To Musette or Not Musette.

[Markordion]

I was wondering if most people prefer a Musette tuned accordion or I think you say Dry tuned ?

I`m not overly sure on this.

Do all Musette tuned accordions sound sort of French or Scottish Sounding etc.

You also get most Chinese made accordions with std Tuning but also some from Suzuki or Steve Clinkscale that are 2 musette strong tuned ? with German reeds and apparently very good.

I just wondered what people thoughts etc were on the differences.

I was looking at a short video on you tube and the chap on there felt once he had amusette tuned accordion there was no going back ?

This is all Purely out of interest on how people feel.

 

[Glug]

You might want to see the video in this thread: https://www.accordionists.info/threads/demonstration-of-10-musette-tunings-by-liberty-bellows.7547/

As somebody mentioned it can sound harsher when you're playing it yourself.
I quite like 20 cents on some songs but I normally play 15 cents and that sounds fine to me.

 

[petch]

I recently bought a Scottish musette accordion and am thinking of having it taken in a bit, maybe to 18 cents. 25 sounds a bit too harsh to me and my girlfriend hates the 8' + 8' register (without the in-tune reed)

 

[Markordion]

Hi thank you both, the reason I also ( as well as interest and learning ) asked was we committed to buying an accordion but it has a musette tuning ?

I did`nt relaise at first thats sort of french sounding, my son definately does not want.

Is that sort of scottishey as well ? Just been reading around a bit.

Still very new to all of this and buying for our son it can get awkward.

I think we may have put our foot in it.

As I mentioned on here he has a Startone ( Thomann Germany/Chinese made, amazing for the money ) he loves, and was bought as a present by his grandmother, but its not quite there on some notes, slightly delayed or less defined/ quick etc, though does sound wonderful to me.

I did`nt realise musette was such a specific sound if you will, I thought just more clarity !!! ahem !

We are learning. I think.

Many thanks all

PS what tuning would a std Mk1 Arietta be please ?

 

[Dingo40]

Marcordion,
PS what tuning would a std Mk1 Arietta be please ?
A quick look around YouTube suggests the standard tuning may be a 4 cps musette.
That's like the 15 cents segment in the video suggested by Glug (above) and recommended for German and Italian music (in the video) but, of course, you can play most anything you like.
Here's a representative example:

Another example:

And, just to show they're not all red:

 

[Markordion]

Hi Thank you for those.

Our old Arietta does not sound like that going accross though, its much more the usual std accordian sound. Though more that way than the Startone.

So would they be dry tuned ? Tremelo ?

Sorry I`m so not more in the know.

It might be down to how the Arietta was tuned or set up at some point.

We`ve been struggling to get it to be done up and properly sorted out.

But maybe we should keep on trying for that.

Though it is 70 years old.

Much appreciated.

 

[Dingo40]

Markordion,
Sorry, I don't know more about the Ariettas than I've already posted, but there must be a lot of them!
If you live near a large city, you should be able to find a repair person.
A thorough refurbishment won't be "cheap" but will still cost less than a new accordion of equal quality, and should be good for several more decades!
Being 70 years old your accordion should be constructed of good materials and eminently repairable.
Consumer grade accordions, these days, have a lot of flimsy parts made entirely of plastic and doubtful metal.
My own oldest accordion is about 80 years old and still going strong: it had an extensive makeover about 40 years ago and touch ups since. Everything except some reeds, valves and wax is original and in good working order
(including the original bellows): not a key, button or spring has failed!
Checkout the construction of the keyboard in this clip:

Looking at this keyboard reminds me of the old joke: anyone can build a bridge that stays up,
but it takes an engineer to build one that only just stays up.

 

[Glug]

It's possible to get an idea of the musette tuning using a tuning app that shows more than just the first note.
eg. Bill Farmer Tuner (https://billthefarmer.github.io/ctuner/) in 'multiple results mode' (Windows / Apple / Linux / Android and FREE).

In musette register you need to play the A above middle C (ie. A4) and see what the first two notes are tuned to - that's the A and the off tuned A.

 

[Tom]

A little background for you, Mark.

Generally speaking "musette" means that there are 2 (sometimes 3) sets of reeds which are tuned slightly different, giving you that tremolo sound called "musette." When 2 reed sets are tuned exactly the same, and played together it is called "dry" tuning.

Most accordions with a set of musette tuned reeds also have another combination, or a single reed set that can be played without musette. So, really, the "musette accordion" is not always played with the musette sound. I don't know about yours.

It's personal taste, some people like musette, or like musette for certain songs. Same with the amount of musette.

