I've got a tear in my eye, Rory. The demonstration is so smooth, your vocal delivery is so nice, and your playing is... chef's kiss! Love from Ottawa, Canada
@@casualdiscussionenjoyer3303 I want one sooooo bad, I almost want to start a petition to ask them to bring it back, even if for just a limited run. I love the sound of this more than almost any other melodica I've heard. I've only gotten into melodicas this week, but play a handful of instruments. The sound of the claviola is straight up magical to me. It's almost criminal there are so few!
Someone needs to make this again or something very similar. An incredible instrument with incredible tone. It's tone, size, acoustic nature, and tunability of the pitches, I can't imagine the instrument would fail nowadays.
Man, Hohner were so gutsy, taking chances with all these weird and wonderful instruments! I really don’t feel they get enough credit… Loving this instrument, altho with playing like yours, I bet even a kazoo could sound fantastic! Thanks so much for bringing yet ANOTHER ”hidden” Hohner instrument out in the open! ❤
Interesting! I was expecting it to sound more like an accordion or a melodica, but it turns out it sounds more like a clarinet! It's such a shame they don't make these anymore, it would be great to have another acoustic portable keyboard instrument other than my melodica!
Max Rebo Does anybody makes something similar to this now? I just set an eBay search on the offchance one of these ever sells. The timbre and the pitchbending is something I’ve always wanted out of melodica.
@@Evildandalo Sadly no, although I've been messing around with the idea of building one myself out of a Melodica and some 3D printed pipes and valves. They aren't TOO complicated on the inside. eBay probably isn't your best bet IMO, they seem to come up for sale mostly on music classified sites. Good luck finding one my friend :)
I am currently shopping for a melodica, and to my delight I stumble upon this video. What an amazing instrument! What an amazing instrumentalist! You radiate such musical joy with your playing. Thank you. :)
this instrument sounds so, so cool. Thank you so much for covering these rarer instruments. For composers like me this is such a sweet resource (although, finding someone to actually play will be a challenge)
This is the best sounding instrument in the world. you should cover every song you can think of with this instrument.. love the sound of the claviola! wish they still made these.. amazing sound! much easier than accordion!
You are very good teacher and player...thanks I never saw anyone play this instrument until you today...Gods speed and continued. Unique beautiful music blessings...
the hohner claviola and the hohner guitarette can't just die! please lets bring them back! It would be a huge loss for humanity if they just disappeared.
Thanks Rory! I think the Claviola is one of the cleverest and sweetest-sounding free reed instruments made. Pitch bending, vibrato... no other keyboard free reed instruments offer such expression so well. On another video I even heard someone getting notes on the draw breath, is that possible? Hopefully your video will help generate the interest to persuade Hohner to bring it back 👍
Hi Brendan, you can get a notes on draw breath, but they are approximately a whole step below the note you're actually playing. So I don't think it was a thing that was actually meant to happen. And those notes sound like a melodica. I think the note is coming directly from the reed, not going through the pipe somehow, which might account for the tonal and pitch diference. So yeah, if you can transpose on the fly, and want a different sound, you could play on the draw breaths. I don't think it's exactly in tuen though, I honestly haven't experimented with that too much.
@@roryhoffman485 Hope This isn't too Inconvenient, But what is the tuning on your chordomonica? I've been trying to figure it out by ear for years with no luck.
@@Koropokel it was a rare/unique instrument seller based in Los Angeles IIRC. Keep at it and set alerts, as Rory mentioned there were only about 100 made, but they do come around! Good luck!
