Irish melodica - circular breathing (concertina accordion harmonica)

[@mauerbrecher2547]

This is probably the first example of melodica playing I have heard that makes it sound like a 100% serious instrument, capable of competing with an accordion or harmonium. Melodicas, alas, suffer from a lot of bias from serious musicians. But this video really shows how seriously the instrument deserves to be taken.

[@AdvancePlays]

Much like the recorder - a beautiful instrument whose reputation has been completely debased in the hands of children. Not that they shouldn't teach music, just give these poor instruments some time to breathe haha

[@misstinwhistle1]

Totally agree with that statement. ukulele is kinda the same nowadays with lots of people playing very basic one strum chords. It seems like a toy. more good videos may fix that (melodica that is)

[@osbourneburnett184]

I agree. The melodica men on KZbin, dressing up in silly costumes is damaging the melodicas image, I play it in my church, but it's not taken seriously people.

[@linhdam]

@@osbourneburnett184 actually I disagree with your opinion about melodicamen, melodica had never been that popular until the melodicamen joined in (look at their number of views compared to other melodica vids). their costumes (visual elements) would mean nothing if the quality of their products is not good. The complexity of their harmony and the beauty of their arrangement are what made them famous, not the costumes. They played a big role in spreading the power of melodica on the Internet.

[@cmproject4798]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/g17TfJyFhdGrm6c

[@AndrewKozley]

Man that was some TRUE ORIGINAL celtic Irish native playing!!! I applaud that! From Russia with Love

[@darenbanarse8924]

Thank you Andrew :-)

[@france4me117]

WOW! this absolutely blow my mind ... I sooo love the undertones and expressions created by your expertise of using methods of thonging, vibrato and many other tricks up your sleeve xoxo

[@JohnHillEU]

Never mind the circular breathing the triplets are on another level! Excellent stuff man, really a treat to listen to

[@MelodicaWorld]

Wow, thanks :-)

[@AlexSoetekouwProductions]

Absolutely beautiful. The melodica is definitely a great instrument. There’s so much depth to it, and so many things you can do with it to make it sound completely different. Amazing.

[@MelodicaWorld]

Thanks for your appreciation!

[@Lucius.Hercules]

Wow!! I can circular breath with my clarinet and saxophone but I've tried it with a melodica and boy is it hard! major props to this dude

[@robappleby583]

Try it with a recorder ;-)

[@plaguedocgames5465]

The algorithm keeps recommending old clips and vids from his channel still good none the less

[@perrinfan]

You have inspired me, Daren.

[@ZvikaDror]

Still the most kick ass Melodica playing technique and performance (and a tune I like to play a lot!) on YT, period.

[@MelodicaWorld]

Thanks Zvika :-)

[@DrAXE-zg5ul]

3 people have not ears. Pretty sound. Thanks for share it. +10

[@davidmcgrath575]

Troy thanks for this masterful example of the potential of the melodica. I have recently acquired the new Hohner Fire and have been working out daily for a month now. I have a pretty wide repetoire on both mando and harmonicas, but there is something just so dancy about this tool.

[@darenbanarse8924]

Good to hear it David! How's the practice going?

[@lindahart8574]

Could you possibly make a video describing how to achieve the triplets effect you so wonderfully demonstrate. There is virtually nothing of any substance on KZbin to help learn these techniques. Was an absolute joy listening to you and have bought a Yamaha on the basis of this video. Many thanks

[@darenbanarse8924]

Thanks Linda. I make the 'triplets' with triple tonguing - a technique used by wind instrument players. Make the sounds te-te-ke while blowing, and keeping your finger down on a note. You can also play triplets with your fingers, which sounds almost identical. In this case just play the note three times in rapid succession, using different fingers, like 3-2-1

[@phlattgetit]

Excellent playing and amazing technique.

[@sarbajitghosh5244]

You are fabulous with this instrument. 😄

[@MelodicaWorld]

Thanks!

[@E.Cantona]

Hello Daren, this is your cousin Adrian. Just came across you on YT.. u have great talent.

[@keyboy1001]

You should upload more, really enjoy your content

[@efdiyi]

My God this is absolutely brilliant!!!

[@darenbanarse8924]

Thanks Fernando!

[@gabrielleraul]

I've been trying to play the Irish tune called Toss the Feathers by The Corrs, and in my mind, i want to play it like this. Its so difficult, but you just inspired me that it is possible, thanks man, I'm gonna keep practicing.

[@MelodicaWorld]

Great to hear this Gabrelle. It takes a while for it all to come together, but so worth the wait!

[@efdiyi]

AMAZING STUFF!!!

[@birdradiovideo]

Bravo!

[@nalimkorpas3733]

Very beautiful sound .

[@darenbanarse8924]

Thanks Nalim

[@paulflute]

yum.. wow.. really nice.. tripple tonguing while circular breathing.. very nicely done.. fluid and delicious..

[@MelodicaWorld]

Wow, thank you, what a tasty comment!

[@ubizmo]

Are you triple tonguing to get the fast triplets or is some kind of keyboard technique?

