khromka

Khromka (, khromka) is a type of Russian garmon (unisonoric diatonic button accordion). It is the most widespread variant in Russia and in the former USSR. Nearly all Russian garmons made since the mid of the 20th century are khromkas.

== History == Since 1830s when first Russian diatonic accordions (named garmonika, garmon or garmoshka after ) began being produced in Tula many regional variations appeared. One of them were one-row accordions from Vyatka (called severyanka from sever "North") and from Livny (called livenka). Their important feature was that it was unisonoric (the same note is produced on pressing and drawing the bellows), while all other European types including Russian ones were bisonoric (two notes are produced on pressing and drawing the bellows). From those types under the probable influence of two-row bisonoric German accordions the first khromkas were made in 1890s. At first they were one of many types and were competing with other traditional variants (of Vyatka, Saratov, Livny, Yelets and many others).