Two things you mustn't do: - Never attempt to expand or compress the bellows of an accordion without a key, button or the valve release button pressed. Doing so can damage the reeds and make it sound out of tune. - Never expose an accordion to extreme heat or cold. The reeds of the accordion contain wax (to hold them in place), which can obviously melt if it gets too hot, but can also crack if it gets too cold. Don't leave it in a car for a prolonged period.
this is definitely the most intimidating instrument i have ever seen. all the buttons, the keyboard and the flow of air! its to much at once haha my gears are already grinding!
@@surialpaca6542 How exactly is a bagpipe more complicated than an organ? It works like an oboe with a reservoir and it plays like a recorder. Also, is 18-string guitar really the most strings you could come up with? You could've said harp for example.
Being an organ builder, I recognize the rollerboard/tracker assembly in the chord button section of the accordion. This was invented about 1000 years ago soon after the organ was introduced into Europe by the Moors.
Yup, accordions are the best. I added some hall effect sensors to the bass section of one of mine, glued some magnets to the ends of the base buttons and programmed them up to an Arduino to create MIDI. I can then connect it to most cheap auto-accompaniment keyboards for hours of fun! I just found your channel and am so impressed!
The slow motion of the reeds at the end was the most interesting part. I never thought about how they produce sound but of course that movement makes sense. So Cool
Sir, you have uncovered one of my lifelong mysteries!!! Thanks a lot for this video. I imagined it would be a complex mechanism, but it is also really beautiful and ingenious!
That's so cool! I love teardowns explaining this kind of mechanical contraption. I like that method of transferring one input into a selection of outputs, with the pin rollers used as an intermediate stage...
Thank you so much for this video. It’s the exact video that I needed to find. From a lifelong multi-instrumentalist that has played everything except accordion and has an old Italian grandfather that would really enjoy playing his accordion again. Found his recently and now have to repair it without any understanding of the instrument. So, again, thank you. This is beyond helpful. Best to you 😊
I started watching this video with questions I didn't know I had, and now I have the answers to them all haha. Excellent video, every explanation is very detailed and easy to follow.
I was recently thinking about learning how to play the accordion, the sound is awesome and I've been fascinated by reeds ever since I tried making my own accordion out of a melodica and a foot pump. Very good video and perfect timing too!
very helpful. helped me repair my stuck buttons. oh also i noticed that you have the same accordion as me only i have it in Black. its a cheap 400€ Accordion from China, wich i whole heartedly reccommend for anyone starting out (or starting again after a 13 year break in my case)
It's just amazing to see what humans can engineer. It must've been a colossal effort for instrument makers back in the day. Thank you for this breakdown!
Well, he did say it was relatively on the cheaper end as far as accordions go, so... not as much of a risk as it could have been? Still though, being able to do it with such confidence and skill is impressive
So that's a pretty simple Piano Accordion, of course there are other types like Button Accordions, Luttbeg Double Keyboard Piano Accordions, Free Bass Accordions, Concertinas, you name it.
My accordion tutor book said that beginners think the bellows is the easy part and the left hand buttons are the hard part, but you'll know you are an accordionist when you understand that the left hand buttons are the easy part and the bellows are the hard part.
If you do want to take on the daunting task of tuning free reeds, I suggest practicing on a basic harmonica. You won't break the bank or cry when it inevitably becomes unplayable, and you have 20 reeds to screw up before you have to get another to experiment with. Hopefully by then you'll know what to do and what not to do on larger and more valuable instruments. Combine this with draw bends (as a means of throwing reeds out of tune maybe) for maximal annoyment of the neighbors.
Question to anyone willing to respond Can I ask where air comes in and out? I was wondering how the exhaust button to the accordions side, exhausts air when I don’t feel anything or see any vents. Thank you
Looks like some of the buttons correspond to -- i.e., push down first, before triggering the rotation of the cylinders -- vertical bars that themselves open valves. With these buttons, it seems there should be an ever-so-slight delay between the sounding of the "directly linked" note and the notes that follow indirectly from the twofold action of the cylinder spikes and gold bars. (Assuming you start pumping air through the valves immediately as or just before hitting the buttons.) Have you tried playing back music from the chord buttons in slow-mo to see if the lag becomes perceptible?
