Whilst recovering from trigger finger surgery on my left hand, I've taken up the Melodica. It's a 32 key Hohner, and can be played with either a short, solid mouthpiece or a flexible tube. I find it much more satisfying to use the mouthpiece as holding the instrument in the mouth provides extra support. It seems a more natural way to play, especially single (right) handed and it's good to have the sound of the instrument vibrate through one's bones; like playing the fiddle. The trouble is, I don't normally play keyboards and having it just below eye level makes it difficult to see. It occurs to me that Accordion players must have a similar problem. Is there a special method to orientate one's hand with the keyboard so that it's easy to find the notes? Maybe someone could recommend a book that might help. Thanks all.
As Skreech says.
Once you are used to finding the notes as you need them without thinking about where they are then the neurological processes in your brain are set correctly, as they already will be for your other instruments.
You should never need to look at the instrument. If you find yourself relying on visual feedback, practice in a blindfold until you break that habit.
I've never played a melodica, but when I was playing piano accordion (in a folk-rock band) I found that I relied heavily on propriocentric location - I knew where the accordion was, and I knew where my hand was relative to it. Since the accordion was always in the same place relative to my torso, this was relatively easy - like playing the upright bass, I relied on the angle of my arm to locate my hands correctly. For the melodica, you might think of your home position as a fixed distance from your mouth.
Close your eyes when you play and you'll soon lose the need to see the keyboard - looking at your fingers will only send you cross-eyed.
I took to playing melodica for a while, about a year ago, after jabbing a very sharp knife into my LH index finger. I found it a very satisfying instrument to play - much easier to play 'expressively' than a piano accordion, as it is directly connected to your body (and the lungs are right next the heart). I opted for playing it piano-style, using the flexible tube. I did find moisture buildup a problem, though, making some notes sound weak or out of tune; even though lots of water would come out through the drainage hole, I found that, after an evening's playing, I had to open it up and dry off the reeds with tissue paper. Perhaps that is less of a problem if you play it vertically.
Augustus Pablo was one of the masters of the melodica and here's a great video featuring plenty of close-up shots of his technique - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiaekG1Q0UE.
You'll note that Augustus is looking at the instrument all the time, but the interesting thing for me is that he's only using his left index finger to hold the melodica in place.
Playing it and seeing it is a bit of a eye twister but I suppose as one gets used to it, looking is less important.
The trouble I have is remebering to breathe. I take a big breath and carry on playing until it runs out. Playing it piano stylee is OK but needs to be gaffa'ed down. I'm fine with playing keyboards but I never been a wind instrument player.
Someone at one of my regular sessions suggested learning an air on it which is probably a good idea.
I hooked up my melodica to the chanter stock on the pipe bag. Can't use too much pressure or the reeds will be overwhelmed. This obviates any moisture-related problems. I've an old Hohner 36 my Dad played and it's full of white grunk.
If you play it flat on the table your hands can collaborate on playing trebles, i.e., triplets like fiddlers/banjoists/PAers do, unless you want to play some kind of backing with the left hand. For these trebles two hands is a lot more straightforward than one. Both index fingers or left index/right thumb is what I use most of the time, I think. Melodica was something I messed about with for a time, then set aside.
I keep the melodica on a sheet of leather to keep it from moving about. The DIY approach in the makezine blog is a lot like what I've cooked up, undoubtedly much cheaper, too.
I have a bad habit of watching my fingers while playing accordion, and often practice in a dark room to eliminate the possibility of cheating by peeking. You can't learn to swim unless you jump into the water.
Along the same lines, one of the best things I ever learned, back in high school, was touch typing, a skill that is invaluable in today's world, as it turns out. The quickest way to forget how to touch type is to start looking at the keys. The brain is an amazing piece of equipment and can be taught many tricks that seem difficult or nigh unto impossible at first.
Well exactly. When touch typing there are home keys which give you a point of reference. So, back to the original question, Is there such a thing on the Melodica or Accordian?
Touch typing is a useless analogy, because when you touch type you always hit a particular key with the same finger, on a keyboard instrument you don't - your hand has to move about.
What might help you is to stop thinking in terms of the actual notes, and think about the gaps between them - if the note you are playing at the moment is a C, and the next one is an E, you know that is the next key but one. It doesn't matter what fingers you use. You'll get to know how big the gaps are for any interval very quickly, and your reference point for the next note is always the note you are playing at the moment, not a fixed point on the keyboard.
