Squeezebox Studio
Scale

D Dorian on a B/C button accordion

D Dorian uses D, E, F, G, A, B and C. On a B/C there is one complete octave, from D4 to D5.

It has the same notes as C major, so the buttons are the same; what changes is the note the tune comes home to.

From D4 to D5

Push, above the linePull, below the line

Every note of this octave is on the C row, so you can play it without leaving the row. That takes six changes of bellows going up.

Crossing the rows cuts that to four changes of bellows, at the cost of two moves between rows:

C rowinsideE3A31'G3B32'C4D413'E42F434'G44A455'C57B466'E5D587'G5F58'C6A59'E6B510'B rowoutsideD♯3G♯31F♯3A♯32B3C♯43D♯4E44F♯4G♯45B4A♯46D♯5C♯57F♯5E58B5G♯59D♯6A♯510F♯6C♯611
The first way, marked on the box: numbers give the order, blue halves are push and orange are pull.
Every button for each note of this octave
NoteButtons
D43′ pull
E44 pull, 4′ push
F44′ pull
G45′ push
A45′ pull
B46 push, 6′ pull
C56′ push
D57′ pull

Above and below

From D3 the scale is incomplete: this box has no D3 or F3. Tunes that go that far down will need a different note there, or a different key.

From D5 the scale is incomplete: this box has no D6. Tunes that go that far up will need a different note there, or a different key.

Tab is only the start

A scale shows where the notes are, but a tune rarely runs straight up the octave. Whether you play a note on the push or the pull depends on the notes either side of it, the rhythm, and whether you play along the rows or across them. Along or across the rows explains the difference.

Same notes, different home: C major, A minor, G Mixolydian.

D Dorian on other boxes: D/G melodeon, G/C melodeon.

Other keys on a B/C: G major, D major, A major, C major, F major, E major, E minor, A minor, B minor, D minor, G minor, A Dorian, E Dorian, B Dorian, G Dorian, D Mixolydian, A Mixolydian, G Mixolydian, C Mixolydian. Or see every key compared and the B/C button chart.