Accordion Course for Beginners (Syllabus)

I created this accordion course based on my understanding of music and the instrument. It is used for my voluntary teaching of 10-week accordion course for beginners at Peking University Accordion Association.
music
accordion
Published

March 25, 2023

Modified

June 19, 2025

This is a beginner-level accordion course I created based on my understanding of both music theory and the instrument. This course is used for my voluntary teaching for beginners at Peking University Accordion Association. I have been teaching this course for 2 semesters.

Our society offers these very affordable 10-lesson accordion course for beginners, which are taught by me and other volunteers in small classes of about 5–10 students. Lessons of one semester are taught once a week, with each lesson lasting 1 to 1.5 hours. The total fee for the semester is 300 RMB for tuition and 200 RMB for accordion rental.

I teach this beginner course in English, specifically for foreign students who may not understand Chinese. The society assigns English-speaking students to my class, whiles Chinese-speaking students to other volunteers. Chinese students who are comfortable with English may also choose my class.

Below is what I have prepared for the beginner accordion class. For now it only serves as an outline (syllabus) for the course, and I will continue to expand on the details along the progress of the lessons for this semester (2025 spring).

To ensure consistency with the other volunteers, I use some practice excerpts from the textbook that the society uses for beginners: “少儿手风琴集体课教程”, 李聪编著, 上海音乐出版社 (“Children’s Accordion Group Class Tutorial,” compiled by Li Cong, Shanghai Music Publishing House).

Objectives

This course aim to get you the ability to “play” the accordion, rather than play the accordion. Did you get that? “Play” takes the meaning of “playing a toy”, which means you can do the music by yourself, through your ear, and even experiment a bit on which you’re interested in; whereas play the instrument means you can only make the instrument sound correctly based on what you have been instructed, like sheet music.

In order to equip you “playing”, I will intentionally guide you to thoroughly understand what you are exactly playing in the lessons, i.e. the music theory behind. You might have known from my other posts that I am a music theory amateur, or nerd, whatever you call. I’m not a classical trained accordion player at all. I learned accordion in my undergrad in one of the uni’s elective courses, and picked up very quickly thanks to my music theory background.

In a word, my lessons are more of the style like the music ministry training you can find in the church (which aims to get you on stage to lead the worship asap) mixing with a lot of music theory stuff (like the videos on YouTube), instead of a serious, professional, conservatory-style training, or the classical lessons for kids whose parents want them to become a musical prodigy. My ultimate ambition is developing your skill to pick up and play any song you like very quickly, in a flexible style without sticking to the sheet music, with the power of your understanding of music theory trained by me, rather than making you a virtuoso on certain masterpieces.

So let’s get started!

Lesson 1: Introduction to Accordion

Knowledge You Need to Know

  1. Basic knowledge of the accordion: types, mechanism, etc.
  2. Posture: wearing an accordion, placing an accordion, pressing right hand keys, pressing left hand keys, tapping the beat.
  3. Bellows: operating the bellows, bellow planning, playing accordion with both hands.

In-Class Exercises

  1. Posture Practice
  2. Right Hand Posture Practice
    • Practice pressing right hand key of C with the correct posture silently (without bellows)
    • Thumb, C note button
  3. Left Hand Posture Practice
    • Practice pressing left hand key with the correct posture silently (without bellows)
    • Middle finger, C root note button (with a depression mark on the button)
  4. Bellow Practice (exercises here)

Homework

  1. Explore Accordion Content Online
    • Watch accordion music videos on YouTube or Bilibili to spark your interest. (I’ve written an article on this as well: A Guide of Accordion Music By Styles. You can find out videos here to listen along. )
  2. Review In-Class Exercises
    • Practice the posture and bellow practices until you can do them comfortably.
  3. Explore the Accordion Freely
    • Take your accordion as a toy — experiment with different parts, like register switches. Get used to the feeling of accordion.

Lesson 2: Basic Notes

Knowledge You Need to Know

  1. Basic music theory (notes):
    • Definition of notes, octaves, tuning
    • How the piano keyboard was designed: 12 equal temperament, semitone, natural major scale, whole tone, the black and white keys, keyboard range
    • Notation: white keys (C-D-E-F-G-A-B), black keys (sharps and flats), different octaves
  2. Basic music theory (rhythm):
    • Definition of rhythm, beats, strong and weak beats, metre
    • Tempo, BPM
  3. General (not accordion-specific) stave notation :
    • Note pitch positions on stave, clefs
    • Note durations: whole note, half note, quarter note, eighth note, sixteenth note, etc; slur, dotted notes, tuplets
    • Rests
    • Time signatures

