What is a melodica?

First of all, many people don’t even know what a melodica is.

The melodica is a wind instrument that was invented in 1945 in Germany, it was first in button shape until the Japanese changed it into piano keyboard shape in 1960’s and made it famous.

Most of them are made by plastic hence very cheap in prices. Hence it is mainly used for music education for children in Japan and in some other Asian countries. Having such a short history for a musical instrument, this is why it is unknown in America, no classical music pieces were written for melodica, and the best melodica players in the world are all in Japan.

Here is one of my recordings playing a Dragon Ball Z battle theme using melodica. You can hear how it sounds like. To me, it sounds somewhere between an accordion and a harmonica.

And here are my collection of melodicas, they look awesome and SOUND awesome aren't they?

 

Here is your homework this time: which melodica(s) I used for my recording above? I would tell you guys next time :)