Terminology: notes and buttons
Note terminology

Bb/F Concertina by Adelaide maker Pierre Hooft ( dec’d)
In this tutor I use “abc” system conventions to describe the notes ( a full explanation of all this is here in the quick guide to the abc notation system ) . But, I do diverge from that system by using c# and F#/f# instead of ^c and ^F/^f, just so this is easier to read.
Button positions/names
I will call the buttons according to the row they are in, C, G or T (T standing for 3rd row but some people call this the outside row, or accidentals row too). So the first bass button in the C row LHS, the lowest note on the instrument, is called C1, then up the LHS as far as C5, which plays the notes G and A. Then you just continue on the RHS. So C6 is the button closest to the top of the instrument, your RH index sits on it, and it plays notes B and c.
And so it goes up to the upper range of the instrument to button C10.
Now the same naming pattern applies to the G row and the T row. So the buttons in those rows are called, respectively , G1-G10, and T1 – T10. Most of the Irish music we play (apart from those fiddle tunes which go down onto the G string) ranges from buttons G2 and C3 up to G7 and C9. Of course we can go lower down than G2 and C3 on the concer, but you’re much more restricted with options and fluency than say a fiddle.
Here is colour-coded diagram of the standard 30 – key Wheatstone/ Lachenal keyboard.
6 responses to “Terminology: notes and buttons”
Kevin
June 28th, 2015 at 11:32
Not being intrinsically musical I find this techno stuff really really helpful bit like a colour wheel and perspective info for non natural artists
John Cattini
February 9th, 2020 at 00:14
Thank you for a really useful site. Just noticed what may be an error in your key layout diagram. Shouldn’t C8 draw be F, not F sharp? John
Klavdivs
February 10th, 2020 at 00:05
yes, quite right, John. Thanks. How did you hear of my site ?
Klavdivs
February 10th, 2020 at 00:05
yes, quite right, John. How did you hear of my site ?
Vince
April 11th, 2020 at 19:50
The buttons T9 and T10 have commas indicating an octave lower. Shouldn’t those be single quotes indicating an octave higher? And since you asked John, I found your site using Google looking for better button layouts. Yours is about the best I found.
Steve Verster
October 31st, 2020 at 20:43
31 October 2020. Good day, I intend to reply once I have managed to assimilate the information a bit. But in the meantime, thank you very much, Kind regards, State Verster, Port Elizabeth, South Africa