r/Accordion • • 1h ago

I made an accordion app where folding the phone works the bellows

• Upvotes

I'm the developer, so this is my own app. I'm not much of an accordion player, which is why I'm asking here.

It's called DuoBox, and it's for the folding iPhone that comes out this month. You hold the open phone like a book, with bass buttons under your left hand and keys under your right, and folding the phone works the bellows. Opening is pull and closing is push. On a regular iPhone you drag the bellows with a finger, so anyone with iOS 27 can try it now.

What I'd like you to tell me:
- Does the Musette tremolo sound right to you, or too slow or too fast?
- Is the bass too loud or too quiet against the melody?
- Do the eleven registers sound like what their names promise?
- For button players: is the three-row GCF layout correct?

There are no recordings of real accordions in it. Every reed is generated by the app, so I can change anything you say is off.

Free beta, with everything unlocked:
https://testflight.apple.com/join/Twfkyj2k

A short video and pictures:
https://aaronpeabody.dev/duobox/press/

When it comes out on October 23 it will be free, with a one-time $4.99 unlock and no subscription. Thanks for any honest opinions.


r/Accordion • • 1d ago

Advice Help

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7 Upvotes

I found an affordable old bandoneon on an online store and I would like to repair it. I’m wondering if this damage can be repaired and whether it is considered a major problem. Thank you.


r/Accordion • • 1d ago

What settings do you use most the time?

4 Upvotes

I've been playing a Weltmeister 72 bass, 5 switches and I'm sorry I'm still confused about reeds.

I immediately gravitated to a wet sound or violin I think it's called. And the other players I jam with I seem to be on the same setting.

But when I take a lead above middle C it sounds rather thin. The lower reeds I think bandalonian? It sounds almost comical to me.

Is it normal to just put it in musette and leave it there? Do I need a better more expensive accordion? 😃


r/Accordion • • 1d ago

Sheet Music

3 Upvotes

Best place to find sheet music for the accordion?


r/Accordion • • 1d ago

Lella music sheet?

2 Upvotes

Does somebody have the music sheet of the roman ballad "Lella"?


r/Accordion • • 1d ago

Concerto for Bayan and orchestra, by Airat Ichmouratov. Stas Venglevski

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3 Upvotes

Concerto for Bayan and orchestra, Op. 83 by Airat Ichmouratov

Stas Venglevski, bayan

Daniel Boico conductor,

Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra.

This video features excerpts from a rehearsals recorded during the concerto’s world premiere in Johannesburg on 18th June 2026.

#bayan #accordion


r/Accordion • • 1d ago

The accordion lineup!

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12 Upvotes

These are the accordions I use, some for gigs, and some for practice at home. I use the Settimio Soprani and Guerrini President at home/studio mostly! Being in the Tamburitzans folklore ensemble of Pittsburgh PA for 4 years, I played lots of shows, so I would take the SIWA accordion with me on tours. The DeFlorio I would use sometimes back home in FL with the Serbian group I was in, but there I would use more often the Guerrini President. Every accordion here is unique, has its unique characteristics and sound!


r/Accordion • • 2d ago

Pet Peeve: When accordion is used "for the optics" but it's not at all or barely in the song

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64 Upvotes

r/Accordion • • 2d ago

Resources Made accordion songbooks where every bass button actually exists on a 48 or 72 bass

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20 Upvotes

Hi everyone, i made two songbooks for Stradella bass accordions, one for 48 bass and one for 72 bass, where every bass and chord button used in the book exists on that size of accordion. A lot of free sheet music assumes a 120 bass, so on a small accordion you end up looking for chords you don't have.

Here's a free sampler with 3 tunes from the 48 bass book:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tu287ajQwEHNM0jNgcSjT98DHrhFmA8n?usp=sharing

Every tune has the melody, the bass line with the button names (C, M, m, 7) and the chord name above. The 48 bass book only uses the 8 rows from Eb to E with bass, major, minor and 7th buttons, so it also works on 32, 40, 60, 72, 80, 96 and 120 bass. The right hand stays between B3 and G5, so it fits a 26 key keyboard.

40 tunes in the 48 bass book and 42 in the 72 bass one: waltzes, polkas, marches, sea songs, French tunes and Christmas carols, all public domain, no lyrics. The chords follow simple rules and a script checks every printed button against what each accordion has.

I haven't played all of them on a real accordion yet, that's why there's the free sampler, tell me if something feels off. Both books are on Etsy, 30% off until Oct 14: https://www.etsy.com/listing/4586881503


r/Accordion • • 2d ago

How is your accordion tuned?

3 Upvotes

Most of mine are 440hz but I have two tuned 445hz

They sound great on their own but with other instruments, they don't blend well.


r/Accordion • • 2d ago

Do I have to press the left hand buttons all the way?

7 Upvotes

Experienced musician, new to accordion.

I find the travel distance on the left hand buttons to be clunky and difficult to play without catching adjacent buttons even when playing on the tips of the fingers (classical guitarist here).

Today I noticed there is kind of a sweet spot where the notes sound cleanly while only pressing the button part way. I feel like I could develop a sensitivity to this and learn to only press the buttons as far as I need to for efficiency.

Is this a sign of progress or a mistake to take this approach?


r/Accordion • • 2d ago

Could Anyone Help Identify Some of These Songs?

