Basic ACCORDION NOTATION
1. Introduction
The diatonic button-accordion is basically and proudly a folk instrument, and, although it can be, and frequently is, played by professional musicians, it can also be played and enjoyed by ordinary folk, like us. Thus, this site's accordion notation covers only a few aspects of the music (three on this basic page, two on the intermediate page and two on the advanced page). Much is left to the skill and imagination of the accordion player.
Though not formally a part of the accordion-notation, the tempo (or pace) of a tune, expressed in beats per minute (bpm), needs to be considered. Although there is a wide latitude, even among professional musicians, if a tune is played, or a song is sung, far too slowly or much too quickly, it generally does not not feel right. However, in learning most of the tunes on this site, maintaining a uniform tempo is more important than the absolute or "typical" value of the tempo itself.
The diatonic button-accordion is basically and proudly a folk instrument, and, although it can be, and frequently is, played by professional musicians, it can also be played and enjoyed by ordinary folk, like us. Thus, this site's accordion notation covers only a few aspects of the music (three on this basic page, two on the intermediate page and two on the advanced page). Much is left to the skill and imagination of the accordion player.
Though not formally a part of the accordion-notation, the tempo (or pace) of a tune, expressed in beats per minute (bpm), needs to be considered. Although there is a wide latitude, even among professional musicians, if a tune is played, or a song is sung, far too slowly or much too quickly, it generally does not not feel right. However, in learning most of the tunes on this site, maintaining a uniform tempo is more important than the absolute or "typical" value of the tempo itself.
At its most basic level, the button-accordion notation for melody and melodic rhythm shows the
HEADS-UP: The accordion notations for the tunes on this site contain several other notations and symbols, which can be ignored if you are at the basic level in your accordion playing.
Next, we examine the three basic features individually.
- tone or pitch of each note to be played - by its accordion button number (push or pull).
- relative duration of each note - by simple punctuation marks before the button number.
- musical phrases in songs - by putting phrases on single lines, or by using slash marks like / these / in the lyrics.
HEADS-UP: The accordion notations for the tunes on this site contain several other notations and symbols, which can be ignored if you are at the basic level in your accordion playing.
Next, we examine the three basic features individually.
2. Notation for Tone or Pitch
The right-hand treble buttons are numbered 1 to 11 (outside row) and 1 to 10 (inside row) from accordion top (near chin) to bottom. The melodic pitch associated with each note, in a selected accordion key and row, is written in terms of treble button numbers, with
Sometimes the accordion notation for a song calls for the singer (and, much less frequently, the accordion also) to rest briefly. This is indicated by
The right-hand treble buttons are numbered 1 to 11 (outside row) and 1 to 10 (inside row) from accordion top (near chin) to bottom. The melodic pitch associated with each note, in a selected accordion key and row, is written in terms of treble button numbers, with
- button numbers, such as 4 5 7, if the bellows are being pushed or compressed, and by
- button numbers with an asterisk, such as 3* 5*, if the bellows are being pulled or expanded.
- a prefix o before a button number, such as o3*, if you are playing mainly on the inside row and have play that button on the outside row,
- a prefix i before a button number, such as i4* if you are mainly playing on the outside row and have to play that button on the inside row.
Sometimes the accordion notation for a song calls for the singer (and, much less frequently, the accordion also) to rest briefly. This is indicated by
- the letter r. Unless otherwise indicated, we can assume that the "rest" is for the singers and not for the accordion players, who may choose to either hold the previous note, or play an embellishment while the singer is "resting".
3. Notation for Duration of Notes and Rests
The pattern of duration for the various notes is essential to melody and melodic rhythm. The duration of a note, in terms of beat intervals, is shown by prefixing each button number with one or more familiar punctuation marks; similarly for rests. Our reference for duration is the beat, or beat interval, such as can be provided, for example, by tapping your foot uniformly, or by the beat of a drum, or by the click or tone of a metronome.
Dots (or periods, if you prefer) are used for durations of one beat interval or larger:
Mostly, apostrophes are used for durations of less than one beat interval. In our accordion notation, this is done by assuming that each beat interval can be broken into quarters, each represented by an apostrophe (or a single quote mark).
