Melodica
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.
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.
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 right hand plays the white keys. Others are played like the tenor melodica.
Bass melodicas (lower-pitched than the tenor type) also exist, but are less common than other types.
Popular melodica manufacturers include
Hohner and
Samick.
*
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" (later redone by New Order).
*
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.
*
BLACKstreet's 1997 hit "Don't leave me" from their album "Another Level" features a melodica solo.
*The Society of Rockets feature the melodica prominently on their song, "The Flood". The band's previous incarnation, The Shimmer Kids Underpop Association, utilized the melodica frequently, most notably on "The Hangman's Come-On".
Sample
The audio sample is from the aforementioned bridge of the 1983 Depeche Mode single "Everything Counts", in which the melodica serves as the musical centerpiece. In addition to a variety of other instrumental samples, including a
xylophone and a synthesizer produced sound similar to a
shawm, the melodica plays between the 8 and 18 second marks of the sample.
