What Is Kravtsov’s Keyboard?

During past 30 years Kravtsov’s work was focused on enabling piano accordionists to complete successfully with bayan players in their most prestigious realm - chamber music for bayan. In order to secure a victory in that competition, the piano accordion has to acquire new capabilities, new performing potential. Gradually, step-by-step, N.A.Kravtsov modernized the classical organ-piano keyboard of the instrument. Thirty years have passed between first development type of instrument and its current glorious appearance in world-class musical contests. During that period, Kravtsov’s invention has proved its viability. Kravtsov’s accordion has deserved the status of an unique instrument as to its performing capabilities.

Objective

Traditionally the culture of organ and piano performing has proved its topicality and value over many generations of musicians. That is the source of its dominant role in the design of keyboard instruments: organ, piano, accordion, various electric instruments. Indeed, as parents introduce their child to music, they are perfectly convinced that he or she will become prominent in playing any of these instruments (because their keyboards look identical). That is the reason why piano accordion is constantly gaining in popularity. However, even though the situation may look idyllic, the professional piano accordion music is far from prosperity.

It appears, on the button accordion (called 'bayan' in Russia) music of all genres could be performed: from original chamber music up to a folk songs. But the piano accordion does not allow such diversity. The piece of music has to be adapted. Moreover, such adaptation can only be done by a top-range professional.

One possibility is to learn to play the button accordion right from the start. However, the parents of a would-be-musician do not favor such an option, because the one who has learned to play the button keyboard can only play one instrument, the button accordion. The Piano keyboard is so popular that children’s musical schools of St.-Petersburg report the ratio of 2:8 for the numbers of students of button accordions and piano accordions, respectively. A similar situation exist in Moscow.

And what to do with a young piano accordionist, if he wants to shift from popular music to academic one? Does he or she have to abandon the previously acquired skills and start learning to play from scratch again, in order to master the button keyboard? And what of the seven worl prevailing push-button systems is rationaly to overlearn? Certainly, none of the advanced young musicians would choose to do so. Fortunately, the way out of this situation turned out to be quite obvious and natural. In music, as well as in Dame Nature, the preferred path of development is the evolution. The piano accordion urgently demanded that its natural evolution be continued into the next stage. This demand was met by improving the piano keyboard of the accordion, which facilitated the instrument with new expressing capabilities.

How It Was Made

1. The main objective of modernizing the piano keyboard of the accordion was the compact layout of the keys… More >>>

2. The second, yet equally important objective was to make the keyboard as convenient as possible for playing. This meant finding the most optimal shape for the keys... More >>>

• Left-hand Keyboard