ETHN212: MUSIC AND ECOLOGY

Blog Review: Manufacturing of Accordions Around the World

Lena(Huizhou) Yang

Accordions are known as a kind of folk instrument around the world. For example, when you are traveling in European countries, you can listen to people playing accordion folk pieces on the streets. However, there are two things that you might not know! First, there are various genres of accordions, such as piano accordions, bayan (button) accordions, and hand accordions, which can also be called concertinas. What’s more, the invention of accordions was inspired from a Chinese traditional instrument Shēng! Shēng is a portable instrument that looks like a free-reed mouth organ. French Jesuit priest Pere Amiot became interested in Shēng when he visited China, which is my native country, around the 1750s, and he brought the idea of free reed instruments back to Europe in 1777. According to history, the earliest accordion was made by German instrument maker Christian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann in 1822. Based on records, accordion was spread to Russia around the 1830s. At that time, musicians played Russian folk tunes on diatonic accordions, which means accordions have notes in a diatonic major or minor scale in a given key. The Russian diatonic accordion is called the Garmon accordion. Piano and bayan accordions became prevalent in Russia around the 1870s. I found it interesting that the accordion became prevalent in China again during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). At that time, people could not access normal education, and some people were sent to art troupes. In troupes, people played music, danced, and performed in their daily life. Meanwhile, because of the cultural communication with Russia at that time, piano and bayan accordions were one of the popular instruments in bands. As an accordionist and because of my interest in discovering the materials of instruments, I write this article to tell you the compositions of piano accordions, bayan accordions, and diatonic accordions. I aim to find out whether the materials are friendly to the environment—for sustainability and animals. 

Anatomy and How Does Free-Reed Instrument Accordions Sound: 

First, let me give you an overview of the accordions’ structures! Different from string instruments such as guitar, all kinds of accordions make sounds because of the vibration of bellows in the middle part. When accordionists play the instrument, they expand and contract the bellow by their left arm as well as playing notes on treble (right hand) and bass (left hand) sides. For most accordions, they have bellows straps, and they are used for protecting the bellows when not in use. 

All piano, bayan, and diatonic accordions have bass buttons on the left hand side. This part functions like the left-hand bass part on the piano. One interesting thing is that accordionists usually cannot see their hands at the bass part when they are playing them! Since it is harder for left hands to move flexibly on the left hand side, there is usually another strap in that part that helps control hands’ movements. On the left and right hand sides of the accordion, they have cases that protect the inner structures of the accordions.

Now interested in how the inner structure—free-standing reed—is made? The reeds are located inside the cases of the left and right hand side in accordions. For example, when you press a piano key, the corresponding reed will also vibrate along with the bellow to make sounds. According to Tiranti Fisarmoniche, “sounds are produced by metal reeds which vibrate when stimulated by the air flow caused by the movement of the bellows. Each button corresponds to a sound, produced by 2, 3 or 4 reeds, which vibrate together to convey strength to the sound and produce different registers.” 

Structure of piano accordion

structure of bayan accordion

Inner Reeds of Accordion

Now let’s talk about differences between the structures of piano accordions, bayan accordions, and Garmon, the Russian diatonic accordions! The three kinds of accordions are mainly different in the treble (right hand) part. For piano accordions, as shown above, they are made of piano keys, which are almost the same as keys on the piano except for the thickness. Bayan accordions’ structure is almost the same as piano accordions’ except for the treble part. Like the bass buttons’ shape, each button represents a different chromatic note on the treble side.   

Different from piano accordions and bayan accordions, Garmon accordions don’t have treble register switches and are smaller in size. For example, usually you need to put piano or bayan accordions on your lap since they are heavy. However, when you play Garmon accordions, you can either put them on your lap or carry them as hand accordions! Treble registers are intriguing! When pressing registers, accordionists can change the “timbers” of the piano and bayan accordions! For example, there are usually violin and clarinet registers on the accordions. When you press the violin register and play it, it will sound like the combination of violin and harmonica (since harmonica is also a kind of free-reed instrument)! 

Picture of Garmon accordion

Materials of Accordions and Environmental Issues of Manufacturing: 

Interested in how the complicated instrument is made up of? I’m now going to tell you the structure of the instrument. 

First, let’s talk about the essential part that makes the accordion sound, the bellow part! The bellows is usually made up of manila cardboards, which is mainly made of pulps, especially unbleached wood pulp or soda pulp.5  Frames of accordions are also made of poplar wood. The pulps are mainly made from the breakdown of plant fibers, especially trees and recycled papers. 6 On one hand, I think the breakdown of pulp can be harmful for plants, woods, and the biological environment. What’s more, cutting woods in natural forest has become a global issue nowadays. For example, according to Professor Steven Errede, the demand for harvest for technologies will predictably outweigh the “natural forests” harvest by 2025. Cutting woods for making instruments will largely impact the growth of the biolife—the non-human made forest. On the other hand, the use of recycled papers is eco-friendly. 

Now let’s talk about straps! Straps are harmful to animals since they are likely to be made of leathers. Leathers are usually made of animal skins such as cows, sheep, pigs. The manufacturing of accordions’ straps are solid, strong but are harmful to animals’ life by taking animals’ skins out of their bodies. 

