Livestream | Designing Bellowing In Sheet Music

Hi, I’m Dallas Vietty—accordion performer and educator based in Pennsylvania, USA. I’ve been playing and teaching accordion for over a decade, with a deep focus on expression, groove, and creative musicianship. In this livestream, we’re going to tackle one of the most essential—and often most overlooked—parts of playing the accordion well: bellowing.

This episode is titled “Designing Bellowing in Sheet Music”, and we’ll explore how to thoughtfully plan your bellows changes to support the music you’re playing. Whether you’re working from sheet music, lead sheets, or your own arrangements, bellowing isn’t just a technical choice—it’s a musical one that can shape phrasing, dynamics, and emotional impact.

We’ll especially focus on how to approach bellowing when playing both hands together, which is where things often get complicated. I’ll share practical strategies for staying in control, avoiding awkward direction changes, and creating phrasing that breathes naturally. And we’ll look at why solo accordion playing puts your bellowing choices in the spotlight—and how to design them to keep your performance fluid and expressive.

If you’ve ever struggled with running out of air mid-phrase, or felt unsure when and how to switch directions, this session will give you the tools and mindset to build more confidence and musicality into every phrase you play.