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Please give me harmonica info
Topic Started: Jul 16 2010, 08:06 AM (623 Views)
ilm
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Middle Aged Carp
Yesterday, while at a park, I saw a woman playing a harmonica. I thought it was pretty cool, since it is a portable instrument!

Do you have any experience learning how to play the harmonica, and what brand would you recommend, and self-teaching books?

Thanks.
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schindler
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Fulla-Carp
Harmonica is indeed a pretty cool instrument to play, especially if you camp out a lot with other guys who are good at blues guitar. Even if you don't, it's a fun and easy instrument to get into. Your basic harmonica comes in the key of C. I would recommend starting with C and then branching out if you decide you like the harmonica. I have 5 harps, three of which are Hohners. You can get a decent beginning harmonica for about 10 bucks, so it's also one of the cheapest instruments to pick up. I started out learning by ear, but also later supplemented with various harmonica books. Harmonica for Dummies is actually a really quality book. It may be my favorite of the various ones I've tried.

Hope this helps. :)


Edit: I forgot to recommend a brand - anything by Hohner, in my experience, is a pretty safe bet; they're my favorite to play, have the best tone, and often have cool covers. What more can you ask for?
Edited by schindler, Jul 16 2010, 09:53 AM.
We're all mad here!
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ilm
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Middle Aged Carp
Schindler - Thank you very much! Great info to get started. Would it be safe to buy the harmonica at a place like amazon? I haven't even checked to see if they sell them there.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
ilikemozart
Jul 16 2010, 11:41 AM
Schindler - Thank you very much! Great info to get started. Would it be safe to buy the harmonica at a place like amazon? I haven't even checked to see if they sell them there.
I'd go here if you're buying online. Massive selection.
http://folk-instruments.musiciansfriend.com/folk-traditional-instruments/wind-keyboard-instruments/harmonicas
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Hohner. Marine Band model. Key of C.

Best selling harmonica in the world...beware, though...when you learn to play, one harmonica is never enough!
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Free Rider
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Fulla-Carp
I like the Hohner Special 20 harmonicas. No offense to Jolly, I would NOT get the marine band because the holes you blow into are made of wood...and that gets pretty gross after a while. The Lee Oskars and Special 20's have plastic holes and they can be rinsed with warm water and tapped out to dry.

I use a neck holder while I play the piano, so I can play straight harp or cross harp (for blues). With any harmonica you can play a diatonic scale from holes 4 through 8 but if you go to holes 2 through 6 you can achieve a blues scale with some skills in bending notes. Cross harp is what most people are doing when jamming out to rock and blues.
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schindler
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Fulla-Carp
Free Rider
Jul 17 2010, 05:20 AM
I like the Hohner Special 20 harmonicas. No offense to Jolly, I would NOT get the marine band because the holes you blow into are made of wood...and that gets pretty gross after a while. The Lee Oskars and Special 20's have plastic holes and they can be rinsed with warm water and tapped out to dry.

I'll second this. I don't like the wood.
We're all mad here!
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ilm
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Middle Aged Carp
Is this the one to start off with and is it easy to clean and not get gross like the wood ones?

http://www.amazon.com/Hohner-Old-Standby-Harmonica-Key/dp/B0027V3ELW/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1279408727&sr=8-1-spell
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blondie
Bull-Carp
Hmm. I need to look for mine. I saved it I'm sure.
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bachophile
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HOLY CARP!!!
i know nothing about mouth harps, but i was just listening to john mayall's "room to move" from the live "the turning point album" yesterday.

kewl stuff.
"I don't know much about classical music. For years I thought the Goldberg Variations were something Mr. and Mrs. Goldberg did on their wedding night." Woody Allen
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ilm
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Middle Aged Carp
Is this the one to start off with and is it easy to clean and not get gross like the wood ones?

http://www.amazon.com/Hohner-Old-Standby-Harmonica-Key/dp/B0027V3ELW/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1279408727&sr=8-1-spell

Thanks!
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Free Rider
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Fulla-Carp
That looks like a pretty good one. The black square holes are much better than the old-style wooden rectangular holes... IMO. I've never played an Old Standby.
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Ok, sue me, I'm a traditionalist... :tongue:

