this direction.

Note: The Reed Block is the small metal bit to which the paired (double-action) Reeds are fixed: the Reed Bank is the removable Wooden thing in which several Reed Blocks are mounted.



Pallet:
~~~~~~~

The name for the small padded Block which seals the Airway opening to the Reed Ranks. The name originated with Pipe Organ builders. It sits on the end of the levers which are connected to each Key on the Keyboard Side, or on the end of each of the rods which are connected to the various Bass Side Buttons.



Seeing it on the Page:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are conventions for printing Piano Accordion Sheet Music. It looks similar to normal Piano Sheet Music, but is interpreted differently. The Treble clef is interpreted exactly the same as for Piano Music. The Notes played on the 2 Bass Note Rows are represented in the bottom octave of the Bass Clef, with the note tails pointed down. The notes printed in the top octave of the same Bass Clef may be attached to the same tails, and refer to the Note Name of the Chord - Major chords may have an upper case "M" above them, and Minor Chords will have a lower case "m" above them. Other markers denote the Major (Dominant) 7th - a "7" or the chord name and a "7" e.g. "C7"- and the Diminished 7th - "Dim".

Other methods may involve the Bass Note Name in Upper Case, and the Chord Name in lower case, e.g. "C" & "c" - Minor Chords then will have a lower case "m".

When you see two notes (always an octave of the same note - one will be on a line, the other on a space) in the Bass Clef on a single note tail pointed down, it represents playing the Chord Note & Chord Buttons together - the loudest and deepest sound for that Switch Register setting.

Occasionally, the Chord Buttons may be represented by actual fully written out chords, similar to the way normal Piano music notation is represented. There will then also be the little letters and numbers as mentioned above.

Different Publishers tended to use different methods.
You can of course use any sheet music that has a tune on it - Guitar tabs can be even used as chord guides should they appear. In that case you are creating your own Rhythm patterns.



Tuning of Pitches.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Major and Minor scales (and some of the Modes) should already be familiar to most Recycled Musos. Scales are made up of Tones and Semitones.

Tuning is measured in "cents". 1 cent = 1/100 or 1% of a Semitone, or a difference in pitch by a factor of 2 raised to the 1/1,200 power = 1.000577789507. The actual number of cycles per second (Hz - short for Hertz) in a cent varies with the original fundamental frequency in the Semitone referred to. When referring to "Musette", the basic reference cent difference is stated at Middle C.

Not all Piano Accordions were tuned to the A = 440 Hz reference pitch standard. For "Brightness", or that ability to "stand out, or "punch through", some were tuned anywhere from A = 440 Hz up to 445 Hz as the basic reference pitch. The majority of Italian Accordions were tuned to A = 443 Hz. Chinese Accordions were normally tuned to A = 440 Hz.

I say "were" because some owners have them retuned during the working life of the instrument.



"Dry" and "Wet" Tuning.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When two Pitches are exactly the same frequency that is called "Dry" Tuning.

When they are different by a small amount, they produce a "beat" or pulse at the frequency of the beat. This is called "Wet" Tuning. According to published Manufacturers claims, this difference may be from 5 (often called "Slow") to 25 ("Fast") cents at Middle C. Different degrees of "Wetness" are preferred by different styles of music, but this preference can change over time.



Chorus Tuned.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is why some very small Accordions can have a very "large sound". In any instrument with individual sound generators in each Rank for each Pitch, the individual generators of each particular pitch can be tuned to the exact pitch of each of the other similar generators in other Ranks, which gives a "Dry" sound, or a very small amount of a cent or less off, which leads to the "Chorus" sound.

The Choir and Orchestra produce this effect naturally, as the pitch of each singer and instrumentalist may vary slightly - thus the origin of the name.

To hear and understand this effect if you do not understand, try this. Have two Radios playing the same program at a reasonable volume a fair distance apart - in two rooms if necessary. Walk between them from one towards the other, and you will hear the "Phasing" or Chorus" Effect.

In a "Chorus Tuned" Accordion, the tuning is very slightly "pulled" by only a very small amount over the whole Reed Rank pitch range. This is a far more subtle pitch difference than the "Musette" tuning arrangement.

This very small pitch difference produces a very slow beat that sounds like the "Chorus" or "Flange" guitar effect pedal. The resultant effect is to give a very big sound, or the "Wall of Sound" effect.

Some of this effect may occur with the "Wetness" of "Violin Tuned" Reed Ranks contrasted with the Bass Side Reed Ranks.

