Learn an Irish tune on Melodica

[@zenolord2242]

Wow, I'm Irish, just got a melodica this morning, and my birthday is on the 21st of April, the day this video was uploaded!

[@MelodicaWorld]

Its meant to be!

[@celineandjonny7046]

Wow thanks Daren! I have been looking all over the internet for irish melodica playing. I’ve litterally just bought one for irish music. I’ll post a video with my first tune once I’ve learned it!

[@MelodicaWorld]

Looking forward to it!

[@berbentos]

Your playing is probably the best melodica use out there. It combines the best of harmonica and concertina and leaves out their inherent problems. I think it's due to your breathing technique. I listened to all melodica slips I could find and most players are either using Mike reverb or sound plain flat and dry. I think melodica is still pretty much unresearched opportunity from technical viewpoint and your own instrument sound proves it. It's so much beyond all that I heard. I wish I could hear more of your playing. Thank you for outstanding work.

[@MelodicaWorld]

Thanks for your lovely comment :-) I agree, breathing has a big impact on the sound, and also, relaxation allows freedom in the fingers, and for the instrument to resonate. Most of my practice is seeing how relaxed I can be!

[@cristzgunslinger]

🙏 Please make more daily tutorial & Cover content, you really good with this instrument. Covering lot of games soundtrack, plenty of people will love hear you playing melodica . You deserve million of subscriber.

[@MelodicaWorld]

Thank you Cristz, I'll try to make more :-)

[@bundyselmer]

Thanks for this video :)

[@sarbajitghosh5244]

Thanks! Very instructive indeed. Its a pretty tune

[@AngelaADD]

Thanks!!

[@indianflower]

You realy inspired me, so i ordered, and i am going to learn step by step. Thank you!!!!

[@MelodicaWorld]

Great to hear this :-)

[@indianflower]

@@MelodicaWorld already started to learn, thamk you again

[@ZvikaDror]

Mabrook! This is a very nice (too short IMHO) video and beloved subject! Thank you! I play Irish tunes on Melodica and Tinwhistle, but my main instrument is Harmonica - with regular tuning or specialized for Irish / fast playing (Paddy, Daddy, Bebop D, Mixolydian, Minor, Bagpipe, Chromatic and so on). In fact - you are the one who inspired me to take the Melodica for Irish stuff, although any (C) chromatic instrument can easily play Irish scales like D, G, A etc. - with some practice, but I am used to Piano / Keyboard for composition and accompaniment and Diatonic scales for Irish - so having chromatic instrument at hand, being able to embellish the scales with accidentals has so many musical options, on an easy and fun instrument. Cheers!

[@MelodicaWorld]

So pleased you like it Zvika, and amazing that you're playing the harmonica. I tried it for about a year, and found it too difficult! I know this is a bit short - what would you like to see more of?

[@ZvikaDror]

@@MelodicaWorld Lets talk on FB if you have time I'm thinking about known tunes like tin whistle guys show on YT channels. The musical priest is good (also the tune :) l

[@robertforrester578]

That's good work Brother. Thanks.

[@James-en1ob]

You should also make a tutorial of "drunken sailor"

[@MelodicaWorld]

Yes!

[@tomansionpercussion4389]

Nice ! I was looking for a tutoriel like this. Can you tell, next time, more information About tje kind of key that need to be pressed ? Can you do a tutoriel on how to imitate french accordeon ?

[@MelodicaWorld]

Glad you liked it! Can you tell me more about 'the kind of key that needs to be pressed'?

[@tomansionpercussion4389]

​@@MelodicaWorld I don't know how to say it in English Is a pentatonic in music a thing in English ? I wanted to know more about some theoretical stuff like the piano range to play o the 'spaces' between each notes. Like 3 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 3 sound jazzy

[@MelodicaWorld]

@@tomansionpercussion4389 Yes, the pentatonic scale has 5 notes, just like playing all the black notes on a piano. I think the next Irish tutorial I do will be in much more depth

[@tfreixas]

I appreciate the time you took to make this tutorial, but it seems to be missing the actual tutorial part. For example, I could easily find the notes for this or many other Irish tunes--there are vast collections of Irish music. I could also find wonderful renditions of many Irish tunes by skilled players. You demonstrate an" at speed" version, which includes ornamentation and some rhythmic tweaks and emphases. Then you play the tune straight and slowly. The interesting part would have been showing how to go from one to the other--it's more than just playing it faster.