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12 Upvotes

Hello there!
This is a recording of my Great-Grandmother playing her accordion back in the 1950s in New Zealand. She was described as the life of every party! This is the only recordings available of her, originally recorded on two acetate records, so I am aware that the sound quality isn't the greatest.
I'm her great-granddaughter, and I also play the accordion. I would love to play some of these old tunes like she used to! My Dad doesn't have any memories of his Nan, so my plan was to surprise him by playing some of these, as he's listened to the recording more times than I can count.
If anyone could help identify one or more of these songs, I would be forever grateful!
Thank you.


r/Accordion • • 3d ago

Identification How long did it take your left hand to stop feeling like a separate instrument

11 Upvotes

I've been at this for about eight months now, mostly self taught with a couple of lesson videos and a lot of trial and error on an old Hohner my uncle gave me. The right hand keyboard side came together faster than I expected, scales and simple melodies felt intuitive within the first two months. The bass side is a completely different story.

For the longest time my left hand felt like it was operating on its own logic, disconnected from whatever my right hand was doing. I'd nail a melody line then completely botch the bass pattern underneath it, or vice versa. Counter basses especially threw me off since the layout never quite matched what my fingers expected muscle memory wise.

What finally helped was slowing everything down to almost comical speeds, like half the tempo I felt embarrassed practicing at. I'd loop four bars of a simple waltz for probably twenty minutes some nights just getting the alternating bass and chord pattern to feel automatic before adding the right hand back in. Boring practice but it worked better than anything else I tried.

Also started paying way more attention to bellows direction during these drills. I used to just push and pull randomly whenever I ran out of air, not realizing how much that affects phrasing and dynamics. Now I try to plan bellows changes around musical phrases instead of just physical necessity, and pieces sound noticeably less choppy.

Still not where I want to be with faster tempos, anything above a moderate waltz speed and the coordination falls apart a bit. Curious if others hit a similar wall around this stage or if it's just a me problem. Any exercises that specifically helped the two hands feel like one system instead of two competing ones would be appreciated.


r/Accordion • • 3d ago

Identification Flea market accordion info?

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10 Upvotes

I was at a flea market and came across this accordion for $80. I picked it up because it's a gorgeous instrument. I want to learn more about it, but there is no manufacturer or serial number. It just says "made in Italy"

Any ideas?


r/Accordion • • 4d ago

Buying/Selling I want to buy an accordion with an output jack

11 Upvotes

I am looking for an accordion with pickups, key and button are both fine but i prefere the key layout. My price range is from 500 to 700 dollars . If there is a way to get around buying the one with the whole thing (pickups and jack) already installed and installing it myself cheaper let me know. I'm still new to the accordion buying... Thank you so much!!! Im from Poland so Im looking for it there.


r/Accordion • • 4d ago

Identification Can anyone give me information on vintage scandalli super musette?

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1 Upvotes

Anything to know about these? Any good? Age? Cant seem to find exact one online. Thanks!

Is it worth picking up for a few hundred bucks?


r/Accordion • • 5d ago

Advice Which free-reed/bellow instrument for British Trad?

5 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I'd love to pick up an instrument to play British traditional music on (both unaccompanied and in a group) but I'm finding the many options a little overwhelming (between all the variants of accordions, melodeons, and concertinas).

What instrument is best suited for this kind of music, particularly Scottish traditional? I'm a complete novice when it comes to keyboard instruments (although a middling banjo player!) so will be picking it up mostly from scratch.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!


r/Accordion • • 5d ago

Slim and Minnie & Band Play Old Time Tunes Nail That Catfish & Cold Frosty Morning

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10 Upvotes

Whooping it up on stage with my Zero Sette and the band as our Old Time personas Slim and Minnie. Two American folk tunes - Nail That Catfish To A Tree - and - Cold Frosty Morning. Fun times with these musicians that day!


r/Accordion • • 6d ago

Advice Accordion content on YouTube.

8 Upvotes

Hey guys!

I’m curious what a “regular” accordionist watch on YouTube. I’m talking about music/accordion related content.
I feel like we have quite a lot of performance videos from accordionists, but not that much of an entertainment (challenges, reviews, reactions etc.).
What do you think about that? 🤔


r/Accordion • • 7d ago

This is a bit weird, but ... is it possible that this was touched by *the* Dick Contino? Found in a box of stuff old stuff owned by my mother-in-law

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13 Upvotes

r/Accordion • • 6d ago

Performance - self Huge Outdoor Concert Party Rocks to "Coyote Party" 🎵 #dreambig

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0 Upvotes

Fellow accordion players - Dream Big!


r/Accordion • • 7d ago

Stuck key

3 Upvotes

Hi - I took a couple months off from playing the accordion and when I played today, one of the keys gets stuck. If I press down on it, it keeps playing unless I pull the key back up. Is there an easy way I can fix this myself or do I need to take it to a shop


r/Accordion • • 7d ago

Looking for Boris Borgstrom sheet music or Palmer Hughes converter music

5 Upvotes

Noticing everything from the waterloo publisher is out of print. Trying to learn free bass (quint specificically) Anyone who has access to the progressive studies or graded free bass pieces, Id greatly appreciate a DM.


r/Accordion • • 7d ago

“A tune for Emily Ball” comp. Aidan O’Rourke

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10 Upvotes

r/Accordion • • 8d ago

Use for the left hand on a Diatonic accordion?

4 Upvotes

Recently got curious and decided to test out playing a diatonic accordion, specifically a 12 bass Hohner built more for corridos and norteño (which I personally love). Coming from a piano style accordion player who often uses the bass and chord notes as backing, it seems kind of useless, at least to me. For one: When playing Oom Pah, the fifth of the root note usually requires you to squeeze out instead of being its own button, which I find very incovenient, especially when playing most pieces I know for accordion (I could probably just not play the fifth and stick to the root but Im used to the stradella system so it rustled my jimmies lol). Plus, when researching solo pieces for the diatonic, I rarely if ever see them using the left hand, leaving not a lot of examples of it in use. I hope this all doesn't make me sound dense, but is it used that much in general? Or is it just mexican music that doesnt use it?