What is “wet tuning?
When one bank of reeds of the same octave is tuned slightly off from another, a beat or fluctuation of sound results. This gives a distinctive character to the sound and is frequently used in certain folk music. The “wetter” the tuning, the more pronounced the beating. Sometimes three reed banks are used: one stays at pitch, one is tuned slightly higher, the other slightly lower. The result is sometimes referred to as “continental musette” or “true musette.” Many older Italian accordions have a very slight de-tuning of one reed bank, creating a subtle chorus effect. Larger instruments with multiple register switches will give the player a choice whether to play “wet” or “dry.
