The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usually covers two or three octaves. Melodicas are small, lightweight, and portable, and many are designed for children to play. They are popular in music education programs, especially in Asia. The modern form of the instrument was invented by Hohner in the late 1950s,[1] though similar instruments have been known in Italy since the 19th century.[2]
The mouthpiece can be a short rigid or semi-flexible plastic piece or a long flexible plastic tube (designed to allow the player to either hold the keyboard so the keys can be seen or lay the keyboard horizontally on a flat surface for two-handed playing). A foot pump can also be used as an alternative to breathing into the instrument.[3][4][5] Melodica keyboards typically ascend from a low F note. In the 21st century, 32 and 37 note keyboards are typical, though instruments may have as few as 13 or as many as 44 keys. The melodica with the largest range is the Hammond Pro 44, which has a range of 44 notes.
Pressing a key opens a hole, allowing the player's breath to flow through a single reed. The sound of each vibrating reed reverberates in the shell of the instrument, which may be made of plastic, timber or metal. The harder the player blows, the louder the note. An external microphone can be used to amplify the instrument or record its sound.[6] Hammond's Pro-44 melodion and Pro 24-B bass melodion each have built-in dynamic microphones which can be connected to a PA system or recording device via a single TRS 1/4" jack output.[7]
Melodicas range in price from under US$20 for a simple, plastic instrument to several thousand dollars for a rare, custom-made or antique model.
Use
The melodica was first used as a serious musical instrument in the 1960s by composers such as Steve Reich, in his piece titled Melodica (1966).[8] Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal developed a technique consisting of singing while playing the melodica, resulting in a wide tonal and harmonic palette.[9] Jamaican dub and reggae musician Augustus Pablo popularized it in the 1970s,[10] and his son Addis Pablo continues his father's tradition as a melodica player within these genres. The American musician Jon Batiste was often seen playing a melodica on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The instrument is also associated with the Inti Raymi festival in Otavalo, Ecuador.
Types
Layout of a melodica keyboard with three octaves (36 keys)
Solo melodica
Clavietta melodica playing Irish traditional music, "Rakes of Kildare", played by Troy Banarzi
Melodicas are classified primarily by the range of the instrument. Melodicas with different ranges have slightly different shapes.
Soprano and alto melodicas are higher-pitched and thinner sounding than tenors. Some are designed to be played with both hands at once: the left hand plays the black keys, and the right hand plays the white keys. Others are played like the tenor melodica.
Tenor melodicas are a lower-pitched type of melodica. The left hand holds a handle on the bottom, and the right hand plays the keyboard. Tenor melodicas can be played with two hands by inserting a tube into the mouthpiece hole and placing the melodica on a flat surface.
Bass melodicas include the Hohner Melodica-Basso (discontinued), the Suzuki B-24 Bass Melodion[11] and the Hammond Bass Melodion BB-24.
The Accordina aka 'Chromatic Button Melodica', generally made of metal, uses the same mechanism and reeds as a traditional melodica. The keyboard is replaced with a button arrangement similar to a chromatic button accordion's keyboard.
Wooden melodicas
Daren Banarsë makes melodicas with a combination of 3D printing, woodwork, and high-quality Italian reeds. These reeds respond better to airflow, stay in tune longer, and allow a more balanced dynamic within chords.[12] His wooden instruments are “professional-looking” and “backed up by a high, crisp tone similar to that of an accordion”.[13] The Sound Electra corporation makes the MyLodica, a wooden melodica designed "...to produce a warmer richer sound than that of its plastic relatives."[14] The Victoria Accordion company in Castelfidardo, Italy, produces a range of wooden melodicas and accordinas that they market under the name Vibrandoneon. Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation makes the Wood Melodion W-37 whose body is made of mahogany.[15]
Wooden melodica by Daren Banarsë (2019) made with zebrano wood, aluminium and nylon
Alternative names
The melodica is known by various names, often at the whim of the manufacturer. Melodion (Suzuki), Triola (Seydel), Melodika (Apollo), Melodia (Diana), Pianica (Yamaha), Melodihorn (Samick), Melodyhorn (Angel), Diamonica (Bontempi), Pianetta (Guerrini), face piano, and Clavietta (Borel/Beuscher) are just some of the variants. When a recording technician unfamiliar with the melodica called it a "hooter", the band The Hooters took that as their name.[16]
Hohner Melodica Soprano: right side, keyboard and bottom views
Gallery
Played horizontally, with two hands and an air tube
Played vertically, with two hands and an air tube
Melodica being played vertically, with one hand and without air tube
^Darling, John (2000). What's in a Name? – The Book of Bands. Xlibris. ISBN978-0-595-09629-9.
