The Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen

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HANDBOOK
ON
A C C O R D I O N N O TAT I O N

Docent Geir Draugsvoll

Docent Erik Højsgaard

June 2001

Edited and translated by Andreas Borregaard, March 2011

Handbook on Accordion Notation! -2-
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! ! Introduction! .………………………………………………………! 3
! ! Notation! ……………………………………………………………! 4
! ! Range! ……………………………………………………………! 4
! ! Manuals
! ! Right hand! ………………………………………………………! 5
! ! Left hand: free bass manual! …………………………! 6
! ! Left hand: standard bass manual! …………………………! 8
! ! Sound!…………………………………………………………………! 9
! ! Dynamics! ……………………………………………………………! 10
! ! Glissando (pitch bend) …………………………………………! 10
! ! Clusters! ………………………………………………………………! 12
! ! Bellows shake! ………………………………………………………! 13
! ! Ricochet! ……………………………………………………………! 15
! ! Vibrato! ………………………………………………………………! 15
! ! Noises! ………………………………………………………………! 17
! ! Registers! …………………………………………………………! 22
! ! Exact pitch notation! ………………………………………………! 23
! ! References! ……………………………………………………! 24
Handbook on Accordion Notation! -3-
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Introduction

Over the last decades the classical accordion has positioned itself firmly in the international music
world. Composers such as Gubaidulina, Denisov, Berio, Kagel, Huber, Birtwistle, Adès, Yun,
Murray-Schafer and from the Nordic regions Sørensen, Nørgård, Lindberg, Aho, Ratkje among
many others have written extensively for the accordion, contributing to an increasing global
awareness and interest in the instrument.

However, the contemporary classical accordion is relatively young and uncertainties regarding
proper notation still do exist.

The goal of this handbook is to give a general overview of the use of the accordion and its
appropriate notation. It does not give answers to all details (as new and extended techniques are
constantly developing), but it gives a useful introduction to the fundamentals. The handbook is
issued from the Danish accordion tradition.
Handbook on Accordion Notation! -4-
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Notation

An accordion score must always be written in exact pitch notation (see page 23).
The two manuals of the instrument are notated on two staves; right hand on the upper and left hand
on the lower:

Right hand

Left hand

Cross staff notation is not idiomatic for the accordion. In the following example, a) is preferable to
b) (provided that all the notes are supposed to be played in the right hand):

Range

The most common concert-accordions have the following range:

! ! ! ! ! ! ! US-system
! Right hand: ! Contra E  c#5 ! ! E1 - C#8
! Left hand:! Contra E  c#3! ! E1 - C#6
Handbook on Accordion Notation! -5-
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In recent years it has become normal to have extended registration possibilities in the left hand.
Score [Title]
This results in both hands having the same range:

#w
[Title]
&c ! !
Score

#w

!& c ! ! !
5

&

! !
5

& ! ! !
9

&
Manuals

! !
9

& ! ! !
13

&
Right hand

The classical accordion may have keys or buttons on the right hand manual.
On button instruments it is possible to play chords
13 that span over almost three octaves:

& ! ! ! ! !
17

&

! !
17

& ! ! !
Right 21

&

! !
21

& ! ! !
25

&
Left

! ! !
25

& !
29

&

29
Handbook on Accordion Notation! -6-
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But it is not recommended to write chords that include more than 2,5 octaves. On instruments with
keyboard manual the maximum stretch is normally 1 octave plus a forth.

Left hand: Free Bass Manual

The construction of the left part of the instrument makes it very difficult for the thumb to reach
beyond first row of buttons. Hence the use of chords with more than 4 notes is not recommended
unless one of the notes can be played with the thumb in the first row.

The left hand is strapped in to control the bellows. This makes it less agile than the right hand,
especially in the case of large jumps and virtuosic passages.

It is normally not a problem to play chords stretching up to 1 octave plus a forth. Furthermore it is
at all times possible to play the lowest octave

using the innermost two rows on the manual.

By using these bass tones there is no limit to the spacing between lowest note and upper notes:
Handbook on Accordion Notation! -7-
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B.B.

( S.B. )

If the innermost two rows are used it may be indicated by the symbol

S.B.

(“Stradella Bass” = standard bass - see page 8) and

B.B.

(Barytone Bass = free bass) when returning to the ordinary manual.

( S.B. )

S.B.

In order to play higher than c#3 one must change to the 2-foot register. With this register it is
possible to play in the following range ! !
Handbook on Accordion Notation! -8-
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! !

and

Be aware to incorporate time to change to and from the register.

B.B.

Left hand: Standard Bass Manual

( S.B. )

The standard bass manual (also known as “Stradella Bass”) is indicated with

S.B.

Besides the two innermost rows of bass tones mentioned above, the standard bass manual is a
system in which single buttons give entire chords: Major, minor, seventh and diminished. The
chords are notated with these symbols:

Major: M
Minor: m
Seventh: 7
Diminished: d
Handbook on Accordion Notation! -9-
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The combination of chords and bass-tones creates the well-known um-pa-pa bass.

