Is the weight of an accordion really a problem?

We often hear the same remarks and questions that come up regularly in our shop in Nantes. One of them, particularly persistent, concerns the weight of accordions. A subject that seems to preoccupy many accordionists even though it should not be the case. We can understand when it comes to transport, especially with a backpack or a case, but when it comes to playing it should not be a problem, whether it is for chromatic or diatonic accordions, and we will explain why.

How much does an accordion weigh?

Regardons d'abord les chiffres, un accordéon diatonique pèse environ 1 à 6 kg pour un accordéon diatonique et de 3 à 15kg, pour les plus gros, pour un accordéon chromatique. A titre de comparaison, un pack de lait pèse aussi lourd qu'un Mengascini F4 ! Ce poids est donc relativement faible, bien que non négligeable. Celui-ci ne devrait donc pas être un facteur déterminant même en ce qui concerne le transport. Un simple sac à dos ou un diable pour transporter votre instrument dans sa mallette devrait être largement suffisant. (A moins que vous ne comptiez partir en randonnée en montagne avec votre accordéon mais cela ne tient qu'à vous...) En revanche l'affaire est toute autre si vous vous décidez à en jouer debout devant votre public. Parce que porter un pack de lait le temps d'aller jusqu'à votre frigo ça va encore, mais faire de l'exercice avec pendant des heures, c'est une autre affaire...

 

The real problem behind the weight

The problem here is actually another problem. The accordion is played sitting.
The image of the accordionist playing standing up in front of his audience is very common in popular culture. However, keep in mind that this is an animation, a show, a staging and nothing more. This standing position does not represent no If you are not interested in music, you will be less precise and quickly tired. If you learn the accordion, chromatic or diatonic, in a music school or conservatory you will be taught to play it sitting down only. If you simply play it at home or in front of your friends and family, there is no need to perform standing on a stage. Sit down and you will play much better and make less effort. Your accordion, the music and your guests will thank you. Just take a look at the classical accordionists, all play their instruments seated. The simple and good reason for this is that this is how you are supposed to play it. No teacher will teach you to play your accordion standing up. Look for example at this excerpt from a Mika Vayrynen concert which shows that playing sitting down will not take anything away from the music:

The origin of standing play

This image of the standing accordionist is in fact relatively recent. Indeed, ballroom musicians have always played seated at least until the Second World War. You only have to look at a few archive images from the interwar period or earlier to see this. This fashion of standing up is mostly attributed to André Verchuren, nicknamed the king of the ball, who simply wanted to add a stage effect to his balls, an effect that was later taken up by many other famous accordionists such as Yvette Horner or Marcel Azzola.

Protecting your instrument and your health

Adopting a standing posture when playing the accordion is not only uncomfortable but also dangerous for you and your instrument. Most of the muscolo-skeletal problems encountered by accordionists are due to a bad posture or a bad technique. Carrying such a weight regularly and for long periods of time, although supported by straps, will certainly cause back and arm pain. The movement of the bellows should not be made by the force of your arm but simply by a swinging movement over your thigh. Moreover, your accordion should never be carried by the straps, they only serve to stabilize it when you are sitting. A good accordionist puts his instrument on his knees, plays with the balance of the accordion and the air to open and close his bellows while looking for a musical breath. By placing your instrument on your lap in front of your rib cage you will be able to really breathe with your accordion and bring out more musicality in your tunes instead of blocking it by putting the whole weight of your instrument on it. By putting your accordion on your lap, the weight is no longer a problem for the accordionist but a support for his air column.

In Conclusion

Don't try to play standing up and lifting your accordion for hours on end, it won't do you any good and will put you and your instrument in danger. Follow the example of professionals and your teachers, this is how you will get the best out of your accordion.

Playing standing up is one of the many mistakes to avoid that we have encountered, if you want to know more about the main mistakes to avoid to take care of your accordion, whether it is a chromatic or a diatonic, we invite you to download our guide for the maintenance of your accordion.

Request My Guide
Title image designed by Freepik