Bandoneon

Bandoneon
Other instrument
Classification
Hornbostel–Sachs classification412.132
(Free-reed aerophone)
DevelopedGermany mid-1800s
Related instruments
Chemnitzer concertina, concertina, harmonica, melodeon, reed organ, yu
Musicians
Ástor Piazzolla, Aníbal Troilo
(play) A bandoneon playing modern tango
Early bandoneon, c. 1905
Alfred Arnold bandoneon, c. 1949

The bandoneon (Spanish: bandoneón) or bandonion is a type of concertina particularly popular in Argentina and Uruguay. It is a typical instrument in most tango ensembles. As with other members of the concertina family, it is held between the hands, and played by pulling and pushing air through bellows, routing it through sets of tuned metal reeds by pressing the instrument's buttons. Unlike most accordions, bandoneons always employ the same sets of reeds to produce their sound, and do not usually have the register switches common on accordions. Nevertheless, the bandoneon can be played very expressively, using various bellows pressures and other techniques. The left and right hand have different timbres due to the wooden box on the left side which gives the left hand a nasal and muted timbre, in contrast with the right hand which is usually bright and sharp.