Great video. Exactly what I was hoping to see & understand. What I don’t understand Is, what Genius mind could’ve imagined this insanely complex instrument! I mean who really invented the accordions 🪗? To my mind this is the most complex instrument invented with the exception if perhaps 🤔 the pipe organ. Must be very expensive to tune an accordion. Far more expensive than tuning my piano. And it shouldn’t need tuning often...I don’t imagine, unless it’s played in a driving rain 🌧 where the reeds could get wet. That’s unlike woodwind instruments played with the very wet mouth. One won’t really worry about changing the reeds too often. Seems, wear & tear are the accordion’s major enemy. Incredible video. Blows my mind🤯.
I just had a go at replacing felts and leathers on an 80 year old accordion. The design was not as simple as this, had to dismantle all the bass side, quite a nightmare. Took me 3 weeks to replace it all ! Now it's all out of tune and I have had to make a tuner using and old bellows. Still have to do this, no idea if I'll ever get it sorted, lol. Lot's of fun trying though. Good luck with your project.
Such an interesting Instrument! I never stopped to appreciate the Accordion because it is mostly played by street musicians or in "Volksmusik/Schlager". Aka. aweful german music.
Yes, I too have purchased an accordion on impulse.
funny seeing you here old friend
some beach i think I know who u r, but ok
Potasmic are you still on discord?
some beach of course. Same old username.
Same, haha.
I have no idea why i'm here, but i like it, clear explanation about something i always wondered why it had many buttons.
I was literally about to write a comment exactly like this..... 😂
Two things you mustn't do:
- Never attempt to expand or compress the bellows of an accordion without a key, button or the valve release button pressed. Doing so can damage the reeds and make it sound out of tune.
- Never expose an accordion to extreme heat or cold. The reeds of the accordion contain wax (to hold them in place), which can obviously melt if it gets too hot, but can also crack if it gets too cold. Don't leave it in a car for a prolonged period.
1. is simply wrong.
@@jamadirwhich one
@@MichaelTurner856 pressing without button
this is definitely the most intimidating instrument i have ever seen. all the buttons, the keyboard and the flow of air!
its to much at once haha my gears are already grinding!
You might take a look at the pipe organ... ;-)
Pipe Organ: Hold my be-
18-String Guitar: Step aside, peasants.
Bagpipes: [insert looking through the blinds meme here]
@@surialpaca6542 How exactly is a bagpipe more complicated than an organ? It works like an oboe with a reservoir and it plays like a recorder.
Also, is 18-string guitar really the most strings you could come up with? You could've said harp for example.
@@thalesvondasos You must be fun at parties
@@byeetch he do be right tho
Being an organ builder, I recognize the rollerboard/tracker assembly in the chord button section of the accordion. This was invented about 1000 years ago soon after the organ was introduced into Europe by the Moors.
Yup, accordions are the best. I added some hall effect sensors to the bass section of one of mine, glued some magnets to the ends of the base buttons and programmed them up to an Arduino to create MIDI. I can then connect it to most cheap auto-accompaniment keyboards for hours of fun! I just found your channel and am so impressed!
That's a great idea!
The slow motion of the reeds at the end was the most interesting part. I never thought about how they produce sound but of course that movement makes sense. So Cool
Sir, you have uncovered one of my lifelong mysteries!!! Thanks a lot for this video. I imagined it would be a complex mechanism, but it is also really beautiful and ingenious!
You've solved a mystery that puzzled me for over 30 years - long enough, that I've forgot about it altogether.
This is the weirdest ASMR I’ve ever watched
This instrument is beautiful.
That's so cool! I love teardowns explaining this kind of mechanical contraption. I like that method of transferring one input into a selection of outputs, with the pin rollers used as an intermediate stage...
Thank you so much for this video. It’s the exact video that I needed to find. From a lifelong multi-instrumentalist that has played everything except accordion and has an old Italian grandfather that would really enjoy playing his accordion again. Found his recently and now have to repair it without any understanding of the instrument. So, again, thank you. This is beyond helpful. Best to you 😊
I started watching this video with questions I didn't know I had, and now I have the answers to them all haha. Excellent video, every explanation is very detailed and easy to follow.
