All About Concertina

So, what’s the difference between Accordions and Concertinas? According to makingmusicmag.com, “Although similar in principle, there are several internal and external differences between concertinas and accordions. The most obvious is the way the buttons are played. Concertina buttons are pushed into the instruments, traveling in the same direction as the bellows. Accordion buttons, called “bass,” are pushed perpendicular to the bellows. Another difference is that most accordions have bass capable of playing an entire chord, whereas concertina buttons play one note at a time.”

"There are several concertina systems, with somewhat misleading names if you consider the folk music traditions in which they are played. Anglo-German concertinas are used in traditional Irish as well as English folk music; English concertinas are more popular with Scottish and American folk musicians; German concertinas, also called Chemnitzer concertinas, are played in the American Midwest; and there is also the Bandonion, an instrument used in Argentinean folk music.

Perhaps the most tricky aspect of learning to play accordion is getting used to the bass layout. Standard accordions have 120 bass, although some models employ 72 bass in 12 rows of six columns. In the Stradella bass layout, columns are arranged according to the Circle of Fifths, each column a fifth higher than the one next to it. The first two rows play single notes; the next four rows offer major, minor, seventh, and diminished chords, in that order."

It all depends on your style of music and what you want to play. Echotone has various types of Concertinas available and all come with a 5 year warranty. Can't beat that! 

Echotone has your Concertinas here !

There is just something so special about that sound! 

What type of Concertina is your favorite to play?