The amount of pitch "spreading" is usually smaller towards the top of the keyboard: too much difference here can make the instrument seem too much "out of tune" to some ears. This needs to be balanced against other methods of "detuning" various Reed Ranks. See also "Musette Tuning".

Some of the Bass Reed Ranks may be slightly "Chorused" relative to other Bass Reed Ranks as well, especially on large or even some "miniature" instruments.



What's this 8 Foot Stop Business?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Pipe Organs, the basic reference fundamental Pitch range which includes the normal "Middle C" of the piano Keyboard is produced from pipes with a maximum length of 8 feet - this was established centuries before metrification, and the term is always in feet, never metric. "Stop" is the name given to a Rank of Pipes with a particular Tone Color and volume, which may actually be generated by up to half a dozen individual sets of pipes for each note!

Since higher octaves and lower octaves are twice and half the frequency respectively, they are produced by pipes twice and half as long. Thus a 16 ft stop has fundamental pitch pipes twice as long as the 8 ft stop, and produces tones an octave lower than staff notation. Similarly, the 4 ft stop produces fundamental tones an octave above staff notation.

These Pipe Organ terms are sometimes heard among Accordion Players and Tuners.



Meanings Of Names Of Some Reed Ranks and Register Switches.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Bass Reed Ranks are normally not named like the Keyboard Reed Ranks, as you can't easily see them while playing, and normally more than one Reed Rank is speaking at a time anyway. Further, since one is rarely playing Solo Notes, but Chords, the difference between Tone Colors is less marked. The Bass Register Switches are marked with symbols which indicate which of the relative sets of Reed Ranks are switched in when that Register Switch is depressed. Bass Side Reed Ranks are normally 5 on a large "Professional Level" Instrument. There may be more, but they add more weight for relatively less function under "The Law Of Diminishing Returns". Smaller instruments manage with fewer, often usually 2; 8 ft & 16 ft.

The Keyboard Register Switches may not have printed names either, but similar symbols which indicate which of the relative sets of reed ranks are switched in when that switch is depressed.

Because of lack of standards, confusion is likely to abound: Register Switches on instruments from different manufacturers may have different names. For instance, a Keyboard Register Switch may be marked "Violin" but may in fact have two Reed Ranks, with a "Chorus" effect.

There are a range of other names I have not specifically mentioned: "Organ" "Bandoneon", "Melodeon", "Celeste", "Harmonium", Accordion", etc: one of these names may actually be the "Master" on an instrument if "Master" does not appear. The instrument designer has merely tried to convey an image of other distinctively separate sounds, often not very successfully. The range of names is probably due more to Marketing than anything else. "My Organ is better than your Organ"!

The names are not always consistent between all Manufacturers, or even among all instrument ranges from the same Manufacturer. Special instruments made to order will have whatever was specified. Maybe some clown may have "fixed" or "improved" the tuning on a particular box, so that the original tuning picture no longer applies.

Don't get fixated on a particular Register Switch name always being a particular sound: you will just have to examine each instrument carefully to see what you have. This is why some Manufacturers just put the little "L-M-H" pictures on the Register Switches - you can't get distracted by confusing names. It's perhaps best just to think in these "L-M-H" terms about the Register Switches anyway.


Master Register Switch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This switches in all Reed Ranks on that side. There is a Keyboard Master and a Bass Master. Some more expensive instruments may have additional Wrist Master or Chin Master Switches that just parallel the action for the player's convenience.


"Bassoon Reed" Rank.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This (L) 16 ft stop is normally tuned "Dry" to the reference pitch scale (pitched at A=440, or whatever). It may be slightly "Chorused" relative to the Bass Side Reeds in some instruments. This is the only Reed Rank Name common to all Manufacturers.


"Clarinet Reed" Rank.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This (M) 8 ft stop is always tuned "Dry" to the basic reference pitch. It is called "The Concert Pitch Reed" - the lowest C on the keyboard should be Middle C on a Piano Keyboard. If a "2 Reeder" has a "Bassoon Reed" Rank and a "Clarinet Reed" Rank, then the Keyboard, and usually the whole instrument will be "Dry", unless some "Chorusing" has been added. Sometimes this Register Switch may be called "Oboe", and then the "Clarinet" Register Switch on the same instrument, or on other instruments from the same manufacturer, will engage both the 8 ft & 4 ft Reed Ranks together. Some instruments may even call this Register Switch "Flute".


