Harmonica [Merged]

RhythmicAndy · 02-26-2004, 07:38 PM

I just wanted to see how the harmonica group is doing, being small and all. Well, hidy-ho neighbor and remember to use Hohner harmonicas.

Ashleigh · 02-26-2004, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Hohner harmonicas.

I have a hohner accordian.

busnutmedic · 03-19-2004, 03:42 PM

Yeah, hohner is the way to go. I have two, G, C, special 20 models. They aren't bad, but the C is starting to go out of tune. You could start out by playing along with someone playing a song on guitar, piano -or whatever- and just do the melody. After you get comfortable with that, you can add stuff. Eventually you'll figure out how to bend notes. It's just moving your mouth, but I can't describe exactly what it is. Some harps are easier than others, just try to play up a little and it should bend.

I myself am looking for harmonica music. I really have never found it anywhere. Any sources?

Bonnie

RhythmicAndy · 03-20-2004, 09:17 PM

How does harmonica music work and how do you really play it?

busnutmedic · 03-21-2004, 03:51 PM

All you do to produce a sound is blow or suck in. You use your toungue and you lips to seal your mouth over one opening, if you want to only play one note at a time.

Inside of a standard harmonica there are two metal plates with little cut outs that form reeds about 1/16 of an inch wide. They are pointed in on one place and out on the other, so when you breath in you play one note and if you breath out you place the reed on the opposite plate, making a different note (half step up).

On a C harmonica it goes through the C scale, c, d, e, f, g, a, b, c, etc etc without any sharps or flats. It's possible to play flats and sharps sometimes, it depends on the harp and how proficient you are at note bending. I'm not exactly sure how I bend..it just happens. Like whistling almost. It's a combination of varying the air and moving the lips and toungue.

Hm...oh, the music. There are some books out with marks where to breath in/out as well as the notes, which are generally written out in standard notation (as on keyboard music). Otherwise you can just read regular music from a hymnbook or whatever. I'm looking in particular for faster country-bluegrass-southern gospel type licks. I'm not sure exactly how they're written out...I think I might just have to find some recorded and slow them down with my digitech.

Bonnie

Aaron J · 04-02-2004, 04:12 PM

Hey i just got my first harp, and its in G i was wondering if it is possible to play a C chord on it or not? i have found very few harp web sites and such... and they never tell if you can play a C chord on a G harp... i know there are two C notes on a G harp.... any help?

busnutmedic · 04-02-2004, 07:08 PM

Yeah, you can play a C chord. A G harmonica has the notes G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G. With the notes C, E, and G you make a regular old C chord. You can't however play an F chord, as the F is sharped. You also cannot play a C chord all at once. You have to arppeggiate it I think.

Hope that helps!

Bonnie

Aaron J · 04-03-2004, 10:46 AM

thanks thats what i needed to know.

doulos777 · 05-10-2004, 09:13 PM

There are LOTS of good books out there such as:

Blues Harmonica for the Musically Hopeless

Idiots Guide to Playing the Harmonica

Etc.

Most come with a CD or a cassette tape. THe harmonica is VERY easy to play and master the basics.

It is, however, more difficult to absolutely master.

I learned to play when I was 12. It took about 2 weeks.

Calavera · 05-13-2004, 09:30 AM

"Country and Blues Harmonica for the Musically Hopeless" by Jon Gindick is the single best harmonica book I've found for jumping right into it and sounding good. Gindick also has available other tapes in other keys for jamming/practicing with.

There are two basic styles of harmonica playing. "Cross Harp" is the bluesy riff-based style that we've all heard. The thing with cross harp is that you are actually playing in a different key than the harmonica you are holding. The C harmonica plays cross harp in G, the D harmonica plays cross harp in A, etc. It sound cool, it's fun, and it's easy.

"Straight Harp" is the "regular" way to play. A C harmonica plays the C scale (as someone said above) and it can sound bland and be hard to just "jam" with. It's great for pre-defined melodies but, unless you are Howard Levy, improvising riffs in straight harp can be overly complex when cross harp is so simple and effective.

There's also "Slant Harp" but I never learned much about that. It has to do with minor keys (like using a D harmonica to play with a song that is in E minor.

Anyway, I really recommend that Gindick book for the best time-to-fun ratio.

loseitall · 07-17-2004, 01:33 PM

Welp, I'm really starting to love harmonicas, especially in the Neil Young sort of way. The problem is I know little to nothing about then, besides the fact that you breathe into them and stuff. I thought I'd try my luck and ask if anyone knows about them, like what makes a good one, etc, mostly because I have gotten lots of good advice from knowledgable people here in the past.

guitarflash · 08-12-2004, 07:32 PM

ok, here it is: www.harmonicalessons.com. This site is, not quite incredible, but close enough. They'll tell you everything you need to know, and more. if you are looking for some basic songs, (by the way, do you know how to read tab?) i've got a bunch, drop me a line at powerputt90@hotmail.com.

guitarflash · 08-12-2004, 07:48 PM

iight, here is an awesome harp sight: www.harmonicaclub.com. Get the membership, and they have soooo many forums giving advice, tabs(music) and such. Itz awesome!!!!!

guitarflash · 08-12-2004, 07:57 PM

iight, here is an awesome harp sight: www.harmonicaclub.com. Get the membership, and they have soooo many forums giving advice, tabs(music) and such. Itz awesome!!!!!

guitarflash · 08-12-2004, 08:02 PM

awesome site, loaded w/ forums giving tab, advice, and such: www.harmonicaclub.com. If u see anything posted by rookieharpman, thatz me!

thanx fur noticing!