Minimal practice instrument for CBA

[Snoopz]

My daily commute by train means that I often have two-digit minute time slots available that I would very much like to use productively for my newest hobby. I read some books on music theory etc, but that is rather dry and doesn't lead to more understanding, especially not when I cannot immediately apply what I learned. Hence: Is there a kind of "practice instrument" that I can take with me? I was thinking about a standalone CBA keyboard with:

• about 2.5-3 octaves, three rows, like my Hohner Amati IIIM
• some sort of tone generator. I do not expect concert grade sound generation or tons of voices, just something that sounds like an accordion
• no "bellows simulation" of any kind
• headphone capabilities, no speaker required
• lightweight and small -- backpack size
• durable in the sense of "needs to survive floating around my backpack" and "being played in less than ideal conditions"

I've seen accordinas, but those are not what I'm looking for -- they don't like cold windy train stations or floating around my backpack every day. And I don't want to annoy my fellow travelers with my "skills".

Another big plus would be a bass section, maybe even detachable, but not a hard requirement.

 

[dak]

I've seen something like an app for tablets. Possibly useful when you are still working out the overall fingering ideas. Never tried such a thing myself and have no idea whether spending any amount of time with it is sensible. But if you have nothing useful to do with your time on the road anyway…

 

[Snoopz]

Possibly useful when you are still working out the overall fingering ideas.

That was exactly my idea. Most music theory books have their examples on piano or guitar (both of which I do know how to use), but I found that on CBA many of the examples are quite redundant, since intervals always have the same patterns, modulo jumping from the innermost to the outermost row. And I still like to actually feel the interval on the instrument I'm trying to learn instead of just thinking about it theoretically. In that regard, I'm more of a physical person.

Oh, and regarding the tablet apps: I've only seen photos somewhere, but those are too far away from the instrument.

 

[Dingo40]

. Hence: Is there a kind of "practice instrument" that I can take with me? I was thinking about a standalone CBA keyboard with:

• about 2.5-3 octaves, three rows, like my Hohner Amati IIIM
• some sort of tone generator. I do not expect concert grade sound generation or tons of voices, just something that sounds like an accordion
• no "bellows simulation" of any kind
• headphone capabilities, no speaker required
• lightweight and small -- backpack size
• durable in the sense of "needs to survive floating around my backpack" and "being played in less than ideal conditions"

Sounds like a Roland FR1x (with earphones) ticks a lot of the boxes!
You could become quite the centre of attention!

 

[PhiliGol]

In case you have an iPhone/iPad - how about this one:
https://apps.apple.com/de/app/mezquite-diatonic-accordion/id1060954956?l=en-GB

 

[PhiliGol]

Sorry just when I pressed the "post"-button I discovered it says "diatonic".
This one eventually is what you're looking for:
https://apps.apple.com/de/app/accordion-button/id6450493704?l=en-GB

I didn't test any of 'em as I'm a PA-player.

 

[Rodney]

Sounds like a Roland FR1x (with earphones) ticks a lot of the boxes!
You could become quite the centre of attention!

I completely agree! There are two options that I know of: one is with headphones using a standard jack and the other is to simply turn the volume down.

Best wishes for a successful outcome.

 

[Snoopz]

Sounds like a Roland FR1x (with earphones) ticks a lot of the boxes!

one is with headphones using a standard jack and the other is to simply turn the volume down

Well, the one box the FR1xb (which I already considered) doesn't tick is the practicability of carrying it around with me every day. It does weigh 6.4kg (plus bag) and isn't as small as e.g. an accordina/melodica, which is the size I'm imagining. And I seriously doubt whether the instrument itself would survive for long when carried around in a backpack on a daily basis. I would expect the plastic body to crack and solder joints to loosen and eventually break.

 

[Snoopz]

Sorry just when I pressed the "post"-button I discovered it says "diatonic".
This one eventually is what you're looking for:
https://apps.apple.com/de/app/accordion-button/id6450493704?l=en-GB

I didn't test any of 'em as I'm a PA-player.

These apps are missing the physical side of playing an accordion, i.e. having to press buttons, so I doubt whether that would really help me.