Buttons are also an essential part of accordions since most accordions have buttons on both left and right hand side and piano accordions also have bass buttons. Buttons are usually made of plastics. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, “Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems’ ability to adapt to climate change, directly affecting millions of people’s livelihoods, food production capabilities and social well-being.” Increasing use of plastics can cause chemical pollution to the environment and kill ocean animals’ life. For example, fish can ingest plastics and die when plastic products are thrown into oceans. 

Accordions’ reeds are made up of steels—aluminum or steel alloy reed plates. Steel and aluminum are two of the most recyclable materials. Therefore, using steel is more environmentally friendly compared to papers. The reed valves are made of leathers, which are harmful to animals.

For piano accordions, their keys can be made of ivory or plastics as their structure is similar to that of piano keys. Making ivories can kill elephants’ lives. According to United Nations Guidelines, illegal mass killing of elephants is increasing rapidly worldwide. According to National Geographic, “Experts estimate that about 25,000 elephants were killed last year alone, for their ivory tusks. The driving economic forces that facilitate illicit trade are supply and demand.” There are also illegal wildlife criminals who produce ivory. Making piano keys also causes the issue of illegally killing mass elephants. But what about plastics? It is also harmful to the ecological environment. Therefore, for both manufacturing of bellows, buttons and piano keys, I am thinking about whether they can be replaced by recyclable paper, which can better help protect the environment. 

In conclusion, although steel or aluminum parts of accordions can be recyclable, there are large issues of the eco environment and biodiversity of manufacturing accordions. First, making the bellows, button, and possibly leather and piano keys, requires paper, which is made of poplar woods. Making these parts harm the biodiversity of natural forests. What’s more, making straps and piano keys requires leathers and ivory. Making leathers kills animals like cows and pigs when it requires animals’ skins, and ivory products means mass killing elephants illegally. Therefore, on one hand, I’m thinking about using recycled materials instead to protect the ecological environment and animals. On the other hand, I would like to further know if accordion parts made of recycled materials are good in quality. In the future, I would like to discover the most efficient way to make good accordions and protect the environment as well.

Works Cited:

  1. “History of the Accordion in China.” Accordion history in China. Accessed December 16, 2023. http://www.accordions.com/index/his/his_cn.shtml. 
  2. Campacci, Claudio (2008). Século Xix (in Portuguese). Clube de Autores. p. 14. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
  3. “History of the Accordion in Russia.” Accordion history in Russia. Accessed December 16, 2023. http://www.accordions.com/index/his/his_su.shtml.
  4.  Lucifero, Giovanni. “Types of Accordion and Their Distinctive Features.” AccordionChords.com, November 7, 2023. https://accordionchords.com/tutorials/types-of-accordions-and-their-distinctive-features/.
  5. Tonidigrigio.it. “How to Make an Accordion: All Steps: Tiranti Fisarmoniche.” How To Make an Accordion: all steps | Tiranti Fisarmoniche. Accessed December 16, 2023. https://www.tirantifisarmoniche.it/en/how-to-make-an-accordion.html#:~:text=In%20the%20accordion%2C%20sounds%20are,sound%20and%20produce%20different%20registers. 
  6. Jackson, Robert. “The Different Parts of an Accordion: Anatomy and Structure.” Hello Music Theory: Learn Music Theory Online, August 4, 2022. https://hellomusictheory.com/learn/parts-of-the-accordion/.
  7. “Why That Video of the Young Ukrainian Accordionist Went Viral.” Flypaper, January 16, 2023. https://flypaper.soundfly.com/features/why-that-video-of-a-young-ukrainian-accordionist-went-viral/.
  8. “Why That Video of the Young Ukrainian Accordionist Went Viral.” Flypaper, January 16, 2023. https://flypaper.soundfly.com/features/why-that-video-of-a-young-ukrainian-accordionist-went-viral/.
  9. “Accordion.” How Products Are Made. Accessed December 16, 2023. http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Accordion.html. 
  10.  Errede, Steven. Lecture Notes For UIUC Physics 193 POM Physics of Music/Musical Instruments: “Sustainability and Musical Instruments” Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Illinois. 2002 – 2013. All rights reserved.
  11. “How Is Leather Made?” MAHI Leather, March 28, 2017. https://mahileather.com/blogs/news/how-is-leather-made. 
  12.  UN Environment. “Plastic Pollution.” UNEP. Accessed December 16, 2023. https://www.unep.org/plastic-pollution#:~:text=Plastic%20pollution%20can%20alter%20habitats,t%20exist%20in%20a%20vacuum.
  13. Verbeek, Ignatius. “TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE STEEL.” Environment Design Guide, 2002, 3. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26148394.
  14. “Is Aluminium Environmentally Friendly? The Green Metal.” ASM Metal Recycling, March 2, 2021. https://www.asm-recycling.co.uk/blog/why-is-aluminium-environmentally-friendly/#:~:text=Known%20as%20the%20green%20metal,its%20production%20from%20raw%20materials. 
  15.  Petosa, Joe. “The Heart and Soul of an Accordion.” Petosa Accordions, 2021. https://petosa.com/blogs/accordion-culture/the-heart-and-soul-of-an-accordion-by-joe-petosa.
  16. United Nations. “Guidelines on Methods and Procedures for Ivory Sampling and Laboratory Analysis.” United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Accessed December 17, 2023. https://www.unodc.org/documents/Wildlife/Guidelines_Ivory.pdf. 
  17. Larson, Elaine, and National Geographic Society, eds. “The Economics of the Illicit Ivory Trade.” Education. Accessed December 16, 2023. https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/economics-illicit-ivory-trade/. 
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