"New Music Box," the web magazine for the American Music Center has published an article by American author and accordionist (and founder of The Classical Free-Reed, Inc.) Henry Doktorski titled "Composer's Toolbox: Accordion Registrations."

The article briefly relates the history of the instrument, its phenomenal growth in popularity during the 19th century, its affiliation with the folk music from many countries, its use by classical composers, and the development of the various registers of different types of reeds.

Doktorski goes into some detail describing the characteristic sounds of twelve different reed combinations, and also provides thirteen MP3 sound files which present a definitive aural demonstration. The article can be seen on the "New Music Box" website at:

NewMusicBox.org -- http://www.newmusicbox.org/article.nmbx?id=4178