Probably would be easier to find a goof synth that can make normal keyboard sound like this, if we're talking records. If acoustic only, this is one rare instrument, and must be a real joy to have it. On the other hand, there must be a reason why they are not made by anybody these days. Maybe one day there will be demand for more instruments with acoustic proprieties and we will see things like this Claviola again. Now it's all about keyboards, synthesizers and electronic music, sadly
Thank you very much for the presentation. Didn’t know this instrument before. You play it so well and interessting. Maybe it was never popular because you can’t play and sing at the same time? 😊
As I understand it, the Claviola didn't catch on because it was complex to make and took a lot of assembly time. This translated into a much higher price than the public thought a plastic keyboard wind instrument should cost. I've also struggled with this perception of value, when I was hand making professional grade penny whistles out of PVC pipe. Yes, it's just pvc pipe. But it's pvc pipe that I spent three to six hours of my time turning into a musical instrument. I wanted to charge $40, the public wanted to pay $5. Eventually, I just gave up. I think that if Horner put some R&D into reducing costs through more efficient mass production, and actually advertised the instrument better, they could have made it more popular.
Actually it's also made of metal. A big part of why the Claviola never took off is that Hohner changed management soon after it's initial release, and decided that Melodicas and similar instruments were "out of fashion", and instead focused more on keyboards and guitars.
@@jonnda Lapti Nek, Fancy Man, Galactic Dance Blast, Jabba's Baroque Recital, Jedi Rocks, Droids Cantina A, Droids Cantina B, Rebo's Got The Beat - that's more than 5 😁 The real shame is that people think I have arms 😜
Amazing and unique sound, doesen't sound like anything i've heard, the closest would maybe be clarinet, especially when you did the bends, but not quite :D
Thanks, Rory! My husband and I are musicians in the Rochester, MN, area. My husband specializes in vintage saxophones and has a business repairing instruments (esp woodwinds; cgwrepair.com). He was even more intrigued with your videos than I was (and that's saying a lot!). Keep up the great work!
I wonder if you could partially cover the holes on the back with tape, so you can get quarter tones to play the transistor organ parts used on sixties era arabic music
What makes the reeds ſound all mellow like that? And why does changing the pipe length bend the pitch. I though reeds like that are tuned to pꝛoduce a ſpecific pitch and that was it. Becauſe if free reeds like that could be bent by changing the tube length, I could foꝛſee a microtonal reedoꝛgan that could both open a reed foꝛ certain notes and then open the same reed but bend the pitch a pꝛedetermined amount, like a ſyntonic comma vp oꝛ down. That way you could get a ton of notes per octaue without hauing a ton of reeds per octaue.
Bad timing. Hohner got new management just after the Claviola began production, and decided to focus on keyboards and guitars rather than Melodicas and other similar instruments.
@@googleuser3163 turns out their guitars sorta stink. That’s a big bummer that they sacrificed this instrument over something that wasn’t even that good or unique
@@SoggySandwich80 Big time. Even their reed instruments are sub-par now. Modern Hohner Melodicas go out of tune within a few months in my experience...
I had to laugh because it somehow looked like you were talking into a microphone all the time :) I mean you actually did but not the way it looked :) Nice Instrument!
I play accordion and I find this cool. However learning this with accordion experience would be difficult for me as there are no bellows to push and pull!
I've got a tear in my eye, Rory. The demonstration is so smooth, your vocal delivery is so nice, and your playing is... chef's kiss! Love from Ottawa, Canada
Hohner needs to reissue the Claviola. Guaranteed.
I would snatch one in a heartbeat. No... I'd get two just in case.
IMO, it's guaranteed to sell a lot more if reissued today.
@@orliverse amen
@@casualdiscussionenjoyer3303 I want one sooooo bad, I almost want to start a petition to ask them to bring it back, even if for just a limited run. I love the sound of this more than almost any other melodica I've heard. I've only gotten into melodicas this week, but play a handful of instruments. The sound of the claviola is straight up magical to me. It's almost criminal there are so few!
not only is the instrument beautiful but rory's playing is incredible
So sad it's no longer in production. Wonderful instrument.
Надо сказать немцам, стоб снова запустили их производство. Современные мелодики Hohner звучат отвратительно. И они очень скушные.