Some notes are to be held for an intermediate duration between one and two beats, where we can combine a dot (for the full beat) and a comma (for half a beat interval), using:
Sometimes, we want to hold a musical tone for longer than the indicated duration. To show this we use
The pattern of duration for the various notes is essential to melody and melodic rhythm. The duration of a note, in terms of beat intervals, is shown by prefixing each button number with one or more familiar punctuation marks; similarly for rests. Our reference for duration is the beat, or beat interval, such as can be provided, for example, by tapping your foot uniformly, or by the beat of a drum, or by the click or tone of a metronome.
Dots (or periods, if you prefer) are used for durations of one beat interval or larger:
- a period or dot (such as .7 ) means press and hold button 7 for one beat interval.
- a colon, which is really two dots (such as :6 ) means press and hold for two beat intervals.
- a period and a colon, which is really three dots (such as .:7 ) means press and hold button 7 for three beats.
- similarly, two colons, which are really four dots (such as ::8 ) means press and hold button 8 for four beat intervals.
Mostly, apostrophes are used for durations of less than one beat interval. In our accordion notation, this is done by assuming that each beat interval can be broken into quarters, each represented by an apostrophe (or a single quote mark).
- an apostrophe (such as '6 ) means press and hold the button for a count of one-quarter of a beat interval.
- A double apostrophe (such as ''6 ) means press and hold the button for a count of one-half (i.e. two quarters) of a beat interval. Sometimes a comma (such as ,6 ) is used for this half-beat duration.
- A triple apostrophe (such as '"6 ) means press and hold the button for a count of three-quarters of a beat interval.
Some notes are to be held for an intermediate duration between one and two beats, where we can combine a dot (for the full beat) and a comma (for half a beat interval), using:
- a semi-colon, which is really a combination of a dot and a comma (such as ;5 ), means press and hold button for a count of one and a half beat intervals.
Sometimes, we want to hold a musical tone for longer than the indicated duration. To show this we use
- a tilde symbol ~ immediately after the button number, such as .5~ to indicate that button 5 is to be held for longer than one beat interval. How much longer? It depends ... sometimes it is up to you (as in line 3 of the Happy Birthday song below) ... we'll come back to this later.
4. Example of (Basic) Button-Accordion Notations
Recall that Accordion button numbers (with PULLS and PUSHES*) are used to represent the pitches associated with the notes you are playing.
For example: to accompany the first line (lyrics) of "Hap-py birth-day to you", press: Button 5 on the push of the bellows, Button 5 again on the push Button 5* on the pull of the bellows, Button 5 on the push Button 6 on the push, and finally, Button 6* on the pull. Time durations are indicated by counts of beat intervals, where,
Prefixed punctuation marks indicate the Duration, that is the number (or fraction) of beat intervals that the notes are held for. For example, in the "Happy Birthday" song there is a count of six beat intervals per line. In the first line: Button "5 is pushed for half a beat interval, then again for half a beat, Button .5* is pulled for one beat, Button .5 is pushed for one beat, Button .6 is pushed for one beat, and finally, Button :6* is pulled for two beat intervals. Note also that each line of the song represents a musical phrase, as shown by the forward slash symbols. Lines 1 and 2 have identical patterns of durations, and lines 3 and 4, while not identical, are somewhat similar to the first two lines. |
Happy Birthday -with pitch info. 5 5 5* 5 6 6* Hap-py birth-day to you, 5 5 5* 5 7* 6 Hap-py birth-day to you, 5 5 8 7 6 6* 5*~ Hap-py birth-day dear [NAME], 8* 8* 7 6 7* 6 Hap-py birth-day to you. Happy Birthday -pitch & duration. "5 "5 .5* .5 .6 :6* / Hap-py birth-day to you, / "5 "5 .5* .5 .7* :6 Hap-py birth-day to you, / "5 "5 .8 .7 .6 .6* .5*~ Hap-py birth-day dear [NAME], / "8* "8* .7 .6 .7* :6~ Hap-py birth-day to you. / |
The tempo (or pace) is given in counts of beat intervals per minute. This may be illustrated by the youTube video at right. This performance covers a verse (of 24 counts or beats) in about 17 seconds, or 1.41 beats per second, which corresponds to about 85 bpm (beats per minute).
An aside: This youTube performance is in the musical Key of F (inside row of a C-F accordion). To play along with this video, it would help to have an accordion with a row in the key of F. |
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