Register (accordion)

In the accordion, register refers to the various possible combinations of the built-in reed plate sets, which are also known as choirs .

Treble register

Up to a maximum of five sets of reeds (choirs) are common in the treble (occasionally six). In analogy to organ registers, the positions are also referred to as 16 '(16 feet, low position), 8' (middle position), and 4 '(high position). In “normal” piano accordions (not bass accordions, “custom-made” or button accordions), 8 'means that the lowest c corresponds to c1; with a 16 'register the (small) c sounds at the lowest c, with the 4' register the c2 (the other notes then also sound correspondingly higher or lower).

If two choirs are installed in the same position (mostly 8 '), one choir is often a bit out of tune (each slightly too high), so that a beat effect, also called tremolo, results, which is particularly popular in folk music and the "typical Accordion sound ”. There are also instruments with 3 choirs in an 8 'position. Here two choirs in the same position are each a bit too high or too low, which results in a stronger beat and a stronger sound than with just 1 “out of tune” choir. (This is particularly the case with instruments with a French musette tuning (musette tuning: the two out-of-tune 8 'choirs are extremely "out of tune") and with instruments by ("wealthy") folk musicians). Instruments with 4- or 5-course tremolos are also available on special order.

The different 8 'layers are partly tuned the same. This makes the sound stronger than with just one choir (it then sounds like 2 accordions). This is better suited for “classical” music, where the folk sounding “tremolo” is absolutely inappropriate.

2-course (beginner) instruments usually have 2 × 8 '(one choir is evenly out of tune). Occasionally there are also 2-course instruments with 8 'and 16' (low register) or 8 'and 4' (high register); some beginner instruments have no registers, the sound is not adjustable (it always sounds 2 × 8 ', you cannot "switch down" to 1 × 8')

3-course instruments usually have 2 × 8 '(of which one choir is slightly out of tune) and 16' (1 octave lower) (occasionally also 3 × 8 'or 16', 8 'and 4')

4-course instruments usually have 1 × 16 ', 2 × 8' and 1 × 4 '; possibly also 1 × 16 'and 3 × 8', the latter for musette and folk music instruments

5-course instruments usually have 1 × 16 ', 3 × 8' and 1 × 4 '.

In theory - if there is enough space in the instrument - any combination is possible (e.g. for 4-course instruments 2 × 16 'and 2 × 8').

As a custom-made product, aliquots (mixtures) can of course also be built in (registers that are not shifted by octaves but correspond to other intervals of the natural tone series, e.g. 2 2/3 '(quint mixture)); but this is extremely rare.

The 16 'choir and an 8' choir (extremely occasionally also the 4 'choir) can also be located in a cassotto (sound chamber). Tones from the Cassotto sound "duller", not so "harmonica-like", more noble, because the tone in such registers is not emitted "directly" but "first to the sound chamber and then across the corner".

To operate the registers, a system with rocker switches has prevailed, which (as seen by the player) are located to the left of the keyboard and thus enable quick switching on the treble side. With this system, many sensible (sometimes less sensible) choir combinations can usually be registered via a rocker switch, whereby all other rocker switches are reset when one rocker switch is pressed. Functionally, this system corresponds to the fixed combinations in an organ. Many newer instruments also have a number of register switches (as seen by the player) at the top, above the treble keyboard. These are switched with the chin; in this way, you can switch quickly without interrupting the flow of the game.

Symbols

In addition, there are other notations, especially in older literature, with letters (combinations) or digits written on top of one another; here the choirs to be switched are written over the musical text, e.g. B. E or OE:

P (piccolo) or H (high) (instrument sounds 1 octave higher than notated); corresponds to 4 '

E (single choir) or M (middle) for the middle register (the instrument sounds as notated); corresponds to 8 '

O (octave register) or L (deep) (instrument sounds 1 octave lower than notated), corresponds to 16 '

T (tremolo) / MM / MMM for several choirs in the middle register

V for "full work" - Tutti.

Digits: In this case 2 - 3 digits are usually written on top of each other. The respective number says how many choirs are played in the respective pitch. So 1/0/1 means: high position (1), no middle position (0), low position (1). If only 2 digits are written on top of each other, the high register is “missing”.

Here is a table with the most common registers in the respective notation.

In the accordion literature, graphic symbols for registration have become established. In a three-part circle, dots show how many choirs sound at the respective pitch.

	P	H	1/0/0	4 '	high octave
	E.	M.	0/1/0	8th'	single choir, middle octave
	O	L.	0/0/1	16 '	low octave
	OE	L + M	0/1/1	16 '+ 8'	single choir, middle octave + low octave
	EP	M + H	1/1/0	8 '+ 4'	single choir, middle octave + high octave
	OEP	L + M + H	1/1/1	16 '+ 8' + 4 '	Single-choir, middle octave + high octave + low octave is also referred to as the basic series
	OP	L + H	1/0/1	16 '+ 4'	low octave + high octave
	T	M + MM	0/2/0	8 '+ 8 °	two equal choirs (tremolo)
	OT	L + M + MM	0/2/1	16 '+ 8' + 8 °	Tremolo + low octave
	TP	M + MM + H	1/2/0	8 '+ 8 ° + 4'	Tremolo + high octave
	V	L + M + MM + H	1/2/1	16 '+ 8' + 8 ° + 4 '	full work (4-course treble)
	T	M + MM + MMM	0/3/0	8 '+ 8 ° + 8 o	three equal choirs (double tremolo)
	OT	L + M + MM + MMM	0/3/1	16 '+ 8' + 8 ° + 8 o	Double tremolo + low octave
	TP	M + MM + MMM + H	1/3/0	8 '+ 8 ° + 8 o + 4'	Double tremolo + high octave
	V	L + M + MM + MMM + H	1/3/1	16 '+ 8' + 8 ° + 8 o + 4 '	full work (5-course treble)

execution

The register switches can be arranged as a toggle switch above the treble side or as a lever on the back of the treble keyboard. There are also so-called chin registers, which are designed as buttons similar to the bass buttons and enable quick re-registration with the chin without having to interrupt the flow of the game.

Bass register

The register switches for the bass are usually arranged as larger rocker switches between the bass buttons and the bellows. Different combinations of choirs can also be selected with this. The bass sounds then - depending on the register - strong, deep or "beepy" etc.

In contrast to the treble registers, in the standard bass (Stradella bass) both the octaves of the individual choirs and the register compositions depend on the individual instrument, without any manufacturer-independent standards having been established. Many instruments dispense with naming the registers, and composers mostly forego bass register indications in their pieces unless they can be played with melody bass.