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Yamaha Pianica 32-note Melodica, Blue (P32D)

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 276 ratings
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Amazon's Choice in Melodicas by Yamaha

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Color Blue
Brand Yamaha
Material Plastic
Item Dimensions LxWxH 17.8 x 6.7 x 2.5 inches
Item Weight 0.65 Kilograms

About this item

  • A miniature keyboard powered by your own breath
  • Sound similar to a harmonica or accordion
  • 32 key 2-2/3 octave range (F3-C6)
  • Includes both a fixed mouthpiece and a flexible air tube
  • Durable hard plastic case included

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Yamaha Pianica 32-note Melodica, Blue (P32D)


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What's in the box

  • with case
  • Product Description

    Yamaha Pianicas are small piano-style keyboards that you power with your own breath that produce a sound similar to an accordion or harmonica. The P32D has a 2.5 octave range, giving an advancing player a larger choice of music to play.


    From the manufacturer

    Pianica wind piano keyboard

    Yamaha Pianicas

    Miniature pianos powered by your own breath

    Girl seated playing pianica

    (Re)Discover the Joy of Making Music

    If you've ever dreamed of playing an instrument or used to play "back in the day" and long to return, the Pianica is an enjoyable, stress-free way to go. Pianicas are simple instruments designed to make playing music easy and fun. The small keyboard has the same black-and-white keys as a piano, so you automatically know what to do with your fingers. When you gently blow air through the mouthpiece or flexible tube, the Pianica produces a sound that's similar to a harmonica or an accordion.

    pianica keys closeup

    pianicas multiple colors

    pianica mouthpiece play standing up

    pianica in case closeup

    Familiar Keys

    Learning to play is very easy as Pianicas have the same black and white keys that you'll find on a piano or keyboard. Plus, since they use the same music as a piano, there are plenty of songs and music books available to choose from.

    Choose Your Color and Size

    Just getting started? Our smallest model, the bright yellow P25F, has a 2-octave range that's great for beginners. More advanced players can expand their range with models up to 3 full octaves, in a variety of colors and sounds.

    Powered by Your Breath

    A gentle stream of air is all it takes to make a Pianica sing - no batteries required. Stay mobile and play standing up using the fixed mouthpiece or sit down and use both hands with the flexible tube.

    Case Included

    Need to take it with you? All Pianica models come with a convenient carrying case. Some models have a durable molded plastic case, while others have a soft zippered case with a shoulder strap.

    Pianica P25F Yellow Pianica P32D Blue Pianica P37D Maroon Pianica P37ERD Red pianica standing vertical with black and white keys Pianica P37EBK black keyboard standing vertical with black and white keys Yamaha brown pianica standing vertical with black and white keys
    P25F P32D P37D New! - P37ERD P37EBK P37EBR
    Customer Reviews
    4.4 out of 5 stars
    142
    4.6 out of 5 stars
    276
    4.6 out of 5 stars
    245
    4.7 out of 5 stars
    18
    4.5 out of 5 stars
    74
    4.8 out of 5 stars
    41
    Keys 25 32 37 37 37 37
    Range 2 octaves F3-F5 2 2/3 octave F3-C6 3 octaves F3-F6 3 octaves F3-F6 3 octaves F3-F6 3 octaves F3-F6
    Color Yellow Blue Maroon Red Black / Ivory Brown / Ivory
    Tone Bright Bright Bright Bright Dark / Mellow Dark / Mellow
    Body Material ABS plastic ABS plastic ABS plastic ABS plastic Ecodear / ABS plastic Ecodear / ABS plastic
    Case Hard plastic Hard plastic Hard plastic Soft zippered Soft zippered Soft zippered
    Included Accessories Fixed mouthpiece, flexible mouthpipe, case Fixed mouthpiece, flexible mouthpipe, case Fixed mouthpiece, flexible mouthpipe, case Fixed mouthpiece, flexible mouthpipe, case, shoulder strap Fixed mouthpiece, flexible mouthpipe, case, shoulder strap Fixed mouthpiece, flexible mouthpipe, case, shoulder strap

