A concertina is a free-reed musical instrument with two panels connected by a set of bellows, similar to an accordion. Concertinas are often hexagonal in shape and are smaller than accordions. On the market, there are a variety of concertina styles and types, and these instruments can be heard in a variety of settings. Folk music and casual music gatherings are frequently accompanied by them.
A concertina, like other free-reed instruments, makes sound by forcing air past a vibrating reed. The tone can be changed by pressing buttons that produce individual notes or can be combined to form a chord. The bellows are used to force air through the concertina. The harmonica is a well-known free-reed instrument in which users blow air past the reed to produce a desired sound.
The concertina is usually credited to Sir Charles Wheatstone, who created an early version in England in 1829, though versions appeared in Germany shortly after. It’s unclear whether the Germans invented the instrument themselves or adapted an existing British version. The instrument’s name is a combination of the words “concert” and the Italian diminutive suffix “-ina.”
There are a plethora of concertina variations to choose from. Some only make sound when the bellows are compressed, while others can produce sound in both directions. Variations that play different notes on the press and draw of the bellows are also possible. The majority of the buttons are arranged in a chromatic scale, progressing by even semitones, while others are diatonic, combining full tone intervals and some half tone intervals. A concertina’s shape can also vary; for example, many German versions are square or rectangular rather than hexagonal.
Concertinas are available in some musical instrument stores, and they can usually be special ordered for customers who want them. Concertina lessons can be difficult to come by depending on where you are in the world, but if you are familiar with other free-reed instruments, you can pick up the skills needed for the concertina by experimenting with it. For those who want to hear the sound of skilled performances or music from different parts of the world, concertina music recordings are also available.