In-Class Exercises

  1. Metre Recognition
    • Listen to some music and identify the metre.
    • Exercises: We Will Rock You, Johnny B. Goode, PRC anthem, Second Waltz, UK anthem, Don’t Look Back in Anger, Please Please Please, 真的爱你, Take Five, Mission Impossible Theme, Perfect, 同桌的你, Money
  2. C-G Notes on Right Hand (exercises here)
    • Practice playing the notes from C to G.
    • Fingering: 1=C, 2=D, 3=E, 4=F, 5=G
  3. C, F, G Root Notes on Left Hand (exercises here)
    • Practice playing the root notes C, F, and G.
    • Fingering: 3=C, 2=G, 4=F

Homework

  1. Review In-Class Exercises
    • Practice recognising metres of your favourite songs.
    • Practice as many exercises as you can (according to your schedule).
  2. Practice C-G Melody Accompanied by C, F, G Root Notes (exercises here)
    • Practice songs in C major with notes C-G only in various time signatures. Use root notes C, F, G to accompany.
    • If you are confident, try practicing songs having a slightly wider range: C-A (exercises here)
  3. Explore Basic Music Theory
    • Watch basic music theory videos on YouTube or Bilibili if you have time.

Lesson 3: Scales and Melody

Knowledge You Need to Know

  1. Basic music theory (scales and melody):
    • Definition of melody and scales
    • Common scales: natural major, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor
    • Modes, relative scales, relative major and minor
  2. Fingering for the accordion right hand keyboard
    • Principles, techniques, practice advice
  3. The Stradella bass system of the accordion left-hand
    • Bass column and counterbass column
  4. Fingering for the accordion left hand buttons
    • The scenario for bass melodies only
  5. Basic music theory (articulations):
    • Legato, staccato, accent

In-Class Exercises

  1. Right-Hand Scales (exercises here)
    • Practice C natural major scale, A natural minor scale, A harmonic minor scale
    • Pay attention to the fingerings and the difference between ascending and descending.
  2. Left-Hand Scales (exercises here)
    • Practice C natural major scale
    • Pay attention to the fingerings
  3. Right-Hand Melody Solo In C major or A minor (exercises here)
    • Practice melodies in C major and A minor

Homework

  1. Review In-Class Exercises
    • Practice as many exercises as you can (according to your schedule).
  2. Practice Melody In C Major Accompanied by Bass Notes (exerciseshere) - Practice songs in C major in various time signatures. Use bass notes in C major to accompany
  3. Try Playing Melody By Ear
    • Think of songs you know with clear melody lines. Try playing them on the right hand without referring to any sheet music. Start with simple songs.
  4. Try Left-Hand Melodies
    • If you are confident, try playing melodies with your left hand basses.

Lesson 4: Accompany Using Major Triads

Knowledge You Need to Know

  1. Basic music theory (chords and harmony):
    • Definition of harmony and chords
    • The concept of chord progression, voicing, lead sheet
    • Common chords (on accordion) and their symbols: major triad, minor triad, dominant seventh chord, diminished seventh chord
  2. Functional harmony (natural major):
    • 1, 4, 5 chords (triads) in natural major key
    • The three-chord progression in natural major key
  3. The Stradella bass system of the accordion left-hand
    • Chord columns
  4. Accordion left-hand stave notation
  5. Chord voicing and its fingering in accordion left hand:
    • Block chords
    • Alternating bass and chords (root bass only)
    • Fingering: 4=root bass, 3=major triad

In-Class Exercises

  1. Major Triad Voicing on Left Hand (exercises here)
    • Practice on C, F, G chords individually. Practice in different rhythms
    • Practice block chords
    • Practice alternating bass and chords (root bass only)
  2. Chord Change Between C, F, G Chords (exercises here)
    • Practice changing between C, F, G chords
    • One row jump: C to G, G to C, C to F, F to C
    • Two row jump: F to G, G to F

Homework

  1. Review In-Class Exercises
    • Practice as many exercises as you can (according to your schedule).
  2. Practice Melody In C Natural Major Accompanied by C, F, G Chords (exercises here)
    • Practice songs in C major in various time signatures. Use C, F, G chords to accompany
    • Try to tell the difference between bass-note accompaniment and chord accompaniment
  3. Try Assigning Chords to Melody
    • Try assigning C, F, G chords to the melody in C major without referring to any sheet music. Play it on accordion to verify if your assignment sounds right.
    • Start with simple songs. You can work on previous melody-only exercises in lesson 2 and lesson 3.

