Who It Suits

The accordion is a free-reed instrument with two hand sections and a set of bellows between them. The right hand plays the melody on a piano-style keyboard or a grid of buttons, the left hand plays bass notes and ready-made chords on its own button layout, and the bellows supply the air — pushing and pulling changes the direction of the breath and the colour of the sound. As a beginner you will spend most of your time learning to control the bellows evenly, finding notes on the right-hand layout, learning the bass and chord buttons, and then combining both hands into simple tunes.

It is a demanding instrument to start on: it is one of the more expensive instruments to buy, it asks for two-handed coordination from the first week, and it has real physical weight. The honest appeal is that it is remarkably portable for how much sound it makes, it can play melody and harmony at once, and it sits at the heart of folk, dance, and traditional music in many cultures. It can stay private at home or become social through lessons, folk bands, dance bands, and community sessions.

The accordion developed in Europe in the early nineteenth century, when free-reed organs and concertinas were adapted into hand-held instruments; early versions were patented in Paris and Vienna in 1829. It spread through folk and dance music across Europe and the Americas, and today it is a core instrument in traditions from Italian and French folk to Eastern European dance music, American polka, and Cajun music.

Getting Started

The first decision is which type fits you:

  • Piano accordion has a piano-style keyboard on the right and a bass/chord button system on the left. It is the most common starting point, especially if you have any piano background, and most beginner method books assume it.
  • Chromatic button accordion (CBA) replaces the keyboard with a grid of buttons. It is the standard in many European folk traditions (Italian, German, Eastern European) and is more compact, but the layout takes longer to learn.
  • Diatonic button accordion has fewer buttons tuned to a single key or a pair of keys, and is the instrument of folk traditions such as Irish, Cajun, and Scandinavian music. It is less versatile but very expressive in its home genres.
  • Concertina is a smaller, related instrument played with buttons on both hands; it is common in Irish and English folk music but is a different instrument to learn.

For most beginners, a piano accordion is the right starting point. The standard beginner size is a 120-bass model (40 bass buttons plus 80 chord buttons); a 96-bass model is smaller and lighter. Used accordions are common and can offer good value, but check that the bellows are intact, the reeds play cleanly on every note, the buttons are not sticky, and the strap and case are included. Whatever you choose, it should feel comfortable to hold and should not leak air at the bellows.

Basic Gear

Essential:

  • An accordion suited to your size and the music you want to play (a 120-bass piano accordion is the usual beginner choice).
  • A carrying strap, usually included with the instrument.
  • A tuner or tuning app.
  • A beginner method book, lessons, or structured video course.

Optional, as you need them:

  • A hard case or padded bag for transport.
  • A metronome.
  • A small practice notebook or app.
  • Spare reeds or a service budget, since reed replacement is a recurring cost.

First Session

Learn the layout of the instrument: where the melody notes are on the right, and where the bass and chord buttons are on the left. Then practise the bellows — push and pull slowly and evenly, playing a single note and listening for a steady, even tone. Find the major chord buttons (usually marked with a single letter) and play a few of them while holding a melody note with the other hand. Expect the instrument to feel heavy and the coordination to feel clumsy at first. Stop before your shoulders or wrists get sore enough to make the next session unpleasant.

First Month

Practise ten to fifteen minutes most days. Work on even bellows control, playing simple melodies with one hand, and a small set of bass and chord buttons. Then start combining them: a melody note over a held chord, then a simple tune with a basic bass pattern underneath. Use a metronome slowly enough that the bellows stay steady. Keep the accordion in its case but within reach, so starting a session takes almost no effort.

Costs

Accordion has a high starting cost because the instrument is complex to build. A new entry-level piano accordion typically costs several hundred to a few thousand dollars or pounds, and a well-maintained used accordion can cost less; prices vary widely by country, retailer, and model, so check current local prices. A case, strap, and tuner add modest costs, and lessons add more but are optional. Ongoing costs are real too: reed replacement and occasional servicing are more expensive than for most other instruments, and specialist or handmade accordions can become very expensive, though beginners do not need one.

Space Needed

A chair and a small clear area are enough for playing. The accordion is bulky to store, so plan for a case on a shelf or in a corner, and keep it away from damp, direct heat, and big temperature swings — the wooden body and reeds are sensitive to humidity changes. It is loud enough to fill a room, so in a shared flat or apartment it may need a quieter practice time or a corner with some soft furnishings.

Solo or Social

Accordion is excellent alone, but community adds a lot. Lessons, folk bands, dance bands, polka and traditional music sessions, and online accordion communities give useful structure and reasons to keep learning. Playing with a singer or another player is a simple way to practise listening and keeping time with others. Many local folk and traditional music scenes welcome accordion players, since the instrument can carry melody and harmony at once.

Common Mistakes

  • Rushing the bellows before the tone is even.
  • Opening the bellows too far, which wastes air and control.
  • Ignoring the left hand and only practising melodies.
  • Buying an instrument that is too big or too heavy to carry comfortably.
  • Choosing a button layout without knowing the music you want to play.
  • Neglecting basic care, which leads to sticky keys and reed problems.

Safety / Accessibility

The weight of the instrument, the strap position, and repetitive bellows movement can cause shoulder, wrist, and back strain, so use a well-fitted strap, keep a relaxed posture, take regular breaks, and stop if you feel pain. If pain, tingling, or stiffness persists, get it checked rather than pushing through. Smaller and lighter models, adjustable straps, and left-hand-friendly setups can make accordion more accessible, and lessons from a teacher who knows your physical limits help a lot.

Where It Can Go

Accordion can lead toward folk and traditional music, dance bands, songwriting, live performance, or playing with other musicians. The right-hand keyboard skills transfer to piano, and the bass/chord system builds a practical feel for harmony that helps with any other instrument. Exploring the folk traditions that shaped the accordion — Italian, French, Eastern European, American polka, Cajun — opens a rich path into the music and communities that made it famous.

Piano, singing, home recording, vinyl collecting, and creative writing all sit nearby.

References

Last reviewed: 18 August 2026.

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