DontRunMeOver

If it's a decent accordian it will be able to play in any key. With an accordian you play the melody with your right hand, select chords with your left hand and create the rhythm and sustain of the notes by stretching and squeezing the bellows mechanism. The melody is played on a keyboard like a small piano keyboard, thus it can play all of the notes of the western scale, in any key. Just like a piano keyboard (but over a smaller range).

There's probably a lot more limitation on the rhythm rather than on the melody and harmony for the accordian. Also the chords that it can make are pretty clumsy sounding so if it's for a group piece you might want to make the accordian play the lead (the melody).


If you're not really giving them any direction for the harmonies then it might be best to tell them the music is in Am. That'll be easiest for the accordian to improvise over (well, that or C major and C major is boring.)

__________________