Yep - The alternative of free bass or a Stradella system is for masters of the art only! Although having got used to a Stradella 32 bass on my accordion I can see how it could be well utilised on a melodeon. The bass columns on my 32, going from the bellows out, are bass note, major chord, minor chord and seventh. The key rows from bottom to top are Eb, Bb, F, C, G, D. A, and E. So I could play (note could, not can!) in Bb, C and G, utilising the minor chords D, A and E and play reasonably in D and A provided I dont have to use B minor or F# minor, which I don't have!