What are other names for the accordion?

Subject: What are other names for the accordion?
From: GUEST,Len Wallace
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 12:27 AM

Hi Friends,

Okay, this sounds like a perfect opener for a joke about accordions, but I am searching for other names for "accordion".

Leadbelly called it a "windjammer".

South African workers often called it "squashbox".

I recently heard it refered to as something else by northern native people.

The "poor man's piano" and "Stomach Steinway" have also been used.

If anyone knows of any such alternative names, please let me know.

Many thanks,

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 12:37 AM

G'day Len Wallace,

I presume you mean the little button accordion (as played by Leadbelly).

The simple, German-style ones with only a simple "spoon" valve for bass are legitimately called melodeons (and lots of Pommies and Irish illegitimately call the more complex accordions by that name).

I played for Croatians once and they called my German button accordion armonica Triestina (which mistakenly atributes it to the Italians).

BTW: I thought that squashbox to South Africans was the simple German concertina ('Scholers' and similar cheap models sold to low paidworkers.

Of course, all accordion can be called "nipple pinchers"

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 12:49 AM

G'day, Bob, nice to see you!

My dad always called them "squeezeboxes."

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 01:57 AM

Manners forbid me from posting what I call them.... but I have to share a house with 8 of them, including 2 piano accordions..... so I know of what I speak!

LTS

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: sian, west wales
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 04:54 AM

A Welsh member of several N.Wales based groups calls his a 'cordial' - a name which he picked up from an old man (I think in the Lleyn penninsula).

sian

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: katlaughing
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 05:23 AM

buttonbox

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: GUEST,jockmorris
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 08:16 AM

Spawn of Satan?:-)

Scott

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: MMario
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 08:27 AM

"polka piano"

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: MudGuard
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 09:28 AM

Quetschn (Bavarian, engl: squeezebox)

Schifferklavier (German, engl:seaman's piano)

Ziehharmonika (German, engl:pull harmonica)

Bob,
German button accordion armonica Triestina (which mistakenly atributes it to the Italians).
Not necessarily. Triest was part of Germany/Austria during its history so it depends on what moment in history the expression "armonica Triestina" was invented.

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: CarolC
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 09:44 AM

I use squeezebox a lot. And I frequently just say 'box'.

And of course when I'm talking to my own accordions, I use terms of affection like "you beautiful sweet thing".

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 10:33 AM

:::giggle!!!!:::

My fave, used on my sister in moments when we were both hanging around our parents house for the holidays or the like,

"That thing"

As in, "Are you going to start playing that thing now?" Or, "When are you going to put that thing away?"

However, considering the evil grins she'd get when I would ask, I can only surmise that mirth was had on both sides. :D

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: CarolC
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 10:44 AM

Playing the accordion is revenge enough upon anyone who hasn't got the subtlety and wit to be able to appreciate such an incredible instrument.

;-)

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Deckman
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 10:55 AM

How about ... "boat anchor!" Bob

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 10:57 AM

LOL!!!

Well said! ;D

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 11:03 AM

When I was a kid, it was the ay-cor-deen!

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 11:06 AM

"Lady of Pain"

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 11:08 AM

I guess that 'should' be "Lady of painS" for true anagrammatical effect.

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: CarolC
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 11:15 AM

Sure, Bill D. But we both know that you own two of them ;-)

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Bill D
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 11:19 AM

not me...*grin*...my good wife does. She actually PLAYED one 6-7 years ago, too...I have a tiny little Melodeon which I can play maybe two tunes on,,

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Mr Red
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 11:21 AM

so how many melodeon player does it take to change a light bulb?

Well it depends wheter you are pushing or pulling
er doesn't quite work on accordian players.
don't cajunnuts refer to theirs as button accordians, with UK nomenclature it is usual to call diatonic ones with buttons - melodeons.
come to think about it, John Kirkpatric has a button accordian that is diatonic on the buttons but not on the chords or is it the other way round? Isn't that what Jimmy Shand (fawn fawn) played with?

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: GUEST,BigDaddy
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 01:57 PM

...wheezing spawn of Satan? Just kidding. :)

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 04:55 PM

Mr Red, the naming of button boxes gets confusing... As far as I understand it, the ones we normally call melodons lack the full chromatic scale in the combination of thier diatonic rows (forgetting any addional buttons for accidentals) a G/D box is an example of this.

Some boxes which still have diatonic rows have a full chromatic scale between the rows, e.g. a B/C box and I believe they are more likely to be referred to as chromatic accordians.

Jimmy Shand's famous box was a 3 row British Chromatic Accordian - a Hohner Morino which I believe he designed. I believe that "British Chromatic" means that the 2 or 3 diatonic rows are a semi-tone apart from each other. As far as I know the bass of his used the standard piano accordian system.

