[Lowboy]

Hi Dos Tazas:

Oh, perhaps my message was not clear. You really can’t play full two fisted-melodica in traditional fashion without a tube because the melodica must be on a table. That said, I think I remember seeing some people use a harness to hold the melodica in place on their chest while they play two-handed. Their left hand is playing notes coming in from the opposite side of the keyboard! A bit unorthodox but impressive skill. I hold the melodica at the water valve end and often use my left hand to hold any of the last four or five notes for accents and effects, but I do not play full two-fisted compositions this way.

My personal opinion is that the melodica was designed as a monophonic instrument (one note at a time) as demonstrated by 90 percent of the sheet music created for the instrument. A small percentage of music notates playing two-note intervals. Plus I like the freedom of playing a monophonic instrument.

However, I appreciate the efforts of those that are pushing the limits of the melodica and their playing skill by playing full two-handed compositions. You will need lots of air and consideration must be given to “air-robbing” from the higher notes by the lower notes.

I stab chords and intervals all the time, but mostly I think and play the instrument in monophonic fashion.

That said, if you want to play two-handed, you will likely need a tube.

My research with tubes reveals that a big-honking-inside diameter from you mouth to a big-honking-inside diameter copper elbow at the entrance hole of the melodica significantly deepens and thickens the sound you get, at least on a Hohner Piano 26/27/32. I just have not been able to find the right tubing. It must be 5/8 of an inch inside, flexible, pinch resistant, and light.

Lowboy