I purchased a small melodeon, designed for use by a child, and modified the straps to permit enough room for comfortable use by an adult.
The bellows aren't designed to be expanded very far given its small size. The buttons are configured to play notes just as one would in the same sequence (including different notes on the "push" and "pull") as a C major harmonica.
I play neither harmonic nor melodeon. I've tried this instrument once or twice to make certain it works before making a gift of it to someone else, as originally intended. I am intrigued by the instrument, and may someday consider getting one for myself.
Is this something best learned "by ear" due to the different notes on the "push" and the "pull" and the Richter tuning? I've always loved "sea shanties" and may someday cease to rationalize that I can always set my keyboard to "accordion" and leave it at that.
Factors that I'd appreciate expert perspective with regard to include:
1. With little capability to expand the bellows due to the instrument's small size, how does one deal with a series of "push" notes when the bellows are finally collapsed by the sequence? Is quick resort to the air button preferable to expand the bellows, or should one resort to the left hand chord buttons? (This instrument only has two left hand chord buttons.) This is one of the reasons why developing melodies to suit the instrument "by ear" seems relevant. Should one add "pull" notes to the sequence to compensate? Is there a guideline for this?
2. Because of the Richter tuning, is this layout designed for use primarily to back up other instruments with chords?
3. Is this "harmonica button sequence" the "Anglo" (or "Anglo-German") melodeon layout that I've read about (although with only one row of buttons)?
Keep in mind that prior to acquiring this instrument, I'd never seen a melodeon (except in photographs). I had anticipated the Cajun style note layout rather than the Richter scale layout, but hope to learn enough about how this type of instrument is applied to better gauge its application. (I understand Morris music is one of the better known Anglo applications for the Richter scale instrument.)
Thanks to any who contribute to improving my understanding of how to approach not just a melodeon, but one with this instrument's limited bellows range.
I play a melodeon which has a row in G and a row in D. This is certainly a learn-by ear instrument in my book. I can sight-read music on a variety of instruments, but there's something about a melodeon that makes it a little more different. The relation of pitch to fingering lacks the monotonicity of an accordion keyboard, whistle, hurdy, crumhorn, concertina etc.
Of course, it's possible to run out of 'breath'. The answer to this is indeed the air button. It's generally considered poor to 'gasp' when you find yourself too far the wrong way and it interrupts the rhythm and looks messy.
Instead, use the air button to gently ride your way back to a sensible position whilst you're playing. You can generally feel yourself straying and correct it before you're stranded. Given that chords also 'consume' air, bellows-position is very much a function of chords as well.
I read somewhere that you can open them up and cover one row of holes and blank off one set of reeds. It would give it more of a concertina sound, not as full, but would also give you more bellows room because less air is used.
Melodeon- Anglo?
Melodeon- Anglo?
I purchased a small melodeon, designed for use by a child, and modified the straps to permit enough room for comfortable use by an adult.
The bellows aren't designed to be expanded very far given its small size. The buttons are configured to play notes just as one would in the same sequence (including different notes on the "push" and "pull") as a C major harmonica.
I play neither harmonic nor melodeon. I've tried this instrument once or twice to make certain it works before making a gift of it to someone else, as originally intended. I am intrigued by the instrument, and may someday consider getting one for myself.
Is this something best learned "by ear" due to the different notes on the "push" and the "pull" and the Richter tuning? I've always loved "sea shanties" and may someday cease to rationalize that I can always set my keyboard to "accordion" and leave it at that.
Factors that I'd appreciate expert perspective with regard to include:
1. With little capability to expand the bellows due to the instrument's small size, how does one deal with a series of "push" notes when the bellows are finally collapsed by the sequence? Is quick resort to the air button preferable to expand the bellows, or should one resort to the left hand chord buttons? (This instrument only has two left hand chord buttons.) This is one of the reasons why developing melodies to suit the instrument "by ear" seems relevant. Should one add "pull" notes to the sequence to compensate? Is there a guideline for this?
2. Because of the Richter tuning, is this layout designed for use primarily to back up other instruments with chords?
3. Is this "harmonica button sequence" the "Anglo" (or "Anglo-German") melodeon layout that I've read about (although with only one row of buttons)?
Keep in mind that prior to acquiring this instrument, I'd never seen a melodeon (except in photographs). I had anticipated the Cajun style note layout rather than the Richter scale layout, but hope to learn enough about how this type of instrument is applied to better gauge its application. (I understand Morris music is one of the better known Anglo applications for the Richter scale instrument.)
Thanks to any who contribute to improving my understanding of how to approach not just a melodeon, but one with this instrument's limited bellows range.
# Posted on July 30th 2009 by Arthur Nordstrom
Re: Melodeon- Anglo?
I play a melodeon which has a row in G and a row in D. This is certainly a learn-by ear instrument in my book. I can sight-read music on a variety of instruments, but there's something about a melodeon that makes it a little more different. The relation of pitch to fingering lacks the monotonicity of an accordion keyboard, whistle, hurdy, crumhorn, concertina etc.
Of course, it's possible to run out of 'breath'. The answer to this is indeed the air button. It's generally considered poor to 'gasp' when you find yourself too far the wrong way and it interrupts the rhythm and looks messy.
Instead, use the air button to gently ride your way back to a sensible position whilst you're playing. You can generally feel yourself straying and correct it before you're stranded. Given that chords also 'consume' air, bellows-position is very much a function of chords as well.
# Posted on July 30th 2009 by Joe Wass
Re: Melodeon- Anglo?
Good questions to take over to www.melodeon.net
# Posted on July 30th 2009 by TomB-R
Re: Melodeon- Anglo?
These toy accordions are fun. They were mentioned in a few recent discussions:
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/22047/comments#comment458234
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/18220/comments#comment379356
I read somewhere that you can open them up and cover one row of holes and blank off one set of reeds. It would give it more of a concertina sound, not as full, but would also give you more bellows room because less air is used.
# Posted on July 30th 2009 by CleverName