Reply To: Help Getting Started

Hi Olivier. Of the Gianluca Barbaro books linked by Jim, I would recommend to you his Melodic Intervals Workout. It is very elementary. Also, check under the Lessons tab here for the two items written by Daren Banarse, the creator and manager of this site.
I suggest that you check out some performances of those French songs on You Tube; identify two or three that you especially like for each song, performances in which the melody played on a suitable instrument is emphasized; and then try playing along. I find that this is the quickest and most agreeable way to learn to play tunes on the melodica. You can also find sheet music for the song in the same key (if you don’t already have it) by doing a Google image search, and then look at that as you’re playing along. For most of us who are not advanced players but have some musical background, I think this is much better than trying to play just from the sheet music. By a suitable instrument, I mean a melodic instrument or any instrument that is in the performance focused on playing the melody roughly within the range in which the melodica plays. Violin, trumpet, clarinet are good. The prevailing opinion around here, which I share, is that the melodica should be thought of mainly as a wind instrument rather than as a keyboard instrument. The approach I’m suggesting is also conducive to improving one’s ability to play be ear.