Accordion reed ranks and switches

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Right-hand manual register switches. This accordion has three different voices. Accordion right hand timbre switches.jpg
Right-hand manual register switches. This accordion has three different voices.
Accordion reed ranks with closeup of reeds Reedsinset.jpg
Accordion reed ranks with closeup of reeds

A reed rank inside an accordion is a single full set of the reeds that are the means to achieve the instrument's sound range. These reed ranks are located in the reed chamber. Most accordions to this date typically have between two and four reed ranks on the treble side and between three and five reed ranks on the bass side. These can usually be selected individually or combined in various ways to provide a range of different timbres, by use of register switches arranged by register from high to low. More of the top-line expensive accordions may contain five or six reed blocks on the treble side for different tunings, typically found in accordions that stress musette sounds.

Contents

How many reeds an accordion has is specified by the number of treble ranks and bass ranks. For example, a 4/5 accordion has four reeds on the treble side and five on the bass side. A 3/4 accordion has three reeds on the treble sides and four on the bass side.

Reed ranks are classified by either organ 'foot-length' stops or instrument names. Visually, they each have a fixed dot in a three-level icon as displayed in the photo on the right and tables below. These icons display when more than one reed-rank is in use.

Register stop classifications

The pitch of a single bank of reeds is traditionally defined in a similar manner to the organ stops of a pipe organ. A bank that sounds at unison pitch when keys are depressed is called 8′ (pronounced "eight-foot") pitch: alluding to the length of the lowest-sounding organ pipe in that rank, which is approximately eight feet. For the same reason, a stop that sounds an octave higher is at 4′ pitch, and one that sounds an octave lower than unison pitch is at 16′ pitch.

Most reed registers are normally in relative octave tuning, but rarely, some instruments have a reed bank tuned to a perfect fifth relative to the 8′ stop (or some octave of that) such as the Bayan (accordion) in the new models. This is a similar arrangement to stops for a pipe organ.

On accordions with two 8′ ranks, one is tuned a fraction of a semitone (usually no more than 25 cents [1] ) higher than the other ranks. This causes beats when the two 8′ ranks sound together, creating a distinctive tremolo timbre. [2] Tunings where the difference between the two is small and the beats are less noticeable are referred to as "dry", whereas those where the difference is large are referred to as "wet". [1] Accordions with three 8′ ranks have the third tuned the same distance below the center, doubling the effect of the beats when all three play.

Reed ranks
IconClassificationDescription
Accordionstops piccolo.svg 4′ stopThis is the highest reed rank. Not all accordions will have this reed rank. It is an octave above the 8′ reference stop, and mostly serves to add color to the heavier reeds. In Italian, it is called the piccolo.
Accordionstops clarinet.svg 8′ stopThis is the basic middle reed rank. It is the reference which is first tuned, then serves as a base for tuning the others. In Italian, it is called the clarino.
Accordionstops clarinet upper.svg Higher 8′ stopThis is another middle reed rank, the upper tremolo rank. [3] It is usually tuned slightly higher than the basic middle reed rank. [2] Not all accordions may have this reed rank.
Accordionstops clarinet lower.svg Lower 8′ stopThis is another middle reed rank, the lower tremolo rank. [3] It is usually tuned slightly lower than the basic middle reed rank. [2] Usually only included on special "musette accordions".
Accordionstops bassoon.svg 16′ stopThis is the lowest and deepest-sounding reed rank in the reed chamber. It is one octave lower than an 8' reed rank.

Register switches

Register switches select combinations of reed ranks to produce contrasting timbres. Most accordions have automatic or preset switches, similar to voice selection on an electronic keyboard, or (more precisely) to a preset combination action in a pipe organ. These switches control which reed ranks are enabled (opened up) or disabled (closed off): some switches enable a single reed rank, others enable several simultaneous reed ranks. In general, the formula for the number of potential switch combinations is one less than 2 to the number of unique reed blocks that are within the accordion. For example, if an accordion has 3 reed blocks, there are potentially 23-1 = 7 combinations, though "less useful" ones are often omitted. [notes 1] [4] Unlike individual organ stops, only one combination is active at any given time. [5]

Here are a few examples of right-hand manual switches on a typical large accordion. [6] (Smaller instruments with fewer reed banks may have fewer switches or even none.)

