Is it diatonic? Think that one's a can of worms. The term predates any keyboard instrument, and since it's easy to illustrate a diatonic scale as the white keys on a piano (a major scale), assumptions are made that it's only a major scale. Some don't even see the relative minor as diatonic, but originally, it was a non specidic scale. So, ti go to the extreme based on how some view diatonis, a D box couldn't be because it has two 'black notes'. Aren't words fun?
Steve

Big Nick,

Now there is point to ponder. Is a diatonic played in another key still diatonic.

My opinion and it is just an opinion, is that it is no longer diatonic it is Modal. In this case G modal sometimes called mountain minor by old timey banjo players.

RPr

OOOO, I think I opened a can of worms. The practical thing is the more notes you have (2-row, 3-row, 5-row, whatever), the greater the variety of keys available, etc etc. Then we can get into different key layouts...cross row playing...two key notes...chords...octaves...harmonics...etc etc

This also has nothing to do with mitered corners

everything big nick said was right
but i expand...
===

i used to think that the hallmark of a diatonic accordion was that you get different note on the pull and the push. I was wrong. Actually, I believe that is called double action.


==accordion terminology is universally confusing
that is actually called single action

The definition of a diatonic instrument is simply an instrument tuned in a single key. A chromatic instrument is one that has all the notes necessary to play in any key.


==interesting side note - the regular
3 row [GCF for instance] is technically
chromatic because it does have all 12 notes


==however, it is heavily slanted toward a few
home keys
a real chromatic instrument has no bias
all keys are equally hard or easy
which is why a piano accordion really
isn;t 'chromatic' either
because the key of c is built in to the white
keys, and other keys require different
fingerings
[ i just got a c system chromatic, which
is why i am so wordy on the subject]



I don't believe there are any diatonic piano accordions,


==no, but the
white keys are a diatonic subset

but a chromatic accordion can be either button or piano and can be either double or single action.

--you may be thinking of chromatic harmonicas
which do play something different on
suck vs blow

--as far as i know, no chromatic accordion
plays 2 notes with one button


The Hohner Club, for example, is a chromatic accordion


==not really
it;s just a couple of diatonic rows
with all the other notes lumped on a
******* half row
no better than a GCF diatonic really



while the Corona and Panther are Diatonic. But, because of the extra rows tuned in different, but complementary keys, the Panther and Corona become chromatic in the lower range of notes and the diffences between chromatic and diatonic begins to blur.

==yes
wle.

diatonic = 7 notes on a scale, with 5 major and 2 minor intervals. Like the white "buttons" (or do you call them keys?) on the piano
There is in fact more different types of diatonic (different "modal" keys, where the major and minor intervals are in a different place). {It is different from f.e. pentatonic (like some dulcimers have)}.
You can 'only' play in one clear 'ordinary' key (on the push; the rest is to be found in the previous thread about push and pull).
Doric tone ladder is also on the pull, I guess. Ask a schooled mouth harmonica player and he/she will explain.

Chromatic is 12 scale (black and white "buttons" on the piano.) With this system you can play in all keys.
In the past it was called "well tempered". You didn't have to tune your instrument if you wanted to play in a different key.

So one row squeezeboxes are automatically "diatonic".
Two row boxes (exept the Irish C# D) have just two diatonic rows, but if you switch between the rows you can play more chromatic like. Three rows sometimes have "black" notes on the third row, while others have another 'diatonic'key.
Real Irish C# D can be played more or less chromatically, am I right Irish Bravehearts?

Gus

you were posting when I was typing.


Gus

How about Irish style B/C ?

BJ

BJ,

same thing. BC is only a half note difference. So theoretically you have a lot of 'black' keys or whatsever they call them; take the the piano as the example) on the B row. I checked it out on the piano. Key of B is played mainly (exept for the B and the E) on the black "keys" ( The only issue is (and therefore you should check it on the accordion) "are they on the pull or push"? This makes it playing the chromatic scale smootly or not.
But if you have a BC, you can give me the answer if I am right or wrong.

Gus

Both the C#/D and B/C configurations have all the notes of a 12-tone scale available, and can be played in many keys. Not all keys are easy, though, and the bass chords available would limit somebody who actually plays them (many players in the Irish style play basses very sparingly or not at all).

On multi-row in-out boxes: these are generally tuned "equal tempered" because it doesn't make sense to tune to a preferred key (as in "just" tuning or Cajun tuning) if you're going to take advantage of the multiple key possibilitys of the 3-row.

Therefore, even a LMMH four-reed triple row isn't going to sound quite Cajun if the tuning is equally tempered. Happy 4th!