How to Move the Accordion While Playing

The accordion is a different kind of wind instrument. It's big and bulky, but plays beautiful music if you know how to use it properly. With keys on one side for one hand and organ style chords on the other side for the opposite hand, it requires coordination due to the difficulty of looking at your hands while you play.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Strap on the accordion. Shoulder straps allow its weight to hang across your chest so you can freely play using both hands at the same time. Hand straps allow you to expand the bellows by pulling the two sides away from each other.

2. Adjust the straps to your personal height and comfort. Inaccurate settings make the accordion more difficult to manage and play.

3. Unlock the bellows. Generally a fastener connects the keyboard side to the chords panel side which keeps air from gathering in the accordion while in storage.

4. Press any key, chord or the air release valve to open and expand the accordion. Once it's in this position, it's ready for play.

5. Find the "Middle C" key on the keyboard and the "home position" on the chords panel. The home position is identified by a nodule carved into one of the chords so you can find it with your fingers without looking.

6. Select the keys and chords you want and then press the two sides toward each other. When the bellows begin to run out of air, pull the sides away from each other using the hand straps then continue.