"Violin Reed" Rank.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This (L) 8 ft stop is tuned slightly sharp (only a few cents) with respect to the previously mentioned reference pitch scale. If a "2 Reeder" has a "Bassoon Reed" Rank and a "Violin Reed" Rank, then the "Violin Reed" Rank will give a slight "Chorus Effect" with the Bass Side Reed Ranks, as well as with the "Bassoon Reed" Rank. The Keyboard Master will thus give a slight "Chorus" Effect as the fundamental of the "Violin Reed" Rank beats with the first overtone of the Keyboard "Bassoon Reed" Rank, and the relevant Bass Side Reed Ranks.


"Piccolo Reed" Rank.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This (H) 4 ft Stop is often tuned a few cents sharp with respect to the reference pitch scale. If tuned too sharp, especially at the top of the keyboard, the instrument may sound too "out of tune" when the Keyboard Master is depressed. The sharpness decreases near the top of the keyboard.


"Musette Reed" Ranks.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are the extra (M) 8 ft Reed Ranks needed to generate the beating "Wet Sound". There may be one or two of these Ranks extra to the "Clarinet Reed" Rank, and they are tuned either sharper or flatter by a variable number of cents (depending on the degree of "Wetness") from the 8 ft reference pitch scale. The pitch difference is normally not constant across each of the whole Reed Ranks involved, usually being slightly lessened at the top of the keyboard. It generates a "beat sound" at the frequency of the difference.

If a "2 Reeder" set up (M-M) has a "Clarinet" style Reed Rank and a "Violin" style Reed Rank, then 2 Register Switches are often provided to allow separate selection of the (M) "Dry" & (M-M) "Wet" (the "Master" setting) sounds. This "Wet" sound may be called "Musette" or "Tremulant" Effect.

The "Wet" Sound will also conveniently provide a slight amount of "Chorusing" with the Bass Side Reed Ranks.



"French Musette" Sound and Register Switch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This always involves three (M-M-M) 8 ft pitch reeds. Other "Wet Sound" beating tuning setups may be called "Musette" or "Tremulant".

"French Musette" tuning is "Wetter" than all other beating tunings, and is by default the (M-M-M) "Dry, Sharp & Flat" Setup:

1) "Clarinet" type Reed Rank for the basic reference pitch.
2) "Musette" or "Violin" type Reed Rank #1 is tuned sharp by the exact amount that
3) "Musette" type Reed Rank #2 is tuned flat.
There is thus a single fully amplitude modulated Tremolo applied to each note.


Another common Style of Three Reed "Musette Tuning" or "Wet Sound Tuning" is the "Dry, Sharp & Sharper" Setup. It is improper to call this tuning "French Musette".

This Three Reed "Wet Sound" tuning has "Violin" type Reed Rank #1 tuned a little bit sharp and "Violin" type Reed Rank #2 tuned a lot sharp. The player thus has a choice of a slightly wet sound or a much wetter sound.

If the amount of offset is not consistent between "Violin" type Reed Ranks #1 & #2, then you end up with a blend of different rates of Tremolo in this tuning if the "Musette Master" is used to engage all three "Musette" Reed Ranks, or if they are blended with other Reed Ranks in combinations. Register Switches may be provided to control all the various combinations, or the number of various combinations may be limited by design. There will be different sets of beats produced between the detuned various fundamentals and overtones of the Reed Ranks involved.

Listen to the instrument - the effect varies, and is far too complicated to theorize about here. There is also some "Chorusing Effect" with the Bass Side Reed Ranks here too.

Of course if the instrument is badly in need of tuning, or the Valves are in a bad way, the effect is ragged, and not necessarily pleasant!



That "Wobble In The Sound" Effect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There are two words commonly used, often apparently at random interchangeably, to describe the "Tremor" or "Wobble" in the sound of human voices and musical instruments.


Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics
Arthur H. Benade
2nd, Revised Edition
Dover 1990 - First Published 1976.

The Index contains several references to "Vibrato" that each definitely refer to PITCH variations. No found reference to changes in VOLUME only.


Funk and Wagnall - reveals
"Vibrato ... A trembling or pulsating effect, not confined to vocal music, caused by rapid variation of emphasis on the SAME TONE: properly distinguished from Tremolo, where there is an alternation of tones."


