The Bandoneon Range of Notes

The Bandoneon Range of Notes spans 5 octaves

The bandoneon range of notes is surprising, despite the dimensions of this musical instrument: in the most popular model, the 33/38 Rheinische Tonlage Bandoneon, the bass side spans from C2 to B4 (3 octaves), while the melody side ranges from A3 to B6 (another 3 octaves). The extensions of both sides slightly overlap, resulting in an impressive total range of nearly 5 octaves.

Explore the comparative infographics featuring various musical instruments.

The bandoneon's range of notes and a comparison with some other instruments,
The bandoneon’s range of notes and a comparison with some other instruments.
Click on the image to download the PDF.

In another article I published the bandoneon keyboard layouts and their comparison with the piano.

In the article you can download the PDF of the bandoneon keyboard diagrams, in a colored version (where the keys are grouped by octaves) or in a black and white version suitable for printing.

This is a fundamental material to start the study of the bandoneon, and at the same time it can be useful for composers to understand the acoustic extension of the bandoneon on each of the two keyboards.

I have also written a guide for composers and arrangers who wish to write for the bandoneon and need a first approach to the instrument.

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