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3D Printing a Melodica (5) – The range
15 July 2014 Nearly ready for printing! I’ve now nearly finished the 3D drawing of the melodica. I’m leaving it without a case, for a more exposed look. Instead I’ve incorporated a finger rest and...
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3D Printing a Melodica (6) – Buying a printer
18 July 2014 My own 3D printer? I’ve been doing some research into 3D printers. I’ve decided to buy one instead of using the services of a professional 3D printer, as the costs for one print out is...
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3D Printing a Melodica (7) – Printer hell
18 August 2014 My new 3D printer After my last post, I visited the 3D printing shop, where they were putting on a demonstration for beginners. I showed them a photo of what I was intending to make, and...
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3D Printing a Melodica (8) – Soft sticky prints
21 October 2014 The parts have arrived… I eventually decided to send my 3D files over to a printing company based in the west midlands of England, 3D Alchemy. I learnt from the previous test pieces...
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3D Printing a Melodica (9) – Attaching parts
28 October 2014 Attaching two 3D printed parts I decided to try attaching the chamber cover to the main body. I had already ordered some small brass inserts to fit into the holes on the main body....
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3D Printing a Melodica (10) – first assembly
The new keys have arrived, but before putting all the parts together, I decided to try painting the main body. The main body (‘skeleton’) is made from Polyjet material which has had extra UV treatment...
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3D Printing a Melodica (11) – second attempt
A new material? After my last attempt warped under the pressure of the springs, I ordered all the parts again, with a few design modifications, in a new material. This time the material of choice was...
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3D Printing a Melodica (12) – making melodica keys
Once I knew that this melodica was airtight, and working well, I can finally get to my favourite bit – making it look nice! Ivory ‘white’ keys I started with building the little piano style keys. I...
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3D Printing a Melodica (13) – finishing touches
Just two things to complete on the melodica before I can say it’s finished. There’s the mouthpiece, and at the other end of the instrument, the moisture-release valve. What mouthpiece? There’s many...
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3D Printing a Melodica (14) – it’s finished!
It’s ready! What started out last summer as an idea for a project, has finally come to life. Thanks for all the encouragement over the months, it’s all been really helpful in keeping me motivated. I’m...
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What’s a melodica?
What’s a melodica? It’s a handheld instrument with a mouthpiece and piano-style keyboard. The player blows through the mouthpiece, and presses one or more keys on the keyboard to make a sound. It is...
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How to Tune a Melodica
How to tune a melodica This is a basic tutorial on tuning a melodica. Melodicas are from the free reed family of instruments, which include the harmonica (mouth organ), accordion and concertina. Just...
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Articles about free reeds Pat Missin’s free reeds – An overview of the free reed Concertina Reeds – An overview of free reed theory Free reed forums Melodeon Net – Forums for melodeon players,...
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Buying a melodica
So many melodicas, so little time! How do you go about buying a melodica? And which is the best melodica for you? There’s three things you need to consider – how many notes you need, the type of sound...
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The Melodica in Pop Music
The melodica’s been around for decades, and ever since its inception in the late 50s, there’s been a steady demand for it’s quirky sound. Here’s a chronological look at the melodica in popular music...
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10 Ways to be a Pro Melodica Player
So, you’ve been playing for a while now, and you’re comfortable with the basics. Here’s some tips for taking your playing up to the next level No. 1 Use the mouthpiece rather than the hose. Keeping...
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Your First Melodica Lesson
In this melodica tutorial for absolute beginners, learn the names of the notes, and how to play a simple scale and chord. No.1 Which melodica do I need? There’s tons out there to choose from. Try...
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What is the Easiest Instrument to Learn?
Want to be a musician? When it comes to learning a musical instrument, any professional musician will tell you that practice is the key to becoming a great player. Dedicated musicians can be found...
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How can I learn to play the melodica? The melodica is a very popular ‘first instrument’ to learn, as unlike the piano, you only have to play with one hand. This means progress is much quicker! As...
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