From Merriam Webster On Line http://www.m-w.com/

Vi·bra·to Pronunciation: vi-'brä-(")tO, vI-
Function: noun Inflected Form(s): plural -tos
Etymology: Italian, from past participle of vibrare to vibrate, from Latin
Date: circa 1876
: a slightly tremulous effect imparted to vocal or instrumental tone for added warmth and expressiveness by slight and rapid variations in pitch

Trem·o·lo Pronunciation: 'tre-m&-"lO
Function: noun Inflected Form(s): plural -los
Etymology: Italian, from tremolo tremulous, from Latin tremulus
Date: circa 1801
1 a : the rapid reiteration of a musical tone or of alternating tones to produce a tremulous effect b : vocal vibrato especially when prominent or excessive
2 : a mechanical device in an organ for causing a tremulous effect


A useful Piano Accordion Reference site on the Web is http://www-2.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/phoebe/accordion/accordion-tuning.html
This refers to pulsing PITCH related wobbles as Tremolo.


So briefly the 'State Of Confusion' is this:

The Term "Vibrato" is often used to refer generally to any wobble in PITCH or VOLUME, whereas the allegedly older term "Tremolo" is used to refer to SPECIFICALLY PITCH only wobble.

Scientists such as Benade refer to PITCH wobbles as "Vibrato".

Singers usually refer to the mixed effect of VOLUME and PITCH changes as "Vibrato".

Violinists refer to the "tremor" caused by wobbling the left wrist while holding down a string (thus minutely changing the string length) as "Vibrato", but Physics says it is actually a PITCH wobble.

Banjo or mandolin players may refer to the characteristic sound of repeatedly striking the same note as "Tremolo", but there is of course no PITCH variation.

On Keyboard Instruments, the alternation of two PITCHES such as an extended "Trill" may sometimes be called "Tremolo"

"Tremolo" or "Tremulant" as a term for PITCH wobble is not uncommon in Organ and Accordion playing and tuning circles.

"Vox Humana" is an effect on Harmoniums that is mainly a pulse in the VOLUME.

There is also a subtle form of PITCH difference beating called "Chorusing".


The problem is that I MUST have TWO separate words for the purpose of this discussion in order to distinguish without confusion between the two separate physical effects of PITCH and VOLUME wobbles, when describing practical physical Accordion Techniques, and STICK TO IT! I have not needed to define a term for the combination of the "Vibrato" & "Tremolo" effects.

So this is my justification for my definitions: as Humpty Dumpty said in Lewis Carol's "Alice" - 'A word means just what I want it to mean' - for the purposes of this "Opus", I'm now Humpty Dumpty!


Vibrato Effect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Vibrato" is the pulsing of the VOLUME.


Tremolo Effect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Tremolo" is the beating effect caused when two speaking Reeds are slightly different in PITCH.


Chorus Effect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The very small PITCH difference between two Reeds tuned only a cent or less different gives a very slow beat (much less than one cycle per second) that sounds like the "Chorus" or "Flange" Guitar Effect Pedals. It gives that "Wall of Sound" Effect of a much bigger instrument, and the human choir or orchestra, as well as Phil Spector's "Wall Of Sound" in Rock/Pop Music. It is discussed in more detail elsewhere in this Opus.



The Mechanics of (Volume) Vibrato on the Piano Accordion.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Because of the fixed Pitch of each of the Reeds, there is only one way to obtain Vibrato on an Instrument with a Bellows - to use the Bellows to cyclically vary the smooth flow of air through the Reeds.

This can be achieved in several ways:
1) "Bellows Shake" - with left arm, hand & shoulder;
2) "Keyboard Vibrato" - with right arm, hand & shoulder;
3) "Bellows Pressure Drop Vibrato" - with the Pallets;
4) "Body Bounce Vibrato".



Bellows Shake Vibrato.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Recycled Musos (depending on their previous instruments) normally have the advantage of having covered sufficient Music Theory to handle most Musical Concepts like Staff Notation, Musical Keys and Modes, Tempo, Rhythm, and Basic Keyboard Technique, let alone getting a tune going! A background in Pipe or Electric/Electronic Organ or Harmonium will have covered the basic concepts of Register Switches.

Bellows Shake is the primary recognized Vibrato method taught to Piano Accordion students. It is usually considered an "advanced" technique, because the student and teacher are first weighed down with coping with Music Theory and the basics of holding the instrument, struggling with the Stradella Bass System, as well as learning how to use the Keyboard and Register Switches, let alone getting a tune out of the box! Many students stop lessons before encountering Bellows Shake Technique, which is to be greatly deplored.

