Family Chemnitzer

What is a Chemnitzer? When folks ask about this strange instrument of mine, it can be hard to know where to start.

It’s basically an accordion – that’s what I usually say. It was made in 1920s Chicago, where my great-grandfather played it in his polka band. It has a terrifying keyboard layout that’s kept me from learning it in earnest, so far at least.

Most importantly, it looks, feels, and sounds incredible, even a century after it was made.

If you’re looking to incorporate a natural accordion sound into your music, this sample pack may be a perfect fit. I individually recorded each note at 3 dynamic levels, set some tasteful loop points, and added gentle noise reduction and normalization.

Its range spans from E2 to F#6, but skips F#2 and G#2. That’s a lot of ground covered by one squeezebox! Each individual sample is included so you can tinker with all the sounds and settings.

Want to learn more? Visit my website at tomiakchemnitzer.com for articles, images, and a library of my great-grandfather’s sheet music.

I hope you enjoy my family Chemnitzer!