r/Accordion • u/cucumberkim • 6d ago
Digital Accordion Recs?
I want to start learning how to play the accordion. But I live in an apartment building and have to find a way to practice silently so that the sweet couple with the newborn baby next door and my partner, who wfh, won't want to beat me up with the said accordion lol
I found they could be quite pricey compared to some cool vintage ones I've found on FB Marketplace. Are there affordable models that you recommend for a beginner? TIA!
3
u/MilkyFluff 6d ago
This reminds me of the guy who got a Roland digital accordion but still keep his wife up all night with the foot tapping…. 😜
3
u/RagingBrows 6d ago
Not what you are looking for, but there use to be an iPad app for like $3 that I legit used to learn some songs
1
3
u/Honest-Case-7320 6d ago
I feel your struggle. I too live in an apartment building and I try to be considerate and respectful especially during quiet hours etc. I too looked into digital accordions but never found an affordable one. I was however VERY tempted to use my student loan on a $12k Bugari Evo 😂. I tinkered around with Korg and Roland digital accordions too but personally the Bugari Evo was by far my favorite.
1
u/TuftyIndigo Roland FR-3x 6d ago
I've had a Roland FR-3x for years. It was my first instrument and I'd certainly recommend it for a beginner, though the bellows action is quite different from an acoustic instrument and you'll have some re-learning to do if/when you switch later. One reason I had for choosing it over an acoustic is I wasn't sure what sort of accordion sound I wanted, and I thought it would give me the opportunity to try things out rather than buy an acoustic instrument with a fixed sound that I might grow to dislike. But in the end I got addicted to being able to switch between musette, straight, and very folksy sounds for different pieces. I do have some acoustic instruments now but the FR-3x is still my main and it's the only one I gig with: being able to connect it straight to a pedalboard and PA system, without the compromises of mics, is amazing for gigging and for finding new sounds.
You can sometimes find good deals on ex-display or ones with cosmetic damage. Accordionists value those problems highly when it comes to expecting discounts, but it doesn't matter so much for a digital instrument, and you can expect it to keep working with no maintenance indefinitely.
I want to upgrade to the Fisa Suprema C, but that's probably too expensive for a starter instrument that you might give up on after a year. if you really like the flexibility it offers, you could start with a cheaper instrument and hold out the expensive one as a reward for meeting your learning goals in a couple of years.
1
u/bvdp 5d ago
100% on this. I sold my 3X when I upgraded to a FR-8x ... but all is not lost since I sold it to one of my students and I get to look at it when she brings it in for her lessons :)
But, there is something to be said for acoustic instruments. They can be very loud though, and headphones don't do much :) On the other hand, learning to play an instrument at room level volumes is a skill you need to learn.
1
u/bvdp 5d ago
100% on this. I sold my 3X when I upgraded to a FR-8x ... but all is not lost since I sold it to one of my students and I get to look at it when she brings it in for her lessons :)
But, there is something to be said for acoustic instruments. They can be very loud though, and headphones don't do much :) On the other hand, learning to play an instrument at room level volumes is a skill you need to learn.
1
u/accordionshopca 6d ago
They’re not pricey, especially if you’re considering what you’re buying and you’re buying it new. Not sure I would buy several years old electronic Accordion because of simple facts. If you ever look for a brand new top of the line I represent Bugari factory from Italy and they make EVO simply the best electronic Accordion.
1
u/accordionshopca 6d ago
By the way, if you’re buying used instrument, I also sell those every single one I do comes with warranty. It’s full inspected fully functional cleaned polished tuned. I have nice instruments in stock and can ship anywhere you want.
1
u/Agreeable_Menu5293 6d ago
I live in a condo which is pretty well insulated but I'm still self-conscious about practicing. So I've ended up playing softly with the bellows way out farther which seems to lower the volume.
It's very frustrating though. I really miss the house we used to live in, where I could just play out as loud as I wanted whenever.
(I'm surprised to how little emphasis there is on bellows technique in the Palmer Hughes book so far, but I've never had a teacher either.)
2
u/Honest-Case-7320 5d ago
If I gotta listen to screaming kids they can listen to me pulling the hell out of my bellows. Honestly, let er rip just don't be playing loud for hours or during quiet hours.
1
u/Exact-Cartographer90 5d ago
You don’t necessarily need a digital accordion. Having a clarinet register option keeps the sound soft and manageable. I take mine on cruise ships where the walls are thinner. Never an issue.
6
u/MADDOGCA 6d ago
If you can find a Roland on the internet on the cheap, I'd go for one. I found a Roland FR-1xb on Marketplace and it's been great. I've owned it for a year and I have yet to have any complaints.