I've been messing about with a Hohner melodica for a few months to give my left fiddling wrist a break. What a brilliant instrument.
I had some piano lessons around 50 odd years ago and the most useful technique I learned then that helps with playing the melodica might be best learned by simply starting with an octave in C. Start with your thumb on the C, play the D and the E with your index and middle fingers respectively, then bring your thumb under those fingers to hit the F, then play the rest of the scale with the remaining four fingers. When you come back down the scale, start with your pinky and play down to your thumb to F, then bring your middle finger over your thumb to hit the E and continue back to C with your index finger and thumb.
This sounds and feels like a faff at first but it's actually very easy once you get the hang of it and thereafter you get a good feel for the intervals between notes that Screech mentioned, and you can get up and down the keyboard at speed without losing track of where you are, which is definitely the way to go. Your thumb may not always be starting on the tonic, but once this "crossover" technique is second nature to you, you can apply the principle to the demands of any tune.
This fingering works for all keys except F, where you play the Bb with your fourth finger, then bring your thumb under. Bringing the thumb under to hit a black key is clumsy and awkward.
I usually play the melodica on my lap to work out the fingering then as soon as possible blow it end on by feel. You do develop a good sense of distance playing blind, even when taking your hands off the keyboard to hit a note an octave or more away in the dark, so to speak. Wot fun.
Accidental Melodica Player
Accidental Melodica Player
Whilst recovering from trigger finger surgery on my left hand, I've taken up the Melodica. It's a 32 key Hohner, and can be played with either a short, solid mouthpiece or a flexible tube. I find it much more satisfying to use the mouthpiece as holding the instrument in the mouth provides extra support. It seems a more natural way to play, especially single (right) handed and it's good to have the sound of the instrument vibrate through one's bones; like playing the fiddle. The trouble is, I don't normally play keyboards and having it just below eye level makes it difficult to see. It occurs to me that Accordion players must have a similar problem. Is there a special method to orientate one's hand with the keyboard so that it's easy to find the notes? Maybe someone could recommend a book that might help. Thanks all.
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by fabphil39
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Practice.
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by skreech
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Ask Karen Tweed - I believe she's won All-Ireland Miscellaneous Instrument competitions playing melodica.
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by Kenny
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
As Skreech says.
Once you are used to finding the notes as you need them without thinking about where they are then the neurological processes in your brain are set correctly, as they already will be for your other instruments.
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
You should never need to look at the instrument. If you find yourself relying on visual feedback, practice in a blindfold until you break that habit.
I've never played a melodica, but when I was playing piano accordion (in a folk-rock band) I found that I relied heavily on propriocentric location - I knew where the accordion was, and I knew where my hand was relative to it. Since the accordion was always in the same place relative to my torso, this was relatively easy - like playing the upright bass, I relied on the angle of my arm to locate my hands correctly. For the melodica, you might think of your home position as a fixed distance from your mouth.
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by Jon Kiparsky
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Close your eyes when you play and you'll soon lose the need to see the keyboard - looking at your fingers will only send you cross-eyed.
I took to playing melodica for a while, about a year ago, after jabbing a very sharp knife into my LH index finger. I found it a very satisfying instrument to play - much easier to play 'expressively' than a piano accordion, as it is directly connected to your body (and the lungs are right next the heart). I opted for playing it piano-style, using the flexible tube. I did find moisture buildup a problem, though, making some notes sound weak or out of tune; even though lots of water would come out through the drainage hole, I found that, after an evening's playing, I had to open it up and dry off the reeds with tissue paper. Perhaps that is less of a problem if you play it vertically.
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by CreadurMawnOrganig
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Augustus Pablo was one of the masters of the melodica and here's a great video featuring plenty of close-up shots of his technique - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiaekG1Q0UE.
You'll note that Augustus is looking at the instrument all the time, but the interesting thing for me is that he's only using his left index finger to hold the melodica in place.
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by MacCruiskeen
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Pablo is a master & a reggae legend. Hail Jah! Great stuff el rockers
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by palethinboy
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Coincidently I've recently acquired a melodica half inspired by Mr Pablo and also the fact it was only fifteen quid from Amazon.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stagg-MELOSTA32BL-Note-Melodica-Case/dp/B004741EH8/ref=sr_1_2?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1323968922&sr=1-2
Playing it and seeing it is a bit of a eye twister but I suppose as one gets used to it, looking is less important.
