The melodica is a free-reed instrument similar to the pump organ and harmonica. It has a musical keyboardon 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 usually covers two or three octaves. Melodicas are small, light, and portable. They are popular in music education, especially in Asia. The modern form of the instrument was invented by Hohner in the 1950s, though similar instruments have been known in Italy since the 19th century. The melodica was first used as a serious musical instrument in the 1960s by composers such as Steve Reich, in his piece titled Melodica. Brazilian multi-instrumentalist Hermeto Pascoal developed a technique consisting of singing while playing the melodica, resulting in a wide tonal and harmonic palette. It is associated with Jamaican dub and reggae musician Augustus Pablo who popularized it in the 1970s, and more recently with Jon Batiste, who is often seen playing the instrument on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Types
Melodicas are classified primarily by the range of the instrument. Melodicas with different ranges have slightly different shapes.
Soprano and alto melodicas are higher-pitched and thinner sounding than tenors. Some are designed to be played with both hands at once: the left hand plays the black keys, and the righthand plays the white keys. Others are played like the tenor melodica.
Tenor melodicas are a lower-pitched 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.
Bass melodicas also exist, but are less common than other tenor, alto, and soprano.
The Accordina, generally made of metal, uses the same mechanism as a traditional melodica. The keyboard is replaced with a button arrangement similar to a chromatic button accordion's keyboard.
Wooden melodicas
Although the majority of melodicas are made of plastic, some are made primarily of wood. The Sound Electra corporation makes the MyLodica, a wooden melodica designed "...to produce a warmer richer sound than that of its plastic relatives." The Victoria Accordion company in Castelfidardo, Italy, produces a range of wooden melodicas and accordinas that they market under the name Vibrandoneon.
Alternative names
The melodica is known by various names, often at the whim of the manufacturer. Melodion, Triola, Melodika, Melodia, Pianica, Melodihorn, Diamonica, Pianetta, face piano, and Clavietta are just some of the variants. When a recording technician unfamiliar with the melodica called it a "hooter," the bandThe Hooters took that as their name.
Two hands
Melodica can be played with two hands employing an air tube. To blow air, a foot pump can also be used.
