I have recently acquired a Tanzbär Concert roll-playing accordion with
a good selection of rolls and I have been trying (without much success)
to master the technique of playing it to give a credible performance.

The basic premise is this: You open and close the bellows to make the
reeds sound whilst manipulating a crank with the fingers of your right
hand to make the roll pass over a keyframe.  It's a bit like rubbing
your stomach and patting your head at the same time -- it sounds simple
but in practice it's not!

The crank seems to operate a flywheel mechanism (along similar lines to
a push-along toy car).  If you are too keen the roll races away, but
pumping in time with the music causes the roll transport to be uneven.
Does anyone know the secret or have the original instructions?

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Steve Greatrex
Plymouth (UK)
steve@polvellan.freeserve.co.uk.geentroep [delete ".geentroep" to reply]

 [ What were the different models?  On the Internet I find mention of
 [ 16-note and 28-note rolls, and of a Tanzbär "Concert Grand" model
 [ with 80 reeds.  Drehorgelbau Blüml, of Grassau, Germany, makes a
 [ 28-key model, see http://www.drehorgelwerkstatt.de/tanzbaer.htm 
 [ -- Editor (Robbie)