 

[PhiliGol]

Aah OK, you want to have the haptic of a CBA.
I guess what you're looking for is a melodica but with buttons - might be rare of a kind.

 

[Snoopz]

I guess what you're looking for is a melodica but with buttons - might be rare of a kind.

These exist and are called "accordina", but no headphones for those...

 

[PhiliGol]

You're picky man
Understand - you don't wanna bother your co-passengers while practising.
Hm, sounds like a case for an electronic tinker

 

[Snoopz]

Hm, sounds like a case for an electronic tinker

I was thinking about building one myself, take the plans to china, let them build 10000 units and get filthy rich off them...

Joke aside, I would very much like to try my hand at this if I cannot buy something similar. I would probably start from a donor accordion for the buttons and material for the housing and build something to "make MIDI" so I can use an off-the-shelf tone generator setup.

 

[dak]

Well, the one box the FR1xb (which I already considered) doesn't tick is the practicability of carrying it around with me every day. It does weigh 6.4kg (plus bag) and isn't as small as e.g. an accordina/melodica, which is the size I'm imagining. And I seriously doubt whether the instrument itself would survive for long when carried around in a backpack on a daily basis. I would expect the plastic body to crack and solder joints to loosen and eventually break.

The old FR-1b has no internal speakers and loses probably 1kg or so. And I cannot imagine carrying it around for that kind of thing. Still far too unwieldy. A digital accordina might fit the bill better if it existed.

 

[dak]

These apps are missing the physical side of playing an accordion, i.e. having to press buttons, so I doubt whether that would really help me.

Sounds like a job for a 3D printer aficionado: just providing a button board to be mounted above the touch screen.

 

[Snoopz]

Sounds like a job for a 3D printer aficionado: just providing a button board to be mounted above the touch screen.

3D-printing the body would actually save a lot of trouble, especially for a prototype. Maybe even the internal mechanics, e.g. spring holders for the buttons. Might be an interesting project. Thank you for the input!

 

[vivdunstan]

I’ve been learning C-system CBA since last June. More sporadically than I’d like due to illness. But I am making good progress. Usually play on my French 4-row Maugein box. But sometimes eg at night sitting on the sofa I might play on my iPad.

Here is the app I use:

Hohner Chromatic Accordion

Mimicking the layout of Hohner's iconic chromatic button accordions (CBA), both B-System (Bayan) and C-System, this intuitive virtual accordion is easy to play and sounds exactly like the real instrument. The Hohner Chromatic Accordion has a 52-button treble button board and 36 bass/chord buttons.…

apps.apple.com

And this is what it looks like as I hold it up vertically to play:



Sure it doesn’t have a physical haptic response effect, but I find it very playable, especially with the audio response. And you can use headphones. Though it might be a bit unsteady to hold on a train. I find it handy for odd moments when I’d like to run over some core exercises or a tune that I’m learning. I tend to focus on the right hand, because I’m a very long term piano accordionist newly learning the CBA. But both can be played together. And with or without bass I find the app handy as an extra option.

 

[Airy]

Once in a while I see on ebay (Germany) the Roland A-300 MIDI controller offered as a CBA version (used). But AFAIK this model is not officially sold (or even produced) by Roland. Maybe it was a prototype or a custom rebuild.

Also on ebay I often encounter offers of used CBA controllers which are standalone or part of a keyboard/arranger setup like the following:


and here is a Swiss dealer who sells these conversions (sorry, webpage in German only):

Knopfgriff Keyboard

www.lueschermusik.ch

This are probably homebuild hardware projects done by either tech savy musicians themselves or small garage companies. Because in Europe there are quite a few CBA players these conversions offer a convenient path to use electric/electronic sound generators.

A quick google search revealed this russian manufacturer but I have seen others as well:

ATEMP Production

ATEMP Production

atemp.ru

 

[Snoopz]

A quick google search revealed this russian manufacturer but I have seen others as well:

ATEMP Production

ATEMP Production

atemp.ru

My google-fu seems to have failed me -- that is almost exactly what I'm looking for! Thank you so much!