[@MelodicaWorld]

Hi Tony, thanks for checking the video out and feedback. I decided against describing the ornaments etc because I thought most people weren't looking for that level of detail. To hear that you are is great - I'll do an Irish tutorial based on a tune like this, with a full speed version, then go through the various ornaments I'm using, then a slow version without ornaments (as many players don't read music), followed by a slow version with full ornamentation. Would this work for you?

[@tfreixas]

@@MelodicaWorld That would be nice. I have a writeup by Bill Ochs on the "Styles and Traditions of Irish Dance Music". He discusses phrasing, note values, dynamics, rhythm, tempo, and ornamentations. This was written prior to KZbin videos (1976) and a demo of all the things he talks about would have been useful. If you don't want to go into the whole breadth of variations in styles of playing Irish music, just focus on your particular style. I think it's interesting to see how one makes a tune come alive. I am personally confused as to how learning a tune on a melodica differs from learning a tune on any other instrument, whether one learns by ear or written music. The interesting part, to me, is what you can do with the tune on a melodica that you might not be able to do on another instrument. However, if your goal is just to teach people who do not read music some Irish tunes, that's fine, too. From other comments, it looks like people appreciate your effort.

[@garnikhechiceriabrujeria4205]

Hi! I have discovered your channel and I love it! You are very good at playing I am from Mexico and I play the keyboard accordion, I want to learn more about Irish music but there is no information, not even on the internet and that discourages Do you teach? I want to know more about the ornamentation or whatever it is for information, I really appreciate it, keep it up I hope you understand me, my english is not good

[@MelodicaWorld]

Hi Garnik, your English is great. Yes, I do teach. I hope to make a video soon, describing all the ornamentation

[@garnikhechiceriabrujeria4205]

Thank you! I'll wait for him In any case, if you give video classes I can gladly pay for an Irish ornamentation class, regards!

[@LeahJones-o3c]

Omg you are AMAZING... how do you do that little triplet kind of bagpipe sound on the D note right around 0:34-0:36ish? What are you doing with your fingers and breath there? I cannot get anyone to explain that to me for my Celtic melodica playing!! ❤️

[@MelodicaWorld]

Thanks! They’re called triplets in Irish music. I explain how to do that in detail in another video - 10 tips for pro melodica players. Take a look and let me know if it works for you…

[@augustinh.9315]

Thx a lot

[@MelodicaWorld]

You're welcome!

[@Aadil_Anzar]

Awesome 🎊

[@MelodicaWorld]

Glad you liked it :-)

[@ohtoys9]

Love the ease with which you have adapted the instrument to the genre. I have been learning a few tunes on it as well, just starting with a Natalie MacMaster album and trying to work my way through some of the melodies. I’m curious: how do you get the little stuttering sound, the one that evokes the way a fiddler will do a quick little bounce of the bow on the strings? Watching how are your fingers move, I’m assuming that that is something you learned how to do with your breathing or some kind of a triple tonguing technique.

[@MelodicaWorld]

Yes it’s triple tonguing. I describe how to do it in detail on another video - kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXWokKaam5Z-apY

[@ohtoys9]

Thanks! Will check it out.

[@goksicar91]

Can you please provide the music sheet? Great videos, keep them up :) Thank you and keep safe! :)

[@MelodicaWorld]

Thanks Goran, you'll find the sheet music here thesession.org/tunes/1198

[@eggn00dle36]

Is that like buzzy thing you do flutter tonguing?

[@MelodicaWorld]

Its called triple tonguing - you make the sound 'te-ke-te' while playing a note

[@AllyssonGemelli]

Amazing video! By the way, do you have the sheet of this song? Great performance!

[@MelodicaWorld]

Thanks Allysson! You can find the sheet music here melodicaworld.com/learn-an-irish-tune-on-melodica/

[@AllyssonGemelli]

@@MelodicaWorld thanks a lot! Nice playing!

[@corentinlevenes7231]

Hi! Is it possible to put letters on comment to try to learn this Amazing song? Thankssssss!!

[@MelodicaWorld]

You can find the music and ABC notation here thesession.org/tunes/1198

[@bilbowaggins3036]

How do you get that flutter/growl like effect?

[@MelodicaWorld]

In Irish music they’re called ‘triplets’ . You can get it by making the sounds ta - ka- da into the melodica. Do it slowly first and it will naturally speed up over time. Eventually you won’t end know you’re doing it!

[@ДмитрийБудяну]

Супер!

[@chronoboat11]

Nice but you go wat to fast.