A manual pulling instrument, in particular an accordion, comprising a first housing part comprising operating elements configured to be operated by a player with one hand to generate a note. The operating elements occupy a spatial area extending to a first boundary line on a first side and to a second boundary line on a second side opposite the first side, the second boundary line is further away from the bellows than the first boundary line, and the second boundary line has a concave curvature. The spatial area occupied by the operating elements extends in a plane which encloses an angle between 20° and 65°, with a center plane which extends symmetrically with respect to the bellows between the first housing part and the second housing part when the bellows is in a folded state.