Free reed aerophone
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A free reed aerophone is a musical instrument that produces sound as air flows past a vibrating reed in a frame. Air pressure is typically generated by breath or with a bellows. In the Hornbostel–Sach
The reeds of an early 20th-century button accordion, with closeup
Sheng with 17 pipes; height is 55 cm (22 inches)
Free reed from a melodion, 1867
Accordion
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Accordions are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type. The essential characteristic of the accordion is to combine in one instrument a melody section
Free reed aerophone
…body, Hornbostel–Sachs number: 42 (flute, reed, and brass). The following illustrations depict the type of reed typical of harmonicas, pitch pipes, accordions, and reed organs as it goes through a cycle of vibration. One side of the reed frame is omitted from the images for clarity; in reality, the frame…
A piano accordion (top) and a chromatic button accordion (bottom)
Eight-key bisonoric diatonic accordion (c. 1830)
An accordionist
A group of accordionists in Ticino (early 20th century)