Chromatic button accordion layouts: C versus B system

[vivdunstan]

Chromatic button accordions like my new French one come in two main keyboard arrangements: C system and B system. Pics below, C on the left. The hand is at the right side as you play. Martin was curious about the difference, and I explained it as diagonals of rising musical notes going one way on the C system, and on the other diagonal on B. Which wasn’t easy for him to visualise! So I just screen shotted portions of the two layouts. You can get up to 5 rows of treble buttons on a chromatic button accordion, but 3 are essential, and show the key layout differences. I have 4 rows on mine, which adds handy extra fingering options.

Comments

[watervole]

Must admit that I can't see it even with the photos...
I can see individual sequences of 3 notes, but not how to go between them.

But concertina fingering often confuses people too - or at least it does after the first octave...

I play D/G Anglo.

[vivdunstan]

Going between them is a whole big challenge! But another way of thinking about it that might help is that in C system if you're e.g. playing C, C#, D the C is nearest the hand and the diagonal sequence of notes going up moves away from the hand. On the B system the lowest note is furthest from the hand and you have to play a series of notes moving towards the hand. Ok that might not help at all! But basically I'm really happy I went with C, and my brain can cope with moving away from me to go upwards easier than the reverse. I'll see how Martin's coping with it after looking at the pictures I sent him! If all else fails I will show him me playing on my box tomorrow ;)