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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 57 total)
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  • #11735
    barb
    Participant

    There’s also an online class being offered out of Philadelphia called Meet the Melodica. It’s 6 weeks on Wednesday on Thursday nights and designed with non readers in mind. Starts September 24. You’d need access to Zoom.
    The website for that is

    Home Page

    Hi everyone, I’ve been out of touch; am happy to see lots of activity and new people.
    Barb

    #10281
    barb
    Participant

    Wow, I love it. And don’t care if you sound like a cello or not.

    #10246
    barb
    Participant

    I hope someday you can listen while you are playing with us – I like your music! Sometimes I run the “tape” while I improvise and then write that down for my band to play

    #10100
    barb
    Participant

    Thanks, everyone!
    My P37D Suzuki has been modified with 2 pickups by the good folks at Heyday Music in Asheville NC. He doesn’t remember exactly what he used, but there are 2 piezo disks, about 3/4 inch across, in parallel. He says they are the kind security people put on windows to sense vibrations. He placed them on the plastic that covers the reeds, one by the low e, and the other by the high g. Then I ran it through a Steinberg interface and put a bit of stock reverb from Reaper on it. I did not EQ the melodicas.
    This recording is all me; AND we have a melodica band (Next Road Over) of 5 here in Western North Carolina. Fran, who played bass on the recent Monsters of Melodica project is in the band. We also have a group of about 12 people who get together 2-3 times a month to play. Come sit in with us!

    #10075
    barb
    Participant

    Thanks! The bass part is from the 1600’s – one that people jammed on when playing for dances etc.
    The melody part is also from long ago, and the other parts are my contribution. I arranged it for my melodica band.

    #10070
    barb
    Participant

    I like it! Thanks for posting

    #10057
    barb
    Participant

    Hi Joanna, I am glad you can use your Hyper with your setup.
    It took me a while to figure out my setup. Something that helps me when I need a boost is an inline transformer I got from Gregg Myers.
    He sold me a transformer which now makes it so I can hear the melodica through different amps and pedals without cranking everything up and getting tons of feedback.
    The inline transformer is a 600 Ohm to 5Kohm impedance matching transformer. It is in 2 parts, a XLR male to 1/4 mono female adaptor, and a XRL female to 1/4 male line matching transformer. The first XLR male part says low impedance along the side.
    Gregg has been consistently helpful.
    When I use my audiobox, I don’t need the transformer.
    I have found the Zoom stomp pedal – MS 50G – to be a fun, cheap pedal. I am a beginner, and it has many settings that aren’t too hard to figure out. You can make your own effects to match your melodica and playing style. And use it without the transformer.

    #10056
    barb
    Participant

    I am grateful to everyone on the forums who find things out for us all!

    #10055
    barb
    Participant

    I too will be looking to buy one of these.
    And I agree with others about the value and musical playability of the “student” models. I play my Suzuki MX27, MX32 and Yamaha P32D as my go-to instruments – have for years and they show no signs of “wearing out”!

    #7846
    barb
    Participant

    Hi everyone – I haven’t been online in a while. I just saw the topic about trying out melodicas before you buy. If you are ever in the mountains of western NC SC, VA, GA or TN, you can try all sorts of melodicas here in western NC. Between the 6 members of our melodica band we have almost every melodica made (only a few vintage ones however). This is only a slight exaggeration! We also have the melodicas with pickups and some guitar pedals if you want to try that out.
    We don’t sell, just play. But would happy to help out. Sit in with us, have a meal…

    #6659
    barb
    Participant
    #6658
    barb
    Participant

    Hi Alan,
    Thanks for the picture.
    Yeah, I would hate to ruin a black hose. My search is for a solution to holding melodicas when playing them at the same time as other keyboards. I sometimes hold the Hammond44 vertically in front of me using a guitar strap, or a harness made for bassoonists. That’s so I can sit at the harpsichord/keyboard and play keyboard with my left hand while playing melodica with the right. I’m short, and the black tube loops up and hits me in the face!

    I bought the Hammond gooseneck extension and it is good for playing the melodica on a flat surface. While I play the other keyboards, I don’t have to use my hands to find the tube and start playing melodica in the middle of a song. The problem with stiff mouthpieces/gooseneck and guitar strap combo is that when playing melodica and keyboard at the same time, the melodica moves around bit and I have to chase after the mouthpiece; looks a little funny and I can’t get a good seal.

    I think I will investigate using SUGRU for connecting this doodad to fittings from pre existing tubes. (I have a a small infinity of Suzuki tubes and can spare one to cut apart) It’s a material that is moldable, remains flexible when cured, is heat and water proof, and is food safe. People use it to connect things together when the shapes don’t match.
    B


    #6657
    barb
    Participant

    Lowboy – I’m glad i caught this before you take it down.
    Thanks

    #6628
    barb
    Participant

    I’m interested in this; I am about to cut one my tubes apart to make something shorter for the Hammond 44s. How long is the tube?

    #6627
    barb
    Participant

    When I play a Suzuki M 37, the tone seems to me to have more personality then the Yamaha 37. The Yamaha 37 color seems more middle of the road, and therefore might blend in more situations. I do find that the Suzukis get water in the reed gap a lot more often than the Yamaha’s after I have been playing for a while. so in that way I find the Yamaha to be safer in performance. And sometimes I wonder if it’s maybe easier to blow out a reed on a Suzuki. But I would usually rather play the Suzukis, so I just make sure I have two of them with me.

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