Baffling question

[Monty [IIIII]]

A problem I've faced over the years of dabbling with piano accordion is how to keep the volume of the bass side from overwhelming the piano side (on acoustic instrument). Obviously if there are multiple banks of reeds and multiple switches on the bass side, one can switch off some of the reed banks to reduce volume. But this also changes the tone characteristics. Substituting treble, or higher pitched, reeds for bass reeds, does quiet the instrument, but I don't particularly like the sound. I want a full sound, but at a lower volume.

I've experimented with reducing air flow to the bass side by closing a switch partially. (works with midi/accoustic accordion with on/off switch on reeds) But at some point, reduced air flow prevents some of the reeds from "speaking". I've seen accordions with baffles or noise blocking devices on the piano side, but have never seen anything comparable on the bass side. I've considered trying to create some baffles with accoustic foam or similar materials to place in the reed chamber on the bass side, but thought I would ask around before investing a lot of time in experimentation.

Has anyone else here struggled with this issue? Maybe someone knows of a manufacturer who has achieved a better balance between bass and piano sides?
Your thoughts please.

 

[losthobos]

Best you can do is tape up all the holes on the bass side...
Welcome to the curse of the accordion

 

[Monty [IIIII]]

thanks for your thoughts. tape might be worth a try but no way to switch on or off. I suppose if it was easy to accomplish, it would be offered as a feature like tone chambers.

 

[murathan]

The solution is to play bass buttons staccato and less frequent. Thisway bass side will be on the background. Also use if there is a switch on bass side. Hohners generally have 3 switches. Tenor, bass and master. Tenor switch works balanced on lesser registers on treble.

 

[Mr Mark]

Some manufacturers are better than others. My old Hohners seem to have a pretty good balance. I do use internal cardboard baffles hot glued in place to combat issues with reeds that are close to the internal mic being too hot which works rather well - you might have some luck with surrounding the bass blocks on all four sides (but not the top obviously - although you probably could with some holes poked in for airflow) with cardboard baffles in this manner but would have to be sure there is enough clearance for both the reeds and bellows.

 

[PeterF]

It definitely varies from instrument to instrument and maker to maker. All the Titanos I've owned have been particularly heavy on the left hand sound. My 1960 Giulietti Super on the other hand is much better balanced. This doesn't help you much with instruments you already own, of course.

But definitely play lighter and shorter and less with your LH and that, paired with a slightly louder switch on the right hand should at least help leave some space for your RH.

 

[Monty [IIIII]]

It definitely varies from instrument to instrument and maker to maker. All the Titanos I've owned have been particularly heavy on the left hand sound. My 1960 Giulietti Super on the other hand is much better balanced. This doesn't help you much with instruments you already own, of course.

But definitely play lighter and shorter and less with your LH and that, paired with a slightly louder switch on the right hand should at least help leave some space for your RH.

good info. I've tried many accordions and own several with other good qualities. have yet to find the maker that does everything I like.

 

[Monty [IIIII]]

Some manufacturers are better than others. My old Hohners seem to have a pretty good balance. I do use internal cardboard baffles hot glued in place to combat issues with reeds that are close to the internal mic being too hot which works rather well - you might have some luck with surrounding the bass blocks on all four sides (but not the top obviously - although you probably could with some holes poked in for airflow) with cardboard baffles in this manner but would have to be sure there is enough clearance for both the reeds and bellows.

I like the cardboard baffle idea. I once studied pipe organ design and saw organs with louvered doors that opened and closed to muffle a bank of pipes. I wondered if felt covered, adjustable louvers inside the left side of an accordion would help. Perhaps they could be opened and closed with a knob or lever. Still a lot of work to test the principle, but worth it if it solved a problem that bothers many other accordionists.

 

[Monty [IIIII]]

The solution is to play bass buttons staccato and less frequent. Thisway bass side will be on the background. Also use if there is a switch on bass side. Hohners generally have 3 switches. Tenor, bass and master. Tenor switch works balanced on lesser registers on treble.

Thanks for the tip. I have accordions with as many as 6 switches on the bass side, but still haven't found the right sound. I do staccato playing on some tunes, but for others I would like a constant drone or chord sound underneath a lively melody. In Irish trad music the piano accordion is stigmatized because of the heavy "oom pah pah" associated with the stradella bass. So many accordion players avoid the bass altogether. I would like to use it but with more delicacy, hence the mute or muffler idea.

 

[John M]

If you are ever in the market for another accordion get a digital and you will have any volume balance you want between the bass and treble side.

 

[debra]

The first thing to ask is whether the bass is sounding too loud (versus the treble side) for the audience or for the player? Accordions tend to be constructed with the audience in mind, not the player. If for the audience the bass is too loud the technique of taping the holes in the bass compartiment shut may be enough. (Sound still comes through the 120 holes for the buttons.) If it is too loud for you, then it helps to look for a different place to sit: with your righthand side close to a reflecting wall (and your lefthand side not). The accordion projects the sound away from the player as much as possible (so you don't go deaf while playing) so if you can reflect some sound back to you that may help.