chromatic isnstrument under $130

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 10:21 pm

I've been wanting to play something chromatic that isn't a clarinet (we haven't been getting along well), but I don't have a lot of money.

I emailed Jubilee instruments about making a chromatic whistle, as I was told to do a while ago but never got a response. Mabey a system ate the email or something, I don't know.

Yes, I've tried recorder - but I have next to no feeling in my pinky as of late, and I just can't do it. I don't know if I'm touching that little tiny hole or not. I have general feeling in my pinky, though, like if I play whistle with my pinky, can do it just fine because the holes are bigger.

I was thinking xylophone for a while, because I know the music store where I bought my Sweetones has them for $129, they come with a stand, and (I'm pretty sure) a book and mallets, but I know they also go up into the $1,000s so one of those cheap ones probably wouldn't be any good.

I know there is probably something obvious I'm overlooking, but I don't know what it is. I'll listen to suggestions or rambling.

ErikT · Post by **ErikT** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 10:25 pm

I think that you need a Melodica.

http://www.melodicas.com/melodicas.htm

Or a chromatic harmonica.

Blackbeer · Post by **Blackbeer** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 11:27 pm

What a great way to start a thread Cranberry. (Now watch, just because I said that it will die here)
Good suggestion Erik. I just got one of those off Ebay a mounth or so ago and was realy supprised at the quality of the instrument and the sound. In fact I would call them the poor mans concertina. Mine only has 21 keys though and I want at least 31.
Boy Cranberry when I think of all the instruments I wish I had learned to play in my life my knees start to buckel. (course they start to buckel now as soon as I get out of bed in the mourning. In fact I think my days are pretty much a slow knee buckel into bed at knight.) Anyway; out of all those instruments I didn`t learn to play the one I most regret not learning is the Hammered Duls (now that realy fries me. I am not going to spell it out because my mind just blanked out and I know I can spell it.)
There is something so right about that instrument. I have a tape of some old Shaker hymns sung with the Hammered DoDa and drum that bring tears to my eyes every time I listen to them. (my older brother sang one of these hymns at my moms funeral and just knocked my socks off. He is the real musical one in the family. Oh and Redwolf if you are perchance reading this, he lives in Santa Cruz, and works at the Library and you would love him.
But the sound or voice of this instrument is like a time machine. Kind of tickeling old celular memorys.
There are some realy neat websites Cranberry, of people making these things at very fair prices. It will take me a few minutes to dig them out of my book marks.(only about 10 million to search through)
Now I`m anxious to here other suggestions.

Tom

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Thu Jun 12, 2003 11:49 pm

I'd like to start to play something that I could possibly take lessons for down the road and become half-way decent at playing, but I don't think most people even know what melodica is (or whistle for that matter). I've also tried harmonica but I have fatty lips, it's hard for me.

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 5:27 am

Have you tried your local pawn shop? I've seen guitars, flutes (Boehm of course), mandolins, trumpets all for $100 or less.

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 5:30 am

Fatty lips? So do they get in the way of the harmonica holes?

I recommend a Hammered Dulcimer (D-U-L-C-I-M-E-R for Blackbeer

) but they are not cheap. I think you can get a 13/12 or something for a lot less. No pinkys required.
I Love the HD but with all my flute and whistle practice for 2 upcoming renfaires I haven't had a lot of time to practice.

Wait...I got it.... How about an Autoharp? Those are beautiful instruments. I've got one and I know Walden does. I don't know who else on this board has one. You can play all kinds of tunes without any pinky action plus you can learn a lot about chord patterns.

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 5:34 am

Geek4music reminded me of the old mountain/Appalachian dulcimer. I've seen a lot of used one for under 100. Cool sounding little things, and supposedly easy to learn to play, too.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 5:44 am

Jayhawk wrote:Geek4music reminded me of the old mountain/Appalachian dulcimer. I've seen a lot of used one for under 100. Cool sounding little things, and supposedly easy to learn to play, too.

But they are not chromatic.

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 5:47 am

An appalacian dulcimer? I thought you could get a chromatic scale. Oh well.
Neither is a hammered dulcimer exactly even when they say they are. Nor are they under $130.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:09 am

geek4music wrote:An appalacian dulcimer? I thought you could get a chromatic scale.

Normally they are diatonically fretted, though there are occasionally chromatic ones made. Most of the older ones were made with frets only under the melody string, and the other strings were strictly drones. This droning feature somewhat ruled out chromaticism. But I am very fond of the Appalachian dulcimer, and play it quite a bit. And, being a stringed instrument, though it's diatonic, it can be retuned to other keys.

Here's a clip of me playing it with the whistle.

And check out this site: http://www.atwater-donnelly.com/

Tyghress · Post by **Tyghress** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:36 am

Chromatic harmonica.

Fiddles are great, you can rent them cheaply.

Electronic keyboards

Look through eBay...some great bargains on beginners instruments.

Hammered dulcimer kits or instructions are inexpensive. ( I once had the joy of playing a HD that was made for under $20 in under 10 hours. It had GREAT sound, even if it was as ugly as sin, and more character than any other HD I've ever had (the count is now up to 5, but happily only two are retaining floor space in my abode)).

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:43 am

Cran,
What about Ukulele? You may laugh but very nice sounding baritone ukes can be had for about $100. Tuning is flexible - you can tune it like a guitar or banjo or mandolin. They are also good for playing rhythm using chords or single note melodies. I saw a good site for ukes at one time. I'll look it up again and post it.
Mike

PS: Here's the link http://www.ukuleleworld.com/

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 6:54 am

burnsbyrne wrote:very nice sounding baritone ukes can be had for about $100. Tuning is flexible - you can tune it like a guitar or banjo or mandolin.

I have one of these tuned like an Octave Mandola. It gives me a nylon alternative to the bouzouki (another good chromatic instrument).

mrosenlof · Post by **mrosenlof** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 8:00 am

I too first thought Ukulele. Decent ukes can be found for $100. Like others have mentioned, tuning is flexible. I have a tenor uke tuned like a viola. Nice range, nice sound. It's a Kamaka, a bit more than $100.

There's a good friendly forum at http://www.flea-mkt-music.com/bulletin/default.asp
Roy Cone at ukulele world is a good source. www.ukuleleworld.com, or make your own! http://www.geocities.com/tpe123/folkurban/uke/uke.html

[edited to fix Roy's URL]

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Fri Jun 13, 2003 8:46 am

ErikT wrote:I think that you need a Melodica.

http://www.melodicas.com/melodicas.htm

Oh yeah! That was my first wind instrument, before i picked up the flute. It's so much fun! The smaller ones are sometimes better than the larger ones, since the smaller reeds are more responsive.

Drat, now i need one too!

I wonder what happened to the 2 i left back in Brazil, probably given away to some kid by now.

And, if you're able to identify Hermeto Paschoal in the photo gallery in the Web site above, then you are truly my friend!