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"Technology and the Accordion" Survey
(accordion means all bellows instruments)

This survey asked your opinion about technology related to accordion. The results are in red. The results will show some bias towards technology and using computers since it is an online survey. The accuracy is probably 8% plus or minus due to the number of responses being less than five hundred. We have included some of the comments, both positive and negative.
Harley Jones
Director, Accordions Worldwide

Accordion manufacture:
Technology today allows microphones, midi contacts, reedless accordion, amplifier.

Have you considered buying any of these in the last 3 years?

	Microphones: Y/N 53% Yes
	Midi contacts to fit in your accordion: Y/N 29% Yes
	New accordion with midi fitted: Y/N 32% Yes
	Reedless accordion: Y/N 21% Yes
	Amplifier: Y/N 32% Yes

Are you planning to buy any of these in the next 3 years?

	Microphones: Y/N 32% Yes
	Midi contacts to fit in your accordion: Y/N 11% Yes
	New accordion with midi fitted:Y/N 17% Yes
	Reedless accordion: Y/N 11% Yes
	Amplifier: Y/N 26% Yes

Printed Accordion Music:

	Has the internet increased availability of accordion music? Y/N 76% Yes
	Have you learnt about new publishers because of the internet? Y/N 70% Yes
	Have you purchased printed music using the internet? Y/N 50% Yes

If yes, will you purchase again? Y/N 26% Yes

Have you purchased printed music in digital format, sent to you by email?
Y/N 11% Yes

If yes, will you purchase again? Y/N 9% Yes

Do you intend to purchase printed music using the internet in the next 3 years?
Y/N 70% Yes

Recordings of Accordion Music:

Have you purchased any types of accordion recording (CD, DVD, Video, MP3) using the internet? Y/N 58% Yes

If yes, will you purchase again? Y/N 47% Yes

Have you purchased any individual music tracks using the internet?
Y/N 15% Yes

If yes, will you purchase again? Y/N 15% Yes

Do you intend to purchase any recordings of accordion music using the internet in the next 3 years? Y/N 74% Yes

Personal Video Recorder (handi cam):

	Has this been a teaching aid for you or your children? Y/N 44% Yes
	How much do you think the personal video recorder has helped spreading accordion knowledge and skills?

A lot:Y/N 32% Yes Medium: Y/N 15% Yess Not much: Y/N 11% Yes

	Do you intend to use a video recorder for accordion educational purposes in the next 3 years? Y/N 29% Yes
	Teachers only:
	Do you use a personal video recorder as a teaching aid? Y/N 23% of all responses were Yes
	Do you intend to use a personal video recorder as a teaching aid in the next 3 years? Y/N 11% of all responses were Yes

Communications/Locating Accordionists:

Have you used the internet to try and locate an accordionist? Was that to:

	Find a Teacher? Y/N 18% Yes
	Find a Performer? Y/N 58% Yes
	Locate an accordion friend? Y/N 53% Yes
	Meet an accordionist when travelling? Y/N 32% Yes
	Find information for:

	An accordion concert? Y/N 74% Yes
	An accordion festival? Y/N 74% Yes
	An accordion competition? Y/N 50% Yes

Will you use the internet in the next 3 years to locate accordionists or obtain accordion event information? Y/N 85% Yes

Accordion Competitions and Festivals:

Rules and Information: Which would you rather do (mark Y for your favourite choice below, N for the other choices)

	Look on internet? Y/N 68% Yes
	Send a letter asking for information? Y/N 15% Yes
	Telephone to have information sent? Y/N 6% Yes

Entries: Which would you rather do (mark Y for your favourite choice below, N for the other choices)

	Send your entry via the internet/online submit form? Y/N 44% Yes
	Send entry by letter? Y/N 12% Yes
	Send entry by fax? Y/N 15% Yes

Payment of Entry: Which would you rather do (mark Y for your favourite choice below, N for the other choices)

	Pay your entry via the internet using credit card? Y/N 32% Yes
	Pay your entry by mail with check or postal order? Y/N 18% Yes

Most accordion competitions ban microphones, midi equipped accordions and reedless accordions.

