Learning the accordion for beginners - our tips for the instrument

When most people think of choosing an instrument, the accordion isn’t necessarily the first to come to mind. But what many do not know is that the accordion is especially suitable for beginners, which does not mean that it is particularly easy to play. Nevertheless, independent songs can often be played quite quickly, meaning it won’t be long before you’re celebrating your early success with the accordion. Due to the structure of the accordion, players also learn some important musical basics from the beginning and can often learn other instruments more easily. For example, the accordion is played with both the left and right hand to produce a variety of tone combinations. But how exactly can the accordion be learned and what tips should be followed when practicing? That's exactly what we're going to introduce you to in more detail in this article.

The most important components of the accordion as an instrument

The accordion is a versatile instrument that you can buy in many different sizes. The younger the learner, the smaller the accordion should be at first. For beginners, an accordion with 72 bass keys is usually ideal to avoid overstraining right at the start. To start learning the accordion right away, you should first know the components. Every typical accordion has a treble part and a bass part with buttons.

The treble part is usually the keyboard on which melodies can be played. In direct comparison with a keyboard or piano, this keyboard is much smaller. The bass part can be used to play bass notes and the accompaniments. In addition, the airflow of the bellows is used to produce sound—probably the most distinct characteristic of the accordion.

What varieties of the accordion as an instrument are there?

If you are currently looking for a suitable accordion, it is worth taking a look at the different types of models. There are some big differences in the design and structure of the accordion, which are also noticeable when practicing:

Diatonic accordion

The diatonic accordion is based on the diatonic scale, as evidenced by its name. These accordions usually have a seven-step structure, with the tone sequence consisting of semitone steps and full tone steps. Frequently, such accordions are alternating in tone.

Chromatic accordion

Probably the simplest form of the accordion is the chromatic variant. In this case, the sequence is based on twelve semitone steps, which promote an even-toned and intense sound. With the chromatic accordion, you are usually relying on the most classical form for practicing.

Keyboard Accordion

The extremely popular keyboard accordion allows you to easily play the melody using the keys in the treble. This form of the accordion is also usually chromatic and runs in the same tone in this way. The keys are played from the right side.

Button accordion

In a chromatic button accordion, the melody is played with the help of buttons. Most accordions have five rows of buttons, which are used to play the notes. The buttons thus correspond to the white and black piano keys.

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Good reasons to choose the accordion as your next instrument

Few instruments offer the ability to accompany themselves in parallel with the main notes. This makes the accordion an exciting instrument, especially for solo entertainers in many cases. Another advantage is that you can play the accordion while sitting down. While many instruments require players to stand for hours, you have it comparatively comfortable when learning the accordion. However, make sure you have a high enough chair and a good sitting posture for practicing.

It usually doesn't take much time with the accordion until you can play your first songs. This is due to the simple connections that can be learned with one hand on the keyboard. From the age of about six, the accordion can be a good “first instrument” choice. You don't need to master other instruments like the piano to play fluently.

Why posture is so important when playing the accordion

One of the most important requirements when learning the accordion is proper posture. Although the accordion can be played sitting down, this requires a straight—and preferably not strongly cramped—body. Therefore, especially with children, care should be taken to maintain a straight posture when practicing on the accordion. Since even the small instruments are usually not that easy to play, posture is one of the main points to focus on when getting used to the instrument. At the same time, you should take care of the necessary freedom of movement for your arms, so that the accordion can be moved while playing.

The correct posture of hands and arms while playing

The safest way to start is to attach the accordion to your body with two straps. This means you can practically carry the instrument like a backpack strapped to your chest. In order to be able to play the accordion afterwards, it is necessary to hold your right hand parallel to the keyboard. Also, make sure that your wrist does not bend or flex. As long as the right arm remains as close to the body as possible, nothing stands in the way of successful accordion playing.

Your left hand, on the other hand, has a lot more to do. It operates the bass buttons as accompaniment and moves the bellows at the same time. To do this, put your left hand through the strap once, which holds your wrist and forearm in this way. The fingers remain free to allow operation of the knobs. Once the preparation is complete, you can start playing.

What is the importance of the air button on the accordion?

Every classical accordion also has an air button. Before you start playing, you should press this button once. This will first make a hissing sound, which will cause the air to flow into the bellows. Without the air, the accordion will not play as desired. So the air button allows air to flow into your instrument and is effectively the start button for your accordion. So don't be surprised by the hissing. This is quite normal and shows you that the accordion is working.

These notes can be played directly with the right hand

While the left hand does quite a bit of work on the accordion, it can get almost boring for the right hand in some situations. If you want to learn harmonies on the accordion, however, the second hand’s vacation is over quite quickly. So you can pick out the two notes you played in the bass directly on the keyboard and play them with the right hand. On the classical keyboard, the white key next to the two black keys is always the C note.

If you then place your fingers one after the other on one of the white keys, you can also reach the G with your little finger on the right hand. The better you can press the same notes on both the right and left sides, the smoother your harmonies will sound. This way you don't just dedicate yourself to simple songs, but start playing chords and melodies.

These are the best places to learn the accordion

With the right practice, you will find it easy to play your first songs on the accordion after just a few weeks. While individual accordion lessons are quite effective, it is also worth going to a music school, where you can also learn in groups. However, if you want to learn the accordion, you should first have quite intensive practice phases in order to quickly deepen what you have learned. To learn more about the differences between music schools and private lessons for your instruments, check out this post.

Whether learning in class, a music school, or even at home, the process depends on the right learning phases. Twenty minutes of intensive practice are usually much more effective for the accordion than an hour of constant repetition, since the body can't lift the heavy instrument forever either.

Learn more about unusual instruments now

The accordion is an exciting instrument to steadily expand one's skills and to be able to play whole songs in a very short time. However, especially for starters, we recommend not playing for too long to avoid cramps and back pain. As with many instruments, it is a matter of getting used to the accordion. If you're interested in other instruments, check out our tips for learning the guitar or practicing the piano. Here at mukken you will also find great musicians to exchange ideas about the accordion or even other instruments.