Melodica vs. Chromatic Harmonica - Neil Adler

Which is easier, cheaper, smaller, more versatile and expressive?

[@sasakisirius6722]

As a harmonica lover, I can feel his joyful he is a music enjoyer ,no matter harmonica or melodica,piano … both makes our life better

[@Themaddprof]

I played diatonic harmonica from 1977 to 2010, chromatic from 2010 to 2020, and during the pandemic, after hearing Augustus Pablo's "Fire Red," converted to the Melodica. I'm sticking with the latter. I agree with it's low maintenance and cost (I make it a point to use the valve after every playing) and I even like the sound better. Interestingly, when I picked up the harmonicas, except for blues fans, many people would roll their eyes, especially of the younger generation. They think of the harmonica as a corny, old timey instrument and I had to work hard to educate them and win then over. When I pick up the Melodica, they look intrigued and almost to a one, they ask "What's that?" And I smile and educate them, and they smile when I play. The Chromatic harmonica is a beautiful instrument, especially in the hands of Larry Adler, Toots Thielemans, and Stevie Wonder. But all things considered, I'm going to stick with the Melodica, while I occasionally return to the Chromatic so as not to lose my ability.

[@bilbowaggins3036]

Both are great instruments. Honestly, if melodica had more bending capabilities, I'd probably never buy a harmonica.

[@ivangh94]

Yup, you can actually teach kids how to play it. Playing the diatonic harmonica is actually hard.

[@Themaddprof]

@@ivangh94 I guess that depends on the person. I found the diatonic very easy to play, especially after learning how to bend my tongue for notes. I had little experience with keyboards before playing the Melodica, so that took some time for me to master. Incidentally, I use the same tongue bending technique along with vibrating the keys to get notes to bend on the Melodica.

[@nadlerus88]

Yes. Not addressed. Melodica-easy, Chromatic-difficult.

[@bertrambecher9483]

Nice comparison! I like both, especially if it comes to chordal accompaniment, the Melodica is just nice.

[@diomedesrosaspon3154]

I glad to see You here. Saludos from Argentina 🖐️

[@weltsauerstoff]

That was entertaining and still useful. Thank you! :)

[@razvanluculescu1014]

Actually was even - 4-4. The cost was pro melodica.

[@kishascape]

It's actually 5-4 when you factor in that melodica doesn't need to be kept warm to prevent sticking valves like on chromatic.

[@tigerzero5216]

This video was very helpful in seeing/understanding the difference in the two instruments. I was watching an ASMR video of someone playing music. It sounded nice. I could not see what was being played. It sounded like a Harmonica to me. Then it was said it was a Melodica. ... What is a Melodica? I asked myself? So I searched. I found your video comparison. Now I know the physical differences of the two instruments, how they are used and why a single note sounds the same from the two from an untrained ear. Thumbs up/like. Thank you.

[@ivangh94]

Melodicnas are also easier to play. I play piano and got tired with the harmonica because of the learning curve. With the melodica i can have a similar sound using piano keys so thats great.

[@kishascape]

I don't play piano but same. It's same valved reeds and sounds same so I got melodica to easier play songs on keys instead of trying to pucker blow and muscle memory the holes of harmonica. It's going far better and I actually love the melodica as an instrument of its own now.

[@Theslavedrivers]

Changed the Voting System right at the end, there!

[@limao.jericao]

I was asking myself the same question today! I think it's a tie because you have polyphony on one side and melodic expression on the other side.

[@fuckbored4724]

A good musician can make both sound great for sure. There's no right or wrong answer

[@nadlerus88]

I think the small volumn, pressurized chamber of the chromatic allows effects the Melodica can’t copy.

[@kishascape]

Nah the only advantage to chromatic is the pocket portability which is good for travel and homelessness but otherwise melodica all the way.

[@boqsc0]

Really great, not a single second wasted.

[@nadlerus88]

Except my big error. Thanks, Neil

[@guimaluc0]

nice Ivan lins and tico tico no fubá example :)

[@robappleby583]

Well if you play the melodica inexpressively (no vibrato or dynamics), it is less expressive. You're right about that. BTW your own count was 4 to 4... But: in music, expression is everything. The harmonica is a far more expressive instrument. But infinitely more difficult to play.

[@chrisrios802]

i got a question, this song here kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmakl6mFoJpqmKc has this melodica or harmonica type of sound, i was trying to see if you can identify it, its at 0:27 seconds

[@connorcolebest5473]

but on the board it's 4 to 4?

[@bottegin]

Learn both

[@sarbajitghosh5244]

Ami bolle to hobe na , tai na?

