Squeezebox StudioA minor on a D/G melodeon
A minor uses A, B, C, D, E, F and G. On a D/G there is one complete octave, from A4 to A5.
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 A4 to A5
Every note of this octave is on the G row, so you can play it without leaving the row. That takes six changes of bellows going up.
Crossing the rows cuts that to three changes of bellows, at the cost of three moves between rows:
| Note | Buttons |
|---|---|
| A4 | 5 push, 3′ pull |
| B4 | 5 pull, 4′ push |
| C5 | 4′ pull |
| D5 | 6 push, 5′ push |
| E5 | 7 pull, 5′ pull |
| F5 | 1′ push (accidental) |
| G5 | 8 pull, 6′ push |
| A5 | 8 push, 7′ pull |
Above and below
From A3 the scale is incomplete: this box has no B3, C4 or F4. Tunes that go that far down will need a different note there, or a different key.
From A5 the scale is incomplete: this box has no F6. 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, D Dorian, G Mixolydian.
A minor on other boxes: G/C melodeon, B/C button accordion.
Other keys on a D/G: G major, D major, C major, E minor, B minor, A Dorian, E Dorian, D Dorian, D Mixolydian, A Mixolydian, G Mixolydian. Or see every key compared and the D/G button chart.