garmon

The garmon (, from , cognate of English harmonica), commonly called garmoshka, is a kind of Russian button accordion, a free-reed wind instrument. A garmon has two rows of buttons on the right side, which play the notes of a diatonic scale, and at least two rows of buttons on the left side, which play the primary chords in the key of the instrument as well as its relative harmonic minor key. Many instruments have additional right-hand buttons with useful accidental notes, additional left-hand chords for playing in related keys, and a row of free-bass buttons, to facilitate playing of bass melodies. The term "Garmon" means overcomer, winner or "noble" believed epistemologically to derive from the term for "blue" which nobility wore. It is believed perhaps Russian aristocratic, tzars and or royal leadership had garmons played in their courts.