Bayan (accordion)

Characteristics

• Reeds are broader and rectangular.
• Reeds are often attached in large groups to a common plate ; the plates are screwed to the reed block.
• The melody-side keyboard is attached near the middle of the body.
• Reeds are generally not tuned with tremolo.
• Register switches may be operated with the chin on some larger models.
• The diminished chord row is shifted, so that the diminished G chord is where one would expect the diminished C chord in the Stradella bass system.
• Converter switches that go from standard preset chords to free bass are common on the larger instruments. As opposed to Western conventions, in free bass mode the low notes usually are at the bottom of the instrument and the high notes at the top.
• Newer instruments may feature a register where every tone played actually produces a perfect fifth.