Harmonium Price in 2022: Your Ultimate Guide

Introduction:

You have decided to do it–you have always wanted to learn how to play the harmonium, so you finally decided that you would do it. However, perhaps you didn’t anticipate how many different harmoniums there were to choose from, let alone the different brands that you had to choose from. And then there’s the cost. In this article, we will discuss the different Harmonium Prices and the best Harmonium Prices of different harmonium brands.

Harmoniums are not an inexpensive instruments, and because you are spending so much money, you will want to do a little research before committing to buying a certain brand or harmonium type.

There is no rush in choosing the type of harmonium you want–whether it’s from a different part of India or a certain brand. You should take your time and do as much research as you can before you decide on what kind of harmonium you want.  

Different Types of Harmonium:

Be thorough in your research. There are several different types of styles and brands of harmoniums, each suited to a different lifestyle or use, each unique to each and every other person.

When you decide on how often you will use your harmonium, what type of genre music you want to play, and how often you will be moving the harmonium around (do you have a nomadic lifestyle or do you own your own home, etc), then you will be able to decide the best brand for your new harmonium.

History of the Harmonium:

The history of the harmonium is a long one–starting back in the fifteenth century, the harmonium instrument evolved from the reed organ instrument, which originated in India. It came to dominance in the eighteenth century but was overthrown in popularity by the organ in the mid-twentieth century.

However, for nearly three hundred years this was the instrument of choice for missionaries, travelers, and people all over the world. This is a rather unique instrument, one that is a great choice if you are wanting to try to learn an instrument beyond the “usual” violin and piano choices that you are given.

Not many people have heard of a harmonium, so while you are learning to play it, you will already be somewhat of a novelty.

To understand the costs associated with the harmonium, you must first understand the time and history that it took to develop the harmonium. It developed from the reed organ in India, over the centuries until sometime in the nineteenth century the harmonium was developed.

It was the most popular version of reed instruments until the electric organ was created in the twentieth century.

Today, the harmonium remains a popular instrument in the eastern part of the world, mainly in India.

All of these types, the influences, and extras that you can add to your harmonium (or, rather, choose to buy a harmonium with these extra features), add to the costs and overall value of the instrument.

Harmonium Styles: 

Portable harmonium

Scale change harmonium

Double/Triple reed harmonium

Smaller harmonium

What are the costs of buying a harmonium instrument?

There are two different types of harmoniums you can buy–the Delhi style harmonium and the Kolkata style harmonium.

These produce very different sounds, with the Delhi-style harmonium costing from $500 USD to $1,000 USD. The Kolkata-style harmonium costs anything from $1,200 USD to $3,000 USD.

These are basic harmonium costs. Why do harmoniums cost so much? There are many different variations between the two basic styles of harmoniums.

portable style Harmonium :

These types of harmoniums are built to fold up into a suitcase-esque box, and you have a handle that you can use to carry the harmonium around like a suitcase.

This is a great option for anyone who has to travel often and wants to bring their harmonium instrument with them. It is easier to buy a portable harmonium and bring it with you than a regular harmonium that has two side handles.

scale change harmonium :

Scale change harmonium is a very special kind of harmonium that allows you to slide your keyboard up and down, up to four half steps.

This is a special feature that is useful to people who want to play music in multiple keys and/or cannot play their harmonium easily in different keys. Most harmonium makers consider their best harmonium instrument to be the three-reed scale change model.

Double and/or Triple reed harmonium :

The Double and/or Triple reed harmonium is also a favorite with some. These are harmoniums that have two or three reeds per key–with the triple reed harmonium having a fuller sound compared to the double, as well as more flexibility.

Smaller harmoniums :

Smaller harmoniums are also increasing in popularity. These are, as they sound, designed to be smaller than the usual harmonium instrument. This type of harmonium is usually double reeded with no scale change feature.

In addition to the different types of harmoniums and all of the features that you can get with it (some of which were not listed), there is also the type of material that the harmonium is made out of.

Harmoniums can be made out of lighter woods (birch, cedar, pine), depending on what is available, or can be made out of heavier woods (maple, olive wood, ebony, etc), and their reeds are usually made out of brass or copper.

All of these materials need to be of the highest quality possible in order to produce a superior-sounding instrument. The difference in costs between the Delhi style harmonium and the Kolkata style harmonium is down to the differences in weight. The Delhi-style harmonium weighs significantly less than the Kolkata-style harmonium.

Harmonium Costs: 

How Much Does A Delhi style Harmonium Cost?

Delhi style harmonium: $500 USD to $1,000 USD

It may be tempting to buy an inferior or knock-off version of a properly construct harmonium, because of how much it costs. But if you want to buy a quality instrument made from high-quality materials that will last you several years, then you will need to spend at least $500, at the bare minimum.

How much does a coupler harmonium cost?

A harmonium that has a coupler means that it has the ability to connect one key to its higher or lower corresponding key. When you engage the coupler on the harmonium, then it can play at least two octaves of the same note, at exactly the same time.

This is an attractive feature to some because it means you don’t need as many reed banks to give your harmonium a rich, fuller sound.

However, you will need to pump that much harder to get extra air into your instrument, so that the sound can be maintained. Like any other feature of the harmonium, its usefulness depends on what you want to use the harmonium for.