If we're gonna go balls-to-the-wall, get one like my wife's uncle has:

http://folk-instruments.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hohner-754448-Amadeus-Chromatic-Harmonica?sku=421195&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26028198
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Free Rider
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Fulla-Carp
Jolly
Jul 19 2010, 12:56 PM
Ok, sue me, I'm a traditionalist... :tongue:

If we're gonna go balls-to-the-wall, get one like my wife's uncle has:

http://folk-instruments.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hohner-754448-Amadeus-Chromatic-Harmonica?sku=421195&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26028198
:lol2:

Those chromatic harps are awesome. I haven't met anone who played one, your wife's uncle must be a bad-ass... :smokin:
Edited by Free Rider, Jul 19 2010, 03:53 PM.
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ilm
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Middle Aged Carp
Yep, I saw that expensive harmonica online!

Anyhow, I ordered the low end Hohner harmonica in the key of C, with the "Harmonica for Dummies" book.

Actually, I am hoping my hubby will learn to play the harmonica. I've always been impressed with the harmonica. I am thinking that if hubby can learn to play, it will give me some incentive to get back to playing the piano.

I liked learning that a lot of you play the harmonica and the information you provided! If any of you have a video of yourselves playing, please send it to me by PM (in case I miss seeing it on a thread here).

Thanks! ILM
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Free Rider
Jul 19 2010, 03:53 PM
Jolly
Jul 19 2010, 12:56 PM
Ok, sue me, I'm a traditionalist... :tongue:

If we're gonna go balls-to-the-wall, get one like my wife's uncle has:

http://folk-instruments.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hohner-754448-Amadeus-Chromatic-Harmonica?sku=421195&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26028198
:lol2:

Those chromatic harps are awesome. I haven't met anone who played one, your wife's uncle must be a bad-ass... :smokin:
When my wife's family has a reunion, if you're a musician, you bring your "A" game.

At some point in their life, certain members of the family have played in the bands of Bill Monroe, James Monroe, Loretta Lynn and the Dixie Chicks. Several others have played in bands you never heard of, or have been in the musical side of the church.

So, after the obligatory roast pig is devoured, they start gathering by the old upright in the corner of the building. French harps, madolins, banjos, dobros, flat tops, fiddles, you name it. If my boy behaves himself, they'll even let him pull out a snare and a set of brushes.

Sadly, a lot of families used to be just this, and even with my wife's bunch it seems to be fading with the older crowd.

I guess one day there won't be any more pickers left in the family...
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
Speaking of families playing together, you ought to here Alecia's bunch when they sit down to play...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQO5fm_BUCk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LVstBv-xPA
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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brenda
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..............
Jolly
Jul 19 2010, 05:30 PM
Free Rider
Jul 19 2010, 03:53 PM
Jolly
Jul 19 2010, 12:56 PM
Ok, sue me, I'm a traditionalist... :tongue:

If we're gonna go balls-to-the-wall, get one like my wife's uncle has:

http://folk-instruments.musiciansfriend.com/product/Hohner-754448-Amadeus-Chromatic-Harmonica?sku=421195&src=3WFRWXX&ZYXSEM=0&CAWELAID=26028198
:lol2:

Those chromatic harps are awesome. I haven't met anone who played one, your wife's uncle must be a bad-ass... :smokin:
When my wife's family has a reunion, if you're a musician, you bring your "A" game.

At some point in their life, certain members of the family have played in the bands of Bill Monroe, James Monroe, Loretta Lynn and the Dixie Chicks. Several others have played in bands you never heard of, or have been in the musical side of the church.

So, after the obligatory roast pig is devoured, they start gathering by the old upright in the corner of the building. French harps, madolins, banjos, dobros, flat tops, fiddles, you name it. If my boy behaves himself, they'll even let him pull out a snare and a set of brushes.

Sadly, a lot of families used to be just this, and even with my wife's bunch it seems to be fading with the older crowd.

I guess one day there won't be any more pickers left in the family...
I'd love to hear them play, Jolly. :)
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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