External links
Media related to Melodicas at Wikimedia Commons
Melodicaworld
January 06, 2023
melodica, blackalicious, neil, zaza, album, album, melodica, handheld, free, reed, instrument, similar, pump, organ, harmonica, features, musical, keyboard, played, blowing, through, mouthpiece, that, fits, into, hole, side, instrument, keyboard, usually, cove. For the EP by Blackalicious see Melodica EP For the Neil Zaza album see Melodica album The melodica is a handheld free reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica It features a musical keyboard on top and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument The keyboard usually covers two or three octaves Melodicas are small lightweight and portable and many are designed for children to play They are popular in music education programs especially in Asia The modern form of the instrument was invented by Hohner in the late 1950s 1 though similar instruments have been known in Italy since the 19th century 2 MelodicaHohner melodicaKeyboard instrumentClassificationWind free reed aerophoneHornbostel Sachs classification412 132 Free reed aerophone Developed1950sPlaying rangeUsually 2 or 3 octavesRelated instrumentsaccordion harmonica pump organ yu Contents 1 Description 2 Use 3 Types 3 1 Wooden melodicas 4 Alternative names 5 Gallery 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksDescription EditThe mouthpiece can be a short rigid or semi flexible plastic piece or a long flexible plastic tube designed to allow the player to either hold the keyboard so the keys can be seen or lay the keyboard horizontally on a flat surface for two handed playing A foot pump can also be used as an alternative to breathing into the instrument 3 4 5 Melodica keyboards typically ascend from a low F note In the 21st century 32 and 37 note keyboards are typical though instruments may have as few as 13 or as many as 44 keys The melodica with the largest range is the Hammond Pro 44 which has a range of 44 notes Pressing a key opens a hole allowing the player s breath to flow through a single reed The sound of each vibrating reed reverberates in the shell of the instrument which may be made of plastic timber or metal The harder the player blows the louder the note An external microphone can be used to amplify the instrument or record its sound 6 Hammond s Pro 44 melodion and Pro 24 B bass melodion each have built in dynamic microphones which can be connected to a PA system or recording device via a single TRS 1 4 jack output 7 Melodicas range in price from under US 20 for a simple plastic instrument to several thousand dollars for a rare custom made or antique model Use EditThe melodica was first used as a serious musical instrument in the 1960s by composers such as Steve Reich in his piece titled Melodica 1966 8 Brazilian multi instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal developed a technique consisting of singing while playing the melodica resulting in a wide tonal and harmonic palette 9 Jamaican dub and reggae musician Augustus Pablo popularized it in the 1970s 10 and his son Addis Pablo continues his father s tradition as a melodica player within these genres The American musician Jon Batiste was often seen playing a melodica on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert The instrument is also associated with the Inti Raymi festival in Otavalo Ecuador Types Edit Layout of a melodica keyboard with three octaves 36 keys Solo melodica source source Clavietta melodica playing Irish traditional music Rakes of Kildare played by Troy Banarzi Problems playing this file See media help Melodicas are classified primarily by the range of the instrument Melodicas with different ranges have slightly different shapes Soprano and alto melodicas are higher pitched and thinner sounding than tenors Some are designed to be played with both hands at once the left hand plays the black keys and the right hand plays the white keys Others are played like the tenor