The Harmonica Thread
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- jeremyb
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The Harmonica Thread
I know a few of you out there are harmonica players, its my birthday on monday and one of the things I've bought myself for the kids to give me is a harmonica its a Hohner special 20 in C which I believe is the correct key to start off in as a beginner
Where should I start in terms of learning?
Where should I start in terms of learning?
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
If you would have bought a G mouth harp, I would say Neil Young.
A C harp, probably Silent Night?
A C harp, probably Silent Night?
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
Eventually you'll need every key of blues harp. And then you'll be able to shout "Neil Young"!
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
Harmonica is only good if you suck.
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
I will definitely suck for quite some time!
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
All sucking and blowing aside...
You bought one with a plastic comb, that is good imo.
Start playing straight harmonica, ie, use your C harp for songs in the key of C.
You can Cross harp play this for songs in the key of G.
Don't worry about note bending yet, play straight melody.
Do this often, ie, while driving to work, etc.
And there is always YouTube, but nothing beats practise...
edit - not F, cross harp for key of G
You bought one with a plastic comb, that is good imo.
Start playing straight harmonica, ie, use your C harp for songs in the key of C.
You can Cross harp play this for songs in the key of G.
Don't worry about note bending yet, play straight melody.
Do this often, ie, while driving to work, etc.
And there is always YouTube, but nothing beats practise...
edit - not F, cross harp for key of G
Last edited by Jay on Thu Dec 01, 2022 8:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
I've had this for about 20 years and I still suck
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
H671's harp is chromatic. That's a serious undertaking.
The blues harps are much simpler. A C harp is for the key of G. For E you will need a B harp etc etc.
I learnt by playing along with Cream's "Rollin and Tumblin" and the live "Train Time" but Little Walter is the go to artiste...
The Hohner Marine Band range were the only harp in the running back then and i still find them easier to bend notes on than the modern plastic bodied versions.
The blues harps are much simpler. A C harp is for the key of G. For E you will need a B harp etc etc.
I learnt by playing along with Cream's "Rollin and Tumblin" and the live "Train Time" but Little Walter is the go to artiste...
The Hohner Marine Band range were the only harp in the running back then and i still find them easier to bend notes on than the modern plastic bodied versions.
“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench - a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."
Hunter S. Thompson
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
Thanks, I corrected my earlier post. The way I understand it is that the fourth is used for cross harp. So G, A, B, C meaning a C harp can be used for playing G songs. For E it would be: E, F, G, A, so an A harp, not a B.Dharmajester wrote: ↑Thu Dec 01, 2022 8:07 pm H671's harp is chromatic. That's a serious undertaking.
The blues harps are much simpler. A C harp is for the key of G. For E you will need a B harp etc etc.
I learnt by playing along with Cream's "Rollin and Tumblin" and the live "Train Time" but Little Walter is the go to artiste...
The Hohner Marine Band range were the only harp in the running back then and i still find them easier to bend notes on than the modern plastic bodied versions.
When faced with quality, I recognise it every time.
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
Yep, senior moment, meant to say for B it would be an E.
“The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench - a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side."
Hunter S. Thompson
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
And here is SOME harmonica playing
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
I dropped by to see if JB had made a mouth organ joke. To be honest it’s a little disappointing to see this is a JB thread and such low hanging fruit was left…standards are dropping….or raising…
They keep telling me tone is in the fingers, but I have yet to see a "look at my fingers" thread.
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Re: The Harmonica Thread
Gotta keep peeps on their toes!
Slowy wrote: That's the problem; everything rewarding is just such hard work. Regret takes much less effort.