    From the brand

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    Yamaha Pianica 32-note Melodica, Blue (P32D)
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    Price$73.99$62.00-15% $122.99
    List:$143.99
    $25.45-25% $103.60
    List:$138.99
    Delivery
    Get it Apr 1 - 3
    Get it Apr 5 - 18
    Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
    Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
    Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2
    Customer Ratings
    Value for money
    4.7
    4.5
    4.3
    4.8
    4.4
    Easy to learn
    4.5
    4.6
    4.8
    4.5
    Sturdiness
    4.7
    4.5
    4.5
    Sound quality
    4.7
    4.3
    4.5
    Sold By
    GearNuts
    Amazon Japan
    Village Market Inc.
    BestWay INC.
    ClickJapan com
    material
    Plastic
    Vinyl,Chrome,Metal
    Plastic
    Copper,Abs,Bronze,Resin
    Rubber,Brass
    model name
    M 32C
    Pianica
    1
    P-37D
    number of keys
    32
    32
    37
    37
    body material
    plastic
    Metal
    bronze,copper
    Rubber
    weight
    0.65 kilograms
    1.4 kilograms
    3.53 pounds
    2.43 pounds
    0.78 kilograms

    Looking for specific info?

    Customer reviews

    4.6 out of 5 stars
    4.6 out of 5
    276 global ratings

    Customers say

    Customers like the sound quality, quality and color of the musical instruments. For example, they mention it sounds great, has better intonation and is plenty loud. Some appreciate the color and find it to be attractive. That said, they say it's fun and entertaining for kids. As for value, they like that it'll last a long time. Opinions are mixed on the key quality.

    AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

    20 customers mention20 positive0 negative

    Customers are satisfied with the sound quality of the musical instruments. They mention that it sounds great, has better intonation, and is responsive. Some say that the instrument is in tune and loud. Overall, most are happy with their purchase and recommend it to others.

    "...This is a relatively easy melodica to blow; it requires less airflow, maybe partly because of the smaller sound chamber, but my guess is that it's..." Read more

    "...The sound is good- as with other reed instruments, there's a little play in the pitch as more or less air goes by, but some of that is the charm and..." Read more

    "The pianica is very easy to get started with and sounds good...." Read more

    "...It has better tone, better key action, better reeds, better intonation and comes from a company that has a long history in the melodica making..." Read more

    19 customers mention19 positive0 negative

    Customers are satisfied with the quality of the musical instruments. They mention that it is a great product, made of resilient materials, and is well-tuned. Some say that the case is nice and the instrument is tightly constructed. Overall, most are happy with their purchase and recommend it to others.

    "...I comes in a solid protective case that has ventilation holes, which is a good thing. Key action is smooth and even up and down the keyboard...." Read more

    "...it compares to other melodicas, but as a musician, I feel like it plays very well...." Read more

    "The pianica is very easy to get started with and sounds good. It's in good (but not quite perfect) tune: mine tends a few cents sharp but it's well..." Read more

    "...It has better tone, better key action, better reeds, better intonation and comes from a company that has a long history in the melodica making..." Read more

    8 customers mention8 positive0 negative

    Customers like the color of the musical instruments. They mention that it's mellow and attractive. Some say that the case it comes in is nice with a retro 80s feel.

    "...It's very crisp, precise, and easy to blow...." Read more

    "...I paid $66 dollars and feel like that's pretty reasonable. The case it comes in is nice with a retro 80s feel." Read more

    "...Since it's brightly colored, I'm also not worried about having it stolen." Read more

    "...The blue color is mellow and attractive, as well." Read more

    8 customers mention8 positive0 negative

    Customers find the musical instruments fun, quirky, and entertaining for kids. They also say it sounds good and is reasonably priced.

    "This thing is pretty fun...." Read more

    "...Overall, absolutely worth the money for such a fun, portable instrument." Read more

    "...Fun to play...." Read more

    "...They led me to buy it over others. Not disappointed. It's fun, easy to play & sounds great. Worth the money in my opinion & I would recommend it...." Read more

    8 customers mention8 positive0 negative

    Customers appreciate the value of the musical instruments. They mention that it is well worth the price for a mid-range melodica, and is a relatively inexpensive 32-key melodica with good sound.

    "I give this five stars for what it is, a relatively inexpensive 32 key melodica with good sound that I can take with me when I travel...." Read more

    "...Overall, absolutely worth the money for such a fun, portable instrument." Read more

    "...Not the best money can buy, but well worth the price for a mid-range melodica. The blue color is mellow and attractive, as well." Read more

    "...Not disappointed. It's fun, easy to play & sounds great. Worth the money in my opinion & I would recommend it...." Read more

    7 customers mention7 positive0 negative

    Customers find the pianica very simple and easy to use. They also say it's easy to get started with and sounds good.