Anyway, that is how I understand things at the moment. Maybe Bob Bolton or someone else will come along and set me straight.

Jon

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: CarolC
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 05:01 PM

I have been told that one name for a fully chromatic button accordion is 'continental chromatic'.

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 05:29 PM

I've never heard anyone use this term, so forgive me if I use the name of the Airy Beast. Barry

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 07:13 PM

Carol, I stand to be corrected on this but I think a "Contental Chromatic" plays the same note regardless of the direction of bellows - a chromatic button accordian yes but a rather different beast to the "British Chromatic" and the diatonics mentioned.

Jon

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: CarolC
Date: 15 Nov 01 - 07:35 PM

I think you and I are in agreement, Jon. I was just pointing out the name I heard for the type of accordion that has buttons and that is fully chromatic (same note both directions). My post was not in response to your post. I actually was unaware that there are accordions that are part chromatic and part diatonic.

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: alison
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 12:22 AM

I call mine my "musical chest expander".. and live in hope that someday it'll work!!! *grin*....

also heard to be called "that #$%@#^$ thing"!!!

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: open mike
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 01:36 AM

a concertina is related- in a small sort of way...

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From:
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 02:39 AM

Hi, Here in Newfoundland we have a few names for the accordion the most come is "the squeezebox" but others are the button box,the Carbonear computer. Carbonear is a community here on the island.The hohnerbox, the push or pull box. Welcome to heaven here's your harp, welcome to hell here's your accordion. All the best in your search cheers from NFLD. Mark

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: GUEST,Sam Pirt
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 03:08 AM

Hi

Well theres lots of names but some I know -

In Norway & parts of Sweden it i called a 'Dragspel'

In the Basque region of Spain its called a 'Trakixia'

I also know it as a squeezebox & squeezer weezer.

Cheers, Sam

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: GUEST,Boab
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 04:07 AM

I own and play four "cat-boxes", "squeezeboxes," or just plain old "boaxes". I was known to John Kirkpatrick [with hands in the air in horror]as "the f-sharp man" in the days when I used to sing a lot in that particular "non-key", although I could play perfectly comfortably in C, G D, OR F. Since I play in a group nowadays, my f-sharp days are more or less over. [What a lot o' guff to write about the names given to an accordion!! Sorry--I'll shut up---]

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: 4stopDave
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 06:59 AM

I've heard many people here in Newfoundland call them "cardeens." It's really "accoridon" with a wonderful local dialect-twist.

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 07:36 AM

G'day,

Jon Freeman: You are pretty well right about Jimmy Shand's 'Morino' - in fact Hohner brought that one out as a Shand Morino. In making the distinction of calling only the German style, simple bass, models 'meleodeons' I am following Hohner's catalogue classification ... and keeping in mind that most old players on the Australian mainland

CarolC .. and you get it right about the "Continental Chromatic". This has an arrangement that is now used (in mirror image) as the "Free Bass" that you find on 180 bass piano accordions ... or as the bass and of Continental Chromatics (once know as 'Chromaticas' in Italy). It has the same note in and out, varying by a semitone in the "backwards slanted" angle, 2 semitones in the "forward slanted" angle and 3 semitones horizontally ... believe me, it made sense to someone ... and it works for some bloody good players!

BTW: CarolC - You seem to use the sense of "diatonic" somehow meaning "different note in and out". This is just coincidence. If you have a simple (kid's toy) piano accordion with no 'black notes', it plays a diatonic scale of 'C' ... in or out. A British Chromatic Accordion, in (say B/C/C#) plays a different note in and out on any one key ... but is fully chromatic ... as is a full 30 (or more) key Anglo-chromatic concertina, despite having 2 rows of diatonic German concertina at its heart. Maybe, I'm just pushing my pedant barrow ... but I feel we have enough problems getting folks to understand the instruments when we get it right ... let alone muddying the waters with terms of dubious accuracy.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

BTW: There are three different variations on this: "B" Tuning, "C" Tuning and Norwegian or "A" ? Tuning ... ?

open mike: In strict definitions, a concertina is a specific class of accordion.

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 07:41 AM

Oops,

The bit about old Australian mainland players calling button accordions (~)ay-cord-eens ... much as DaveO cites ... fell off (?!?).

Regard(les)s,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 07:43 AM

Er yeah ...

And in Tasmania, where I lived in the late '70s, they more commonly called button boxes 'melodeons' (maybe reflecting more British influence ... ?

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: English Jon
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 07:44 AM

Doesn't the concertina pre-date the accordion? Or am I mistaken? When was Wheatstone, 1830 ish?

