How to Play Button Accordion • Volume 1

Note reading is also not necessary to learn how to play the button-box. Indeed some of the greatest button-accordionists only played by ear. Like great jazz performers, this in no way detracts from their ability to create music. Nonetheless, a method book needs some kind of musical notation.

In this volume we use the solfege method; assigning the syllables do, re, mi, fa, sol, la and ti to the seven notes of the major scale. In 1965 the syllables do, re, mi, fa, sol, la and ti were immortalized in the hit musical, The Sound of Music. However, modern music notation is presented along with the solfege syllables for those who want to learn.

How To Play Button Accordion • Volume 1 will explain how to play the one-row Italian-style button-accordion. One row is perfectly suitable for playing most popular and folk melodies. Students who own two or three-row instruments still need to learn by playing one row.

Although the left hand is not always used by button-box players, the left hand is taught in this method. It may be difficult to coordinate both hands together, but with patient and persistent practice, success will most assuredly come.