1. Bellows: The accordion is operated by a bellows, a collapsible part that moves backward and forward. When the bellows are pulled open, air is drawn in, and when they are pushed closed, air is compressed and forced out.
2. Reed Blocks: Inside the accordion, there are reed blocks. Each reed block contains several metal reeds, which are thin, flexible strips of metal.
3. Reed Valves: Each reed is attached to a reed valve, which is a small piece of leather or plastic that covers the opening to the reed. When air pressure from the bellows acts on the reed valves, they open, allowing air to pass through the reeds.
4. Vibrating Reeds: As the air flows through the reeds, the reeds vibrate, creating sound waves. The pitch of the sound produced by each reed depends on its length and thickness: shorter and thinner reeds produce higher-pitched sounds, while longer and thicker reeds produce lower-pitched sounds.
5. Resonance: The accordion's body acts as a resonance chamber, amplifying and enriching the sound produced by the reeds.
6. Keyboard: The accordion has a keyboard on one side and buttons or keys on the other. These controls are used to select different sets of reeds and produce different notes and chords.
7. Air Buttons: Some accordions have air buttons that allow the player to control the flow of air and produce special effects, such as tremolo or vibrato.
When the accordion player operates the bellows and presses the keys, specific reed valves are opened, and the corresponding reeds vibrate, producing a sequence of musical notes and chords.