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Bigger Bass Buttons

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Steve Mobia

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May 28, 2000, 3:00:00 AM5/28/00
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Is there any reason why bass buttons are so tiny compared to, lets say a
chromatic button keyboard on the right hand side. Do any manufacturers
make accordions with larger bass buttons?

Steve Mobia

Michael (Misha) Berenstein

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May 30, 2000, 3:00:00 AM5/30/00
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Steve Mobia wrote:

In the old days. I have a century old chromatic accordion with wooden bass
button shafts and screw in mother-of-pearl tops the size of trebble
buttons. I think Saltarelle Chaville makes three row chromatic two voice
with 60 basses, where bass buttons are bigger, if not the same with
trebble.


BobSmith4

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May 30, 2000, 3:00:00 AM5/30/00
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>Is there any reason why bass buttons are so tiny compared to, lets say a
>chromatic button keyboard on the right hand side. Do any manufacturers
>make accordions with larger bass buttons?
>

A friend of mine has a Brandoni accordion. The bass buttons are just slightly
larger in diameter than most other accordions. I find that it is a joy to play
his accordion because of that. I can hit the desired buttons more reliably.


Goran Rahm

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May 30, 2000, 3:00:00 AM5/30/00
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Michael (Misha) Berenstein skrev i meddelandet
<3933F44F...@pixar.com>...

>Steve Mobia wrote:
>
>> Is there any reason why bass buttons are so tiny compared to, lets say a
>> chromatic button keyboard on the right hand side. Do any manufacturers
>> make accordions with larger bass buttons?
>>
>> Steve Mobia
>
Some reasons seem to be obvious
1) tradition has developed concerning the button size, spacing, keyboard
layout and the construction in general and once established hard to change
2) the ambition to get 120 bass buttons into a compact area

Concerning 2) the relations between individual finger size, button diameter,
button top profile, interspace between the buttons and the travel distance
of the buttons decide what size of buttons that could be used

It could certainly be changed within limits. With rounder tops of buttons
and shorter travel (which could be arranged using other proportions of lever
mechanism ) wider buttons could be used with the same distance between
button centres without fingers been hooked up on the near buttons.

Personally I think it would be attractive to use bigger buttons and slightly
greater distance between button centres as well. The comfortable button diam
ought to be in the range 10-13 mm ( instead of 7-8 )

In my view most accordion players have no use for 120 button bass and 72
covers the harmonic system anyway so there ought to be space resources
enough for instance to widen the spacing of the 72 ( and particularly the 48
of course ) button bass using wider buttons. Something to suggest the
producers....

BTW - the Hohner Student models have wider spacing but still ca 7,5mm
buttons but there is room enough to change the buttons to 11-12 mm diam ones
without greater interference with the construction.

Goran Rahm

Macromed5

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May 31, 2000, 3:00:00 AM5/31/00
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> Is there any reason why bass buttons are so tiny compared to,
> lets say a chromatic button keyboard on the right hand side. Do
> any manufacturers make accordions with larger bass buttons?

There's one in the Bugari catalog, in the center spread... looks like a
freebass, one of their Gold models, pretty. If memory serves there were four
rows, maybe three, four octaves, something like that. Gorgeous box.

I saw a similar couple of models on a French website once, but unfortunately
can't find the links now... I recall the phrase "concert accordion" and believe
they were from the '50s.

For stradella systems I'd guess there'd be a type of chicken-and-egg thing
here... if a manufacturer did use very different spacing on the bass then that
might throw people whose fingers were already wired for small buttons.

Regards,
John Dowdell

Gary Dahl

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May 31, 2000, 3:00:00 AM5/31/00
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petosa buttons are wider and there is no change in distance......I feel
this is an advance in bass keyboard design....long overdue!

GD

http://www.accordions.com/garydahl
(listen to 3 jazz and 3 tango sound files)

Gary Dahl
Puyallup, Wa. USA (near Seattle)


http://users.aol.com/accrdnmn/
(hear Clarinet Polka and a French Tango...click on the eiffel tower)


Goran Rahm

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Jun 1, 2000, 3:00:00 AM6/1/00
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Steve Mobia skrev i meddelandet <3931A0A1...@slip.net>...

>Is there any reason why bass buttons are so tiny compared to, lets say a
>chromatic button keyboard on the right hand side. Do any manufacturers
>make accordions with larger bass buttons?
>

Steve Mobia

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Jun 7, 2000, 3:00:00 AM6/7/00
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> BTW - the Hohner Student models have wider spacing but still ca 7,5mm
> buttons


Yeah, what's the logic of having such wide spacing on student models
when "real" accordions have much closer spacing?

Steve M.


Arcana

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Jun 8, 2000, 3:00:00 AM6/8/00
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>>Steve Mobia wrote:
>>
>>> Is there any reason why bass buttons are so tiny compared to, lets say a
>>> chromatic button keyboard on the right hand side. Do any manufacturers
>>> make accordions with larger bass buttons?
>>>
>>> Steve Mobia

There is a type of accordion which is played a good deal in France. It is called "harmoneon" (an accent on the e), and is basically a free bass accordion, with buttons the same size on both hands. For many serious players in France, this is the way to go. On important player and composer who plays this instrument is Alain Abbott. There are many schools which suggest that students use this instrument (like the École Normale de Musique de Paris.)

There is also a very good method book which has come out recently (in French). It is called "Harmoneon, Accordéon de concert francais, MÉTHODE", written by Pierre Monichon, and published by Éditions Combre, Paris.

Laurie Rosewarne

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo ARCANA oooooooooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Laurie Rosewarne & Pierre-Paul Provencher

5, rue de Menton, Gatineau (Québec), CANADA J8T 5M7

email: arc...@sonetis.com
or con...@norteno.qc.ca

Web Site: http://www.norteno.qc.ca
http://www.sonetis.com/~arcana/arcana.html


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Saramac

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Jun 20, 2000, 3:00:00 AM6/20/00
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>
> Yeah, what's the logic of having such wide spacing on student models
> when "real" accordions have much closer spacing?
>
> Steve M.

I don't know how logical it is, but it comes in handy for people with
bigger fingers, who don't necessarily want a
"Real" (full sized) accordion....admittedly these people might be rare, but
I'm just sayin', there's a place for those student
models after the students move on.... :)

Sister eX
who would like to rescue that Hohner 12 bass from the antique shop window,
but not for $240.... *sigh*


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