The Accordion Dream

I was going to give ten biblical reasons not to burn the Qu'ran but let's not even go there. Instead, here's a long overdue photo of the instrument bringing me so much excitement over the last couple of weeks. Bought second hand for my mum, by my great grandmother in 1973, costing £30, this beautiful baby piano accordion having never been played by the rest of my family now falls into my adoring but more than slightly amateur hands

I've just realised the photo is confusing because I used a mirror to take it, but there are two octaves of piano keys to be played using the right hand and three rows of eight buttons for the bass, each corresponding to chords. Of these, so far I've only mastered the art of using about 4 of them. Any accordion wisdom would be much appreciated, my technique (though masterful in the key of D) is entirely trial and error.

So far I can play selected jigs, reels and hornpipes (mainly ones in the key of G or D), and a few rousing hymn choruses from Mission Praise. Along with the two or so famous bars from Edward Maya's absolute dance classic 'Stereo Love', my beginners repertoire is complete and certainly enough to drive my family members and new housemates into a state of insanity. For this reason I think I will have to begin keeping my sessions to home alone time!