Key width for PA

[acc4eval]

Hello everyone!
I've recently decided to try a PA after playing a full size upright/grand piano for many years. However, I'm struggling to understand the importance of key widths in shortening the learning curve and being able to continue playing on both instruments. From my limited research so far, there seems to be differing opinions on whether it's crucial to have keys that are as close as possible to the standard piano keys (which are 23-24mm for a white key), or if it's not too important and narrower keys are easy to get used to.

I'm currently considering a 37/96 instrument and I'm 5'10" (179cm) tall, so the total width of the accordion may not be a major concern. There are a few good options to buy one of the old Welsmeisters in my region, but seems like they all have up to 19mm-wide keys. Therefore I would like to ask folks who switched from piano and play both instruments: Would that work, or I should better pass and go with wider keys instead?
Thanks a lot in advance!

 

[gfreed]

Based on the measurements of my three accordions, 19mm is likely the standard width for a full-size (19"-19 1/4" keyboard), 41/120 accordion. Others will be able to give you a more definitive answer for a 37/96 instrument. I'm also a pianist, and I never think twice when switching from the piano to the accordion. You'll find out how it works for you once you start playing, but I bet you won't have a problem switching, either.

 

[LibraryJoe]

Just my two cents.... I started piano from piano accordion and found it hard in the beginning not to look at the piano keyboard, as my hand wasn't used to a new "octave" stretch. But as gfreed (above) suggests, with practice, you're sure to do better than I.

 

[JKJ]

Hello acc4eval. I’m not the best to address your question since I am brand new to accordion. However, I’ve played piano for nearly 60 years (classical training, transitioned to mostly a kind of improv, primarily with hymns). I’m out of the country for the moment so I can’t measure what I have but it’s a 41/120 Hohner accordion with, IIRC, a 19.5” or so keyboard. That should space the keys about 20 mm if my literal back-of-napkin calculation is correct.

I do think when comparing key measurements it might be useful to measure the key spacing (total length of keyboard divided by the # of white keys) rather than the actual key width to include the gaps between the keys - to me the difference in reach and feel of intervals is more important than the narrower key width. Those with thicker fingers may disagree.

As a beginner the PA keyboard is a challenge mostly because of the orientation rather than the key width/spacing. If I’m glancing at the keyboard I have no problem with scales, arpeggios, and chords and I think I can get used to the narrower keys. However, twisting my wrist to play the vertical keyboard is going to take a lot of practice (especially with a lingering wrist injury!) I’ve made enough progress in a month or so to encourage me to continue but it might take at least a year before anyone but my family hears me play.

Another piano-to-accordion challenge is the feel of the keyboard, more like an organ or an inexpensive electronic keyboard than a piano action. However, for now much of my practice is on the stradella bass which is I find far more alien than the keyboard!

JKJ

 

[debra]

All accordions have keys that are significantly narrower than piano keys. I have played piano accordion and the piano for many years and the difference in key width was never an issue. Your brain learns to "compartmentalize" between the two instruments. Moving back and forth between a few piano accordions with different key width is much more difficult than between completely different instruments.
If you do want an accordion with the widest keys the old Hohner Morino M series is what should try to find. These are nice instruments, with wider keys than the later N and S series that have a more standard (Italian) key width.
(Personally, I struggle a bit to play on a Morino M precisely because the keys are wider than on other piano accordions.)

 

[Rosie C]

Just my two cents.... I started piano from piano accordion and found it hard in the beginning not to look at the piano keyboard,

I never look at the keyboard! Not because I'm exceptionally good, simply I can't see over top of my accordion. I see posts about it and wonder how people manage

 

[acc4eval]

Thanks people for all the valuable information. Super insightful!
I will be focusing on finding the best instrument for my budget then, disregarding the key width at this point.

 

[colinm]

Hello acc4eval. I’m not the best to address your question since I am brand new to accordion. However, I’ve played piano for nearly 60 years (classical training, transitioned to mostly a kind of improv, primarily with hymns). I’m out of the country for the moment so I can’t measure what I have but it’s a 41/120 Hohner accordion with, IIRC, a 19.5” or so keyboard. That should space the keys about 20 mm if my literal back-of-napkin calculation is correct.

I do think when comparing key measurements it might be useful to measure the key spacing (total length of keyboard divided by the # of white keys) rather than the actual key width to include the gaps between the keys - to me the difference in reach and feel of intervals is more important than the narrower key width. Those with thicker fingers may disagree.

As a beginner the PA keyboard is a challenge mostly because of the orientation rather than the key width/spacing. If I’m glancing at the keyboard I have no problem with scales, arpeggios, and chords and I think I can get used to the narrower keys. However, twisting my wrist to play the vertical keyboard is going to take a lot of practice (especially with a lingering wrist injury!) I’ve made enough progress in a month or so to encourage me to continue but it might take at least a year before anyone but my family hears me play.

Another piano-to-accordion challenge is the feel of the keyboard, more like an organ or an inexpensive electronic keyboard than a piano action. However, for now much of my practice is on the stradella bass which is I find far more alien than the keyboard!

JKJ

Correct about finger width jkj, I have stubby fingers not slender pointed ones, and I find I need full size keys to get between the black ones