Concertina Explained: Features, Types and Tips

There is something quietly extraordinary about the concertina. Small enough to fit in a coat pocket, it produces a sound that has accompanied sailors, miners, and village dancers for nearly two centuries. It found its way into Irish sessions and English folk clubs, onto the ships of emigrants and into the hands of Victorian parlour performers. Understanding what this instrument is — and the remarkable variety of forms it takes — opens the door to a whole world of playing.

What Is a Concertina?

The concertina is a free-reed instrument, meaning it produces sound when a stream of air (driven by the bellows) causes a thin metal reed to vibrate. The player controls the air by pressing the bellows together or drawing them apart, while pressing small buttons on either end to select which reeds sound. The result is a compact, expressive, and remarkably versatile instrument that rewards patient learning.

Charles Wheatstone, the English inventor and scientist, patented his design in 1844, though his work dates from the 1820s. A related German-influenced design — the Anglo — developed separately and became dominant in folk traditions. The two share a basic mechanism but handle very differently.

The Three Main Types

Understanding the differences between concertina types is essential, because each behaves in a fundamentally distinct way.

Anglo

The Anglo is a bisonoric instrument — meaning each button produces a different note depending on whether the bellows are being pushed in or pulled out, just like a harmonica or melodeon. Most Anglo instruments have 20, 26, or 30 buttons and come in a standard key of C/G. This push-pull technique requires more coordination to master but produces the characteristic rhythmic drive that makes the Anglo so compelling in Irish traditional music and English folk.

English

The English concertina is unisonoric — each button produces the same note regardless of bellows direction. This makes it fully chromatic and arguably easier to understand in theory, with notes arranged in a logical interlocking pattern across both rows. It has a sweeter, more even tone and suits classical, music hall, and English folk styles, and was once enormously popular in Victorian England.

Duet

The duet type places lower notes on the left hand and higher notes on the right, allowing the player to accompany themselves with bass and chord. Several duet systems exist — the Hayden, the McCann, and the Crane — each with its own button layout. The Hayden system, with its consistent geometric arrangement, is generally considered the most logical for new learners. Duets suit harmonic playing and are less common in traditional folk settings.

How the Concertina Makes Sound

Inside each end of the instrument sits a reed pan — a flat board into which individual metal reeds are fixed over slots. When a button is pressed, it opens a corresponding pad, allowing air from the bellows to flow past the reed and cause it to vibrate at a specific pitch. The sound exits through small holes in the ends of the instrument. The quality of the reeds and the precision of the leatherwork covering the holes beneath the buttons have an enormous effect on how an instrument responds and how evenly it plays across its range.

Traditional Uses and Musical Contexts

The concertina's roots are genuinely varied. In Ireland, the Anglo became one of the defining instruments of traditional sessions, associated particularly with County Clare. The playing of Noel Hill — whose recordings from the 1980s are still widely studied — demonstrated what the Anglo could achieve at the highest level of the tradition.

In England, the concertina was central to the brass band and choral accompaniment traditions of the Victorian era. It was also the instrument of choice for many sailors — lightweight, durable, and capable of accompanying song — and appears in accounts of 19th-century maritime life across the British Isles and the wider Empire.

Today, the concertina is played across a wide spectrum: Irish trad, English country dance, sea shanties, Cajun music, South African boeremusiek, and contemporary folk composition. It remains a living instrument with a genuinely global community of players.

Key Features to Understand Before Buying

• Reeds — traditional steel reeds (often called "accordion reeds" in budget instruments, but genuine concertina reeds are made differently) are generally superior in responsiveness and tone to the mass-produced alternatives.
• Number of buttons — more buttons means a wider range and more keys available. A 20-button Anglo covers the basics; 30 buttons is standard for serious playing.
• Body shape — most concertinas are hexagonal (six-sided) or octagonal. The shape affects the feel in the hands more than the tone.
• End material — metal or wood ends both appear on quality instruments; the difference is largely aesthetic.

For guidance on which type and price level to consider, see our complete concertina buyer's guide. If you're coming to the instrument for the first time, the beginner's guide to the concertina will help you find your footing. And for an overview of where to find genuine value at every budget, read our look at the best concertinas for the money.

The Bottom Line

The concertina is a uniquely personal instrument — small, direct, and deeply connected to specific musical traditions. Whether you're drawn to the rhythmic pulse of the Anglo in an Irish session, the chromatic range of the English, or the self-accompanying possibilities of the duet, understanding the differences between types is the essential first step to finding the right path in.

Frequently Asked Questions