Ant138
1204 posts
Jul 04, 2012
10:59 PM
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Hey,
does anyone on here play Melodica?
I've been listening to Paul Oscher play one on "Blues Before Sunshine" from Down in the Delta and quite frankly he sounds amazing. To me Blues played on Melodica sounds awesome. For anyone who hasn't heard him play check out the song sample on Amazon(there isn't a video on youtube).
Anyway, i would love to know if anyone here plays one?
does anyone know what make would be a good place to start.
Ive seen some nice Hohner ones and dirt cheap old ones on ebay. Are they worth it?
Youtube has some great Blues Piano lessons which hopefully will sound great on Melodica. (I don't play piano but some of the riffs look fairly easy to start copying)
Just thought i would try something different for a change.
Feel free to post any good Blues Melodica videos you might know of:o)
http://www.youtube.com/user/fiendant?feature=mhum
Last Edited by on Jul 04, 2012 11:01 PM
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Elvis
3 posts
Jul 05, 2012
12:10 AM
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Not long time ago I started to play Augustus Pablo tunes at melodica.
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Steamrollin Stan
471 posts
Jul 05, 2012
12:43 AM
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ELVIS IS ALIVE ?..WTF.
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REM
205 posts
Jul 05, 2012
1:05 AM
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If you haven't already done so, I suggest you check out some YouTube videos of people playing melodica to get a better idea of what one will actually sound like. Paul use an old, extremely hard to find hohner melodica pick-up, that hasn't been made for quite some time. And he runs the signal through some sort of effects processor that makes his melodica sound like an organ. It sounds really fantastic, but it certainly doesn't sound like a melodica IMHO, so you shouldn't expect to get that kind of a great sound from just a melodica. (you may actually like the natural sound of the melodica, but listening to recordings of Paul Oscher's melodica playing really isn't a good representation of what they actually sound like)
Last Edited by on Jul 05, 2012 6:53 AM
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5F6H
1255 posts
Jul 05, 2012
4:30 AM
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Paul also played melodica into a vocal PA mic, as evidenced on the Ash Grove '71 video, filmed a few weeks after he played melodica on Mudcat on Live at Mister Kelly's.
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Last Edited by on Jul 05, 2012 7:47 AM
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Michael Rubin
594 posts
Jul 05, 2012
4:46 AM
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I own a hohner melodica but have played Suzukis and they are far superior, imo
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Gnarly
275 posts
Jul 05, 2012
7:38 AM
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@Michael What do you like better about them?
I got my old job back, and one of the things they want me to repair are the Melodeons--I did one when I worked there last.
See you at SPAH!
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Michael Rubin
595 posts
Jul 05, 2012
9:39 AM
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They are more in tune, they have a built in pickup.
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isaacullah
2041 posts
Jul 05, 2012
10:07 AM
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Ant! Great minds think alike. I recently bought a Hohner S32 (student model) melodica... It's not the best quality melodica out there by far, but it is perfectly serviceable for what I wanted to do with it, which is to play more interesting chord arrangements into my looper to play harp over. It works really well for that, and I especially LOVE it for laying down backing chords in Ska/Reggae/Dub style, which I know you will be wanting to do. I amp it with a small piezo pick up, and it sounds great through some FX, especially reverb, delay, and rotary speaker sims. You should definitely take the plunge, you will enjoy it immensely! And there are several very good tutorials on YouTube to help you learn, and of course, any basic piano/keyboard method book is applicable as well. The cool thing about it is that you can combine a lot of your harp playing techniques, especially vibrato and tongue articulation, with keyboard fingering techniques to get some very cool sounds!
btw. I hear that the suzuki melodicas are pretty good, but they are definitely more expensive than the entry-level hohners. But I'm sure you get what you pay for! :)
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== I S A A C ==
View my videos on YouTube!
Check out my songs on Soundcloud!
Visit my reverb nation page!
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Ant138
1205 posts
Jul 05, 2012
11:38 AM
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Thanks for all the info and advise guy's.
@REM thanks for the info,I hadn't put any thought into what pick ups or effects Paul is using. I was being a bit ignorant really because it really does sound like a Hammond Organ.
@Isaac, dude it seems like we know what each other are thinking lol!!
I hadn't even thougt about the Ska/Raggae aspect. Now I really want one now!!
Hope your going to do a video with it soon.
I wouldnt mind checking out the Suzuki's, i didn't know they made Melodicas. Although I might just start with a cheap one to begin with.
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http://www.youtube.com/user/fiendant?feature=mhum
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hvyj
2519 posts
Jul 05, 2012
3:47 PM
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I don't really play one but I have fooled around with one and discovered that you can get sort of a bending effect if you press a key halfway down while blowing.
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SuzukiDaron
27 posts
Jul 05, 2012
4:15 PM
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@ Ant138:
Since Hohner owns the trademark to the name "Melodica," no other manufacturer can produce an instrument with the same name.
So the Suzuki equivalent is called a Melodion.
They're basically the same type of instrument, just with different names and slightly different features.
Just like with our harmonicas, the nicer models all come with phosphor-bronze reeds. They also include multiple mouthpieces and gig bags.
More info: http://www.suzukimusic.com/education/melodions/
Remember, you can find these items for a lower price at your local music shop, or visit one of the many fine online Suzuki retailers if you prefer.
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-Daron Stinton
SUZUKI MUSIC USA
Got a question about a Suzuki Harp?
Call (800) 854-1594, or e-mail harmonicas@suzukicorp.com
Last Edited by on Jul 05, 2012 4:16 PM
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