Garmon'

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The garmon' (Russian: ) is a kind of Russian button accordion, a free-reed wind instrument. A garmon' has two rows of buttons on the right side, which play the notes of a diatonic scale, and at least two rows of buttons on the left side, which play the primary chords in the key of the instrument as well as its relative harmonic minor key. Many instruments have additional right-hand buttons with useful accidental notes, additional left-hand chords for playing in related keys, and a row of free-bass buttons, to facilitate playing of bass melodies.

Garmon'

Unlike most of the button accordions made and used in Western Europe and the Americas, the garmon' is unisonoric, meaning that each button plays the same note or chord when the bellows is being expanded as it does when being compressed.

The garmon' is also known by the names Tula accordion (Russian: ), garmoshka (Russian: ), garmonika (Russian: ) and Hromka (Russian: ). The garmon' is an important musical instrument for Azeri and Hamshen folk and popular music.

Keyboard arrangement

Although reduced and expanded versions are widely available, the standard arrangement (known as "25 × 25") is as follows:

25 treble buttons in two rows: Three diatonic octaves plus three accidentals.
25 bass buttons in three rows: Two rows of eight buttons, with bass notes and chords; one free-bass row.

Garmon' treble keyboard

The treble keyboard is arranged so that a scale may be played by alternating between the two rows. The low and high octaves have identical fingering, while the middle octave differs. The three accidental notes are arranged so as to mirror the position of the left-hand chords that contain them.

Garmon' bass keyboard

The bass keyboard is arranged so that the principal chords for the major key are in the outer row, placed in circle of fifths order; the principal chords for the harmonic minor key are in the middle row; free bass notes are in the inner row. One free bass accidental note is included.

External links

[Squeezebox], an open repository of squeezebox knowledge on Wikia.

Squeezeboxes
Accordions	Bayan \| Chromatic button accordion \| Diatonic button accordion \| Flutina \| Garmon' \| Livenka \| Melodeon \| Piano accordion \| Saratovskaya Garmonika \| Schrammel accordion \| Schwyzerörgeli \| Trikitixa
Concertinas	Bandoneón \| Chemnitzer concertina

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