I was recently thinking about learning how to play the accordion, the sound is awesome and I've been fascinated by reeds ever since I tried making my own accordion out of a melodica and a foot pump. Very good video and perfect timing too!
Retro Plus - sounds like you almost made some sort of harmonium
I cannot express how fantastic I find this video
mitxela The 2 rows of bass buttons allow you to play Bass scales, & 120 bass button accordions can play a total of 12 notes & 48 different chords.
very helpful. helped me repair my stuck buttons. oh also i noticed that you have the same accordion as me only i have it in Black. its a cheap 400€ Accordion from China, wich i whole heartedly reccommend for anyone starting out (or starting again after a 13 year break in my case)
Very well produced video ! Can you make more videos like this on how other instruments work ?
How is this guy so knowledgeable about literally everything
You have a clear and pleasant voice. You should consider doing a podcast!
That slow motion footage of melodica reeds at the end was unnecessarily terrifying.
Very informative video. I had no clue what I was learning to play. Thank you!
Great video. The roller/tracker mechanism in the left hand actually has a name, the "bass machine"!
Damn, I didn't expect a full anatomy of the accordion. Thank you.
It's just amazing to see what humans can engineer. It must've been a colossal effort for instrument makers back in the day. Thank you for this breakdown!
Didn't expect if accordion has such complicated mechanism. Thanks for sharing.
TIL an accordion is 2 giant harmonicas
So is a melodica
I just have learned how to play a accordion. And I’m onto a song. This makes the instrument even more interesting 👍🏼👍🏼
Thanks! What an amazing Instrument. I recently got an Accordeon and I can't stop playing ☺👍
Me just sitting here wishing he would play Kass's theme...
Why am I here?
I can, its not hard, you can play it on piano too.
@@PxlDev "its not that hard" Besides the fact that it is like 3/8 and 243 bpm and crap.
@@magistercat4126 Its literally the easyest song I have ever played on the accordion. Its very easy....
The balls on this guy. I'd be a nervous fucking wreck trying to take this apart and pit it back together.
Well, he did say it was relatively on the cheaper end as far as accordions go, so... not as much of a risk as it could have been? Still though, being able to do it with such confidence and skill is impressive
I don't play the accordian, I probably won't ever play the accordian and yet here I am.
Great video!
That's the video I was looking for - thank you!
This explains it so much better than the wikipedia text, thank you!
This was exactly what I was looking for
Super interesting! Thanks for taking yours apart so we can see! Well done on explaining
The over-engineered machine of subtlety slaying +1.
He looks like a fun person to talk to very intellectual but still fun enough to have a beer with or something
Are we thinking about making a midi controlled instrument that uses reeds for sound production?
A combinatorial logic array, made mechanically! Very elegant. I imagine it was based off the theory of George Boole.
A mechanical encoder.
Nice
thanks for opening up the accordion
Amazing video!! U should upload more often!!
Whoever invented this is genius
So that's a pretty simple Piano Accordion, of course there are other types like Button Accordions, Luttbeg Double Keyboard Piano Accordions, Free Bass Accordions, Concertinas, you name it.
WOW
Thank you for letting us know!
Thank you for your info. accordion is playing on earth now. 🙏
My accordion tutor book said that beginners think the bellows is the easy part and the left hand buttons are the hard part, but you'll know you are an accordionist when you understand that the left hand buttons are the easy part and the bellows are the hard part.
If you do want to take on the daunting task of tuning free reeds, I suggest practicing on a basic harmonica. You won't break the bank or cry when it inevitably becomes unplayable, and you have 20 reeds to screw up before you have to get another to experiment with. Hopefully by then you'll know what to do and what not to do on larger and more valuable instruments.
Combine this with draw bends (as a means of throwing reeds out of tune maybe) for maximal annoyment of the neighbors.
This is exactly what I was looking for!
That was good man I always wondered how an accordion works.
The ending was really cool!
how to not miss on left hand its looks difficult
Hey you should check out the bandoneon, the soul of the tango and a very interesting instrument. Love your videos, thank you for your amazing content!
Question to anyone willing to respond
Can I ask where air comes in and out? I was wondering how the exhaust button to the accordions side, exhausts air when I don’t feel anything or see any vents.