    "...Disassembly and reassembly of this pianica is very simple and poses no risks. Remove the four corner screws on the bottom...." Read more

    "The pianica is very easy to get started with and sounds good...." Read more

    "...Its somewhere between a harmonica and accordion. Fairly loud. Easy to play...." Read more

    "...They led me to buy it over others. Not disappointed. It's fun, easy to play & sounds great. Worth the money in my opinion & I would recommend it...." Read more

    5 customers mention5 positive0 negative

    Customers find the weight of the musical instruments to be very compact, light, and easy to carry around. They also say the case is solid and not too tall, making it easy to fit in their backpack.

    "...It's also about 1/2" thinner. Consequently, the P32D is very compact. It's all plastic, but solid and tightly constructed...." Read more

    "...While more keys is almost always nice to have, the size of thing is pretty awesome and it is very light and easy to carry around and play...." Read more

    "...Overall, absolutely worth the money for such a fun, portable instrument." Read more

    "...so happy, I like the color, it's nice blue color, also it's lighter than the old one I have. The sound is very good...." Read more

    7 customers mention4 positive3 negative

    Customers are mixed about the key quality of the musical instruments. Some mention that it has better tone, better key action, better reeds, better intonation, and every key has become more responsive. The key action is smooth and even up and down the keyboard. However, others say that the keys stick and feel clunky.

    "...Key action is smooth and even up and down the keyboard...." Read more

    "...When it was brand new, the keys felt a bit sticky, but they open up quickly. Overall, absolutely worth the money for such a fun, portable instrument." Read more

    "...It has better tone, better key action, better reeds, better intonation and comes from a company that has a long history in the melodica making..." Read more

    "Keys were sticky and didn't loosen up after several hours of playing...." Read more