	Do you agree with this ban for serious solo classes? Y/N 41% Yes
	Do you agree with this ban for entertainment classes? Y/N 24% Yes
	Would you enjoy a class for instruments using these technologies? Y/N 50% Yes
	Comment box about Accordion Competitions and Festivals: (up to 40 words) - Prefer keeping the accordion a musicial instrument. - Nothing electronic as it kill the beauty of accordion. - Most accoustic players are behind the times and should embrace the midi accordion. Bass solos and bellow shakes etc, do not empress the average "joe public" and that is why most accordion players only feature at accordion conventions. - I always say;if I want to sound like an organ…I play organ. If I want to sound like an accordion..play accordion! Accordion & microphones is what I play. - Must be prepared to accept new technology - All major events should be advertised on the web along with details (including rules, etc.)

	Recordings of Competitions and Festivals:
	Would you buy a video of a major accordion competition? Y/N 59% Yes
	Would you buy a CD of a major accordion competition? Y/N 65% Yes
	Would you buy a video of a major accordion festival? Y/N 53% Yes
	Would you buy a CD of a major accordion festival? Y/N 76% Yes

General:

	Is technology overall a good thing for the accordion? Y/N 79% Yes
	What do you dislike the most about technology relating to the accordion? Comments box. Up to 60 words. - Just keep it what it used to be. - We must respect new technology but also the new technology must respect the natural physical accordion. We accordionists must realise that we must protect the natural sound off the accordion, because this what makes it so sensitive and unique. - It gets outdated too fast. - Accordion has a special niche…and stands apart from all other acoustic instruments. With tech this line gets blurred and it becomes just one more instrument. - Expense, in addition to level of difficulty in mastering use of it. - Midi sound. - I'd say that I don’t care for midi and reedless sound sources at their present level of development, and I don’t know if any level of development would satisfy me. - I think there should nothing electronic as it kills the beauty of the accordion tone. All tech improvements could be inform of further improving the great tremelo/mussette tones. - Lets not forget the cordovox debacle, expensive electronics, cheap reeds. In the end, what matter most is the human being playing the music. - When it is not used in the proper way… giving the listener a bad impression of the new technology available. - Personally I can't stand to hear accordionists who make all kinds of extraneous sounds with midi such as strings and synthesizer. - There can be no substitute fo the natural instrument in producing a performance full of dynamics and feeling. (I have not played or heard a reedless accordion so my opinion is not a balanced one). - I do not like the midi accordion, especially when I do not hear the sound of the accordion. - Most MIDI's are complicated, though. They need to be more compact and easier to use. - Cheap Midi sounds, or excellent sounds being performed in a sloppy manner. - The people who don’t know how to use technology effectively or tastefully.
	What do you like the most about technology relating to the accordion? Comments box. Up to 60 words. - Through the internet, we can keep up with accordion happenings all over the world, and the latest in technology. - To produce a most qualified microphone system and also to produce reedless accordions with perfectly natural sampled accordion sounds. - The accordion sounds great amplified with a bit of reverb. I find I play better when my accordion is amplified. A bit like singing in the bathroom! Midi allows you to have a complete backing band as well as other instruments on the treble side. - It’s the way forward and enables the accordionist to play a wide variety of gigs with an up to date sound. - I started an accordion society in Washinton DC and it was totally operated in the internet and using email to contact, update and notify members. - The internet is wonderful. Microphones are good. Audial visual technology are good. - Technology can take your audience into a new dimension for the accordion … thus showing how the accordion can be used in many different situations…and audiences in the majority greatly appreciate any new sound and effect that fit in the scope. - Increase the veraility of the instrument especially in the entertainment sector. Has increased the awareness in the accordion which has suffered greatly over the last 20 years. I see a reedless accordion would be useful as a practice instrument. - The advent of electronics and particularly midi has kept the accordion in league with the newest synths and able to compete as fully modern, dynamic instrument. - It will like most accessible to all ages of player. - Good amplification. - The internet is a perfect way to convey information to accordion interested people.

Many thanks to all those who helped by filling in this survey.