Thank you
If i were to make a midi self playing accordion, i could just attach solenoids directly to the bass reed valves?
Nice accordion. I own an accordion as well.
Do we have to keep pressed one register while playing the Accordion??
Please advise. Thanks.
Pedro Sydney
Looks like some of the buttons correspond to -- i.e., push down first, before triggering the rotation of the cylinders -- vertical bars that themselves open valves. With these buttons, it seems there should be an ever-so-slight delay between the sounding of the "directly linked" note and the notes that follow indirectly from the twofold action of the cylinder spikes and gold bars. (Assuming you start pumping air through the valves immediately as or just before hitting the buttons.) Have you tried playing back music from the chord buttons in slow-mo to see if the lag becomes perceptible?
Great video. Exactly what I was hoping to see & understand. What I don’t understand Is, what Genius mind could’ve imagined this insanely complex instrument! I mean who really invented the accordions 🪗? To my mind this is the most complex instrument invented with the exception if perhaps 🤔 the pipe organ.
Must be very expensive to tune an accordion. Far more expensive than tuning my piano. And it shouldn’t need tuning often...I don’t imagine, unless it’s played in a driving rain 🌧 where the reeds could get wet. That’s unlike woodwind instruments played with the very wet mouth. One won’t really worry about changing the reeds too often. Seems, wear & tear are the accordion’s major enemy.
Incredible video. Blows my mind🤯.
Is it heavy to move it back and forth? To make the sounds.
Did you add that glockenspiel sound to the slowed down melodica at the end?
Thank you so much for this great video!!
Wow ! This instrument is very interesting.
I wish my keyboards could change the Circle of Fifths with a button here or there.
Awesome and informative video!! Also, your voice is wonderful and should be recording audiobooks!
Trying to refurb a 100+ year old accordion. Found it in my great grandpas basement after he passed.
I just had a go at replacing felts and leathers on an 80 year old accordion. The design was not as simple as this, had to dismantle all the bass side, quite a nightmare. Took me 3 weeks to replace it all ! Now it's all out of tune and I have had to make a tuner using and old bellows. Still have to do this, no idea if I'll ever get it sorted, lol. Lot's of fun trying though. Good luck with your project.
When I press one bass button it automatically presses other bass buttons. Is this normal? I hope so, because otherwise I bought a defective accordion.
Just awesome content!
I play the accordion for three years
Great explanation very clear
There is a defect in the Korean translation, but it is a very useful video. Thank you.
is an accordion just a portable pipe organ?
1:00 Super Mario Sunshine
So how does the reverb work?
and here I thought the hurdy gurdy was intimidating to look at
Such an interesting Instrument! I never stopped to appreciate the Accordion because it is mostly played by street musicians or in "Volksmusik/Schlager". Aka. aweful german music.
Never confuse: Volksmusik = genuine German folk music; Volkstümliche Musik = Schlager/cringy pop music
Argentina's Tango music uses it too :)
Ahh the balkans love this instrument !! Sounds amazing
Actually works like a miniature church organ, same principles. That mechanical action is the same for mechanical style organs.
Sort of like a backwards autoharp. With reeds instead of strings.
Is it the same for someone who plays a accordion that has buttons and not a piano
Synths are cool an' everything.... but organs are a mechanical marvel.
...... I wanted a sailor's hornpipe! ;)
Can you give the manufacturer name of the accordion????
Incredible
why do you have so few buttons? 120 is the standart.
Why are there so many buttons for only a handful of valves?
Wouldn't it be easier to make/learn only 12 buttons, one for each valve?
Chords use more than one note; they combine a few.
HOW the HELL do they put those things together. WTF
I play accordion for many years, and I never have done this :) (13:48)
Awesome video!!!
I'm here from "cow in love with accordion".
I have the exact same accordion as you
excellento. good job!
i have the same accordion
Hello, the company name is not written on it.. what's it name????
Is that a Hohner 1305-red
Here after the business insider video and curious how these things actually work.
Great. Now I won't have to take my 48 bass Scandalli apart. I know it all.
thank you for satisfying my need for curiosity
What accordion do you have?
I like stretching it
Thank you!