    Nice Travel Melodica and much more - and TUNING Updates
    5 Stars
    Nice Travel Melodica and much more - and TUNING Updates
    I give this five stars for what it is, a relatively inexpensive 32 key melodica with good sound that I can take with me when I travel. I have several other melodicas, including the high end Suzuki Pro-37v and the Hammond 44. As is to be expected, these both have richer sound than the Yamaha P32D, but they are $4-500 instruments. I considered buying one of the Hohner 32 models, but I read too many complaints about their arriving out of tune. The Yamaha is perfectly in tune to my ear, all the keys relative to each other and the whole keyboard absolutely speaking. The keys are of standard width, the same as the Pro-37v but shorter in length (white keys at 3 and a quarter as compared with 3 and 9 16ths on the Pro-37v. This is a compromise. For playing, the longer keys are better, but it means the P32D is 1/2" narrower. It's also about 1/2" thinner. Consequently, the P32D is very compact. It's all plastic, but solid and tightly constructed. With 32 keys as compared with 37, it's also about 2 and 1/2" shorter. I comes in a solid protective case that has ventilation holes, which is a good thing. Key action is smooth and even up and down the keyboard. This is a relatively easy melodica to blow; it requires less airflow, maybe partly because of the smaller sound chamber, but my guess is that it's partly a matter of construction. It plays chords well, which is not true of all melodicas. The spit hole is not on the end piece of this melodica ("pianica"); there's a "water drain button" on the top just past the high C key and a tiny drain hole beneath it on the bottom. This is a bit chintzy. I've just got the P32D today, so how well its plumbing works remains to be seen. The Suzuki Pro-37v has a 1/4" brass fitting with a screw-off cover protruding from the end piece; that's at the other end of the spectrum, and it only costs you an extra $300 or so. Now for my only serious complaint about the Yamaha P32D: The extension tube is not sufficiently flexible; worse yet, it has an elbow joint at the end that plugs into the instrument; still worse, the tube and the mouthpiece are not interchangeable with those my other melodicas (which are all interchangeable with each other). The diameter of the fittings is smaller. The fittings themselves are of marginal quality. The elbow exacerbates the lack of tube flexibility. My Hammond tube also has an elbow, but I can just use a different tube. The elbow is a poor design feature in that you have to fiddle with the elbow to get the tube into its best position. But in the light of all its other virtues (especially the tuning and the key action) and at a price of about $60, I give the Yamaha P32D five stars.UPDATE 10-31-13: I have found over time that this is the melodica I play the most. It's very crisp, precise, and easy to blow. A few keys had gone out of tune recently; I tuned it this afternoon quite successfully and in less than an hour. I'm posting a couple of product images with series of photos, and I will now describe the process. All you need is a good quality #1x50mm phillips screw driver and a small curved file (pictured) of the kind used by jewelers and hobbyists. Disassembly and reassembly of this pianica is very simple and poses no risks. Remove the four corner screws on the bottom. The ends pop off; lift out the keyboard. Remove the four screws on the bottom of the keyboard and lift off the bottom cover, which will expose the reeds. For the actual tuning procedure, check out "Tuning a Melodica" at Melodicas-dot-com. (I see now that Melodicaworld-dot-com has an even better description of the process, specifically in relation to a Yamaha.) Melodicas all come from the factory tuned a bit sharp; you are advised to stay with that and just tune any keys that are off. The blue pianica starts at F3 and ends at C6. I recommend starting with the key that is most out of tune. You'll have to work gradually, especially until you get an idea of how much filing is required, replacing the reed plate cover to test the note(s) after each stage of filing. Flat notes seem to be the most common problem.FURTHER NOTE: I have seen comments about failing notes (being way off key or not playing at all) on Yamaha pianicas. This is from moisture collecting and being retained in the felt strip at the front of the keyboard (the side a keyboard player faces). You should clear moisture from the instrument when you're done playing, but I also recommend storing it with the front (felt strip side)up, so that moisture doesn't collect at the lowest place on the felt strip, which you will otherwise eventually discover to be soggy, discolored, and creating a problem.FURTHER TUNING UPDATE: I received another P-32D today, my second one, and I decided to check its tuning out of the box. The standard for such instruments is A443 (rather than the "true north" measure of A440), which means that the A in the middle of this keyboard should be at 443 Hz. I will use the pianica for a week or so to see whether a break in period produces different results, but here's where it is now, with the A443 standard on the left, then the Tuner-gString reading for the pianica and the difference on the right. "+" indicates sharp and "-" indicates flat............A443..........P-32D...........F3-------175.8------175.1-----[-.7]F#3------186.3------187.7-----[+1.4]G3-------197.3------197.3-----[on]G#3------209.1------208.4-----[-.7]A3-------221.5------221.5-----[on]A#3------234.7------235.1-----[+.4]B3-------248.6------248.1-----[-.5]C4-------263.4------263.3-----[-.1]C#4------279.1------279.1-----[on]D4-------295.7------292.4-----[-.3]D#4------313.2------312.8-----[-.4]E4-------331.9------331.6-----[-.3]F4-------351.6------350.7-----[-.9]F#4------372.5-----372.2-----[-.3]G4-------394.7-----395.2-----[+.5]G#4------418.1-----419.1-----[+1]A4-------443-------442.5-----[-.5]A#4------469.3-----468.7-----[-.6]B4-------497.3------495.9-----[-1.4]C5-------526.8------525.4-----[-1.4]C#5------558.1-----557.7------[-.4]D5-------591.3------591.4-----[+.1]D#5------626.5------628.9-----[+2.4]E5-------663.8------665.8-----[-2]F5-------703.2------705.3-----[+2.1]F#5------745--------747.6-----[+1.6]G5-------789.3------791.6-----[+2.3]G#5------836.3------838.9-----[+2.6]A5-------886--------888.3-----[+2.3]A#5------938.7------941.2-----[+2.5]B5-------994.5------996.7-----[+2.2]C6-------1053.6-----1054------[+.4]Corrections of any errors and comments from performing musicians about the significance of the discrepencies will be much appreciated. I rechecked my readings by listening and with further tuner readings and found that the two keys that had appeared way off in my initial readings were not. I plan to update further and will probably eventually redo this entire review.I can tell from having disassembled my older P32-D that this model is hand tuned at the factory -- you can see where reeds have been filed. They could do a better job of it, but this pianica is relatively well tuned in comparison with many. I expect to do some fine tuning, however.MORE ON TUNING! August, 2014:I have had a lot more experience tuning melodicas since I wrote earlier updates, plus the benefit of advice from other melodica enthusiasts, some of whom are professional musicians. I have been persuaded that the best standard for tuning is A=440 or 441. If you are not playing with other musicians or with a program such as Band-in-a-Box, it doesn't matter much. In that case, the simplest approach is to determine which standard the instrument is closest to, and just tune to that. Out of the box, it's likely to be up around A=442 or 443, and you can tune to that standard. To simplify even further, identify the few notes that are the furthest off. Tune them, and (for most of us) the instrument will sound fine.For absolute tuning, decide on an A=440 or A=441standard, and tune the whole keyboard to that. You will find an excellent tuning tutorial at melodicaworld.com, as well as discussion about tuning particulars and tuning standards. I finally decided to retune my Yamaha P-32D to A=440. It was a rather laborious process spread over a couple of days, but for me it was well worth it. Tuning gets easier, the more you do it, and I have since tuned several other Yamaha and Suzuki melodicas to 440 and 441, and they sound very good. The comparable Suzuki, by the way, is the excellent M-32C.July 8, 2016 -- A=440 TuningThis tuning is from a couple of years ago, but it is the recalibration to A440 and was done in cents, which is the best approach. This chart shows just three stages of tuning (rather than the actual 5-7 including a bit more attention to some specific keys), since I have collapsed some of the data. I normally aim at plus or minus 3 cents.A440 Yamaha P-32D 3-26-14 Tuning Final ResultF3 +8 -12 -5 0F# +24 -7 -2 0G3 +9.5 -13 -10.5 0G# +8 -9 -7 +2A3 +11 -4 -2 -2A# +12 -4.5 -2.4 0B3 +10 -1.5 0C4 +10 +2.5 +3 +2.5C# +11 -3 +1.5 0D4 +11 0 +3.3 +2D# +12 -1 +3 0E4 +9 0 +2.5 0F4 +12 +10 +6.7 +3F# +13 -6 0G4 +15 -5 -3.7 0G# +13 +2 +5.5 +2.5A4 +10 -3 -1.5A# +13 0 +2.5B4 +8 0 0C5 +11 0 0C# +9.5 +3.5 +3.6 +2.5D5 +12 -1 0D# +11.5 -3 -3.5 +3E5 +12.5 -9 -8.5 -1.5F5 +10.5 +1.5 +1.5F# +8 -10 -9.5 0G5 +9.5 -4 -3.4 0G# +7.5 +1 +2.4 +3A5 +6.5 0 -2 0A# +5 +4.5 +1.3 +1.7B5 +8.5 -3.5 -3.9 +2.5C6 +6 +3.3 +3.2 0------------------------------------------------------------------Finally this, though: Yamaha and upper tier Suzukis (the metal tray models such as the M-32C and A-34C) sound quite good to me straight out of the box, and I could be satisfied with them that way. Taking them apart, tuning them and whatnot is something for which I have the time and inclination. If you like the way your melodica sounds, which is probably already pretty good, it's not necessary to fret over tuning. But it is something you can do, and it enhances one's musical experience with the instrument.I have an embarrassingly large collection of current and vintage melodicas, but this is still my "go to" melodica, the one I play the most. The P-32 Yamaha Pianica is also, as it happens, very widely used in Japanese elementary education, which requires instruction in the melodica (keyboard harmonica -- Pianica or Melodion) for all students.
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    Top reviews from the United States

    Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2012
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nice Travel Melodica and much more - and TUNING Updates
    Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2012
    I give this five stars for what it is, a relatively inexpensive 32 key melodica with good sound that I can take with me when I travel. I have several other melodicas, including the high end Suzuki Pro-37v and the Hammond 44. As is to be expected, these both have richer sound than the Yamaha P32D, but they are $4-500 instruments. I considered buying one of the Hohner 32 models, but I read too many complaints about their arriving out of tune. The Yamaha is perfectly in tune to my ear, all the keys relative to each other and the whole keyboard absolutely speaking. The keys are of standard width, the same as the Pro-37v but shorter in length (white keys at 3 and a quarter as compared with 3 and 9 16ths on the Pro-37v. This is a compromise. For playing, the longer keys are better, but it means the P32D is 1/2" narrower. It's also about 1/2" thinner. Consequently, the P32D is very compact. It's all plastic, but solid and tightly constructed. With 32 keys as compared with 37, it's also about 2 and 1/2" shorter. I comes in a solid protective case that has ventilation holes, which is a good thing. Key action is smooth and even up and down the keyboard. This is a relatively easy melodica to blow; it requires less airflow, maybe partly because of the smaller sound chamber, but my guess is that it's partly a matter of construction. It plays chords well, which is not true of all melodicas. The spit hole is not on the end piece of this melodica ("pianica"); there's a "water drain button" on the top just past the high C key and a tiny drain hole beneath it on the bottom. This is a bit chintzy. I've just got the P32D today, so how well its plumbing works remains to be seen. The Suzuki Pro-37v has a 1/4" brass fitting with a screw-off cover protruding from the end piece; that's at the other end of the spectrum, and it only costs you an extra $300 or so. Now for my only serious complaint about the Yamaha P32D: The extension tube is not sufficiently flexible; worse yet, it has an elbow joint at the end that plugs into the instrument; still worse, the tube and the mouthpiece are not interchangeable with those my other melodicas (which are all interchangeable with each other). The diameter of the fittings is smaller. The fittings themselves are of marginal quality. The elbow exacerbates the lack of tube flexibility. My Hammond tube also has an elbow, but I can just use a different tube. The elbow is a poor design feature in that you have to fiddle with the elbow to get the tube into its best position. But in the light of all its other virtues (especially the tuning and the key action) and at a price of about $60, I give the Yamaha P32D five stars.