My advice is (for your son) to play the Arietta for a while and determine whether he likes it as is, the best possible scenario.

 

[Markordion]

Hi all thank you, I just wish I had a better ear myself.

Though I do seem to be able to tell Mustte over non musette quite well now after the kind help here.

I do know my son is not keen on the french !!! sound of some accorions, so we maybe did slip up.

With Covid and hes not keen on shops anway it is quite tough.

Out of interest, what tone or range or however you say it would the usual generic Chines ones with their own reeds sound like please.

So we have a base idea regarding the Startone sound he does really like.

It would be 100% fine if it was just a bit more responsive.

I`d obviously picked things up !!! the wrong way on musett re clarity of notes !!!

Thanks.

PS afriend of mine who is in no way connected re music or accordions mentioned the other week he knows two people who just bought one and are getting in to them and the music.

So its maybe like the good quaity Chinese Hanpin affordbale Record players, they will allow more pepople to get in so to speak ?

 

[Tom]

I'm sorry I don't know anything about the quality or sound of the accordions you mention here, Mark, but if the lower priced ones get more peopke into playing that's a good thing. Good luck to you! Don't worry too much about it. Go with what you have. Two things are likely to happen in one year.

1. Your son will decide the guitar (or surfing, or love) is better and you will be glad you did not buy an expensive accordion.

2. He will decide he really likes it and will make up his own mind about what sounds he likes. He will get a job and buy his own dream accordion and make beautiful music.

Don't worry, be happy.

 

[Markordion]

Hi Thanks Tom.

I think he is throughly in love wth Playing the accordion long term.

And its really good for him.

Myself I just love listening.

Hard to decribe just how much I enjoy it. And it makes me feel too if you will.

I can`t play a note but I maybe have genetic memory somewhere !!! so why I enjoy it so much.

He was absolutely chuffed to bits with the Startone until he tried to play some of the more technical, if you will, bits, or things hes added and adjusted etc.

Its just that note or reaction lag, its not much, but its there at odd times.

Don`t get me wrong for the cash they are great value.

Maybe more people are going back to real things again.

PS does anyone have a full register sign key chart please, ie what the dots where mean, I can only find a limited ojne online does not show them all. Thank you.

 

[Glug]

Had a look online and Startone seem to use the standard 'modern' symbols so this should explain the registers:

Accordion reed ranks and switches - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

If there's some not in there post a photo.

 

[Markordion]

Thank you that is great.

Just what I was after.

Also does anyone know the name or catagory of the Tunning on a Startone please.

Thank you.

 

[Caps]

I like musette for some songs but generally prefer a dry tuning. My wife who sings hates musette, she says it is like singing with someone who is off key.

 

[Glug]

If you mean the category of musette you will have to tell us how many cents it is detuned - try the Bill Farmer app.
If you mean 'double octave' or 'musette' etc post a photo of the register switches.

Or you could tell us which model of Startone it is - is there a model name on it somewhere ?

 

[Markordion]

Just asked Thomann.de who have great customer service by the way.

The Startone 72 Bass and all the range are 442Hz tuned ?

Not sure how that compares to a 2 of the 3 reed musette tuned etc.

They actually said there is no such thing as musette tuning ? itself.

So a different reed ? or set up.

Many thanks again. Still learning, slowly !!!

 

[Glug]

442Hz is the tuning for A4, that's fairly standard.
Options are 440Hz - concert standard for orchestras (usually but not always), 441 / 442 / 443 - regional and historic standards.
It makes no difference which standard it is unless you want to play in a group when you want everybody tuned to the same standard.

The musette tuning is normally measured in "cents at A4" Thomann.de will probably tell you that if you ask them prceisely that question.
As in "how many cents at A4 is the musette", or "how wet is the musette".

I had a look at their web site and the Startone 72 bass would be described as LMM tuning, but it doesn't say what the musette tuning is.

 

[Dingo40]

Markordion
"Musette accordion" seems to mean different things to different people
The common factor seems to be at least two middle reeds ( sometimes three, sometimes two middle and a high) with at least one of the middle reeds being tuned varying degrees below the other, producing a definite "tremulo" effect, a difference of two or more cps, or herz, being common. (Where there are three middle reeds, one is tuned below the middle and one above.)
The middle reed ( or the other, if a pair) is tuned at whatever is considered "concert pitch" in the day (used to be A440). Depends on the company you keep , I guess .
With time and experience, all this will make sense, eventually,

 

[Beemer]

scottishey? I guess you would prefer an englishey one?