How have electronics and evolving technology been adapted to the accordion?
Electronics have been applied to the accordion as long as they have to any instrument. For half a century, it has been common to embed a contact microphone inside an accordion to boost its sound output in a large arena. The advent of MIDI (musical instrument digital interface) opened a new realm of electronic possibilities for the instrument. By attaching a contact to each key and feeding this to a sound module,
the accordion becomes a MIDI controller with numerous sound possibilities in addition to its acoustic reeds. Since sound modules may incorporate drum machines, the result is a complete ensemble sound.
But the accordion has always been somewhat of a "one-person band" anyway and this merely expands the possibilities for performance.
By carefully selecting various timbres from a sound bank, a MIDI accordion can combine acoustic reeds with the electronic timbres.
Although this could lock the strolling accordionist to one position near his or her electronic support, many manufacturers offer a wireless system that frees the performer from electronic cables and connectors. In addition, some manufacturers have created a "reedless" accordion which is totally electronic, thus lightening the traditional weight of the acoustic accordion.