    UPDATE 10-31-13: I have found over time that this is the melodica I play the most. It's very crisp, precise, and easy to blow. A few keys had gone out of tune recently; I tuned it this afternoon quite successfully and in less than an hour. I'm posting a couple of product images with series of photos, and I will now describe the process. All you need is a good quality #1x50mm phillips screw driver and a small curved file (pictured) of the kind used by jewelers and hobbyists. Disassembly and reassembly of this pianica is very simple and poses no risks. Remove the four corner screws on the bottom. The ends pop off; lift out the keyboard. Remove the four screws on the bottom of the keyboard and lift off the bottom cover, which will expose the reeds. For the actual tuning procedure, check out "Tuning a Melodica" at Melodicas-dot-com. (I see now that Melodicaworld-dot-com has an even better description of the process, specifically in relation to a Yamaha.) Melodicas all come from the factory tuned a bit sharp; you are advised to stay with that and just tune any keys that are off. The blue pianica starts at F3 and ends at C6. I recommend starting with the key that is most out of tune. You'll have to work gradually, especially until you get an idea of how much filing is required, replacing the reed plate cover to test the note(s) after each stage of filing. Flat notes seem to be the most common problem.

    FURTHER NOTE: I have seen comments about failing notes (being way off key or not playing at all) on Yamaha pianicas. This is from moisture collecting and being retained in the felt strip at the front of the keyboard (the side a keyboard player faces). You should clear moisture from the instrument when you're done playing, but I also recommend storing it with the front (felt strip side)up, so that moisture doesn't collect at the lowest place on the felt strip, which you will otherwise eventually discover to be soggy, discolored, and creating a problem.

    FURTHER TUNING UPDATE: I received another P-32D today, my second one, and I decided to check its tuning out of the box. The standard for such instruments is A443 (rather than the "true north" measure of A440), which means that the A in the middle of this keyboard should be at 443 Hz. I will use the pianica for a week or so to see whether a break in period produces different results, but here's where it is now, with the A443 standard on the left, then the Tuner-gString reading for the pianica and the difference on the right. "+" indicates sharp and "-" indicates flat.

    ...........A443..........P-32D...........

    F3-------175.8------175.1-----[-.7]
    F#3------186.3------187.7-----[+1.4]
    G3-------197.3------197.3-----[on]
    G#3------209.1------208.4-----[-.7]
    A3-------221.5------221.5-----[on]
    A#3------234.7------235.1-----[+.4]
    B3-------248.6------248.1-----[-.5]
    C4-------263.4------263.3-----[-.1]
    C#4------279.1------279.1-----[on]
    D4-------295.7------292.4-----[-.3]
    D#4------313.2------312.8-----[-.4]
    E4-------331.9------331.6-----[-.3]
    F4-------351.6------350.7-----[-.9]
    F#4------372.5-----372.2-----[-.3]
    G4-------394.7-----395.2-----[+.5]
    G#4------418.1-----419.1-----[+1]
    A4-------443-------442.5-----[-.5]
    A#4------469.3-----468.7-----[-.6]
    B4-------497.3------495.9-----[-1.4]
    C5-------526.8------525.4-----[-1.4]
    C#5------558.1-----557.7------[-.4]
    D5-------591.3------591.4-----[+.1]
    D#5------626.5------628.9-----[+2.4]
    E5-------663.8------665.8-----[-2]
    F5-------703.2------705.3-----[+2.1]
    F#5------745--------747.6-----[+1.6]
    G5-------789.3------791.6-----[+2.3]
    G#5------836.3------838.9-----[+2.6]
    A5-------886--------888.3-----[+2.3]
    A#5------938.7------941.2-----[+2.5]
    B5-------994.5------996.7-----[+2.2]
    C6-------1053.6-----1054------[+.4]

    Corrections of any errors and comments from performing musicians about the significance of the discrepencies will be much appreciated. I rechecked my readings by listening and with further tuner readings and found that the two keys that had appeared way off in my initial readings were not. I plan to update further and will probably eventually redo this entire review.

