Left-hand accordion

[AccordionUprising]

We did a series of #UpsideDownAccordion themed episodes and blog posts of Accordion Noir Radio, talking about artists who play accordion left handed or upside-down. Or the pass-time of finding images of accordions that artists or photographers have posted that are inadvertently reversed.

Upside Down Accordion: a Primer for Accordion-Fools Day​

(APRIL 1, 2015)
https://accordionuprising.wordpress.com/2015/04/01/upside-down-accordion-a-primer-for-accordion-fools-day/

Upside-Down Accordion Noir Radio, April Fools Episode 2015​

APRIL 2, 2015
https://accordionuprising.wordpress.com/2015/04/01/upside-down-accordion-a-primer-for-accordion-fools-day/

The upside-down accordion bounty hunt!​

APRIL 19, 2016
https://accordionuprising.wordpress.com/2016/04/19/the-upside-down-accordion-bounty-hunt/

 

[Zevy]

Left-handed accordions are one of those things that seemed much more interesting before there were a million incompetent photographers posting uncorrected mirror-image selfies online. Now you can see thousands upon thousands of left-handed accordion clips on youtube, made by Renhoh, Airotciv, Retsiemtlew, and many other fine firms. I can't bear to watch them, and if they are instructional videos, I tend to assume that if they can't read camera instructions they probably shouldn't be teaching either.

Come to think of it, "Air-octiv" actually WOULD be a great name for an accordion company.

I never watch videos of accordion players if they are posted backwards. If you want people to take the time to see your performance, do a little homework and flip the image so that we can enjoy it.
That said, there is an app where you can watch your videos flipped. It came in very handy for me when I wanted to actually play along with and emulate a specific player's bellows technique.

 

[dak]

Afaik only one true left handed accordion was ever made, a custom build by Hohner for Rudolf Würthner. Würthner was missing some fingers on his right hand, but by using his left hand for the treble side he could still play very well. It may be hard to see in pictures that it really is a left-handed accordion (because he played CBA with buttons all the same color, so you have to pay attention to the orientation of the Hohner label which is not upside down and not mirrored).

Rudolf Würthner did not play a "left-handed accordion". I had a long phone conversation with his widow once, and she related how he played fast ascending runs as a soloist "throwing" the high notes into the audience, claiming his accordion was the only one with the "right side up", the high notes on the top "where they belong."

What Hohner did do is make an accordion for him where the Hohner logo on the grille was in a half-circle. That one would not look upside down regardless which orientation you played it in (unless you were putting forehead and knees on separate chairs and played facing the floor). But that was purely decorative and not a functional change. He wasn't all that enthused to be put on a Gola by Hohner (his Morino had a more piercing tone quality for solo play) and refused to be put on one with added free bass since that didn't make sense on his 3-finger hand for him.

For those wanting to do more detective work: Würthner played B system. For me as a C system player that was a bit of a disappointment, but according to Lore Würthner, B system was pretty much standard in Southern Germany. Sort of interesting since Switzerland is very definite C system country.

 

[stickista]

Well, actually the left hand playing an upside-down accordion is playing exactly the same way that the left hand plays on a piano… low note on pinky.
It ends up being the same issue that B vs C griff CBA players face for free bass. For B players low left is at the bottom. For C, low is at the top.
While I play C (hybrid bandoneon), I do find that it reading is harder when the topography of written music is constantly fighting the layout of the instrument. (Line going up on paper means hand going down on instrument.)

 

[Alan Sharkis]

As an accordion has two keyboards, I cannot understand why anyone would want to have a left handed accordion - though I have seen one.

I am actually left handed. Maybe the bass is easier... I don't know. However, I would positively encourage left handed accordionists to try free bass - it can be a most liberating and exhilerating musical experience. It is not easy and means leaving the comfort zone, but for me anyway, the satisfaction is on a different level.

Easy? No. Appreciated for the logic behind the layout? You bet!

 

[JKJ]

While I play C (hybrid bandoneon), I do find that it reading is harder when the topography of written music is constantly fighting the layout of the instrument. (Line going up on paper means hand going down on instrument.)

Yikes, I‘m imagining that could cause a brain malfunction! But maybe worse if someone flipped the staff vertically!

This is not related to the up-vs-down, but your “topography of written music” comment reminded me of this cartoon from the wonderfully geeky XKCD, not about the direction but the scaling of the axes on the paper. Ack!


JKJ