Unfortunately the primary thing about playing an instrument with a set of Bellows is to exercise complete and precise control of the muscles working the Bellows - the Accordionist needs to strengthen and gain precise control of the left shoulder especially, which is where the main power comes from. This is from where most Accordion Rhythm derives.

There are a large range of movements possible with the left arm, hand, and shoulder, but only 2 basic types:
1) Pulsing in the one direction (a more legato style);
2) Reverses of direction (a more staccato style).

Do not forget that both Keyboard and Bass Side Reeds are affected at the same time.



Keyboard Vibrato.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Failure to play smoothly on the Keyboard Side will transmit a slight "wobble" to the Bellows. This wobble of the finger on the Keyboard can be side to side, up and down, or a combination of directions such as a small circle. This is normally considered poor technique when trying to play smoothly or "Legato".

Advantage can be taken of this, however, to produce a Vibrato of widely varying speed and depth, with often more subtlety than that of Left Side generated "Bellows Shake Technique" - at least for beginners. This is not unlike the Violinist left hand "Natural Vibrato" technique, but of course, the violinist is actually producing a subtle pitch change - "Tremolo" as per our working definitions.

The effect varies with each instrument, and also whereabouts on the Keyboard the finger is wobbled. This is because of the way the instrument is suspended from the straps and hangs against the body. Even if the instrument is rigidly held to the body, some degree of wobble will be transmitted to the Bellows, because the left side is not fixed, and the Bellows has its own inertia and flexibility.

Experiment - and listen.



Bellows Pressure Drop Vibrato.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This method involves taking advantage of the pressure drop produced in the Bellows when the Pallets are opened, allowing the Reeds to speak. A similar effect often occurs with Pipe Organs and Harmoniums.

This is similar to "Bellows Shake", but is achieved in another way. It is also generally slower in pacing of the pulsing produced (but with practice you can get very fast indeed!), and only occurs while the Bellows is moving in one direction - a Legato style.

This pressure drop sets up a standing wave, which will cyclically pulse the volume of sound generated by the Reeds. This is generated by the speed of repetition of opening and closing the Pallets. Different instruments will produce a marked effect at particular rates, due to different Bellows Dimensions.

For a simple example, hold down some Keys on the Keyboard, then tap a Bass Chord Button. You can also hold a Bass Chord Button down and Staccato some Keyboard Keys, even while holding down a single Keyboard key. This effect can be complemented by some pulsing of the pressure exerted by the left arm - a subtle form of Bellows Shake Technique.

Experiment - and listen.



Body Bounce Vibrato.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Moving the whole body around while playing can have varying Vibrato Effects, depending on the instrument, the way it is secured to the body, and the movements made (see also the "Doppler Effect"). Trying to dance around while playing and NOT have this effect can be difficult to master, especially if the instrument is not securely fastened, perhaps also with Back-straps.



Doppler Phase Change Effects.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Doppler Effect" is a Pitch change caused by relative motion between the sound source and the listener. Relative expansion of the distance causes a Pitch drop, and vice versa. The effect ceases immediately the relative motion stops. This can cause a "Chorus or Tremolo", not a "Vibrato" effect. If you speed up or slow down the rate of Bellows movement in the one direction, this affects the "Doppler" effect.

The Keyboard Side is normally fixed relative to the listener. The Bass Side moves relative to these two. A subtle "Chorusing" effect may be noticed when the Bellows are moved, and Reeds on both sides are speaking. This can mildly accentuate any existing built-in "Chorus" effect. Some subtle variations of this can be managed by relative motions of the two sides. For instance, if the Left Side Top is moved further and faster than the Bottom.

You could wave the whole instrument around in the air like Guitarists do to produce this effect - which may be useful for very physically small Chinese "Hero" 8 Bass Accordions, or Concertinas, but physically large instruments would require a weight lifter to manage this! Remember any wobbling of the Bellows generated thusly will also cause some of the previously mentioned "Bellows Pressure Drop" Vibrato Effect.

Early Electric Organs used a rotating loudspeaker or baffle for a regular cyclic version of this Phase Change Effect specially named "Leslie Effect": which caused that "Wall of Sound" effect.

Experiment and listen. The Physics is correct, it is just whether you can consciously detect it.




"Accordions don't play 'Lady of Spain', People do!".


The Piano Accordion for The Recycled Muso

Version 3 Defns.txt

Update 29/12/2003