Ideas for playing without blowing?
- This topic has 8 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 5 years, 1 month ago by
Paul Durham.
- AuthorPosts
- March 31, 2014 at 2:31 pm #2039
Nick
ParticipantHi there-
I’ve been working on a song with my band, and we want to include melodica. I’m the melodica player, but I’m singing on that song. I was thinking I could play it with something that blows air into the melodica, so that it plays sort of like a harmonium. I was thinking bellows, but I wasn’t sure if that would work? Just wondering if anyone’s tried this before or has any good ideas! Thanks!
March 31, 2014 at 3:20 pm #2040David Hart
ParticipantIf you can rig up a bellows strapped to one arm, with a tube leading to a bag as in bagpipe under the other arm, with its output tube connected to the mouthpiece, then that would look very impressive. But in reality, I’d have thought you’d be as well to just use an accordion on single-reed setting. If you can get one with a cassotto, that might get you a slightly more melodica-ish sound.
March 31, 2014 at 4:51 pm #2041Nick
ParticipantIf you can rig up a bellows strapped to one arm, with a tube leading to a bag as in bagpipe under the other arm, with its output tube connected to the mouthpiece, then that would look very impressive. But in reality, I’d have thought you’d be as well to just use an accordion on single-reed setting. If you can get one with a cassotto, that might get you a slightly more melodica-ish sound.
I forgot to mention that I don’t want to spend a lot of money doing this–otherwise I definitely would just buy a harmonium or accordion. That bagpipe idea sounds really cool, though…
May 9, 2014 at 8:37 pm #2260jazzman1945
ParticipantThe Baloon Inflator:
May 22, 2014 at 6:51 am #2340Pino
ParticipantHi, Nick. If it were my band, I’d rearrange the song and add some more instrumental sections where I could play melodica, and let the others play while I sang.
This is a wimpy solution, but I am not very good at rigging things up, especially for just one song.
May 23, 2014 at 7:05 am #2361Mauricio Bernal
ParticipantA balloon inflator, or any electric pump, makes quite some unwanted noise.
June 23, 2014 at 10:43 pm #2599Steven Morris
ParticipantHere’s a video that you might like:
April 30, 2017 at 8:38 pm #8855Nicholas
ParticipantA way to play a melodica without costantly blowing into it is with a bellow air pump . They are inexpensive at ebay and amazon .. I recently bought one on ebay and I’m looking forward tp using it when it’s delivered .. on youtube look for a video called DOUBLE FOOTPUMP AND TOY PIANO .. Watch this young guy play his melodica with 2 bellow foot pumps .. Have a good one
April 30, 2017 at 11:18 pm #8856Paul Durham
ParticipantWelcome , Nicholas. Watched the foot pump video and found it very inovative. The only drawback is lack of expression that can be achieved through breath control. In part this is one of the charms of melodicas. But we thank you for the input and your interest in melodicas.
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