Wearing Your Accordion

The straps of your Accordion should sit over your two shoulders like a "reverse backpack".  They should be snug fitting, allowing your Accordion to fit like a "second skin".  Whilst this may seem uncomfortable at first, only if your Accordion is close to your body, will you have the most control of it and the sound which you produce out of it.

Body Position

Since your left arm is moving horizontally and vertically, and your right hand is moving vertically, body position is very important. The main goal of your body position is to be comfortable. Some prefer sitting, while others like to stand. Either way, the proper position is to keep your back straight. If your back is not straight, your left arm will start to move forward or backward, thus causing the bellows to curve. This looks unattractive, and causes unequal movements of your left hand, which makes for some interesting dynamics.

Seated Accordion Playing Body Position

You should sit square in your seat, with a straight back.  No slouching into the seat!  Perched near the edge of the seat means that your feet will be able to be planted squarely on the ground, with the knees bent at 90 degrees, giving the most support for the weight of your Accordion.  Your Accordion should sit close against your body, with the bottom right hand corner resting just on the inside of your right leg, for support as you push the bellows in and out.

Standing Accordion Playing Position

Standing to play your Accordion can be much more difficult for some people than sitting, since it involves much more of a balancing act!  Try to think of your legs and feet as your foundations as you stand there with the great weight of your Accordion strapped to your chest.  So stand with your feet firm on the ground, and a fair distance apart to keep the balance.  Don't forget to keep your back straight at all times!  You don't want to be swaying forwards and backwards and toppling over because of the weight of your Accordion!  Be careful with bellows control, it can be easy to let the bellows fall open, then much harder to push them back in with correct sound control!  Sometimes a back strap fitted across your back can help with preventing the straps slipping off your shoulders during standing Accordion playing.