    I can tell from having disassembled my older P32-D that this model is hand tuned at the factory -- you can see where reeds have been filed. They could do a better job of it, but this pianica is relatively well tuned in comparison with many. I expect to do some fine tuning, however.

    MORE ON TUNING! August, 2014:

    I have had a lot more experience tuning melodicas since I wrote earlier updates, plus the benefit of advice from other melodica enthusiasts, some of whom are professional musicians. I have been persuaded that the best standard for tuning is A=440 or 441. If you are not playing with other musicians or with a program such as Band-in-a-Box, it doesn't matter much. In that case, the simplest approach is to determine which standard the instrument is closest to, and just tune to that. Out of the box, it's likely to be up around A=442 or 443, and you can tune to that standard. To simplify even further, identify the few notes that are the furthest off. Tune them, and (for most of us) the instrument will sound fine.

    For absolute tuning, decide on an A=440 or A=441standard, and tune the whole keyboard to that. You will find an excellent tuning tutorial at melodicaworld.com, as well as discussion about tuning particulars and tuning standards. I finally decided to retune my Yamaha P-32D to A=440. It was a rather laborious process spread over a couple of days, but for me it was well worth it. Tuning gets easier, the more you do it, and I have since tuned several other Yamaha and Suzuki melodicas to 440 and 441, and they sound very good. The comparable Suzuki, by the way, is the excellent M-32C.

    July 8, 2016 -- A=440 Tuning

    This tuning is from a couple of years ago, but it is the recalibration to A440 and was done in cents, which is the best approach. This chart shows just three stages of tuning (rather than the actual 5-7 including a bit more attention to some specific keys), since I have collapsed some of the data. I normally aim at plus or minus 3 cents.

    A440 Yamaha P-32D 3-26-14 Tuning Final Result

    F3 +8 -12 -5 0
    F# +24 -7 -2 0
    G3 +9.5 -13 -10.5 0
    G# +8 -9 -7 +2
    A3 +11 -4 -2 -2
    A# +12 -4.5 -2.4 0
    B3 +10 -1.5 0
    C4 +10 +2.5 +3 +2.5
    C# +11 -3 +1.5 0
    D4 +11 0 +3.3 +2
    D# +12 -1 +3 0
    E4 +9 0 +2.5 0
    F4 +12 +10 +6.7 +3
    F# +13 -6 0
    G4 +15 -5 -3.7 0
    G# +13 +2 +5.5 +2.5
    A4 +10 -3 -1.5
    A# +13 0 +2.5
    B4 +8 0 0
    C5 +11 0 0
    C# +9.5 +3.5 +3.6 +2.5
    D5 +12 -1 0
    D# +11.5 -3 -3.5 +3
    E5 +12.5 -9 -8.5 -1.5
    F5 +10.5 +1.5 +1.5
    F# +8 -10 -9.5 0
    G5 +9.5 -4 -3.4 0
    G# +7.5 +1 +2.4 +3
    A5 +6.5 0 -2 0
    A# +5 +4.5 +1.3 +1.7
    B5 +8.5 -3.5 -3.9 +2.5
    C6 +6 +3.3 +3.2 0
    ------------------------------------------------------------------

    Finally this, though: Yamaha and upper tier Suzukis (the metal tray models such as the M-32C and A-34C) sound quite good to me straight out of the box, and I could be satisfied with them that way. Taking them apart, tuning them and whatnot is something for which I have the time and inclination. If you like the way your melodica sounds, which is probably already pretty good, it's not necessary to fret over tuning. But it is something you can do, and it enhances one's musical experience with the instrument.

    I have an embarrassingly large collection of current and vintage melodicas, but this is still my "go to" melodica, the one I play the most. The P-32 Yamaha Pianica is also, as it happens, very widely used in Japanese elementary education, which requires instruction in the melodica (keyboard harmonica -- Pianica or Melodion) for all students.
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