Lesson 5: Accompany Using Minor Triads

Knowledge You Need to Know

  1. Functional harmony (natural minor):
    • 1−, 4−, 5− chords (triads) in natural minor key
    • The three-chord progression in natural major key
  2. Functional harmony (harmonic minor):
    • 1−, 4−, 5 chords (triads) in harmonic minor key
    • The three-chord progression in harmonic minor key
  3. Chord voicing and its fingering in accordion left hand:
    • Fingering: 4=root bass, 2=minor triad

In-Class Exercises

  1. Minor Triad Voicing on Left Hand (exercises here)
    • Practice Am, Dm, and Em chords individually. Practice in different rhythms.
    • Practice block chords
    • Practice alternating bass and chords (root bass only)
  2. Chord Change Between Am, Dm, Em Chords (exercises here)
    • Practice changing between Am, Dm, Em chords.
    • One row jump: Am to Em, Em to Am, Am to Dm, Dm to Am
    • Two row jump: Dm to Em, Em to Dm
  3. Chord Change Between Am, Dm, E Chords (exercises here)
    • Practice changing between Am, Dm, E chords.
    • One row jump: Am to E, E to Am, Am to Dm, Dm to Am
    • Two row jump: Dm to E, E to Dm

Homework

  1. Review In-Class Exercises
    • Practice as many exercises as you can (according to your schedule).
  2. Practice Melody In A Natural Minor Accompanied by Am, Dm, Em Chords (exercises here)
    • Practice songs in A natural minor in various time signatures. Use Am, Dm, Em chords to accompany
  3. Practice Melody in A Harmonic Minor Accompanied by Am, Dm, E Chords (exercises here)
    • Practice songs in A harmonic minor in various time signatures. Use Am, Dm E chords to accompany
    • Try to tell the difference between A natural minor and A harmonic minor

Lesson 6: Accompany Using Dominant Seventh Chords

Knowledge You Need to Know

  1. Functional harmony (the role of dominant seventh chords)
    • 57 chord in natural major
    • 57 chord in harmonic minor
  2. Chord voicing and its fingering in accordion left hand:
    • Fingering: 4=root bass, 2=dominant seventh chord
  3. Blues music theory
    • Major pentatonic scale, minor pentatonic scale
    • Adding the blues note: major blues scale, minor blues scale
    • Twelve-bar blues progression: classic, turnaround, quick to four
  4. Basic music theory (rhythm):
    • Swing rhythm

In-Class Exercises

  1. Dominant Seventh Chord Voicing on Left Hand (exercises here)
    • Practice G7, E7 chords individually. Practice in different rhythms.
    • Practice block chords
    • Practice alternating bass and chords (root bass only)
  2. Chord Change Between C, F, G7 Chords (exercises here)
    • Practice switching between C, F, G7 chords.
    • One row jump: C to G7, G7 to C, C to F, F to C
    • Two row jump: F to G7, G7 to F
  3. Chord Change Between Am, Dm, E7 Chords (exercises here)
    • Practice changing between Am, Dm, E7 chords.
    • One row jump: Am to E7, E7 to Am, Am to Dm, Dm to Am
    • Two row jump: Dm to E7, E7 to Dm
  4. Right-Hand Scales (exercises here)
    • Practice C major pentatonic scale, C minor pentatonic scale, C major blues scale, C minor blues scale
  5. Twelve-Bar Blues Progression (exercises here)
    • Practice twelve-bar blues progression in key of C (classic, turnaround, quick to four) on left hand with different voicing
    • Practice pentatonic and blues scales on right hand accompanied by twelve-bar blues progression

Homework

  1. Review In-Class Exercises
    • Practice as many exercises as you can (according to your schedule).
  2. Practice Melody In C Natural Major Accompanied by C, F, G7 Chords (exercises here)
    • Practice songs in C major in various time signatures. Use C, F, G7 chords to accompany.
    • Review previous exercises in lesson 4, replacing G with G7.
    • Try to tell the difference between G and G7
  3. Practice Melody In A Harmonic Minor Accompanied by Am, Dm, E7 Chords (exercises here)
    • Practice songs in A harmonic minor in various time signatures. Use Am, Dm, E7 chords to accompany.
    • Review previous exercises in lesson 5, replacing E with E7.
    • Try to tell the difference between E and E7
  4. Practice Blues Melody In Key of C Accompanied by Twelve-Bar Blues Progression (exercises here)
    • Practice blues songs in key of C. Use twelve-bar blues progression in key of C to accompany
  5. Try Blues Improvisation
    • Build your melody choosing from the C major pentatonic scale, C minor pentatonic scale, C major blues scale, C minor blues scale
    • Accompany it with any twelve-bar blues progression in key of C (classic, turnaround, quick to four) on left hand