EJ

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: GUEST,Spot (at the Kennels)
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 08:08 AM

I call mine Trevor.....

Spot

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Mike Byers
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 08:19 AM

Air-powered room divider.

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: CarolC
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 10:20 AM

Thanks, Bob Bolton. I was pretty confused about what the terms 'chromatic' and 'diatonic' meant before your explanation, and I will admit that I had gotten the impression, based on things I had been told, that chromatic meant same note in and out, and diatonic meant different note in and out.

I'm still confused about all of that, but I now know not to use the terms in the way I have been.

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 10:49 AM

Carol, I hope I've got this right. Consider all the piano. If you start with a C, go though the white notes to another C that is the scale of C major.

If you look at the way the notes are spaced we get:

C-D = 2 semitones (there is a (black) note inbetween)
D-E = 2 semitones
E-F = 1 semitones (no (black) note inbetween)
F-G = 2 semitones
G-A = 2 semitones
A-B = 2 semitones
B-C = 1 semitone

These gaps between the notes give us the diatonic scales and hold true for keys other than C. It just happens that the natural key of the piano is C.

The paino covers all the possible semitone intervals, i.e. C,C#,D,D#,E,F,F#,G,G#,A,A#,B and this gives us our chromatic scale. (Note that notes can have more than one name, e.g. A# and B flat are the same note). An instrument that can play all these notes is said to be chromatic.

In the case of some instruments including some button accordians, the ability to play a chromatic scale is achived by using 2 diatoninc scales. Consider a C/C# box.

On one row we have:
C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C... - diatonic.
On the other row we have:
C#,D#,E#(=F),F#,G#,A#,B#(=C),C#... - again diatonc

Hope that helps.

Jon

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: CarolC
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 10:57 AM

Thanks Jon. That's great. Two questons:

You said that the natural key of the piano is C. Is that because there are no sharps or flats in a C scale on the piano?

Also, are you saying that all of the notes in a chromatic scale can be present in a diatonic instrument, but that if they are not in the same row, that makes it a diatonic instrument?

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: GUEST,guest
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 11:04 AM

My dad calls it Zuharmonie

or simply

Die Musik

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 11:56 AM

1) Yes Carol, I don't know that the term is correct but that is what I meant with the piano. I would also apply it to other instruments e.g. it is possible to play in G on a D whistle but the natural scale to me would be the one where you block all holes and simple remove one finger at a time to get the next note which on a D whistle gives you Dmajor.

2) No Carol, as long as all the notes are there, the instrument is chromatic. It is just possible to use 2 diatonic scales to make a chromatic scale.

To confuse matters further, there are some oddballs like my Hohner Erica D/G melodeon where the first buttons on each row (stupid place to put them) provide the missing notes in the chromatic scale between my lowest G and the next G on the G row but do not cover the full range of the instrument...

Jon

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: CarolC
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 12:24 PM

Thanks Jon.

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 07:22 PM

Just noticed I called my 2 row a melodeon (as I would do) but I had read Bob Bolton's post and am starting to think maybe it would be a good idea to use something like the Hohner Catalog as a standard in naming these instruments - at least that way we might all get to know what the other person is talking about!

Jon

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: GUEST,Darrell
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 07:40 PM

Down hear in Southeast Texas (half way between Texas and Louisiana) we affectionately refer to the accordian as an "Abbeville Air Compressor".

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 09:24 PM

G'day English Jon, "... Doesn't the concertina pre-date the accordion? Or am I mistaken? When was Wheatstone, 1830 ish? ..."

Buschmann's first accordion patents, in Germany: 1821 Important improvements by Damian in Vienna: 1829 (both to what we now call melodeon / button accordeon, depending on size and layout)

Wheatstone's first patents on 'English' concertina: 1827 Important improvements on concertina; 1840

The German concertina is a German blending of Wheatstone's concertina size box with a split right hand end of an accordion. the Anglo-chromatic is that with added row(s) of semitones OR alternate direction notes.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From:
Date: 16 Nov 01 - 10:54 PM

I heard Norwegian computer...

here about when Russia was crossing the Elbe I think in WWII...they liberated the Hohner factory (I can't absolutely confirm this but think it was a newspaper story..) Can you imagine the music? Although it might not have sounded quite as good to the Germans.

mg

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: Crane Driver
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 07:13 AM

The Button (or Piano) Radiator?

The stereo iron lung?

As my pal Keith says - "A gentleman is someone who can play the accordion - and doesn't!"

Subject: RE: What are other names for the accordion?
From: pavane
Date: 17 Nov 01 - 02:16 PM

Crane Driver - is your pal Keith by any chance a melodeon player?