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[Atzarin]

Obviously, a non-adjacent row chord shape may be preferred so as to avoid unfortunate bellows reversals in the middle of a phrase. Bear in mind that each end of the instrument weighs ablaut 2.5 kilos, so achieving a smooth reversal that does not have an audible impact on the music requires complete mastery of technique. As such, it's better to avoid reversals in the middle of a phrase, wherever possible.

For example, in Over the Rainbow, the Gm7 chord, coming from Cm7 on the draw and leading to Eb Maj7, also on the draw, is best also played on the draw to avoid a bellows reversal and keep the phrase “uninterrupted”. Except for the Gm7 chord, all the reversals in the first part of the tune are chosen according to the system described above. In the turnaround in bar 8, the chords are Eb Maj 7 and Fm7/Bb. The first chord in the bar dictates the direction of the bellows and the sustained note in the right hand means that the bellows cannot be reversed for the next chord. 

[Chris Brimley]

I wanted to add something to my earlier comments, from experiences I had a few years ago - apols if this gets a bit esoteric, but these are the kind of issues that I guess you're grappling with, Sebastian:

Learning to play any instrument is an ergonomic thing, and the player is relying on memory and patterns that he/she does not consciously understand.  The problem that I had a few years ago was related to the fact that I was 'spoilt for choice' with regard to bellows direction - by having a 14 bass 3-row layout I could play a given tune in many different fingerings and bellows directions, and when I wanted to play a given tune, my brain selected either a learned experience from that particular tune, or from previous learning experiences from different tunes. The result was that I often became muddled, and fell over.  This became such a feature of my playing that I realised my learning process was the culprit.  Therefore I tried 'mnemonics' or rehearsal aids added to scores, and that worked quite well.  However recently, I appear to have overcome my problem in ways that I do not really understand - I seem to have unconsciously learnt some sort of algorithm for selecting the right bellows direction and fingering, probably based on more experience, but I don't know.

The relevance of this to the Atzarin bandoneon layout would seem to be that you have the same 'spoilt for choice' problem, and Sebastian, I think you have realised the need for some sort of mental algorithm in your recent discussions, which mirror my own thoughts on the DGAcc.  In my case, the primary driver has proved to be bellows reversals - if one is going to achieve the smoothness benefits of 'one direction' playing, it is necessary to play alternate in and out passages.  With the Atzarin layout, you have the opportunity to use either in or out at will, so you might as well plan a sequence as a first step in learning to play a tune, which as I understand it you agree with.  I see the bandoneon as primarily a 'legato-friendly' instrument (though I realise that many experienced players achieve excellent dynamics).  However, with the quint box, it is often advantageous to plan quick reversals to achieve 'bounce', and thus mix up the dynamics, particularly when playing for folk dancing.  I may be wrong, but it seems from your discussion that this would be very difficult physically with a bandoneon.  This introduces a new dimension into the learning process, and to make sense of that, I have tried to stick to simple ^v^v or v^v^patterns as a norm, simply so that I have a way of remembering them.

I have nothing but admiration for bandoneon players, because it seems to me that the whole learning process is in total so complex that it is well-nigh impossible to achieve!  I applaud your efforts to simplify this, which is why I am interested in the mental algorithms you are using.

[Atzarin]

I see the bandoneon as primarily a 'legato-friendly' instrument (though I realise that many experienced players achieve excellent dynamics).

Here's a fantastic example of excellent dynamics on the traditional bandoneon:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfmFw95AqMY&list=RDzfmFw95AqMY

On the Atzarin bandonion, using the system described a couple of posts back for distributing bellows reversals throughout a piece, tends to give fairly balanced pumping with little need to use the air valve.

As for the question about how to go about learning the Atzarin keyboard, it is important to bear in mind two kinds of positioning, which will be readily known to website developers, absolute and relative positioning. When giving directions, absolute positioning refers to north, east, south and west, whereas relative positing is given by left, right, up, down etc. For most people relative positioning is much easier to understand, remember and follow than absolute positioning, and I find that to be true on the keyboard too.

On the keyboard absolute positioning would be to say, "middle c push" and your finger would fly to row 3, button 3, or say "e push" and your finger would immediately go to row 1, button 3. This is the way 2 different professional bandoneonists have told me to practice, emphasising the importance of naming the note aloud, not just thinking it. The idea is to develop a trained physical response. When you press the wrong button, you should describe the correction aloud and do it again. It's hard work, but very necessary on a layout as irregular as the bandoneon's.

The interval just described in the previous paragraph is a major third. In relative positioning you start anywhere on the keyboard and you know that if you are on the first or second row, the note a major third above is on the next row out a couple of buttons along. If you are on the third row you know the major third is on the same diagonal, 2 rows away moving towards the thumb.  If you know the musical interval you can find the correct button by thinking in terms of up, down, along etc. Part of relative positioning is learning by shapes. It's very easy to pick up the shapes for triad chords and two notes played together in thirds, fifths and sixths.

The problem with this kind of relative positioning is that you may be able to play entire passages without actually knowing what notes you're playing. That is one of my many problems. Atzarin is 100% regular, with the same musical interval between notes at buttons having the same physical relation, so it's very easy to find your way around the keyboard using interval maps. However, this ease can be your enemy because it makes you lazy about learning the exact relationship of notes to buttons.

The best way to work is by mixing the two systems but being systematic about absolute position training. Hard work, but much easier on an Atzarin accordion or bandonion than on 2 or 3 row melodeons or than on traditional bandoneon, because of the 100% regular keyboard.

[Atzarin]

Here's the latest video documenting my solitary learning journey on the Atzarin bandonion:

https://youtu.be/qVSM7MwyBn4

The music is the A part of an AB structured Tango Waltz, Romance de Barrio, by Anibal Troilo in an arrangement by the superb bandoneonist Rodolfo Mederos. Unfortunately I haven't got the whole piece up to scratch for a video yet, but I needed the first part to exemplify using the thumb on the 3rd, outer row, of buttons.

Several accordionists have shown interest in the possibility of using the thumb on all three rows of buttons and my intention in the video is to show that it is possible and comfortable. It is also my intention to show traditional bandoneonists that the thumb can be used in playing technique on the Atzarin bandonion whilst still maintaining a good grip on the instrument.