Add SATB Ensemble Accordions (合奏用アコーディオン) to instruments.xml

Your idea

Add four commonly used Japanese ensemble accordions — Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass Accordion — as individual instruments in instruments.xml. These are used in SATB-style school ensemble (器楽合奏) settings, especially in Japan. Each instrument should include appropriate clefs, ranges, and playback support, with Tenor Accordion defaulting to Treble clef and transposing down an octave.

Problem to be solved

Currently, MuseScore users cannot directly add these instruments through the “Instruments” (I) panel. Instead, they must manually configure clefs, transpositions, and parts using workarounds or templates. This slows down the workflow for educators and students creating authentic school ensemble scores, where SATB accordions are standard.

Prior art

These instruments are widely used in Japanese school music programs. For example, in Music Eight’s published score SK228《夕焼けこやけ》変奏曲, the instrumentation includes:

Melody & Harmony:
• Recorder
• Keyboard Harmonica
• Xylophone
• Glockenspiel
• Soprano Accordion
• Alto Accordion
• Tenor Accordion
• Bass Accordion
• Piano
• Flute

Percussion:
• Snare Drum
• Bass Drum
• Conga
• Triangle
• Crash Cymbals
• Suspended Cymbal
• Claves
• Maracas
• Castanets
• Vibraslap
• Timpani

(Ref.: https://www.music8.com/products/detail3923.php)

Publishers like Music Eight, Shimamura, and others include SATB accordion parts in hundreds of primary school scores. These are not niche — they’re widely taught and used throughout Japan.

In contrast, other instruments used in similar contexts (e.g., Glockenspiel, Recorder) are already included in instruments.xml.

Additional context

This isn’t just a matter of creating a reusable template. These instruments:
• Are used independently (e.g., Alto and Tenor without Soprano)
• Require automatic transposition behavior (Tenor in Treble clef = 8va down)
• Need to support individual part extraction
• Should be discoverable and editable via the standard “Instruments” UI

Templates don’t allow that level of granularity. Inclusion in instruments.xml ensures correct and consistent notation, playback, and usability across the app.

Suggested instruments.xml snippet has been attached.

accordion_ensemble_instruments.xml.txt

Checklist

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