Lesson 7: More Chord Voicing

Knowledge You Need to Know

  1. Chord voicing and its fingering in accordion left hand:
    • 5th bass voicing (triangle bass)
    • 3rd bass voicing
    • Fingering
      • 4=root bass, 3=major triad, 2=5th bass, 4=3rd bass
      • 4=root bass, 2=minor triad, 3=5th bass
      • 3=root bass, 2=minor triad, 3=5th bass, 4=3rd bass
      • 3=root bass, 2=dominant seventh chord, 4=3rd bass, 3=5th bass, 4=7th bass
    • Passing bass in chord changes
      • 4-note (tetrachord): major, minor, upper minor

In-Class Exercises

  1. 5th Bass Voicing (Triangle Bass) (exercises here)
    • Practice all the chords learned individually with triangle bass voicing, in different rhythms
    • Practice all the chord changes learned with triangle bass voicing
  2. 3rd Bass Voicing (exercises here)
    • Practice all the major chords learned individually with 3rd note voicing, in different rhythms
    • (optional) Practice all the minor chords learned individually with 3rd note voicing, in different rhythms
    • Practice all the chord changes learned with 3rd note voicing
  3. Passing Bass in Chord Changes (exercises here)
    • Practice chord changes with passing bass
    • Major tetrachord (2,2,1): C down to G, G up to C, C up to F, F down to C, E up to Am
    • Minor tetrachord (2,1,2): Am up to Dm, Dm down to Am
    • Upper minor tetrachord (1,2,2): Am down to E/Em, Em up to Am
    • Semitone: F to G, G to F, Dm to Em/E, Em/E to Dm
  4. Twelve-Bar Blues Progression (exercises here)
    • Practice twelve-bar blues progression in key of C (classic, turnaround, quick to four) on left hand with more voicing involving basses other than root

Homework

  1. Review In-Class Exercises
    • Try mixing different voicing in the exercises.
    • Practice as many exercises as you can (according to your schedule).
  2. Practice Melody with 3rd and 5th Note Voicing (exercises here)
    • Practice songs in various time signatures. Use 3rd and 5th note for voicing to accompany.
    • Review previous song exercises, replacing root bass only voicing with 3rd and 5th note voicing.
    • Try to tell the difference between root bass only voicing and 3rd and 5th note voicing
  3. Practice Melody with Passing Notes in Chord Changes (exercises here)
    • Practice songs in various time signatures. Use passing notes in chord changes to accompany.
    • Review previous song exercises, use passing notes in chord changes.
    • Try to tell the difference with and without passing notes in chord changes
  4. Practice 50’s Rock Melody In Key of C Accompanied by Twelve-Bar Blues Progression (exercises here)
    • Practice blues-based 50’s rock songs in key of C. Use twelve-bar blues progression in key of C to accompany

Lesson 8: Transposing

Knowledge You Need to Know

  1. Basic music theory (scales and melody):
    • Key
    • Transposition
    • Circle of Fifths
    • All 12 keys 1. C major and a minor (no sharps or flats) 2. G major and e minor scales (#) 3. F major and d minor scales (b) 4. D major and b minor scales (##) 5. Bb major and g minor scales (bb) 6. A major and f# minor scales (###) 7. Eb major and c minor scales (bbb) 8. E major and c# minor scales (####) 9. Ab major and f minor scales (bbbb) 10. B major and g# minor scales (#####) 11. Db major and bb minor scales (bbbbb) 12. F# (Gb) major and eb minor scales (######/bbbbbb)
  2. General (not accordion-specific) stave notation:
    • Key signatures
  3. Fingering for scales on the right hand keyboard
  4. Key invariance of the left-hand Stradella bass system

In-Class Exercises

  1. Right Hand Scales
    • Practice right-hand scales in other keys, following the Circle of Fifths from closest to furthest
  2. Chord Change
    • Practice all the chord change exercises in the previous lessons in other keys
  3. Melody Transposition
    • Given a melody, practice transposing it into other keys
  4. Harmony Transposition
    • Given a chord progression, practice transposing it into other keys

Homework

  1. Review In-Class Exercises
    • Practice as many exercises as you can (according to your schedule).
  2. Practice Melody in Other Keys Accompanied by Transposed Chords
    • Review previous exercises, transposing the melody and chords into other keys

Lesson 9: Chord Progressions in C

Knowledge You Need to Know

  1. Functional harmony (natural major):
    • 2−, 3−, 6− chords (triads) in natural major key
  • Common chord progressions