[@darenbanarse8924]

I used to play triplets with fingers, like you'd play on an accordion, but its actually easier once you get the hang of it to triple tongue

[@ubizmo]

Thanks. I never really understood how the accordion players do it!

[@BrendanPowerMusic]

Nice! Post some more tunes please Daren :)

[@darenbanarse8924]

Thanks Brendan! I will. Let me know when you're back at the Harrison :-)

[@dangodro77]

Perfect ! Thank You !

[@darenbanarse8924]

Thank you Dan!

[@sass-hoory]

Very nice tune! Impressive use of breathing and dynamics too.

[@darenbanarse8924]

Thanks Sass, hope you're well!

[@bandgeek1266]

That's incredible!!!!

[@darenbanarse8924]

Thanks :-)

[@liammcfadden1875]

Brilliant!

[@lucagambirasio]

This is superb

[@MelodicaWorld]

Thanks!

[@DjananTuran]

Woowww!! I'll remember not to pick the melodica if we are ever jamming again.

[@spmlt2]

Any tips on circular breathing specifically on the melodica? I can do it on most wind instruments including didgeridoo, but I find that the melodica does not offer as much resistance so I can't hold the air in my cheeks long enough.

[@darenbanarse8924]

Just use whatever air you can from your cheeks. I only take about a second to fill the lungs - a sharp in breath. Try doing this in a busy section rather than a more exposed long note. Hope this helps...

[@JeanClaudeWelche]

Bravo !!!

[@ZvikaDror]

very very cool! Thanks for sharing, enjoy your music!

[@darenbanarse8924]

Thanks Zvika :-)

[@LesAventuresDeMarsetNena]

Excellent, j'adore

[@hasmukhpatel4085]

Well played.

[@jordan23184]

This is breathtaking if I may say :-) Excellent !!!!! Wondering: Did you learn circular breathing for melodica or you knew the technique before playing melodica ? Hope to see more irish reel !

[@darenbanarse8924]

Thanks Nicolas. I learnt how to circular breath once I started playing Irish music on the melodica. I wanted to mimic the sound of the concertina, and concertina's don't take breaths!

[@jordan23184]

This is even more amazing. I tried Irish music on accordion but now I just want to learn this technique and melodica ! It does sound very Irish. Never thought this was possible with a melodica lol

[@Ubu987]

@@darenbanarse8924 Are you articulating those triplets with fingers or by tongue? That is very fine rhythmic playing, especially with the subtle changes of dynamics that can make a good fiddle or accordion player so exciting to listen to. Irish tunes may be rhythmically dense, with so many notes played fast, but there is also a longer rhythmic footprint that is essential to the music, a feeling like the tide coming in and going out again, and you have absolutely captured that!

[@MelodicaWorld]

@@Ubu987 thanks, really nice to hear your feedback. I think the longer rhythmic flow comes, the more relaxed I get while playing. I’m tonguing all the triplets

[@misstinwhistle1]

That's wonderful. I want a reed instrument for Irish music but I don't want to pay a fortune for it. I play whistle and the set up of the melodica is similar so this is a good alternative instrument. Any particular brand or key best for Irish music?

[@darenbanarse8924]

They all sound pretty similar, so its personal choice really, Suzuki and Yamaha tend to be superior quality.

[@michelelavender1967]

Oh my goodness,what heaven

[@HobgoblinBirmingham]

Great stuff!

[@aniloberoi]

Lovely.

[@nachete897]

Its really amazing the way that you play that instrument. Im starting to practice that technique with my melodica and I have a question. Its posible to do that technique using the long tube of the melodica? or is only posible using the mouthpiece?

[@darenbanarse8924]

+nachete897 Great to hear you're practising your technique. Yes you can circular breath with the long tube, but its easier using the short mouthpiece.

[@nachete897]

+Daren Banarsë thank you very much :)

[@Gedagnors]

Great!!!!!!!

[@hugojandro]

uy! excelente en todo

[@ludovicgauthier8693]

Çà me donne vraiment envie d'en acheter un, je suis organiste et je recherche des sons un peu nouveaux, alors là pourquoi pas ...???

[@darenbanarse8924]

Je suis d'accord!

[@dangodro77]

Boom !

[@evantowle5147]

Where did you get a left handed melodica??

[@darenbanarse8924]

Its not left-handed Evan, the computer seems to have reversed the image somewhere along the line...

[@teryskreo4010]

sympa !

[@andrys1]

Love this. That looks like a Yamaha P37D (which I have, although a Suzuki M37C is on its way here too). Is there a reason you don't identify the instrument for this video? Thanks for the amazing demo.

[@darenbanarse8924]

Thanks anieb, yes it's a Yamaha P37D. The Suzuki M37C is also good. Let me know which you prefer...

[@SharpLady53]

Lovely! 🌻

[@MelodicaWorld]

Thank you! 😊

[@vincentlamb3436]

What time signature is this in?

[@d.r.9888]

it's a reel, so it's in 4/4 thesession.org/tunes/13923

[@DaveDugganITPro]

what tune is this pl ease? a jig, reel ? What brand / model instrument are you playing here please? well done! excellent!