Sound

Unlike most keyboard instruments, the accordion is closely related to wood wind instruments and
has no resonance from the instrument itself.
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 10 -
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Dynamics

The two manuals are linked to the same set of bellows, and normally this results in the same
dynamic in both hands. However, by means of registration it is sometimes possible to control the
dynamic balance between the manuals.

The reeds of the instrument are placed in tiny chambers that have no resonance. This means that
even though the instrument may sound very loud in small rooms, the sound does not carry very far,
and it looses much of its intensity in larger concert halls.

Due to the bellows controlling both manuals, the lowest tones will often dominate the sound. This
may be somewhat regulated by registration.

Glissando (pitch bend)

When notating a gliss it is important to indicate whether the destination note is to be rearticulated
or not.
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 11 -
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The pitch bend is fundamentally a downward gliss. However, once bended down, the note can bend
back up in an upward gliss. It is possible to start the note in the bended position.

Pitch bend glissando works best in the right hand, but on notes higher than d2 they may be
problematic.

The maximum range of a pitch bend varies from instrument to instrument. In higher registers the
glisses are mainly perceived as quartertones and should be notated as such. It is rarely possible to
bend more than a halftone.

In the lower registers a gliss can bend the note further than a 3rd. The desired endnote should
always be notated.

In the left hand glisses should not be used higher than c1. As in the right hand, the range of the gliss
is increased in lower registers, but even the lowest notes are usually not able to bend more than a
whole tone.
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 12 -
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In both manuals it requires increased bellows pressure to create the effect. This will result in a
crescendo of any other non-bending tones played at the same time as the glissando.
Glisses may also be performed with two tones simultaneously:

Clusters

Clusters are notated as black squares ranging from the lowest to the highest note of the cluster
chord.
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 13 -
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A cluster may be notated as a white square, if the rhythm includes larger values:

Bellows shake

Bellows shake (rhythmical bellows articulation) can be notated using the signs

and

for “out” and “in” respectively.

Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 14 -
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A prolonged bellows shake is indicated by sim. B.S., B.S. sempre, B.S. etc or equivalent.

If the desired effect is as fast as possible, this is notated with a tremolo in addition to the B.S.

!
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 15 -
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A change from B.S. to normal bellows is notated with N.B. (natural bellows).

Ricochet

Ricochet is a bellows-movement related to bellows shake. The number of tones in a ricochet is

typically 3 to 5. It is notated like this:

Vibrato

Vibrato may be notated as

!
or
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 16 -
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It is possible to specify the scope of the vibrato:

r k r
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 17 -
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Noises

There are four types of commonly used noise-sounds: Air-sound, button-noise, bellows slapping
and register-noise. The air is produced with the left hand; the others are most often (but not always)
performed by the right hand. Thus it can be useful to notate air below the normal left-hand staff and
the rest of the sounds below the right hand staff:

If noise-sounds are notated within the regular 5-line staffs, alternative note-heads should be used.

Air is often notated differently – a triangular note-head is recommended.

By using letters it is possible to indicate which specific noise is desired: K (keyboard), B (bellows)
and R (register). Percussive noise-sounds are often notated with crosses as note-heads:
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 18 -
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The following examples demonstrate a diverse use of effects (as well as the need for a uniform
notation).
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 19 -
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Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 20 -
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Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 21 -
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Examples of other noise-sounds:

Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 22 -
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Registers Right Hand Registers

Right hand registers areRight

notated as aregisters
hand circle with two
are horizontal
notated as alines,
circleand they
with twoare always written
horizontal lines, and they are
above the staff. always written above the staff.
Normal, fullsized instruments
Normalhave all combinations
fullsize instrumentsofhave
the following 5 registers:
all combinations of the following 5 registers:

8-foot with cassotto

8-foot without cassotto

double-8-foot

16-foot

4-foot “piccolo”

8-foot with cassotto and 16-foot both have a mellow sound, whereas 8-foot without
8-foot with cassotto and 16-foot both have a mellow sound, whereas 8-foot without cassotto and 4-
and 4-foot both have a sharper sound.
foot both have a sharper sound.
In registers combining different octaves, it is always the lowest octave that defines
In registers combining different
resultingoctaves,
sound.it is always the lowest octave that defines the resulting
sound.
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 23 -
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Left Hand Registers

Left hand registers are notated as a square with two horizontal lines, and they are always written
below the staff.
Left hand registers are notated as a square with two horizontal lines, and they are
Instruments with piccolo and “double-eight” in left hand have the following 5 registers:
always written below the staff.
Instruments with piccolo and “double-eight” in left hand have the following 5 registers:

8-foot

2-foot (“piccolo”)

double-8-foot. Due to technical reasons this register!s actual

sound in the lowest octave of the instrument is as a 8+4-foot register ( )

8+2-foot

8+8+2-foot (“tutti”)

Exact pitch notation

Contemporary accordion scores should be written in exact pitch notation, meaning that the octave
notated in the score is the sounding octave regardless of the register in use.