The trouble I have is remebering to breathe. I take a big breath and carry on playing until it runs out. Playing it piano stylee is OK but needs to be gaffa'ed down. I'm fine with playing keyboards but I never been a wind instrument player.
Someone at one of my regular sessions suggested learning an air on it which is probably a good idea.
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by yhaalhouse
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Breathing problems? Look no further:
http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/06/blow-keyboard-bagpipe-mod.html
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by Weejie
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
I hooked up my melodica to the chanter stock on the pipe bag. Can't use too much pressure or the reeds will be overwhelmed. This obviates any moisture-related problems. I've an old Hohner 36 my Dad played and it's full of white grunk.
If you play it flat on the table your hands can collaborate on playing trebles, i.e., triplets like fiddlers/banjoists/PAers do, unless you want to play some kind of backing with the left hand. For these trebles two hands is a lot more straightforward than one. Both index fingers or left index/right thumb is what I use most of the time, I think. Melodica was something I messed about with for a time, then set aside.
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by Kevin Rietmann
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
I keep the melodica on a sheet of leather to keep it from moving about. The DIY approach in the makezine blog is a lot like what I've cooked up, undoubtedly much cheaper, too.
# Posted on December 15th 2011 by Kevin Rietmann
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
I have a bad habit of watching my fingers while playing accordion, and often practice in a dark room to eliminate the possibility of cheating by peeking. You can't learn to swim unless you jump into the water.
# Posted on December 16th 2011 by AlBrown
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Do accidental melodica players just play the black keys?
# Posted on December 16th 2011 by fen slodger
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Good one, fen!
# Posted on December 17th 2011 by AlBrown
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Along the same lines, one of the best things I ever learned, back in high school, was touch typing, a skill that is invaluable in today's world, as it turns out. The quickest way to forget how to touch type is to start looking at the keys. The brain is an amazing piece of equipment and can be taught many tricks that seem difficult or nigh unto impossible at first.
# Posted on December 17th 2011 by sara505sings
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Well exactly. When touch typing there are home keys which give you a point of reference. So, back to the original question, Is there such a thing on the Melodica or Accordian?
# Posted on December 17th 2011 by fabphil39
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
Touch typing is a useless analogy, because when you touch type you always hit a particular key with the same finger, on a keyboard instrument you don't - your hand has to move about.
What might help you is to stop thinking in terms of the actual notes, and think about the gaps between them - if the note you are playing at the moment is a C, and the next one is an E, you know that is the next key but one. It doesn't matter what fingers you use. You'll get to know how big the gaps are for any interval very quickly, and your reference point for the next note is always the note you are playing at the moment, not a fixed point on the keyboard.
# Posted on December 17th 2011 by skreech
Re: Accidental Melodica Player
I've been messing about with a Hohner melodica for a few months to give my left fiddling wrist a break. What a brilliant instrument.
I had some piano lessons around 50 odd years ago and the most useful technique I learned then that helps with playing the melodica might be best learned by simply starting with an octave in C. Start with your thumb on the C, play the D and the E with your index and middle fingers respectively, then bring your thumb under those fingers to hit the F, then play the rest of the scale with the remaining four fingers. When you come back down the scale, start with your pinky and play down to your thumb to F, then bring your middle finger over your thumb to hit the E and continue back to C with your index finger and thumb.
This sounds and feels like a faff at first but it's actually very easy once you get the hang of it and thereafter you get a good feel for the intervals between notes that Screech mentioned, and you can get up and down the keyboard at speed without losing track of where you are, which is definitely the way to go. Your thumb may not always be starting on the tonic, but once this "crossover" technique is second nature to you, you can apply the principle to the demands of any tune.
This fingering works for all keys except F, where you play the Bb with your fourth finger, then bring your thumb under. Bringing the thumb under to hit a black key is clumsy and awkward.
I usually play the melodica on my lap to work out the fingering then as soon as possible blow it end on by feel. You do develop a good sense of distance playing blind, even when taking your hands off the keyboard to hit a note an octave or more away in the dark, so to speak. Wot fun.
# Posted on December 19th 2011 by debroos