You can help TheFreeReed.net by sending materials and providing feedback. The best help is by getting new instrument pictures to the accordion gallery. Before submitting the material to the administrator, please read the instructions on this page.
General about sending material
Material sent primarily to TheFreeReed.net should complement the site. With regard to physical items such as notes, musical instruments, or accessories, it is better that the donation is made directly to your national accordion association or institute (In Finland, the Finnish Accordion Institute), If the sent materials become unnecessary for the owner of the site, the materials will be given forward to the Finnish Accordion Institute.
You can send non-digital accordion images and texts to the administrator. The materials are made into a digital format if needed by scanning. Original materials will not be sent back unless otherwise agreed. VHS videos, tapes, or similar moving image materials are not accepted. For the above mentioned materials, it is better that the materials will primarily be in digital form. However, if non-digital material is donated for use, the site owner decides what to do with the materials.
Materials in non-digital format must be posted or delivered directly to the operator. A message must be attached to the consignment with the consent to grant the right to publish the materials to company Harmonikan huolto ja restaurointi tmi Viljo Mannerjoki. Alternatively, you can send a message by e-mail. Contact information can be found in the Contacts tab of the main menu.
Digital materials
Materials in digital form are preferably received by e-mail. If you have a large amount of material, you can send a CD, DVD, or provide a link to the cloud service you manage. It must be possible to prove the origin of files downloaded to the Internet in order to avoid any ambiguity in copyright matters. To ensure the authenticity of the material, original materials are the best sources of information (e.g. historical photographs). A mention with consent to the granting of the right to publish materials should also be attached to the e-mail. If you send a lot of pictures, a mention of publishing rights is sufficient in the first post.
Sending images to the accordion gallery
Pictures can be sent to viljo.mannerjoki [at] vapaadykka.net. When sending images for the gallery, the site administrator is given a permission to publish the images. Here are instructions for taking and sending photos:
- It’s good to have a large resolution picture, well-exposed and as good quality as possible. Small pictures will not be published. The maximum width of the image is 5000 px. It is good to have the Images in a general image format, such as jpeg.
- The accordion straps should be neatly hidden behind the accordion body or not attached to the accordion at all.
- Images with badly reflected surfaces will not be published. (e.g. Images taken through the glass)
- The image should be horizontal. The gallery uses a 4:3 aspect ratio. Place the accordion in the center of the image horizontally with some space on the sides. The best picture comes when the image is taken from the front right upper corner. In this case, the accordion will have a depth effect and any chin registers will be displayed. See e.g. https://vapaalehdykka.net/harmonikkagalleria/genius-iv-120-c-bayan/
- The background of the image should be such that the outline of the accordion is well displayed. A light background has been proven to be good for dark instruments and a dark background for light instruments. Avoid strong background colors and patterns.
- No persons are allowed to be recognized in the image.
- Please include the following information as best you can:
- manufacturer (the name of the company that manufactured the player. E.g. PIGINI s.r.l.),
- model, (Model 115, Poeta, Lucia III P, Organotone, etc.),
- brand name (name displayed on the accordion, such as Titano, Paolo Soprani, Borsini, Pigini),
- manufacturing place (city, state),
- the date of manufacture (year, exact date or an estimate)
- number of register buttons in format 11+4 (Treble+Bass). For chin register models, the format is 11+(3)+4,
- number of reeds 3+5 (treble + bass),
- the key range and the lowest and highest voice e.g. 41 (f-a),
- reeds to the best of knowledge (Italians, Germans or even – if you can tell – the manufacturer and quality, e.g. Antonelli, Tipo a mano,
- Instrument measures 42 x 21 x 39 cm (height, depth, and width). The height and depth are measured from the outer dimensions of the bellows. The depth is measured from the top outline of the treble side to the table when the accordion is on a table and on its feet. Dimensions are expressed in centimeters (cm).
- weight e.g. 11,4 kg. Weight to within 100 g in kilograms and
- if the history or model of the accordion involves any valuable informations, it is also worth mentioning these things (e.g. This is the last accordion Viljo Vesterinen used). If the accordion includes a story, it can be published with the image.
- Do not edit images in any way with any program.