@@ЛёхаЗакамский а кто их покупать будет? Инструмент конечно классный но можно было бы на заказ такое сделать
Someone needs to make this again or something very similar. An incredible instrument with incredible tone. It's tone, size, acoustic nature, and tunability of the pitches, I can't imagine the instrument would fail nowadays.
Man, Hohner were so gutsy, taking chances with all these weird and wonderful instruments! I really don’t feel they get enough credit… Loving this instrument, altho with playing like yours, I bet even a kazoo could sound fantastic! Thanks so much for bringing yet ANOTHER ”hidden” Hohner instrument out in the open! ❤
Interesting! I was expecting it to sound more like an accordion or a melodica, but it turns out it sounds more like a clarinet! It's such a shame they don't make these anymore, it would be great to have another acoustic portable keyboard instrument other than my melodica!
Mark Morabito As a clarinet player I approve and don’t approve this...
@@hirokokueh3541 The Andes uses fipple flute, Claviola is uses reedpipes.
Max Rebo Does anybody makes something similar to this now? I just set an eBay search on the offchance one of these ever sells. The timbre and the pitchbending is something I’ve always wanted out of melodica.
@@Evildandalo Sadly no, although I've been messing around with the idea of building one myself out of a Melodica and some 3D printed pipes and valves. They aren't TOO complicated on the inside.
eBay probably isn't your best bet IMO, they seem to come up for sale mostly on music classified sites. Good luck finding one my friend :)
Sounds like a clarinet and a calliope got hot and heavy one night lol. What a beautiful sound range!!
Ha! When band instruments mate! Agreed, great sound and nice range on this!
and an organ. and a 16-bit SNES
You have a gift for making music with cool gems left in the margins. You are respected.
The idea of a polyphonic instrument that perfectly mimics a clarinet is breaking my brain tbh
clarinet crossed with an organ
Also sounds almost synthy 16-bit lofi, like something you would hear in an SNES Zelda game or something...
Beautiful playing @ 4:02 ...More please!
I am currently shopping for a melodica, and to my delight I stumble upon this video. What an amazing instrument! What an amazing instrumentalist! You radiate such musical joy with your playing. Thank you. :)
Seems like melódica is a normal piano and claviola that grand piano from shows. O dreams that if i become rich I woulld buy one
So cool, thank you for sharing! Sounds great
Would love to have a Claviola but will have to build one.
if you do, could you make a video explaining it?
Commenting to push this video so high up in the algorithm that Hohner sees it and reissues Claviola
Great playing, fun to see a skillful demonstration of this unusual instrument.
I want to play one of these so bad
You will have to build it. I plan to do so.
@@fnersch3367 did you build one?? please answer I need one so bad.
this instrument sounds so, so cool. Thank you so much for covering these rarer instruments. For composers like me this is such a sweet resource (although, finding someone to actually play will be a challenge)
Überraschung > Hab ich noch nie gesehen. Herzlichen Dank für die topp Präsentation! 👌
It reminds me of a Khene or Khaen, the reeded Laotian instrument. Super cool, I want one of these claviolas
Wow! Beautiful sound
It reminds me the Bawu ! Beautiful !
This instrument is just wonderful. With the cords, it is just so beautiful. I want to hear more man
wow this sounds way better than I thought it would.
Great video and beautiful playing... it's impressive how this instrument is versatile!
DAMM! the moment it started to sound it blew my mind!!! Its SO cool!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Very pleasing sound!
This is the best sounding instrument in the world. you should cover every song you can think of with this instrument.. love the sound of the claviola! wish they still made these.. amazing sound! much easier than accordion!
The sound slightly reminds me of a Mellotron. Very cool instrument!
Yeah same, was wondering what strawberry fields would sound like on a Claviola
A remarkable instrument played by one who the skills to make it sing!
I love the sound - so mellow!
Very interesting. Thank you
This series is so much fun. Thanks for sharing, Rory!
This is so cool! Thank you for making this video.