melodica Tenor melodicas are a lower pitched type of melodica The left hand holds a handle on the bottom and the right hand plays the keyboard Tenor melodicas can be played with two hands by inserting a tube into the mouthpiece hole and placing the melodica on a flat surface Bass melodicas include the Hohner Melodica Basso discontinued the Suzuki B 24 Bass Melodion 11 and the Hammond Bass Melodion BB 24 The Accordina aka Chromatic Button Melodica generally made of metal uses the same mechanism and reeds as a traditional melodica The keyboard is replaced with a button arrangement similar to a chromatic button accordion s keyboard Wooden melodicas EditDaren Banarse makes melodicas with a combination of 3D printing woodwork and high quality Italian reeds These reeds respond better to airflow stay in tune longer and allow a more balanced dynamic within chords 12 His wooden instruments are professional looking and backed up by a high crisp tone similar to that of an accordion 13 The Sound Electra corporation makes the MyLodica a wooden melodica designed to produce a warmer richer sound than that of its plastic relatives 14 The Victoria Accordion company in Castelfidardo Italy produces a range of wooden melodicas and accordinas that they market under the name Vibrandoneon Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation makes the Wood Melodion W 37 whose body is made of mahogany 15 Wooden melodica by Daren Banarse 2019 made with zebrano wood aluminium and nylonAlternative names EditThe melodica is known by various names often at the whim of the manufacturer Melodion Suzuki Triola Seydel Melodika Apollo Melodia Diana Pianica Yamaha Melodihorn Samick Melodyhorn Angel Diamonica Bontempi Pianetta Guerrini face piano and Clavietta Borel Beuscher are just some of the variants When a recording technician unfamiliar with the melodica called it a hooter the band The Hooters took that as their name 16 Hohner Melodica Soprano right side keyboard and bottom viewsGallery Edit Played horizontally with two hands and an air tube Played vertically with two hands and an air tube Melodica being played vertically with one hand and without air tube Wooden melodica Suzuki Wood Melodion W 37 Hohner alto melodica Patent drawing for accordina Accordina being played Donald Fagen with a Yamaha Pianica in 2007See also EditAccordion Claviola Couesnophone Harmonica Melodica in music Melodica Men Pump organReferences Edit Missin P 2004 A Brief History of Mouth Blown Free Reed Instruments Melodica Family Archived from the original on 2013 09 26 Retrieved 2013 07 03 Vibrandoneon Duskyrecords nl Archived from the original on 2016 08 22 Retrieved 2013 07 03 Oscar Bettison Composer Los Angeles Times www oscarbettison com Blow Keyboard with foot pump using wine cask bota bag cork tubes and a pump in a similar way to feet bagpipes Blow keyboard bagpipe mod in magazine Make Sounds Range of 2019 06 19 How to Mic a Melodica Range of Sounds Retrieved 2022 05 26 Pro44Hv2 Melodion Hammond USA Retrieved 2022 05 26 Steve Reich Melodica Boosey amp Hawkes 1966 05 22 Retrieved 2013 07 03 Hermeto Pascoal Rebulico on YouTube Kliment and Watchtel 2007 Augustus Pablo Retrieved 2013 07 03 Suzuki Bass Melodions www suzukimusic co uk Retrieved 2022 05 26 curve coventry ac uk open file 8085525e d294 4ea7 adbb 27f5d00f64b0 1 Binder 202 pdf PDF a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link You Won t Believe this Beautiful Melodica Is 3D Printed Make Make DIY Projects and Ideas for Makers 2015 08 05 Retrieved 2021 05 27 Mylodica Melodicas com Retrieved 2013 07 03 Wooden Keyboard Harmonica alto W 37 Suzuki Musical Instrument Corporation 31 May 2017 Retrieved 2022 06 16 Darling John 2000 What s in a Name The Book of Bands Xlibris ISBN 978 0 595 09629 9 External links Edit Media related to Melodicas at Wikimedia Commons Melodicaworld Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Melodica amp oldid 1125669037, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