Common register switches
IconAlternate icon [lower-alpha 1] NicknameRegister stop(s) in useSound
Accordionstops piccolo.svg Piccolo4′High, thin, reedy tone.
Accordionstops clarinet.svg Clarinet8′A round tone, relatively light in upper harmonics.
Accordionstops bassoon.svg Bassoon16′A low, full, smooth tone.
Accordionstops oboe.svg Oboe4′ + 8′A bright tone.
Accordionstops violin.svg Accordionstops violin symmetrical.svg Violin8′ + 8′A shimmering or wavering "tremolo" or "chorus effect" from detuned reeds, analogous to the Voix céleste organ stop.
Accordionstops musette.svg Accordionstops musette symmetrical.svg Musette (imitation)4′ + 8′ + 8′Actually an imitation musette sound. Found in many accordions. (Compare to the authentic three-reed musette below.)
Accordionstops musette authentic.svg Musette (authentic)8′ + 8′ + 8′A strong and distinctive tremolo sound, found in special musette accordions.
Accordionstops organ.svg Organ4′ + 16′A full yet hollow, slightly reedy quality.
Accordionstops harmonium.svg Harmonium4′ + 8′ + 16′Like the oboe combination, but heavier because of the added 16′ reed rank.
Accordionstops bandoneon.svg Bandoneon8′ + 16′Characteristic round, mellow accordion sound.
Accordionstops accordion.svg Accordionstops accordion symmetrical 01.svg Accordion8′ + 8′ + 16′Like the violin combination, but heavier because of the added 16' reed rank.
Accordionstops master asymmetrical.svg Accordionstops master.svg Master4′ + 8′ + 8′ + 16′The loudest and fullest accordion sound. On accordions of any size, the "master" combination uses all available reed ranks, and as a rule its symbol shows only the ranks actually present.
  1. These versions are seen on some accordions and sheet music. (Strictly speaking, they are inconsistent when one of the two middle reed ranks in question is the basic, natural-tuned, "clarino" middle reed rank, represented by a centered dot on other switches.)
Two-way rocker switches controlling individual reed ranks Excelsior 00 accordion rocker switches detail.jpg
Two-way rocker switches controlling individual reed ranks

Instead of automatic switches, some accordions have individual switches for the reed ranks that can be used in any combination, like organ stops.

In addition to the master switch located with the other switches shown above, professional-grade accordions often have at least one extra master switch: either a chin master at the top of the instrument or palm master switch located at the side of the keyboard. These allow for faster changes to the register while the right hand is playing the melody. Some have double bassoon (16′ + 16′), equivalent to a tenor violin, and the tenor musette (16′ + 16′ + 8′) is also found in some model accordions.

Cassotto

High-end accordions often have a feature called a cassotto (Italian for "box"), also referred to as a "tone chamber", in the treble (right-hand) reed section. In this design, certain reed sets (usually one set of middle reeds, and the set of low reeds) are mounted at a 90° angle to the remaining reeds. The sound from these specially-mounted reeds must then travel farther, and along a different path, before leaving the instrument, muting its harmonics (partials) and creating a distinctively mellow, refined sound. The sound of cassotto bassoon (low) reeds is particularly favored by jazz accordionists.

The cassotto design requires a sophisticated treble mechanism where each key must open and close air passages not only for reeds mounted at the traditional angle, but also for air passages at a relative 90° angle (for the cassotto reeds). To do this properly, each rod and pad must be positioned precisely in relation to its perpendicular counterpart. Because of the considerable extra time required for the cassotto's construction and adjustment, cassotto accordions cost considerably more than similar non-cassotto models.

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Musical keyboard Musical instrument component

A musical keyboard is the set of adjacent depressible levers or keys on a musical instrument. Keyboards typically contain keys for playing the twelve notes of the Western musical scale, with a combination of larger, longer keys and smaller, shorter keys that repeats at the interval of an octave. Depressing a key on the keyboard makes the instrument produce sounds—either by mechanically striking a string or tine, plucking a string (harpsichord), causing air to flow through a pipe organ, striking a bell (carillon), or, on electric and electronic keyboards, completing a circuit. Since the most commonly encountered keyboard instrument is the piano, the keyboard layout is often referred to as the piano keyboard.

Pipe organ Wind instrument controlled by keyboard

The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass. Most organs have many ranks of pipes of differing timbre, pitch, and volume that the player can employ singly or in combination through the use of controls called stops.

<i>Sheng</i> (instrument) Chinese mouth-blown free reed instrument

The sheng is a Chinese mouth-blown free reed instrument consisting of vertical pipes. It is a polyphonic instrument and enjoys an increasing popularity as a solo instrument.

Overblowing is a technique used while playing a wind instrument that causes the sounded pitch to jump to a higher one primarily through the manipulation of the supplied air rather than by a fingering change or the operation of a slide. Depending on the instrument, and to a lesser extent the player, overblowing may involve a change in the air pressure, in the point at which the air is directed, or in the resonance characteristics of the chamber formed by the mouth and throat of the player. In some instruments, overblowing may also involve the direct manipulation of the vibrating reed(s), and/or the pushing of a register key while otherwise leaving fingering unaltered. With the exception of harmonica overblowing, the pitch jump is from one vibratory mode of the reed or air column, e.g., its fundamental, to an overtone. Overblowing can be done deliberately in order to get a higher pitch, or inadvertently, resulting in the production of a note other than that intended.

Organ stop Part of a pipe organ

An organ stop is a component of a pipe organ that admits pressurized air to a set of organ pipes. Its name comes from the fact that stops can be used selectively by the organist; each can be "on", or "off".

Farfisa is a manufacturer of electronics based in Osimo, Italy, founded in 1946. The name is commonly associated with a series of compact electronic organs manufactured in the 1960s and 1970s, including the Compact, FAST, Professional and VIP ranges, and later, a series of multi-timbral synthesizers. They were used by a number of popular musicians including Sam the Sham, Pink Floyd, Sly Stone, Blondie, and the Philip Glass Ensemble.

