Digital accordion
A digital accordion is an electronic musical instrument that uses the control features of a traditional accordion (bellows, bass buttons for the left hand, and a small piano-style keyboard (or buttons) for the right hand, and register switches) to trigger a digital sound module that produces synthesized or digitally sampled accordion sounds or, in most instruments, a range of non-accordion sounds, such as orchestral instruments, pipe organ, piano, guitar, and so on.
Most digital accordions need to be plugged into a keyboard amplifier or PA system to hear their sounds.
Some instruments referred to as "MIDI accordions" may be hybrid acoustic-electronic instruments,[1] in that they contain the traditional acoustic elements (reeds, bellows, valves) with sensors and electronic circuitry that converts button and key presses and bellows pushing and pulling into MIDI messages.
A hybrid acoustic-electronic accordion may have an "all off" or mute register switch which stops all of the acoustic reed sounds; this enables a player to use an entirely synthesized sound (electronic synthesizer strings or trumpet, for example), or play with headphones plugged into a synth module for night-time practice.
Hybrid acoustic-electronic conversion kits are available for players who wish to add electronic MIDI capabilities to a traditional acoustic instrument.
[2] Opening and closing the bellows engage an effect similar to the "tone boost" knee lever on Combo Compact model organs.
[3] In 1967, Farfisa developed the CG-4 and CG-5, transistor accordions that had more electronic features, such as keyboard percussion and organ stop presets.
In 1974, Farfisa launched the Transivox series, which had an onboard tone generator which included vibrato, sustain and wah-wah effects.
These Elka accordions have an external sound module, power supply, and pedal which lies on the ground.
Some digital accordions, such as the Roland V-Accordion, have a built-in power amplifier and small speaker, which means that these instruments can be played at rehearsals and small venues without plugging them in (the V-Accordion also has an output jack for plugging it into a keyboard amplifier or PA system).
Some power modules contain expression pedals for volume and/or buttons for triggering effects units or controlling other features of the accordion.
Digital accordions have a sensor that detects bellows pressure, which affects the loudness, sustain, and in some instruments, the timbre of the synthesized or sampled sound.
[5] The Scandalli EWA has a wireless transmitter and receiver, which means that the instrument can be played onstage without a wired connection to the sound system.