[@lawrenceagar6470]

That was great! However one question that was my main reason for watching this that wasn't addressed was; time and effort to learn- meaning if you already play diatonic harmonica as well as basic piano/keyboard, is it worth the time and effort in learning how to play the chromatic harmonica so that you can can play non diatonic music on it, or just get a melodica and be able to play music on it basically instantly?

[@Themaddprof]

Both should be easy if you already play keyboards and diatonic harmonica. It takes some effort to learn when you use the bar effectively on the Chromatic, but if you have already mastered keyboards, the Melodica is relatively simple.

[@nadlerus88]

Piano translates instantly to melodica, but diatonic and chromatic are completely different. You need time, discipline and some music theory to learn chromatic. Good luck. Neil

[@kishascape]

Melodica is more straightforward either way regardless

[@pedrofuster9161]

Which model is that melodica you play first ?

[@nadlerus88]

First was a Hohner Piano 32 (Vintage- Made in Germany), and ending with Suzuki Pro 37.

[@MusiclifeArtist]

But its sound like the harmonica got more volume 😅

[@nadlerus88]

You can play melodically acoustically on a gig, not usually harmonica

[@milevasiljevic9312]

Nil dali ste takvo poredjenje jer svirate hromatsku harmoniku na jedan ton i bez akorda, cime ste ikoristili samo mali deo mogucnosti hromatske harmonike.Naravno i ne koristite u sviranju hromatske harmonike ritmiku i bas ,sto melodika uopste ne moze da postigne.Hromatska je ako se koristi viseglasno sviranje sa ritmikom ispred melodike.Cak je i tremolo u takvoj prednosti.

[@milevasiljevic9312]

Izvinite ali to uopšte nije zvuk usne harmonike .Vi i usnu harmoniku i melodoku svirate isto potpuno na jedan ton.A usna harmonika je istovetna pravoj harmonici ako je svirate sa svim njenim mogucnostima.Gde vam je dvoglasno sviranje na usnoj tj. Terca pa ge su vam prateci akordi i basovi ba usnoj ,što melodika uopšte ne može da svira.Melodika je melodika a usna harmonika je harmonika.Nikakvu prednost nema melodika nad usnom harmonikom.Sviram oba instrumenta pa znam.Znam da ste vrstan muzičar i vrstan svirač na hromatskoj pa ste me u ovom klipu potpuno zbunili.Poslušajte malo moje sviranje na hromazskoj iako je sviram tek oko 7 godina i to ne tako intenzivno.Još mogu poboljšati to sviranje ali trebao bih imati i bolje harmonike ali to i jeste problem što ih ne mogu priuštiti.Zato dosta sviram tremolo i ponekad diatonke.

[@fuckbored4724]

First of all, you miscounted lol, it was 4 - 4, even if you give two points to harmonica for expression. Also, great players can get A LOT (and I mean a lot) more expression out of a melodica than that, but I do still agree that over all the harmonica has more expressive capabilities, but I think you're overselling the differences here while simultaneously undercutting the polyphonic advantage for the melodica. I'm also not sure why "smaller size" is automatically better. Anyways, it seems to be an even race to me. Both instruments are great in the hands of great musicians. Thanks for making the video

[@nadlerus88]

Fair enough.

[@milevasiljevic9312]

Vi ste Neli vrstan muzicar nesumnjivo.Daleko bolji i muzicki obrazovaniji od mene. Ovaj video vam je odlican samo se uz svo uvazavanje, ne slazem da je melodika u prednosti nad hromatskom usnom harmonikom.Ubedjen sam da znate svirati tongue blocking tehnikom sa ritmikom ili basovima ,kao sto ja sviram i diatonku ,tremolo i hromatsku ali ne razumem zasto bezite od toga.

[@nadlerus88]

My Czech not so good.

[@nadlerus88]

I tried translation, but it didnt work well. My main point is that the chromatic harmonica is easier to add expression than the melodica. Any instument can be played well by advanced musicians, but the melodia is difficult to add vibrato, tonal changes, slurs, embellishements. Regards, Neil

[@Mamali316]

Disagreed. Your melodica was a cheap toy of an instrument. Try a professional Instrument and Melodica will most definitely win 🏆 👌

[@nadlerus88]

I should have specified the test instrument was a Hohner Piano 32, German, and other a Suzuki Pro 37.

[@Mamali316]

@Neil Adler Chromatic Harmonica and Piano thank you. I play a Hammond HP pro, and no piano or harmonica comes close to what it offers. Pure joy. The Suzuki pro 37 models have a slight delay in the lower keys (closer to the mouthpiece) and are not tuned very well