Accordina plans - parts
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Jason Rodgers
- Posts: 1554
- Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2012 4:05 pm
- Location: Portland, OR
Re: Accordina plans - parts
Thanks, Chuck. I went to wikipedia to do some more looking for info about diatonic vs. chromatic button accordions. Turns out there are many different key layout systems, which seems kinda crazy. If I'm not mistaken, the chromatic chart that you show above would be described as a "type C" system. You may have found an example of a similar but different system called "type B" in which the black keys flow down from right to left. Diatonic keys are mainly characterized, if I understand correctly, by each row containing a diatonic scale. There may be one or more rows (up to six on some regional variations) of buttons, sometimes a semitone apart, but often a fourth apart. Then there are the single-action models (that have two pitches per key- one on the push, one on the pull) and double action instruments (with only one pitch per key). I don't know about you, but all of this boggles my mind.
-Ruining perfectly good wood, one day at a time.
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Chuck Morrison
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:17 pm
- Location: Eastern Washington, USA
- Contact:
Re: Accordina plans - parts
Jason,
It's even more boggling when you look at all the models accordion companies in Europe make. Still, the accordina isn't really an accordion even though it's closely related. I suppose it could be called a button harmonica or a mouth accordion, but it is it's own unique thing and it does have a developing niche in French Jazz. Other attempts at melding wind, keyboard and reed haven't been so lucky. I suspect there is a French pride thing involved as well.
I find it easier to play than a straight keyboard in that the hand doesn't have to move very far to span a particular range. It is very easy to play very fast runs, which the videos highlight very well. It is possible to do limited note bending, and I wonder if using harmonica reeds might make that technique more apparent. I also have thought about some kind of on the shoulder support so both hands could be used for fingering. There have been several attempts to market similar instruments with a tube mouthpiece so it could be held like a saxophone. The vibrandoneon by Victoria is about the coolest I've seen.
On the other hand, in English speaking lands there may be no market at all for these. I've seen attempts by several people to sell these on online auction sites fail to garner a single bid. I'm guessing it has a lot to do with the price. When all you have is individual builders the price will be high. At the moment there is no economy of scale dynamic. At least not in the English speaking world.
It's even more boggling when you look at all the models accordion companies in Europe make. Still, the accordina isn't really an accordion even though it's closely related. I suppose it could be called a button harmonica or a mouth accordion, but it is it's own unique thing and it does have a developing niche in French Jazz. Other attempts at melding wind, keyboard and reed haven't been so lucky. I suspect there is a French pride thing involved as well.
I find it easier to play than a straight keyboard in that the hand doesn't have to move very far to span a particular range. It is very easy to play very fast runs, which the videos highlight very well. It is possible to do limited note bending, and I wonder if using harmonica reeds might make that technique more apparent. I also have thought about some kind of on the shoulder support so both hands could be used for fingering. There have been several attempts to market similar instruments with a tube mouthpiece so it could be held like a saxophone. The vibrandoneon by Victoria is about the coolest I've seen.
On the other hand, in English speaking lands there may be no market at all for these. I've seen attempts by several people to sell these on online auction sites fail to garner a single bid. I'm guessing it has a lot to do with the price. When all you have is individual builders the price will be high. At the moment there is no economy of scale dynamic. At least not in the English speaking world.
46+ years playing/building/learning
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Casey Burns
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu Jun 20, 2013 2:19 pm
Re: Accordina plans - parts
Hi Chuck!
Glad to see you are enjoying that Accordina. And hopefully the Platte River is staying away from your home. Those are some scary floods! A friend of mine nearby in Fort Collins reports flood waters just a few blocks from her house on Mountain Street.
This may be of some use if I haven't sent this to you previously. Its Borel's patent for his Accordinas. Only thing different to the ones he made under Buescher is that the reeds only go one way - originally he designed them to go both in and out like a harmonica. But I suspect that ingesting the accumulated moisture under the baffle on the inhale was an unpleasant experience!
Here is the link to the patent: http://www.google.com/patents/US2461806
Haven't had the time to even look at my old Borel, much less try to play it Too busy making flutes and playing Galician bagpipes! Sometime this winter though I hope to undertake the restoration including measuring everything.
Cheers!
Casey
Glad to see you are enjoying that Accordina. And hopefully the Platte River is staying away from your home. Those are some scary floods! A friend of mine nearby in Fort Collins reports flood waters just a few blocks from her house on Mountain Street.
This may be of some use if I haven't sent this to you previously. Its Borel's patent for his Accordinas. Only thing different to the ones he made under Buescher is that the reeds only go one way - originally he designed them to go both in and out like a harmonica. But I suspect that ingesting the accumulated moisture under the baffle on the inhale was an unpleasant experience!
Here is the link to the patent: http://www.google.com/patents/US2461806
Haven't had the time to even look at my old Borel, much less try to play it Too busy making flutes and playing Galician bagpipes! Sometime this winter though I hope to undertake the restoration including measuring everything.
Cheers!
Casey