APPENDIX 2: Official Notation for the Standard Accordion, as approved by the

American Accordionists’ Association (A.A.A.), April 4th 1938. 167

(i) The right hand part is written in the treble clef.

(ii) The left hand part is written in the bass clef.

(iii) Bass notes are written in the position shown below, range one octave:
this "C" used occasionally

?
to simplify reading

œ œ œ œ
œ œ œ œ

(iv) Chordal notes played using the left hand are indicated by the tonic note of the
chord, and written in the position shown below, range one octave:
œ œ œ œ œ
this "D" used occasionally

? œ œ œ
to simplify reading

The third line (D) in the bass clef may be used for either bass or chordal notes.
Notes written above the third line are chordal notes; notes written below are bass
notes.

(v) A single letter, indicating the chord type, is placed above the chordal note. The
four types of chords used on the stradella accordion are indicated using the
following abbreviations: M – major, m – minor, 7 – dominant 7th, d – diminished
7th. Chordal indications are only given where there is a change of chord.
? b 68 œ œ œ œ œ œ œ7 œ œ œ
J œ J ‰
m M M
J J œ J j œ J œ
œ œ

(vi) A solo passage in the bass with a range of more than an octave may be written on
any part of the staff, and is indicated by the words “Bass Solo”, abbreviated B.S.
The bass solo continues until a chordal note is indicated.

(vii) A dash beneath a bass note (sostenuto) indicates that the counter bass note should
be used. Where a sostenuto playing style is desired, the words “sostenuto” or
“sostenuto il basso” are used.

(viii) Bellows direction, if given, is indicated:

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167
Eugene Ettore, Accordion Charts (New York: Pietro Deiro Publications, 1958).

101