velveteen rocket

Hey SteveS, the fingering as I've figured out so far for the right hand is: Pull / Push 1. e flat / g 2. a flat / b flat 3. c / c sharp 4. e flat / f 5. a flat / g 6. c / b flat 7. e flat / c sharp 8. a flat / f 9. c / g 10. e flat / b flat I just got the garmonika in the mail yesterday, so I haven't had much time to play around with it yet. I figured most of this out with an out of tune ukulele, so I'm not 100% about it yet.

Hi. Well, Saratov Garmonika is a one row diatonic instrument, like Cajun accordion. Only it probably has 2 reeds per note, not 4, and I don't see any stops, so you can't change the timbre. I also have heard they are tuned a little different, so the two reeds produce slightly sharper, recognizable sound. Russian one rows should be tuned in the opposite manner from Vienna style accordion, with tonic on the pull, not on the push. So the playing is very much like playing Cajun accordion, only with all notes present (Cajun accordions are played on the pull, so a C instrument is played in the key of G, with F# missing, or F sharpened, so it's missing F, or F# is avoided. So a Cajun accordion is effectively a Russian style diatonic, only stubbornly unrecognized). Now, your Garmonika has very interesting feature - set of two bells, tuned to your tonic and dominant basses. They should be operated by the thin lever just above the tonic bass button. So every time you press bass button, the bell sounds and it makes serious calamity. Super-party instrument! The three buttons on the left are Chord/Bass and in-between them is an air button, that you MUST master before anything else. You can either use a thumb loop on the right (trebble) side, or attach shoulder belt, that you can buy on ebay and it's preferred, if you don't want your arm/hand/shoulder hurt in very short while. In rare case, when you'll travel to Saratov, Russia, and happen upon Garmonica player, who will sneer at your shoulder belt, you may politely ask him to kiss your bottom exactly three times. In case there will be some other Garmonika players around, they probably will be on your side. Any music for Cajun accordion is adaptable for Saratov Garmonika. I'll look up some sites, but last time I did so, everything was "under construction". Lots of promises, but little action in terms of mp3 files, music scores, tablature. Let's hope it will change. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0cJARpexns TV program in Russian, about rarity and disapperance of such instrument Enjoy. Do you want to play Russian music or any suitable? Thank you so much, this is very helpful and interesting!! I will definitely read up on Cajun accordions and hunt for some music too. I do have an affinity for Russian music, but I would like to play anything suitable. I am a music student, but I have never played an accordion before, so mostly I've just been amusing myself by playing xmas carols and traditional tunes by ear, but I would really like to learn to play this instrument more seriously

They sure are! They're cute, but they get a little old after a while. They don't ring if I play the left hand gently

Hi all, I am new to this forum, and have recently purchased a Saratov Garmonika, and have been combing the internet for information on this strange little instrument. There doesn't seem to be much out there, other than that they come from the Saratov region of Russia. I was wondering if anyone here knew anything about these instruments? I am very excited to get playing, and would appreciate anything anyone can tell me! Thanks! Here's a picture: