The Accordion
What Makes It So Universal?
by Lou Soper

Have you ever attended a live symphony orchestra performance? How many instruments in that orchestra can play three-note chords? Not a single one unless they feature a guest pianist or guitarist. In an 18-piece band only two instruments can play chords - the piano and the guitar.

The only instruments that play chords are in the keyboard family and the guitar family. The keyboard family instruments are: piano, accordion, organ, synthesizer and vibes. Guitar family instruments are: all guitars, banjo, mandolin, ukulele and harp. In the guitar family both hands are required to form a chord and inversions are very few however, they are all portable and can be played anywhere.

Let's compare the piano and accordion keyboards: The piano has 88 keys and no switches. Each key must be played with your fingers. The piano accordion has 41 keys with switches to play very low or very high notes or 82 tones. The accordion has switches so you can play one octave or two octaves at the same time with just one key played. When you play a piano key, a hammer strikes a string to play a note. When you plan an accordion key, a pad opens and air passes over a reed to make the sound. Accordion keys are narrower and depress only half as much as a piano key.

To play a chord on the piano with the left hand requires three fingers. To play a chord in the accordion base you use one finger. The piano can play 10 notes at once. The accordion can play 9 notes. With octave switches, the accordion can play 14 notes at once. Organs and synthesizers are electronic and need electricity. The Midi accordion does the same as both of these instruments. All accordions are portable and can be played anywhere with or without electricity. The bass on the accordion is the circle of fifths and easier to learn. (More on the circle of fifths at Lou Soper's workshops here at the Cotati Accordion Festival. See page 5 for details. - ed.)

Let's compare the guitars to the accordions:
* To play a chord on the guitar, one hand on the neck forms the chord and the other hand strums the strings. The accordion can play a chord with three fingers playing three notes on the keys or one finger on the chord at the bass section.
* Acoustic accordions have much more volume than acoustic guitars.
* Playing chords in two octaves at the same time is easy for the accordion and impossible for the guitar.
* Chord inversions are very easy on the accordion and difficult for the guitar.
* The accordion can play a melody on the keys and chords on the bass for a complete sound the guitar cannot.
* The accordion rarely needs tuning. The guitar needs daily tuning.

Accordion is spelled this way. To me, the instrument was made to play chords and is spelled this way: AC-CORD-ION. My question is this, "Who put the "H" in chord? and ...

Why is it important to know 12 scales and 12 triads? All musicians agree that 12 scales and 12 triads are the BASIC REQUIREMENTS regardless of what kind of music you play. The sooner you learn these 12 scales and 12 triads, the easier your playing will become.