[@philipelloway187]

YAMAHA P37D is the model and make

[@darenbanarse8924]

Dave, it's a reel. The sheet music is here: thesession.org/tunes/13923

[@dianelee2210]

Fantastic performance. Question: Is this a left-handed melodica?

[@darenbanarse8924]

No, its a standard melodica, the computer seems to have reversed the image!

[@powerbatterychannel4315]

:)

[@EviGkVideoMaker]

how the hell u breath

[@SaintSukittoruzu]

Venceremos circular breathing

[@JonasBombeke]

Very well played! I try to use a melodica as a stand in for the accordion in Irish inspired music as well, albeit to a significantly inferior degree. How do you pull of those beautiful triplets? Do you use your tongue like you'd pronounce a rolling "r"? Thanks in advance!

[@MelodicaWorld]

Thanks you Maester! For triplets I make the sound te-ke-te while blowing. Try it!

[@dylan2478]

Amazing! It can’t get any more Celtic/Irish then this! But I wonder how you play these short fast notes that makes this so Irish . Do you blow some rolling ‘R’ sound into your melodica?

[@MelodicaWorld]

It's called tonguing. I'm using the sounds te, ke, te, in rapid succession to trigger the note. I'm making a video on advanced techniques where I will explain this in more detail. Coming very soon!

[@dylan2478]

@@MelodicaWorld aah wow, my mouth can’t go so fast yet haha. But thanks for ur answer! And I’ll definitely stay tuned for the upcoming video.

[@shaking4health]

Hello, how to change the melodica for the left hand please?

[@MelodicaWorld]

Best to play it on a table, or your lap, using the tube

[@jefersonvilaede]

damn, im really a beginner is what i realise. imagine tha tabs on that.

[@darenbanarse8924]

keep practising :-)

[@vinayvinz8673]

Can you please suggest some Irish music which we can play on a Melodeon

[@MelodicaWorld]

Yes, I put a few up here kzbin.info/door/3QjLTYjr5y5bsRfE9AGOsAvideos

[@melodicar2287]

Hi Darren! I came across your new melodica book on Amazon, I haven't no idea you made another one! I just received it and I'm very pleased! Just a question about the circular breathing. I'm trying to adapt it when I play some irish music. Can you tell me more or less in which frequency you use it? Each three seconds? I' m experimenting now and I need a few advice to adapt this technique with the melodica. Thanks a lot!

[@MelodicaWorld]

Hey Jérémie, nice to hear from you. Yes, 3 or 4 seconds on average I think. If you go to the forum on melodicaworld.com, I might be able to help in more detail?

[@PsychoCalamander]

Please teach circular breathing for melodica! I can do it without it, but when I have the tube, the air just comes out instantly from my cheeks :D

[@MelodicaWorld]

I find the tube difficult to circular breath. I think its because it's difficult to keep the tube in your mouth? It sort of needs to be gripped. That's why I only do it with the mouthpiece

[@Iceland874]

It does remind me of a concertina. What kind is the one you are playing here?

[@MelodicaWorld]

This is a Yamaha P37d

[@michaelfox1432]

This sounds great. (Have you thought of trying Zydeco on your melodica?). It is one of the great frustrations of my musical endeavors that I have never been able to do circular breathing.

[@MelodicaWorld]

I'll have to try! Circular breathing takes a long time to learn, you need to be very patient :-)

[@megamanx979]

Left handed melodica.. Dayum

[@darenbanarse8924]

Ha, its actually a standard right handed melodica. The image seems to have reversed at some point on my computer!

[@RaptorT1V]

It was amazing ! But how to circular breathing?

[@MelodicaWorld]

I learnt from watching KZbin videos!

[@ErolEmmioglupianist]

What is the model of your melodica

[@MelodicaWorld]

It’s hand made with ebony reed, but with Yamaha reeds, so very similar sound to Yamaha Pianica

[@ErolEmmioglupianist]

@@MelodicaWorld ı wanna use my melodicas but needed to be tuned

[@vincentlavoie5673]

Can someone tell me what is this song? It tells me something!

[@MelodicaWorld]

Its something I composed in the style of an Irish reel :-)

[@enjoyindianmusic]

What's the price 47 keys?

[@MelodicaWorld]

+Jithesh Puliyakkot I don’t know any melodica with 47 keys

[@marvinthemaniac7698]

It sounds like a concertina.

[@MelodicaWorld]

I'm glad you think so, just what I think!

[@marvinthemaniac7698]

@@MelodicaWorld maybe it uses the same reeds as a concertina.

[@MelodicaWorld]

@@marvinthemaniac7698 Yes, very similar. The concertina reeds are handmade, and are individual, these Yamaha reeds are on a plate, like harmonica reeds. But did you know that Wheatstone, the inventor of the concertina, first invented the 'symphonium', a mouth blown concertina, very similar to the melodica, before he added the bellows?

[@marvinthemaniac7698]

@@MelodicaWorld I did not know that

[@foxworkshopdotcom]

Sounds a lot like Drowsy Maggie.

[@franciscomoncayo1221]

2025