Troubadour Duet: Bi vs. Unidirectional?

[Elisa]

Hi, I'm a happily beginning Elise duet player. Much as I like having my almost-name on my concertina, I expect to soon be upgrading to a Troubadour, through Concertina Connections trade-in program. Due to the long wait times, I will probably put in an order relatively soon.

 

My question is why the standard keyboard layout is bidirectional, that is the fingering opposite top to bottom for the right and left hands? There is a unidirectional option, mirrored so that the fingering is identical for both hands. For my brain, that would seem to be easier and more logical.

 

Is there some reason why bidirectional is preferred? Perhaps having upper buttons more heavily used on both sides is less balanced on the bellows? I'd greatly appreciate insights!

[Lappy]

It’s easier to make three note chords that are in a given key (I think….but I have been wrong before!).

You will love the Troubadour!

Edited March 18 by Lappy
an additional thought

[David Colpitts]

And (especially if the buttons do NOT have the "standard Hayden" slant) one can pick it up backwards and play the lower notes with the (usually) dominant right hand, for a change.  Or the "treblier" notes with the left, if that's your dominant. But of course, the strength of the layout hinges on getting both hands to speed.

[Don Taylor]

2 hours ago, Lappy said:

It’s easier to make three note chords that are in a given key (I think….but I have been wrong before!).

Not just chords but scales and intervals will be mirrored on each side of the uni-directional layout.  I suspect that Wim Wakker thinks of the Hayden keyboard in a similar fashion to an EC keyboard where the notes go up from top to bottom rather than across from left to right.  At least that is what his puzzling diagrams say to me.

 

 

I guess that you could get used to it but your already very limited upgrade options in the Hayden world would be severely restricted if you go uni-directional.  That plus I doubt that you could sell a uni-directional model on the used market.

[DaveRo]

3 hours ago, Elisa said:

...why the standard keyboard layout is bidirectional

 

https://www.concertinaconnection.com/troubadour.htm

 

I suspect that the fact that beginners often start with a Stagi Hayden (as I did) or an Elise determines which layout they buy. And, before that, there were the instruments that Brian Hayden commissioned, which the more advanced players here probably started on.

 

My current Peacock is is the usual Hayden (non-mirrored) layout. It was secondhand. If I'd bought a new one I'd have been seriously tempted by the Wicky (mirrored) layout - it seems more logical to me - but I expect I'd have been put off by being used to the Stagi and by potential resale difficulty 

Edited March 18 by DaveRo
Confusion!

[Dimble]

I think that the unidirectional layout is more logical. I even asked Edward Jay to make one for me and he said he doesn't offer one because in his experience coming from piano, the standard layout made more sense. I ended up with standard layout instruments, and I am glad of it. I suspect that one day I will get a Lumatone or similar keyboard and will be able to play with minimal relearning. https://www.lumatone.io/

 

 

[David Barnert]

8 hours ago, DaveRo said:

If I'd bought a new one I'd have been seriously tempted by the Wicky (mirrored) layout

 

Yes, a lot of people don’t realize that Wicky’s instrument was unidirectional, while Hayden’s is bidirectional.

 

Here is a page from Wicky’s 1897 instruction manual that makes this clear (well, not very clear, given the poor quality of the image, but the information is all there—I did not take the picture):

 

[DaveRo]

I find the terms 'uni- and bi-directional' in this context confusing and ambiguous.  'Mirrored' is often used here and describes it better IMO.

 

@Elisa try searching the forum for 'mirrored'.

[rlgph]

After trying out the mirrored option on the former Hayden simulator iPad app, i immediately upgraded my Elise to a mirrored Peacock, and later traded that for a mirrored Wakker W1.  I have no regrets, though admittedly i'm a mediocre player, and at 78, will not get better.  The biggest attraction for me is the fact that i can very quickly play in octaves or partial octaves, and once i learn a melody with my right (dominant) hand, i can almost automatically play it on the left (bass) side.

 

I know of no study that indicates chords are generally easier to form with the standard arrangement on the left side. Obviously some chords will easier, some more difficult with a mirrored side.  Of course, any chord you can finger with the right hand can also be fingered with left hand in the mirrored configuration.

 

The biggest down side is as has been stated -- not finding used instruments to upgrade to. I personally think entry instruments should be by default mirrored because of the quick ability to play octave accompaniment is likely to provide beginners with additional incentive to continue to advance, but that surely will not happen.

[Elisa]

Thanks to everyone for sharing! I'm pleased to have found this community.

 

Resale value isn't a big issue for me, since this isn't my only instrument and it's unlikely I'll be upgrading. Decided to take the lesser-traveled path and go for unidirectional/mirrored Troubadour duet. I'll report back, in case anyone in the future is pondering the choice. Meanwhile, months ahead with my Elise.

[Elisa]

Hi rigph - just saw this after I posted. Great to hear your positive experience with a mirrored concertina, especially since it reinforces my expectations!

[David Barnert]

6 hours ago, rlgph said:

I personally think entry instruments should be by default mirrored because of the quick ability to play octave accompaniment

 

Playing in parallel octaves is of limited usefulness if you know a little music theory and can do something more interesting (William Kimber and Scan Tester notwithstanding). I do it occasionally (on my non-mirrored Hayden) for maybe 32 bars if playing the same Morris tune over and over and looking for some variety, but it really doesn’t add anything musically.

Edited March 19 by David Barnert

[rlgph]

On 3/19/2026 at 3:10 PM, David Barnert said:

 

Playing in parallel octaves is of limited usefulness if you know a little music theory and can do something more interesting (William Kimber and Scan Tester notwithstanding). I do it occasionally (on my non-mirrored Hayden) for maybe 32 bars if playing the same Morris tune over and over and looking for some variety, but it really doesn’t add anything musically.

I don't doubt it, though what one does and enjoys musically is entirely context dependent.  However, a mirrored left side does not preclude developing other forms of accompaniment, and has the advantage of providing quick additional encouragement to a beginner.  It also provides the ability to jam with others at the lower octave without much additional effort, which i've sometimes used effectively with my American folk jam group.

Edited March 21 by rlgph