Prices for a harmonium with a coupler vary somewhat.

Harmonium Brand: Maharaja Musicals

Features:

• This harmonium is handmade in India.
• In USA, 9 Stops,
• 3 1/2 Octave,
• Double Reed,
• Coupler,
• Natural Color,
• Standard, Book,
• Padded Bag,
• A440 Tuned,
• Musical Instrument Indian Sangeeta (PDI-ABG)

Price: $415

Harmonium Brand: Maharaja Musicals

Features:

• This instrument was handcrafted in India.
• 1 Stops, In USA,
• 3 1/2 Octave,
• Double Reed,
• Coupler,
• Natural Color,
• Standard, Book,
• Padded Bag,
• A440 Tuned,
• Harmonium Indian Musical Instrument (PDI-AAE)

Price: $419

Harmonium Brand: Maharaja Musicals

Features:

• Handcrafted in India.
• Handmade Harmonium,
• 3 1/4 Octave (Saptak),
• 7 Stop,
• Standing,
• Coupler,
• Multi Bellow,
• Book & Padded Bag,
• Tuned A440,
• Dark Mahogany Color, PDI-DB

Price: $348

Harmonium Brand: Bina

Features:

• Handcrafted in India.
• BINA No. 8,
• 7 Stops,
• 3 1/4 Octaves,
• Coupler,
• Tuned To A400,
• Double Reed,
• Natural Color Book,
• Nylon Bag (PDI-DJF)

Price: $485

Recommended Model:

The Best Harmonium Brand to Buy:

Without a doubt, the best and most frequently occurring harmonium brand that is brought up is the Maharaja Musicals brand, which is located in India.

Thankfully, we can use the postage system to order any type of harmonium you want and have it shipped to you wherever you live, no matter the country.

If you want a great harmonium that is handcrafted and built to last, then you need to order your harmonium from India. Don’t be fool by anything anyone is selling that is “handmade” from a different country.

If they do not source them In India, do not buy the instrument. With proper care and handling, then you should be able to keep your harmonium for several years.

All care should be handled consistently to insure your instrument’s high-quality sound.

Pros and Cons of Buying a Harmonium:

Pros:

As it was said before in this article, there are several different types of harmoniums, and several ways to group them. You can group them first, between a harmonium you travel with, or a harmonium that should stay in your residence.

The former, is obviously lighter (although harmoniums are rather bulky) in weight, while the latter is very heavy and made of heavier wood.

These can also be called Delhi harmoniums (lighter harmoniums made in the city of Delhi in India). And Kolkata harmoniums (heavy harmoniums).

There are also harmoniums that you can fold up (fold into itself and the bellows cover the top), or you can just buy the “standard” harmonium.

It is great to have all of these options regarding the type of harmonium you want to buy, particularly because it is still fairly traditional, and you are buying a traditional instrument to make a traditional sound.

It’s not like wanting to learn how to play the piano to play Chopin and then buying an electric keyboard. When you buy a harmonium, you are buying an authentic, traditional sound. Of course, if you want an electric harmonium, you can also buy that.

You can also choose a harmonium based on the genre of music you want to learn how to play. While you can buy a coupler to help change keys and play a wide variety of genres on your harmonium, it also helps if you buy the correct harmonium to play the type of music that you want.

The Delhi harmonium is best suited for western music, while if you want to learn how to play middle eastern folk music, then you should get the Kolkata harmonium.

Cons :

With every instrument, there is a con or two. Nothing is perfect in this world. If you want to learn how to play the harmonium, you cannot buy it from anywhere but India. It is only in India that quality harmoniums are built to last, with good quality materials.

If you can find someone who sources them in India but sells harmoniums in your country, you should first verify their information, and then take advantage of that situation. If harmoniums are not packed carefully, they can be damaged in transit.

Next, harmoniums are very expensive. To get a halfway decent harmonium that you will not have to replace in two years or less, you have to spend at least five hundred dollars. If you want a quality instrument, you will have to pay for it–and shipping too!

Lastly, some are unprepared for how heavy and bulky the harmonium actually is. Even though it’s smaller than a piano–it is not a piano, and it is still a heavy reed instrument made out of wood.

Even the “lighter” harmonium isn’t actually “light”. It’s “lighter”. This is not an instrument where you just drop a harmonium in your lap like a lightweight electric keyboard, you have to make sure you have a place for it and for you to play it–because it is a heavy, wooden box essentially.

Pros and Cons of Buying a Harmonium Overview :

Conclusion:

Don’t be afraid to buy a new instrument–a harmonium is a great instrument, and even though it can be pricey, it is worth the cost. Just be careful and make sure you use it for its intended use.

If you want to travel, you should not buy the heavier Kolkata style harmonium but should buy the Delhi style harmonium.

So don’t wait any longer–the harmonium has been waiting for you this entire time! Hopefully, this article has helped point you in the right direction towards owning your own harmonium and deciding which style and which extra features you want to have on your harmonium.

Because of the cost, you will want to do extensive research on the brand and type of harmonium that fits best with your lifestyle, your needs, the type of genre you want to play, and then the cost that you can afford.