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[Boyen]

I'm not if I should've posted this on this board or instrument makes and models. I've been giving my Castagnari some attention lately. The strangest realisation when I figured out that playing it with two voices is much more difficult than playing it with 3 voices. It's easier to move the bellows, it's easier notes to sound in quick passages. I struggle with some quick ornamentations on with 2 voices on, where they're absolutely fine with 3v. This is entirely counter-intuitive for me, shouldn't it be easier to play 2 voices given that the same air column needs to move less reeds?

[Steve_freereeder]

When you are playing with three voices, there is more volume (capacity) for the air to pass through - the cross-sectional area of the air space around the reed tips and sides is greater than when playing with just two voices. This means that for three voices you feel less bellows resistance than you would for two voices. The ultimate corollary of this is that if you attempted to play with all the reeds shut off (as you can do with some instruments such as a one-row four-stop box) you would feel a huge bellows resistance because no air would be getting through.

To bring it back to your example, when playing with two voices, you actually need less bellows force to make the reeds sound. If you are encountering what seems to be excessive resistance, I suggest you may be trying to play 'too hard'. Try easing off the overall pressure a bit.

[Steve_freereeder]

Further to my previous reply, if you find that the two-voice reeds are reluctant to sound, it may be that the reed tip gaps need adjusting to suit your own playing style.

[bellowpin]

. The strangest realisation when I figured out that playing it with two voices is much more difficult than playing it with 3 voices.

 
  the dynamic movement of the bellows , back and forth ,is  less pronounced using two reeds . this may be altering the "feel" and character of the box, that you are so familiar with.  the sound that we hear when playing can also be misleading.  three reeds can make a set volume you like .two reeds may need to be driven harder to match it??  these are just thoughts  . 
 another question , asked some time ago was about difference in "sound"  of ;-  3 voice,played in two voice mode ,compared with a proper two voice.    it was thought the extra space in a larger 3v box , changed the " tone"  somehow
         I have only experience of two voice boxes any way!!   another question , is the spring tension greater on the keys?pallet of a 3 v box, and is it noticeable ??    I have not answered your question , but I have beaten about the bush a bit .      brian..

[Thrupenny Bit]

Yes, I agree with Steve, the 3v has more holes for the air to escape  as more reeds in use equals more holes!

Bellowpin: the often used expression for a 2 voice is the sound 'is more focussed'. I was never too sure what this expression meant.
I then bought a straight 2v and realised it was true!
Difficult to quantify or describe but easy to understand if you compare boxes side by side.
Q

[george garside]

to me the bellows should be controlled delicately  with relatively smooth in and outing irrespective of the type of tune being played or the number of voices being used. Over enthusiastic 'bellowing'  can inhibit precise changes  that involve an in and out sequence.


the only difference between using 2 or 3 ( or even 4) 'voices'  is a slight adjustment to the overall pressure more or less throughout a tune  to compensate for the greater air consumption but still allowing scope to go quieter or louder even for individual notes.
 
The 'art' of 'bellowing' is every bit or even more important  than the art of 'button pressing'  to make what comes out of the box truly musical rather than mechanical'

Playing haunting slow airs using treble only  and going to town on volume changes from a whisper to a roar(with whatever choice of voices you have available is very good practice in the bellowing department,

george

 

[Rob2Hook]

I've been thinking about this question, long and hard(ish).  I rarely use the two voice setting on my 1914 as I'm mostly playing with others who only have two voice boxes, so the LMM or LM configuration adds some texture to the overall sound - and I love the grunt of the low reed.

Yes, the feel of the box is totally different if the L reeds are cut.  The L reeds probably take around twice the airflow compared with the M reeds, so I hardly notice the difference when going bandoneon (LM), but going MM is totally different.  The resistance is doubled and the volume seems much less with the rich bass sound missing.  Now in common with most three voice boxes the bellows have a larger cross section than those of a smaller two voice box.  This means that for a given input force (push/pull of your arm) it will produce a lower air pressure than the narrower bellows of the 2 voice.  It's the same difference as between the pump for a car tyre (short and broad to produce high volume and low pressure and a bicycle pump, long and thin for low volume high pressure.  In effect, you now have too big a set of bellows, so you do indeed have to push and pull a little harder.  So the bellows are now less than optimal for the reeds in use.

In practice whilst playing around to check this out I find that with the L reeds in I can sit back and play in a relaxed manner.  Once I cut the L reeds, I have to treat bellows control far more carefully.  My posture changes with my shoulders and elbows raised to allow the extra force to be applied.  I find my perception is that of squeezing a football between my hands, it becomes critical to keep the forces directly opposed in direction (which explains the raised shoulders and protruding elbows) or that increased force will cause a lack of control as the bellows buckle - like wrestling a snake!

The upside for those of us playnig for a bunch of noisy dancers in the open air is that you're unlikely to create enough pressure to choke the reeds, unlike me on a dedicated 2 voice.

Rob