I don't think that buttons are good or bad. The smaller, simpler, chromatic accordions tend to have buttons on both sides (and hence are called "button boxes"). Beyond that, as long as it has all the notes I don't think one is necessarily better than the other. I do think that certain styles of music are probably easier on the accordions they developed on. Norteno is traditionally played on a big button box, but I could do it on mine--my fingers just might have to leap around a bit more than Flaco's.
As far as the bellows--it is the heart of the whole thing. There are different styles of moving it in and out, but how far you go is bound up with things like how long the chunks of music are and how much pressure you need to have. Pressure = volume (more or less). More buttons pushed means more air moving out which means more bellows to keep the same volume. But part of it is just what is traditional in your style.
And of course, further out with dramatic arcing is flash. Never underestimate the importance of cool.
This is, of course, from a person who is spending two weeks getting up to speed on 16 bars of "Ode to Joy", so put salt on it.
As far as the bellows--it is the heart of the whole thing. There are different styles of moving it in and out, but how far you go is bound up with things like how long the chunks of music are and how much pressure you need to have. Pressure = volume (more or less). More buttons pushed means more air moving out which means more bellows to keep the same volume. But part of it is just what is traditional in your style.
And of course, further out with dramatic arcing is flash. Never underestimate the importance of cool.
This is, of course, from a person who is spending two weeks getting up to speed on 16 bars of "Ode to Joy", so put salt on it.
MAO
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