Concertina, << `kon` suhr TEE nuh, >> is a musical instrument in which metal reeds are made to vibrate by air pressure produced by opening and closing a bellows. Small keys or plugs in the end plates of the instrument open valves that control the reeds. The treble concertina used the most is a small, six-sided instrument with a range of about 31/2 octaves. There are also tenor, bass, and contrabass concertinas. The British inventor Sir Charles Wheatstone patented the concertina in 1829.
See also Wheatstone, Sir Charles.
