Stop-Knobs
Most harmoniums have 2 or more stop-knobs that control different aspects of the instrument’s sound:
- Air stops determine the flow of air to the different sets of reeds in the instrument, giving you control over the relative blend of bass and treble.
Drone stops produce tones when the bellows are pumped without any keys being depressed. A harmonium typically has anywhere from 1 to 5 different drones.
- The Tremolo stop activates a vibrato mechanism that only works if no other air stops are open. This is a lesser used feature.
Stop-Knob Arrangements for Common Bina Models
Models 8, 9, and 11: 3¼ octave standard, seven knobs
(1) Air stop, male reeds; (2) Drone; (3) Air-stop, bass reeds;
(4) Drone; (5) Tremolo, (6) Drone; (7) Air-stop, male reeds.
All 2½ octave models (standard and collapsible), four knobs
(1) Air stop, male reeds; (2) Air-stop, bass reeds; (3) Tremolo,
(4) Drone. The tremolo and drone might be switched.
23B: 3¼ octave collapsible, six knobs
(1) Air stop, male reeds; (2) & (3) Air stop, bass reeds;
(4) Drone; (5) Tremolo; (6) Drone.
23B: 3½ octave collapsible & Model 17: 3½ octave standard, nine knobs
(1) Air stop, male reeds; (2) Drone; (3) Air stop, bass reeds;
(4) Drone; (5) Air stop, bass reeds; (6) Drone; (7) Tremolo;
(8) Drone; (9) Air stop, male reeds.
Standard and Collapsible Models
Collapsible harmoniums are specially designed to fold up into the shape of a suitcase and have a carrying handle on the front. These models are well suited for regular travel, and are small enough to carry on airplanes.
Standard harmoniums have carrying handles on the sides and a wooden top cover that slides on to protect the keyboard. Standard models are well suited for in-home uses; their keyboards are also a little lower than comparable collapsible models, which may make them more comfortable to play.
The specific design has no real impact on tonal quality, and both are easily portable (especially with the carrying case included with every Bina model).
Size
For most chanting and singing purposes, 2½ octaves is enough for most people’s vocal ranges. The smaller size of the instrument is often more suitable for personal use, especially the standard non-collapsible models.
The larger instruments, on the other hand, have a greater air capacity. In general, this greater capacity allows for a wider dynamic range (soft to loud) though some smaller harmoniums will outperform the larger ones. This makes them more suitable for group chanting or ensemble uses.
Keyboard
Piano-style keys have square ends; organ-style keys have rounded ends. While the style makes no difference in sound, your fingers may be more comfortable with one or the other.
Bellows
Top-fold bellows have a top latch and open rearwards. These come in single-, double-, and triple-fold variations.
In general, a larger number of folds makes the bellows easier to pump, but this will vary between instruments.
Wood and Finish Materials
Most harmoniums are made with fir, finished in either light brown or dark cherry. The one exception is the 2½ octave standard model which is made with teak wood with a medium-brown finish. Different models incorporate different qualities of other finish materials, such as the carrying handles and the nylon used on the keys.
The more expensive models are also made by more experienced craftsmen, so the overall quality is often a little higher (straighter and cleaner cuts, for example). These differences can be noticed if you carefully examine different instruments, but may have little impact on the overall sound.
For more complete information with illustrations on all these features, please consult the Harmonium Handbook by Kraig Brockschmidt.
