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[busbox]

Hello all
just saw a musician Sanseverino on French news. He was accompanied by an accordion player who seemed to have five rows of buttons on right hand.
As he played - mainly the outside two rows I think - the buttons nearer the bellows moved as well. I assume that this is some sort of chord arrangement.
What is this sort of accordion called? Is it specifically French or continental? I have not seen one around here i.e. Australia.
Thanks
Tony

[Ray]

I think what you saw was a Chromatic Button Accordion; there are a few dotted around in England, I've not seen many in the hands of folk players though. Odd beasts.

[Matt (Kings Norton)]

The buttons moving on their own: it's not chords, it's because the inner two rows duplicate the outer two rows to make it easier to get around.  So they are linked mechanically and if your press a note on the outer row, the equivalent note on the fourth row goes down at the same time.

It is a chromatic button accordion: they are big in France, Scandinavia, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, among other places, Scotland to some extent, but you get them all over, there's probably a growing number in England, not sure about the States.  There are endless variations on the theme as always with accordion-type instruments.

[Chris Ryall]

loads of CBAs in Europe. There aren't really 5 rows. The lever for row 1 is extended with a second button for row 4; ditto row 2 is physically connected to row 5; row 3 is unique.

The rows differ by a mere semitone and "up" a button in "on row" is 1½ tones. Why? Well you learn "minor scale" "harmonic minor", "blues", "major", whatever scale or chord and you can play that in any key merely by moving your right hand in/out or up/down. Magic!

There are also 4 row versions, another 1/3 of fingering to learn, or "basic" 3 rows. That's another set again. It is a fantastically powerful system. What it lacks is the intrinsic rhythm of a push pull layout. What it gains is an (initially) confusing array of buttons, and quite a lot of weight.

[george garside]

you could say that the  CBA is well suited to those  endowed with very rigid thought processes and and  who therefore   appreciate everything to be  presented  in a totally  logical fashion   such as one set of fingering  working for 12 keys.  ( or on a 3 row 3 sets of fingering for 12 keys.

On the other hand the so called diatonic   1, 2, & 3 row boxes , whilst illogically logical, are well suited to  those of us  are  the proud possesors of  'free spirit '  thought process  that enables us  to enjoy    challenges  such  as playing  non existant notes  and competently doing strange things that often defy logic,   theory or whatever  in order to play tunes as we want them to sound  rather than as some other bugger intended!

george

[Nick Collis Bird]

In organ terms one button or key that press others are called "couplers"

[Anahata]

Sort of - organ couplers can be uncoupled, but the duplicate keys on a CBA are rigidly attached to the same lever.

[Thrupenny Bit]

I once picked up a 5 row on a certain person's stall at Sidmouth ...... and nearly nose dived into the floor. Didn't get any further, such as trying to play it.
Incredibly heavy!
Q

[Jack Campin]

The weight depends on how many reed banks it's got, not on the keyboard mechanism.  There are simple and light ones (mainly from Eastern Europe).

[triskel]

What is this sort of accordion called? Is it specifically French or continental? I have not seen one around here i.e. Australia.

Nobody seems to have mentioned it, but they'd often be referred to as "Continental chromatic system" in the British Isles, and they are probably the most popular type of accordion in France.

[Grape Ape]

And I have one for sale at a good price if anyone is interested...

[Anahata]

Is it specifically French or continental?

Continental certainly. Oddly enough not particularly French, as for some reason many French players of that system use boxes with only 4 rows. The five row variety is common in Scandinavia, East Europe and Russia, and used by classical as well as folk accordionists.

[busbox]

Thanks everyone. I always find the collective knowledge among melodeon.net members awe inspiring!
 

[george garside]

I  understangd that   the French favour 4 rows because they learn using only the 3 outside rows  and playing 3 scales rather than the one which can be  used on a 5row.  The 4th row is used to facilitate tricky bits of fingering. 

george

[Anahata]

That makes sense. They certainly start on 3 rows, especially if young and small.
Edit: ...by which I mean they start on boxes made with only three rows, which are sold as "for beginners".

[Matt (Kings Norton)]

you could say that the  CBA is well suited to those  endowed with very rigid thought processes

George, as you teach CBA as well as diatonics, I guess you're in a good place to spot the sheep and the goats.