Accordion left hand position

Subject: Accordion left hand position
From: Mo the caller
Date: 29 Mar 20 - 06:57 AM

Daft question, and maybe one that most players do so instinctively that they might not even know the answer to.

What part of my hand should I be using to pump the bellows when my fingers are pressing the buttons?

Subject: RE: Accordion left hand position
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 29 Mar 20 - 07:51 AM

The outside of your wrist

Subject: RE: Accordion left hand position
From: Johnny J
Date: 29 Mar 20 - 07:56 AM

When you are pressing the buttons and/or keys and playing the notes, the bellows will move anyway.

However, if you need extra air to open and close the accordion, the thumb is the most natural part of the hand to use. It's not required to play notes on the left hand.

Subject: RE: Accordion left hand position
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 29 Mar 20 - 08:59 AM

Sorry, should have put that better. The outside of your wrist is against the strap. If you wear a watch on your left wrist, take it off. Or, like me, you may wear a hole in the strap!

Subject: RE: Accordion left hand position
From: leeneia
Date: 30 Mar 20 - 04:47 PM

MO, I suggest you go on YouTube and look for lessons. Also watch skilled players and see what they do.

I play accordion, and I don't pump the bellows. When I play, my brain and left hand are absorbed in the question of what chord buttons to play. The bellows almost take care of themselves. You are supposed to let them fall open (they say). I haven't been able to play for a while, but I believe that when I close them, I use the pressure of my whole forearm. Check that against YouTube.

Subject: RE: Accordion left hand position
From: SqueezeMe
Date: 30 Mar 20 - 06:24 PM

The original post doesn't specify whether the accordion in question is a diatonic button accordion (melodeon) or a piano accordion, and if the latter, whether it is a free bass or stradella style. Very different bass techniques required, and consequently, different ways of controlling the beast!
As the previous post recommends, have a look on Youtube, though not necessarily for lessons, but skilled players of your particular type of accordion and style of music that interests you.
Good luck!

Subject: RE: Accordion left hand position
From: Johnny J
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 04:54 AM

Ah, sorry, I didn't realise what you meant by "pumping".
A piano accordion can more or less take care of itself as Leenia says and I certainly don't try to "force" things in any way.

However, button accordions, melodeons etc may be different. It's best to ask a teacher, as has been said. Not possible, probably, just now but there will be demonstrations etc on line as has been suggested.

Subject: RE: Accordion left hand position
From: Mo the caller
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 09:29 AM

It's a Weltmeister Rubin piano accordion, with stradella bass.
Not sure I understand what you mean Dave. When I'm not trying to play I have the heel of my hand resting below the buttons, the tips of my fingers above the notes. Obviously that won't work. Are you saying I should have my arm not hand against it.

Surely the bellows give the volume and the emphasis to the tune. My tunes lose all that when I'm trying to find the buttons.

Johny J, I suspected it would be like learning to drive - those who can do it do it automatically. "Can't you hear that you're in the wrong gear?" - "no, obviously not or I wouldn't be". And I've been getting by without playing L hand but thought maybe it was time, while we can't go out, to improve.

I did look for a lesson on youtube, all he told me was which button gave which note "now play it". And though I could see his fingers I couldn't see where the rest of the hand was.

Right, now to experiment some more.

Subject: RE: Accordion left hand position
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 10:51 AM

Basically, Mo, it is the bottom of the arm, just above the wrist, that works the bellows, rather than the hand. The outside pulls against the strap when you are opening the bellows and the inside, almost where your pulse point is, pushed against the box when you close the bellows. This leaves the wrist and hand free to do as they please. Which, in my case, is to hit the wrong buttons :-)

Subject: RE: Accordion left hand position
From: Mo the caller
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 11:01 AM

I've been doing it all wrong then. Except hitting the wrong buttons, if that's what is needed I can do that.
I tried just now using arm instead of hand. Should it keep flat, I found mine was rolling towards the thumb.

Subject: RE: Accordion left hand position
From: SqueezeMe
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 12:09 PM

OK, now we know what you are playing... :-)

A few tips and ideas for beginners relevant to bass technique, as taught to me 50 odd years ago and have stood me in good stead:

There is often a temptation among beginners to not push the hand far enough through the wrist strap. The fingers should be curled rather than flat, the tips striking the buttons at close to a 180 degree angle. This will position the wrist to take the strain of pulling the bellows out, while the bass of the hand tends to be used to push the bellows in.

The tightness of the wrist strap is important. It should be sufficiently close to the wrist so that there is no appreciable pause when changing bellows direction, but loose enough to be able to move the hand to reach the buttons required. So a bit of a compromise situation.

A couple of other points, though not directly answering the OP's question, but may be useful:

Many beginners wear their accordion too far to their right, which can adversely affect their bass technique. I was always taught that the black notes of the treble keyboard should be more or less down the centre of the chest. so it tends to prevent dragging the bellows out too far.

Another tip is to try and play the bass as staccato as possible; treat the buttons as being red hot, especially for dance music. Many beginners tend to hold down bass buttons while they search for the next note, causing them to run out of air and also to make the music sound a bit stodgy (I can't think of a more descriptive word). And if the bellows do go out too far, then your hand/wrist position may slip as you try to recover.

The above ideas are those that have worked for me, and for those to whom I've previously passed them on. YMMD of course, but maybe they will be of use to the OP. If anyone has contrary views, please share; there are wonderful players out there who have their own way of doing things which work for them perfectly well.   

Good luck, Mo.

Subject: RE: Accordion left hand position
From: Mo the caller
Date: 31 Mar 20 - 04:23 PM

Thank you