In-Class Exercises

  1. Chord Change
    • Practice chord change of different rows jump. Try to develop quick muscle memory for locating chords.
      • 1 row jump: C to G, G to C, Dm to Am, Am to Dm, Dm to G, etc.
      • 2 row jump: F to G, G to F, Dm to Em, Em to Dm, Am to G, G to Am, etc. (even harder) F to G to Am, Am to G to F.
      • 3 row jump: C to Am, Am to C, F to Dm, Dm to F
      • 4 row jump: C to Em, F to Am, Am to F, etc.
      • 5 row jump: F to Em, Em to F, etc.
  2. Chord Progressions in Key of C
    • Practice common chord progressions in Key of C in different rhythms.
    • Keep steady and make sure you do not pause in the rhythm. If you make a mistake, correct it immediately instead of stopping.
      • 1451 (Major): C - F - G - C
      • 1451 (Minor): Am - Dm - Em - Am
      • 1625, 6251: C - Am - Dm - G, Am - Dm - G - C
      • 1645, 1564, 6415, 6451: C - Am - F - G, C - G - Am - F, Am - F - C - G, Am - F - G - C
      • 4566: F - G - Am - Am
      • Canon progression: C - G - Am - Em - F - C - Dm - G
      • Circle of Fifths progression 4536(251): F - G - Em - Am (- Dm - G - C)

Homework

  1. Review In-Class Exercises
    • Practice as many exercises as you can (according to your schedule).
  2. Practice Melody In C Major Accompanied by Chord Progressions In C (exercises here)
    • Practice songs in C major in various time signatures. Use chord progressions in C to accompany.

Lesson 10: Playing by Ear

Note

The final lesson is left for the skill of playing by ear. With this ability, you’ll be able to play thousands of songs you enjoy without relying on sheet music, and in your own unique style. This is the key to truly enjoying accordion playing on your own, and will make the ambition stated in the objectives come true!

In-Class Exercises

  1. Ear Training: Identifying Pitch
    • Listen to a pitch or a sequence of pitches played on another accordion, then play it on the accordion.
  2. Ear Training: Identifying Melody
    • Listen to a melody played on another accordion, determine its key, then play it on the accordion.
  3. Ear Training: Identifying Chords
    • Listen to a chord played on another accordion, identify its type, then play it on the accordion (left hand).
  4. Ear Training: Identifying Chord Progressions
    • Listen to a short piece or song played on another accordion, identify its chord progression, then play it on the accordion.

Homework

  1. Review In-Class Exercises
    • For exercise 1 and 3, practice with a partner who can play random pitches or chords for you to identify. If practicing alone, use an ear training app like Toned Ear.
    • For exercises 2 and 4, choose any song you’re interested in, and listen to their recordings for practicing identifying melody and chord progression. Tools can also help, please search melody or chord progression generators.
  2. Practice Pop Songs with Accompaniment
    • This is the goal of our course. Find songs that you are interested in (preferably pop songs as opposed to classical music), and try to achieve the following 3 levels one by one:
      • Level 1: Play by full sheet music (with precise notes of both bands). Find sheet music and practice playing it. Pay attention to the chord progression, music theory behind, and how it was organised as you read it. Online resources: MuseScore, Zhong Kai’s Accordion (WeChat official account), or any other sheet music websites, accordion forums, etc.
      • Level 2: Play by chord chart (with only lyrics and chords). Find chord charts, choose proper rhythm patterns to voice the chords, and apply your melody identifying skills to play the melody without sheet music. Online resources: Ultimate Guitar, Guitarians, or any other guitar websites.
      • Level 3: Play entirely by ear. Listen to the song, identify both the melody and chord progression, and play them on the accordion.
  3. Try Transcribing Songs
    • Once you can identify the melody and chords, try transcribing songs into a chord chart, a lead sheet or even full sheet music.
    • You can either write it down or use sheet music software like MuseScore. This can help you remember the songs and build your own repertoire (songbook).
    • Examples of transcriptions and songbook can be found in my blog.
  4. Further Study: Music Theory and Songwriting
    • Find resources, study pop music theory and explore song writing. The deeper you learn, the more styles of songs you are familiar, and the easier you can play by ear. Recommended resources: David Bennett, NiceChord (earlier videos)
    • After you gain much experience on this, try harmonizing melodies on your own, i.e. assigning chords to the melodies. This can be both during transcribing or playing in real time. This gives you the ability to play any song instantly without any preparation, which is the ultimate goal of this course.
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