Melodica
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The melodica is a free-reed instrument similar to the accordion and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole, allowing air to flow through a reed. The keyboard is usually two or three octaves long.
Types of melodicas
Tenor melodicas are the most common type of melodica. The left hand holds a handle on the bottom, and the right hand plays the keyboard. Tenor melodicas can be played with two hands by inserting a tube into the mouthpiece hole and placing the melodica on a flat surface.Soprano and alto melodicas are thinner than tenors and are designed to be played with both hands at once; the left hand plays the black keys, and the right hand plays the white keys.
Bass melodicas also exist, but are less common than other types.
Popular melodica manufacturers include Hohner and Samick.
Melodicas in Popular Music
- Supertramp's John Helliwell used a melodica on the songs From Now On on Even in the Quietest Moments and It's Raining Again on ...Famous Last Words...
- Augustus Pablo popularized the use of the melodica in reggae music.
- The rock band R.E.M. featured melodicas in songs Find the River and Boy in the Well. The latter included a short melodica solo.
- In the PDQ Bach oratorio Oedipus Tex, a melodica is used as the continuo instrument.
- In recent years, British musician Damon Albarn has frequently used the melodica, most notably with animated band Gorillaz. In their self-titled debut album the instrument heavily features in the popular singles Clint Eastwood, and Tomorrow Comes Today. Albarn's other uses of the melodica can be found on Blur's 1999 album 13, with the instrument playing Mellow Song's main hook, and his solo album Democrazy. This may be why the melodica is listed as one of Gorillaz cartoon singer 2D's interests on MTV Cribs.
- Played by Torngat's Pietro Amato.
- The band Faith No More uses this instrument as well. It is played by Mike Patton, the vocalist, during the songs "Midnight Cowboy" and "This Guy's in Love with You".
- Jump, Little Children made use of the melodica on their early albums The Licorice Tea Demos and Magazine. It is played by Matthew Bivins on numerous songs.
- The band Oasis uses a melodica in the song "Champagne Supernova".
- In live shows, Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy plays a melodica on the song "She's in Parties".
- The melodica is used prominently in the bridge of Depeche Mode's 1983 single "Everything Counts".
- The melodica is also featured in the song "Cash Machine" by British band Hard-Fi, played by singer songwriter Richard Archer, which opens the group's debut album "Stars of CCTV".
- Other bands, such as Cake and The Magic Numbers, also use the melodica. Although Cake's Vincent DiFiore has played the instrument on one recent song ("End of the Movie", from 2004's Pressure Chief) and used it in their music video for "The Distance", the Magic Numbers have a full-time melodica player, Angela Gannon.
- Musical comedy duo member Chris Hardwick (of MTV's Singled Out fame) plays the melodica on Hard 'n Phirm's debut album Horses and Grasses.
- In live shows, The Decemberists have been known to bring a melodica out on occasion, in particular for The Tain.
- Ben Folds used a Melodica on the song "Smoke" both live and in the studio; Folds also utilized the melodica during live shows to perform the clarinet parts of "Steven's Last Night in Town." Both songs are found on the 1997 album Whatever and Ever Amen.
- Jon King of the British post-punk band Gang of Four frequently played a melodica in their earlier records.
- Ollie McGill of the Australian band The Cat Empire often plays melodica along with his keyboard.
- A sample of a melodica is on John Frusciante's (Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist) album named Curtains. It is played near the end of "A Name".
- Jazz drummer Jack DeJohnette doubled on melodica on his debut recording as leader, 'The DeJohnette Complex' from 1968. He also plays melodica on other albums, including 'Special Edition' from 1980 with alto saxophonist Arthur Blythe, tenor saxophonist David Murray and cellist Peter Warren.
- Jazz pianist John Medeski will often play a melodica during encores in performances with avant-garde jazz trio Medeski, Martin & Wood.
- New Order's opening to "Love Vigilantes" (From Low-life) features a prominent melodica solo, as well as "Your Silent Face" (From Power, Corruption & Lies) and "Run Wild" (From Get Ready).
- Donald Fagen on "Mary Shut The Garden Door" from his solo album "Morph The Cat".
- Belle and Sebastian's song "Electronic Renaissance" from the album Tigermilk features a melodica solo.
- The Go! Team's song "Huddle Formation" features one throughout.
- Jack Johnson uses the melodica on his song 'If I Could' on the album In Between Dreams.
- Joy Division use it on their "Closer" song "Decades", and also on a demo version of "In A Lonely Place".
- Umphrey's McGee use it on "Liquid" both on their album Safety In Numbers and their live show.
- On The Desert Sessions 9 & 10, PJ Harvey plays the melodica during the song, "Holey Dime".
- Dave McCabe of the Zutons plays melodica on the instrumental "Zuton Karmun".
- Franny Griffiths of Space played melodica on some of Space's songs, such as "Hell's Barbecue" and "Spiders".
- Serj Tankian plays one in the Axis of Justice song 'Jeffrey Are You Listening?'.
- Franz Ferdinand used a melodica in their song '40'.
- The Jacks Mannequin song "La La Lie" contains a brief melodica lead during the bridge of the song.
Sample
Music sample:
- [Depeche Mode "Everything Counts" (1983)] ([file info])
- *
- * Problems listening to the file? See [Media helpmedia help].
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