The Hohner Harmonetta is a mouth-blown

free-reed instrument A free reed aerophone is a musical instrument that produces sound as air flows past a vibrating reed in a frame. Air pressure is typically generated by breath or with a bellows. In the Hornbostel–Sachs system, it is number: 412.13 (a member ...

which was introduced by

Hohner Hohner Musikinstrumente GmbH & Co. KG is a German manufacturer of musical instruments, founded in 1857 by Matthias Hohner (1833–1902). The roots of the Hohner firm are in Trossingen, Baden-Württemberg. Since its foundation, and though known ...

in the 1950s. It has an approximately 3-octave range, from C3 to B5. The Harmonetta combines features of the

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica inclu ...

and the

melodica The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usual ...

. It has a keyboard of 32 hexagonal buttons laid out according to the

harmonic table The Harmonic Table note-layout, or tonal array, is a key layout for musical instruments that offers interesting advantages over the traditional keyboard layout. Its symmetrical, hexagonal pattern of interval sequences places the notes of the maj ...

, each labeled with one of the 12 pitch classes. The buttons (on this particular example) are labelled in German, thus the letter "h" is used where English speakers would use "b", and the letter "b" is used where an English speaker would use "Bb". Depressing a key makes it possible to play all notes of that pitch class; which octave sounds depends on where the mouth is positioned on the mouthpiece. There were other location-specific versions of the Harmonetta released, including the French-designated one, in which the buttons say tone names such as "Do Re Me" instead of "C D E". There was also the US export versions. The instrument is unisonoric, meaning that the same note is played on both blowing and drawing. Hohner discontinued the Harmonetta in 1984. The earliest of the Harmonettas featured all black keys, and did not say "Made in Germany" on the cover plates. These Harmonettas internally used red Bakelite parts. The cases of these first Harmonettas were wooden, with felt interior. Starting on the 2nd generation models, the case was changed to a zipper and the "made in Germany" stamping appeared on the top cover. The later Harmonettas (1960s and newer) featured white rings around the "E" keys, in the center of the instrument and had black internal Bakelite parts. There was a 2 row prototype Harmonetta, with built in synthesizer, called the CharlieMonica, built in the early 1970s. It is thought that Bernie Bray owned this instrument for a short time. Common problems with the Harmonettas include failed (dried) windsavers, broken gaskets, glue failing to hold the windsavers on, sticky sliding counterparts, cracked/chipped mouthpieces, and the screws holding the brass shutters falling out. A good test for functionality of the shutters is to attempt to blow/draw into the Harmonetta without pressing any buttons. If the instrument produces noise, the brass shutters have failed or need adjusted.

References

"Harmonetta 101"
Phil Lloyd, pp. 12-16 in ''Harmonica Happenings'', 45, #1 (Winter 2011),

Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica The Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica (SPAH) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation dedicated to players of the harmonica. Organized as a club, SPAH has members worldwide, though the majority of the members are located ...

. * "Harmonetta", right column, p. 10 in ''Music Educators Journal'', 43, #2 (Nov.-Dec. 1956), . * p. 29, ''Harmonicas, Harps, and Heavy Breathers: The Evolution of the People's Instrument'', Kim Field, Rowman & Littlefield, 2000, {{ISBN, 0815410204. * ''Méthode facile pour L'Harmonetta Hohner'', Helmut Herold and Armin Fett, Hohner, 1957. * ''Wie spiele ich Harmonetta?'', Hans Lüders and Helmuth Herold, Hohner, c1959. Free reed aerophones