double-action accordion

musical instrument

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June 25, 2026

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A double-action accordion is a type of free-reed portable musical instrument. It features a treble casing with keys or buttons and a bass casing, connected by a hand-operated bellows. In a double-action instrument, each note is produced by a pair of reeds, allowing the same note to sound whether the bellows are being pressed or drawn. This contrasts with single-action accordions, where the reeds produce different notes depending on the bellows' direction. The invention of the double-action accordion, particularly the piano accordion, is credited to French manufacturers in the mid-19th century. The concertina, patented in 1829, also employs double action.12

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accordion
In “double-action” accordions, the two reeds of each pair are tuned to the same note, thus making each treble or bass note available from the same key or button with both directions of bellows movement. Among these instruments is the piano accordion, with a piano-style keyboard…
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In “double-action” accordions, the two reeds of each pair are tuned to the same note, thus making each treble or bass note available from the same key or button with both directions of bellows movement. Among these instruments is the piano accordion, with a piano-style keyboard…
Read More