Piano Horn by Schylling

This toy is great. It's worlds better than the 1st Act Recorder I bought. Recorders are nice when properly built but they squeak like crazy if they leak and it ruins the musical aspect. They become simple noise makers. Most cheap recorders will leak badly at the joints and the finger holes are difficult for a child to cover without leaks resulting in squeaking. This melodica is different. A little leaking is quite ok as long as the child's breath can pressurize the chamber so that air can escape past the reeds in the holes uncovered when a key is pressed. It's far easier to play than a recorder or flute like instrument. It takes no special embuchre like a horn, and not much breath. The notes sound true even with poor technique so that the simplest child can make pleasing sounds with it. It should be treated as a fragile musical instrument not just a toy to be left on the floor and stepped on. With proper care, it seems quite durable and my kids (3 and 4) love it.

Perfect for my 3 1/2 year-old granddaughter! It is made very well. She’s having lots of fun with her piano horn.

I bought this for my 7 year old daughter but it was so fun and easy to play I bought a second one for myself to goof around with. It sounds a bit like a harmonica. The keys cover the holes so you don't have to worry about finger placement, just pick it up and have fun! We were figuring out simple tunes within the first few minutes. Really great for someone like me with limited range of moment in her left hand/fingers due to an old injury. I wish they made a more sturdy adult version!

I bought this product so I could examine its usefulness as an educational tool or, if nothing else, kill some time when I'm bored. It certainly looks toy-like but is really a fine piece of work. Though labeled a "piano horn" it is actually a diatonic melodica. The piano keys are more like accordion keys but have a good feel to them. Though not concert quality, it feels more like a real instrument than a toy. I wasn't expecting to get this much for the price. The body and keys are plastic. The harmonica reeds are brass with poly foam seals, and the reed case, hinge and springs are steel. It is made to be played only by the right hand while being supported with the left by a replaceable Teflon strap. The hinge hub is glued in place so none of the key or reed mechanisms can be disassembled without breaking it. The embouchure shown in the picture has been replaced with an s-crook mouthpiece to enhance visibility of the keys while playing. The faux-bell can be removed to facilitate condensation removal. The reed box/key units are self clearing, I have yet to be troubled by moisture buildup there. Breath control is intuitive from pianissimo to forte. 13 keys cover 1 octave plus a major 7th from G4 to E6, and yes - you can play chords. Pitch is moderately in tune (I've seen better, even in a toy). Average deviation from equal temperament was <2Hz with A440 off by 2.7 cents and the worst was 5.7 cents sharp. This instrument cannot be tuned! The design is ingenious and well suited for kids 3 through 5 years-old. Older kids (6 and up) may want for a chromatic scale and less toy-like appearance. For the next step, take a look at the Hohner 32 Note Melodica Key Board .

Lovely product. So much fun and so easy to play!

Far exceeded expectations. I was expecting something like a kazoo or song flute. This is WAY beyond that yet still really fun for little kids. Pleasant harmonica type of sound not annoying at all. Good set of notes lets you play just about anything. You can even play chords!!!! I'm a weekend warrior musician and easily hooked on this thing......my 5 year old boy has to wrestle it away from me and he loves to play it. Got another one for my 2 year old....he likes it but loses interest quickly.......just like a normal 2 year old boy!

I very much enjoy this It’s very fun to use and it’s very cheap and it actually doesn’t look like it will break but I just got it today so I don’t know anyways it’s pretty cool and definitely recommend buying

I bought this as a birthday gift but tested it out first. It's actually got a nice sound to it and way better than a recorder or other type instruments along this line. Pretty pleased especially for the price.