Flue pipe

A flue pipe is an organ pipe that produces sound through the vibration of air molecules, in the same manner as a recorder or a whistle. Air under pressure is driven through a flue and against a sharp lip called a labium, causing the column of air in the pipe to resonate at a frequency determined by the pipe length. Thus, there are no moving parts in a flue pipe. This is in contrast to reed pipes, whose sound is driven by beating reeds, as in a clarinet. Flue pipes are common components of pipe organs.

Button accordion

A button accordion is a type of accordion on which the melody-side keyboard consists of a series of buttons. This differs from the piano accordion, which has piano-style keys. Erich von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs categorize it as a free reed aerophone in their classification of instruments, published in 1914. The sound from the instrument is produced by the vibration of air in reeds. Button accordions of various types are particularly common in European countries and countries where European people settled. The button accordion is often confused with the concertina; the button accordion's buttons are on the front of the instrument, where as the concertina's are on the sides and pushed in parallel with the bellows.

Organ pipe Musical instrument part

An organ pipe is a sound-producing element of the pipe organ that resonates at a specific pitch when pressurized air is driven through it. Each pipe is tuned to a specific note of the musical scale. A set of organ pipes of similar timbre comprising the complete scale is known as a rank; one or more ranks constitutes a stop.

Regal (instrument)

The regal is a small portable organ, furnished with beating reeds and having two bellows. The instrument enjoyed its greatest popularity during the Renaissance. The name was also sometimes given to the reed stops of a pipe organ, and more especially the vox humana stop.

Chorus is an audio effect that occurs when individual sounds with approximately the same time, and very similar pitches, converge and are perceived as one. While similar sounds coming from multiple sources can occur naturally, as in the case of a choir or string orchestra, it can also be simulated using an electronic effects unit or signal processing device.

Reed pipe Type of organ pipe

A reed pipe is an organ pipe that is sounded by a vibrating brass strip known as a reed. Air under pressure is directed towards the reed, which vibrates at a specific pitch. This is in contrast to flue pipes, which contain no moving parts and produce sound solely through the vibration of air molecules. Reed pipes are common components of pipe organs.

Tremolo harmonica

Tremolo harmonicas are a type of Diatonic harmonica, distinct by having two reeds per note. In a tremolo harmonica the two reeds are tuned slightly off a reference pitch, one slightly sharp and the other slightly flat. This gives a unique wavering or warbling sound created by the two reeds being not exactly in tune with each other and difference in their subsequent waveforms acting against one another. The degree of beating can be varied depending on the desired effect. Instruments where the beating is faster due to the reeds being farther apart from the reference pitch are called "wet", whereas those where the beating is slower and less noticeable due to the reeds being more closely in tune are called "dry".

Organ console

The pipe organ is played from an area called the console or keydesk, which holds the manuals (keyboards), pedals, and stop controls. In electric-action organs, the console is often movable. This allows for greater flexibility in placement of the console for various activities. Some very large organs, such as the van den Heuvel organ at the Church of St. Eustache in Paris, have more than one console, enabling the organ to be played from several locations depending on the nature of the performance.

Schwyzerörgeli

The Schwyzerörgeli is a type of diatonic button accordion used in Swiss folk music. The name derives from the town/canton of Schwyz where it was developed. Örgeli is the diminutive form of the word Orgel (organ). Outside of Switzerland the instrument is not well known and is hard to find.

Registration is the technique of choosing and combining the stops of a pipe organ in order to produce a particular sound. Registration can also refer to a particular combination of stops, which may be recalled through combination action. The registration chosen for a particular piece will be determined by a number of factors, including the composer's indications, the time and place in which the piece was composed, the organ the piece is played upon, and the acoustic environment within which the organ resides.

Stradella bass system

The Stradella Bass System is a buttonboard layout equipped on the bass side of many accordions, which uses columns of buttons arranged in a circle of fifths; this places the principal major chords of a key in three adjacent columns.

A cassotto is a 'sound chamber' within some more expensive accordions that contains one or more reed blocks of the treble side of the instrument. The sound of a cassotto register is warmer, less sharp than that of a register with unenclosed reeds.

References

  1. 1 2 Palm, Hans (1997). "Wet/dry sound and tuning". Hans Palm's Accordion Page. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  2. 1 2 3 Glenstrup, Bjarne (1972). Harmonikaens Historie. University of Copenhagen (Faculty of Music). p. 45b.
  3. 1 2 Dyremose, Jeanette; Dyremose, Lars (2003). Det levende bælgspil. p. 75. ISBN   8798812815
  4. "Pascal's Triangle and the Mathematics of Reed Combinations". Portland Accordion Repair. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
  5. "Terminology: switches". Accordions Worldwide.
  6. Doktorski, Henry (2005). "Composer's Toolbox: Accordion Registrations". NewMusicBox. Archived from the original on 2005-03-08.

Notes

  1. Strictly speaking, there are 2n combinations (8 from 3 reed blocks), but the one with all ranks closed is only useful in organ accordions or MIDI accordions where it may be desired to play the electronic voices only. This can be seen on a "Closed" switch with no dots.