Way to cool instrument and tasteful playing as always.
wonderful - i would love to find one of these. Great video, Rory!
Oh man. I need this for my experimental lo-fi band.
You are very good teacher and player...thanks I never saw anyone play this instrument until you today...Gods speed and continued. Unique beautiful music blessings...
Amazing. You are super-talented! Now I have to find one of these!
just stumbled over your channel. instant sub. keep up the great work!
Great playing and great production you earned my sub
Cheers from São Paulo, Brasil :)
the hohner claviola and the hohner guitarette can't just die! please lets bring them back! It would be a huge loss for humanity if they just disappeared.
Sound so beatiful
Really good video about this instrument, looking forward to watching more of your channel
Nice sound! If Finn from "Adventure Time" was a musician, he absolutely play claviola :D
Thanks Rory! I think the Claviola is one of the cleverest and sweetest-sounding free reed instruments made. Pitch bending, vibrato... no other keyboard free reed instruments offer such expression so well. On another video I even heard someone getting notes on the draw breath, is that possible? Hopefully your video will help generate the interest to persuade Hohner to bring it back 👍
Hi Brendan, you can get a notes on draw breath, but they are approximately a whole step below the note you're actually playing. So I don't think it was a thing that was actually meant to happen. And those notes sound like a melodica. I think the note is coming directly from the reed, not going through the pipe somehow, which might account for the tonal and pitch diference. So yeah, if you can transpose on the fly, and want a different sound, you could play on the draw breaths. I don't think it's exactly in tuen though, I honestly haven't experimented with that too much.
@@roryhoffman485 Sounds a lot like how playing a harmonica works... it could be done
@@roryhoffman485 Hope This isn't too Inconvenient, But what is the tuning on your chordomonica? I've been trying to figure it out by ear for years with no luck.
Excellent, thank you!
Awesome!
Dig those bends!
I bought one of these for my wife, what a cool instrument! It sounds like video game music.
Thanks for posting!
where did you find one???
@@Koropokel ebay! It was about $3500, so all her birthday presents until about 2046 are the Claviola xD
@@skunkiejunk awesome present!
In which country ?? when I look around here in germany I can't find ANYTHING. I'm going insane!
@@Koropokel it was a rare/unique instrument seller based in Los Angeles IIRC. Keep at it and set alerts, as Rory mentioned there were only about 100 made, but they do come around! Good luck!
I need 12 hours of this
One of my favourite instruments but I've never yet seen one for sale when I've looked
Nice, thanks!
phantastic!
This is amazing! You should do soundtracks for movies taking place in the future, or on other planets.
Great video! I am now suscribed!
Didnt expect such an lovely sound, dont quite like melodicas but this one if smooth
Probably would be easier to find a goof synth that can make normal keyboard sound like this, if we're talking records. If acoustic only, this is one rare instrument, and must be a real joy to have it. On the other hand, there must be a reason why they are not made by anybody these days. Maybe one day there will be demand for more instruments with acoustic proprieties and we will see things like this Claviola again. Now it's all about keyboards, synthesizers and electronic music, sadly
That's really neat
I wish these caught on, it sounds good.
Yeah it's like a keyboard clarinet.
What a beautiful sound! Shame there isnt more. :) I want one haha
Amazing :)
Wow, what a beautiful instrument! I want one now
fantastic playing Rory!!
this reminds me of being at the fair ground!
Rory, this is a fantastic sounding instrument ! Bet you could make a rubber band stretched across a wishbone sound like a
million dollars ! ! !
Oh this is beautiful. Thank you!! Now... How do I track down one of these for myself?
Thank you very much for the presentation. Didn’t know this instrument before. You play it so well and interessting. Maybe it was never popular because you can’t play and sing at the same time? 😊
My dude!! Solid video! Solid channel! Keep it up!!
