The Melodica Piano is a fun-to-learn wind instrument with piano like keys. It can also be used by students for getting introduced to Keyboards. These are free-reed music instruments (like accordions and harmonicas). Melodica is a popular instrument among several music students. Here’s a complete guide to the key-flute and reviews of the best brands available.
Introduction
Melodica is a polyphonic wind instrument that’s played like a piano, and perfect for music students who have a fascination for wind instruments.
A melodica is a reed instrument much like a harmonica and the accordion, when you press a key it makes a sound. When you press the key down it opens a hole allowing the air to pass over a reed. You hold the melodica in your left hand and play the keys with your right hand.
It is useful for students as well. It is inexpensive, easy to carry around – compared to keyboards, synthesizers, accordions, or pianos. You can start your music education with the Melodica wind piano and it can be great for introducing yourself to the world of keyboards/piano.
Melodica Buying Guide
What is Melodica?
The Melodica is similar to the harmonica but comes with a musical keyboard on top. The keyboard is usually two or three octaves long.
These are smaller in size, much lighter, and quite popular in music education, especially in Asian countries.
This instrument is also known as: Pianica, Blow-organ, key-flute.
The Melodica wind piano is an instrument similar to a flute, except for the fact that you have piano-like keys to play the various notes. It sounds more like a harmonica or an accordion. It was originally created by the German company called Hohner, which is very famous for producing wind instruments.
How Does the Melodica Work?
You play it the same way – by pressing the keys and – by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole towards the side of the instrument.
When you press a key, it opens a hole allowing the air to flow through vibrating reeds, which produces the sound.
People like Melodica for many reasons.
Its popularity and charm is because of the fact that it is compact and quite expressive. So next time you are out on vacation or on a week-end drive, you can take it along with you. Another reason is that it has piano-like keys. So if you know the basics of keyboards/piano, you can easily play this instrument.
Here are some advantages of this musical instrument:
- It’s easy to learn, that is why several teachers use it for teaching the rudiments of theory, harmony, chord formation. It’s a great instrument for teaching beginners the basics of music.
- If you can play the piano, you can also play this (you need to learn breath control though)
- It’s compact and very portable, perfect for travel
- It can produce single notes, chords, sharps and flats (in most other wind instruments, like the flute or clarinet, you can only play one note at a time).
- It’s a solo as well as an orchestral instrument
- The sound blends beautifully with other musical instruments
- You can play it in the traditional manner, or play the keyboard horizontally on a table using a flexible tube.
- The melodica can play chords, just like on a piano. You can hold like an accordion, or put down on a table and played like an organ or keyboard.
Variants Of Melodicas
You can choose from the several different types of Melodicas (classified based on the number of keys)::
- 37-keys: Melodica with full three octaves, great for performances. One octave has 12 notes – 5 black + 7 white
- 44-keys: Hammond makes a 44-key melodica, adding another 7 beyond the standard 37 keys on a professional instrument.
- 32-keys: Perfect for students who’re learning music.
- 24-keys: Bass melodica with only 24 keys (Doesn’t have the range of the soprano or tenor melodica)
Melodicas could also be classified by their range – Soprano, alto, tenor, bass and the accordina, although the most common types are the soprano, alto and tenor melodicas.
- Soprano and Alto: Smaller sized, highest pitched models. These play the higher end of the piano scale. Usually played with two hands on the keys.
- Tenor: The tenor is lower pitched, and normally played with one hand on the keyboard and the other hand holding the melodica.
- Bass: These are less common, larger in size and bit expensive. They typically have only 24 keys, playing the lower octaves (bass notes).
- Some players play the tenor and bass melodicas by keeping it on a table or stand with an air tube, so the player can use two hands on the keyboard.
- The accordina has buttons to play notes, instead of a keyboard. They are often called melodicas as well.
Playing the Melodica – Holding the Instrument
You would hold it like the way you hold a flute. So you would hold it with the left hand so that you can press the keys with your right hand.
Read: How to play the melodica: Tips, books and resources.
Several models come with a flex tube so that you can play, and see the instrument at different angles.
When not in use, it is a safe practice to keep the Melodica back in its box to protect it from dust and dirt.
Top Melodica Pianos (At a Glance)
There are several brands and models out there, but the more popular one are those made by Hohner, Yamaha, and Schoenhut.
There are different features and quality-levels among the various brands. Here is a guide to some of the best melodicas on the market.
Reviews
D’Luca M37-BK
D’Luca M37-BK comes with 37 piano style keys, has four different colors. Good, affordable choice for a beginner or a child. This is a nice beginner melodica that comes with a hose, attachment, and a nice case. Its difficult to play chords though on this one (it can choke a bit on big chords), and so its not meant for the advanced, professional players. It’s a bit louder and doesn’t offer much volume control. However, its still a great learner melodica. Even though the Hohner and Yamaha melodicas are more popular, this one is also a nice melodica with plenty of good reviews from buyers.
Schoenhut Melodica
Schoenhut C1010 melodica is a good choice for beginners and intermediate players. Features full 37-keys, produces nice tones, you can play multiple notes. However, it has a tendency to fall out of tune over time. Schoenhut is well known for its toy pianos but it also makes other instruments, including the melodica. This particular model has got mixed reviews from buyers with some saying the key action is good but feels a bit uneven, especially as you go higher. However, the sound is good and its among the cheapest 37-key Melodicas availabel on the market.
Hohner Performer 37-Key Melodica
The Hohner 37-Key Melodica comes with 37 piano style keys, and its tonal range is F (below middle C) through F. A Deluxe padded zipper case, mouthpiece and extension hose are included with the purchase. This is ideal for students as well as advanced players. Click here to see PRICE.
Thomann 37-Key Melodica
Fun to play and perfect for anybody who wants to start playing the melodica. Good sound, case is included. Available in various colors. Click here to see PRICE.
You may check out more Hohner Melodicas (Airboards) here.
Yamaha P37D 37-Key Pianica
When it comes to musical instruments, Yamaha cannot be left behind. The brand makes their own line of Pianicas (melodicas) that are free-reed instruments. These are quite popular instruments for general music education. Yamaha Pianicas produce clear & full tones and feature anti-corrosive reeds.
- 32 Key Melodica for beginners, great for learning
- Hohner 32 keys Piano-Style Melodica, better quality from a trusted brand
- Hohner Performer 37 Key Melodica, produces rich accordion-like tone
You may check out more Yamaha Pianicas (Melodicas) here.
Suzuki M-37C Melodion
Designed for the professional musician, the Suzuki M-37C Melodion boasts of excellent craftsmanship. Comes with 3 different mouthpieces, produces far better tone than the cheaper models. Large keys suited for most piano players.
Read: Yamaha Pianicas / Melodicas
KeytarHQ editorial team includes musicians who write and review products for pianists, keyboardists, guitarists & other musicians. KeytarHQ is the best online resource for information on keyboards, pianos, synths, keytars, guitars and music gear for musicians of all abilities, ages and interests.
What I really like about the Melodica is that its much more portable than a piano or a keyboard and it’s an acoustic instrument. However, they all go bad after a while, most of the time its usually one of the reeds that stops working, and the intonation goes bad (this happens with all the Melodicas, and not just the cheaper ones).