The following shows which octaves are sounding when using single and combined registers.
 always written above the staff.
Right hand
Right hand registers areregisters
notated area notated
as circle
Normal fullsize as two
with a circle
instruments havewith
horizontaltwo horizontal
lines, oflines,
and they
all combinations and they5ar
arefollowing
the re
always
always written abovewritten above the staff.
the staff. 8-foot with cassotto
Normal
Normal fullsize fullsize have
instruments instruments have all combinations
all combinations of the followingof 5
the following 5 registers:
registers:

8-foot with cassotto

8-foot with cassotto
8-foot with cassotto 8-foot without cassotto
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 24 -
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Right HandRight Hand Registers
Registers 8-foot without cassotto

8-foot without8-foot without cassotto

cassotto double-8-foot

Right hand
Right hand registers areregisters areanotated
notated as as two
circle with a circle with two
horizontal horizontal
lines, and theylines,
are and they are
double-8-foot
always
always written abovewritten above the staff.
the staff.
Normal
Normal fullsize fullsize instruments
instruments have all combinations ofdouble-8-foot
have all combinations ofdouble-8-foot
the following the following 5 registers:
5 registers: 16-foot

16-foot
u o
8-foot with cassotto 16-foot
8-foot with cassotto g
16-foot 4-foot “piccolo”
y L 4-foot “piccolo” t
8-foot
8-foot without cassotto 4-foot “piccolo”
without cassotto 4-foot “piccolo” 8-foot with cassotto and 16-foot both have a
and 4-foot both have a sharper sound.
8-foot with cassotto and 16-foot both have a mellow sound, whereas 8
and 4-foot both have a sharper In registers
sound.combining different octaves, it is
double-8-footdouble-8-foot
8-foot with cassotto andcassotto
8-foot with 16-foot both have a mellow
and 16-foot sound,
resulting
both have whereas
sound.
a mellow 8-foot
sound, without8-foot
whereas cassotto
withou
and 4-foot both
andhave a both
4-foot sharper sound.
In registers
have combining
a sharper different octaves, it is always the lowest octave
sound.
resulting sound.
In registers combining
In registersdifferent octaves,
combining it is octaves,
different always theit islowest octave
always that defines
the lowest octavethe
that defines
16-foot 16-foot
resulting sound.
resulting sound.

4-foot “piccolo”
4-foot “piccolo”

8-foot with cassotto andcassotto

8-foot with 16-foot both have a mellow
and 16-foot sound,
both have whereas
a mellow 8-foot
sound, without8-foot
whereas cassotto
without cassotto
and 4-foot both
and have
4-foota both
sharper sound.
have a sharper sound.

In registers combining
In registersdifferent
combiningoctaves, it is octaves,
different always the
it islowest octave
always that defines
the lowest octavethe
that defines the
resulting sound.
resulting sound.

References

Abrahamsen, Hans - Canzone (1977-78)

! Edition Wilhelm Hansen
Berio, Luciano - Sequenza XIII (1995)
! Universal Edition
Frounberg, Ivar - A Dirge “Other Echoes Inhabit The Garden” (1988, rev. 1994)
! Samfundet til udgivelse af dansk musik, F.0005
Gubaidulina, Sofia - Et Exspecto
! Musikverlag Hans Sikorski
Gubitsch, Tomas - Villa Luro (1989)
! Editions Henry Lemoine
Holm, Mogens Winkel - Troglodyte (1994)
! Samfundet til udgivelse af dansk musik, F.0009
Højsgaard, Erik - Épreuve (1993, rev. 1996)
Handbook on Accordion Notation! - 25 -
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! Samfundet til udgivelse af dansk musik, F.0011

Koch, Jesper - Ice-Breaking (1989, rev. 1991)
! Samfundet til udgivelse af dansk musik
Koch, Jesper - Jabberwocky (1995)
! Samfundet til udgivelse af dansk musik, C.0358
Nordheim, Arne - Dinosauros (1971)
! Edition Wilhelm Hansen
Nordheim, Arne - Spur (1975)
! Edition Wilhelm Hansen
Nørgård, Per - Anatomisk safari (1967)
! Edition Wilhelm Hansen
Nørholm, Ib - Sonate op. 41 (1967)
! Edition Wilhelm Hansen
Olsen, Poul Rovsing - How to play in D major without caring about it (1968)
! Hohner Edition
Pade, Steen - Aprilis (1988)
! Samfundet til udgivelse af dansk musik, A.362
Pade, Steen - Cadenza (1987)
! Samfundet til udgivelse af dansk musik, A.362
Schafer, Robert Murray - La testa d’Adriane (1978)
! Arcana (Toronto)