🙌🇧🇷
As I understand it, the Claviola didn't catch on because it was complex to make and took a lot of assembly time. This translated into a much higher price than the public thought a plastic keyboard wind instrument should cost. I've also struggled with this perception of value, when I was hand making professional grade penny whistles out of PVC pipe.
Yes, it's just pvc pipe. But it's pvc pipe that I spent three to six hours of my time turning into a musical instrument. I wanted to charge $40, the public wanted to pay $5. Eventually, I just gave up.
I think that if Horner put some R&D into reducing costs through more efficient mass production, and actually advertised the instrument better, they could have made it more popular.
Actually it's also made of metal.
A big part of why the Claviola never took off is that Hohner changed management soon after it's initial release, and decided that Melodicas and similar instruments were "out of fashion", and instead focused more on keyboards and guitars.
@@googleuser3163 Ahh. Cool band by the way. It's a shame you only had less than 5 tunes that got famous galaxy wide.
@@jonnda Lapti Nek, Fancy Man, Galactic Dance Blast, Jabba's Baroque Recital, Jedi Rocks, Droids Cantina A, Droids Cantina B, Rebo's Got The Beat - that's more than 5 😁
The real shame is that people think I have arms 😜
That sounds cool! Well played as well.
Amazing and unique sound, doesen't sound like anything i've heard, the closest would maybe be clarinet, especially when you did the bends, but not quite :D
it sounds gorgeous. Hohner if you read this please reissue the claviola
Thank you!
damn this thing sounds amazing
How did that not catch on? I'd buy one in a minute!
Thanks, Rory! My husband and I are musicians in the Rochester, MN, area. My husband specializes in vintage saxophones and has a business repairing instruments (esp woodwinds; cgwrepair.com). He was even more intrigued with your videos than I was (and that's saying a lot!). Keep up the great work!
Hohner, PLEASE remake this thing!!!! 😭
Merci beaucoup l'Ami !!!
Muuuy buenoooo👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Those 2 handed chords!!!
sweet!
Amazing! Though your so good, I'm pretty sure you could play a kazoo and make me go "I need that!"
What a cool instrument~ I appreciate the explanation very much! Nice playing :)
Hi Rory! Please do a Wendy Carlos cover on the Claviola! 🙏
I wonder if you could partially cover the holes on the back with tape, so you can get quarter tones to play the transistor organ parts used on sixties era arabic music
What makes the reeds ſound all mellow like that? And why does changing the pipe length bend the pitch. I though reeds like that are tuned to pꝛoduce a ſpecific pitch and that was it. Becauſe if free reeds like that could be bent by changing the tube length, I could foꝛſee a microtonal reedoꝛgan that could both open a reed foꝛ certain notes and then open the same reed but bend the pitch a pꝛedetermined amount, like a ſyntonic comma vp oꝛ down. That way you could get a ton of notes per octaue without hauing a ton of reeds per octaue.
Fascinating instrument! How can we increase the following so hohner or someone makes it again?!
omg the mellotron flutes from strawberry fields
Why the hell did this not catch on, it’s badass
Bad timing. Hohner got new management just after the Claviola began production, and decided to focus on keyboards and guitars rather than Melodicas and other similar instruments.
@@googleuser3163 turns out their guitars sorta stink. That’s a big bummer that they sacrificed this instrument over something that wasn’t even that good or unique
@@SoggySandwich80 Big time. Even their reed instruments are sub-par now. Modern Hohner Melodicas go out of tune within a few months in my experience...
So beautiful. Too bad it's no more😢
So glad I clicked
RoryHoffmanMusic It's basically a Melodica that sounds like a Clarinet so I call it the Melodiclarinet.
or mellotron since it sounds like it lol
I had to laugh because it somehow looked like you were talking into a microphone all the time :) I mean you actually did but not the way it looked :)
Nice Instrument!
wow !!
master 🤓
I play accordion and I find this cool. However learning this with accordion experience would be difficult for me as there are no bellows to push and pull!
Yeah it does sounds like a clarinet.