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Author Topic: "pre melodeon training"  (Read 9366 times)

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george garside

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Re: "pre melodeon training"
« Reply #40 on: January 23, 2012, 11:20:28 AM »

Clearly there is no 'one size fits all' way into melodeon playing & the  mouthy rout works for some & not for others & is obviously nowhere near as good as being fortunate enough to borrow the real thing!  The reason I  suggest  the mouthy as a tester is that it is a very cheap way  of getting the hang of the sook an blaw scale that is common to both instruments
 
Not being able to get the hang of a mouthy  clearly does not mean somebody won't get the hang of a melodeon  but the reverse is less likely to happen i.e. if someone can get a tune or two out of one they stand a reasonable chance of being OK on a box.

I would however argue that there is a definate connection between the harmonica and the melodon - loads of stuff on google etc & to quote just one  "the melodeon.... was developed from the harmonica..early  in 19th century"  (Hobgoblins website) 

george
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Anahata

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Re: "pre melodeon training"
« Reply #41 on: January 23, 2012, 11:50:49 AM »

For explaining how a melodeon works, the "harmonica with bellows" description is useful, because nearly everyone has at least tried to play a harmonica at some time in their lives, or at least they've seen one.

But I agree that they are sufficiently different instruments that playing a harmonica is only marginally useful preparation for playing a melodeon.
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Theo

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Re: "pre melodeon training"
« Reply #42 on: January 23, 2012, 12:12:06 PM »

I was thinking about buying one of those children's melodeons that are about £20 to see whether or not I could get on with it before spending more. Any thoughts on that?

Excellent idea.   To make it easier to play blank off one of the two sets of treble reeds.  This helps to compensate for the small leaky bellows and makes the tuning sound less bad :D.  I have seen at least one performer play one of these in a pro band, not for a whole gig, but very effective as accompaniment to a singer.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Chris Ryall

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Re: "pre melodeon training"
« Reply #43 on: January 23, 2012, 12:23:43 PM »

If the retailers were to keep a couple in stock, make the mod Theo suggests (brilliant!), and offer appropriate favourable trade in for purchase of a 'real' melodeon .. we might have a very nice entry level scheme ...

.. but then they have still to respond to last  year's "British Standard Box" redesign  :|glug
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george garside

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Re: "pre melodeon training"
« Reply #44 on: January 23, 2012, 01:21:30 PM »

.   To make it easier to play blank off one of the two sets of treble reeds.  This helps to compensate for the small leaky bellows and makes the tuning sound less bad :D.  

a (very) poor mans one row lilly!!  are the reeds all on one plate or separate as in a proper job?

george ;D
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Theo

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Re: "pre melodeon training"
« Reply #45 on: January 23, 2012, 01:36:10 PM »

Separate reed plates on the ones I've seen.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Howard Jones

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Re: "pre melodeon training"
« Reply #46 on: January 23, 2012, 01:37:02 PM »

The relationship between the mouth organ and melodeon in terms of their construction is clear, but has no relationship to how they are played.  One requires breath control, the other requires digital dexterity.  Aptitude on one seems to have little bearing on aptitude on the other.  All that can be said is that being able to play the mouth organ may make learning melodeon a bit easier.

What's the point of using mouth organ as a tester if the test doesn't work?  All it will achieve is to possibly discourage people from even attempting to play melodeon if they fail the test.

malcolmbebb

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Re: "pre melodeon training"
« Reply #47 on: January 23, 2012, 02:58:47 PM »

.   To make it easier to play blank off one of the two sets of treble reeds.  This helps to compensate for the small leaky bellows and makes the tuning sound less bad :D.  

a (very) poor mans one row lilly!!  are the reeds all on one plate or separate as in a proper job?

george ;D
On mine there is an easily removeable reed block - it's a minute's work to tape off one bank. Just leave the reeds in situ. It makes a lot of difference to the air requirement, and makes it noticeably easier less hard to play.
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ladydetemps

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Re: "pre melodeon training"
« Reply #48 on: January 23, 2012, 03:04:11 PM »

.   To make it easier to play blank off one of the two sets of treble reeds.  This helps to compensate for the small leaky bellows and makes the tuning sound less bad :D.  

a (very) poor mans one row lilly!!  are the reeds all on one plate or separate as in a proper job?

george ;D
On mine there is an easily removeable reed block - it's a minute's work to tape off one bank. Just leave the reeds in situ. It makes a lot of difference to the air requirement, and makes it noticeably easier less hard to play.
I haven't done the modifications...but I find it easier to play that my hohner 1 row 4 stop.
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