Accordion

An accordion is a musical instrument of the handheld bellows-driven free reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as squeezeboxes.

Piano accordions

The piano accordion is the instrument most often indicated by the term "accordion", but it is one of the most recent inventions among accordion types, appearing late in the 19th century and not accepted worldwide until the early 20th century. It has a right-hand keyboard similar to a piano; this facilitates learning for musicians already familiar or proficient on the piano.

Related Topics:
20th century - Keyboard - Piano

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The left hand keyboard is usually configured in the Stradella system, a combination of chords and single notes, arranged in a uniform series by harmonic relationship. Occasionally a free bass left hand is used, which has a series of single buttons in an arrangement similar to the chromatic button accordion. The free bass system facilitates the playing of bass melodies.

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Converter bass systems allow an instrument to be readily converted from a Stradella system to a free-bass system with a switch.

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The instrument was popularized in the United States by Count Guido Deiro who was the first piano accordionist to perform in Vaudeville. He is credited with making the first recordings of the instrument in 1908, making the first radio broadcast of the accordion in 1921 and the first sound motion picture featuring the accordion, for Vitaphone, in 1928.

Related Topics:
Guido Deiro - Vaudeville - 1908 - Radio - 1921 - Motion picture - Vitaphone - 1928

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