Smokin Joe
Squire
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
Never played a musical instrument in my life but I fancy giving it a go for my own amusement as I've always liked the sound. I've ordered a cheap one (Swan), how easy are they to learn?
Anyone Play The Harmonica?
- Thread starter Smokin Joe
- Start date
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stalagmike
Enormous member
- Location
- Milton Keynes
Pretty easy. The important thing is to get one in the right key. C is the most popular. I had a book and learnt to play a couple of tunes just to go with guitar playing really. But mostly it's fun to just freestyle it and practise bending notes etc. And really annoy people who don't like the sound.
steve50
Disenchanted Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
use to own a couple when I was a kid, very easy to play, you soon get used to where the notes are and where the harmonica needs to be to select the correct tone and also whether you need to suck 
or blow for the required notes.
or blow for the required notes.
Hacienda71
Mancunian in self imposed exile in leafy Cheshire
- Location
- Wilmslow, Cheshire
I have a blues harp. Learnt some of the basics.
RedRider
Pulling through
- Location
- Location Embrocation
I like my e minor harmonica best. It can do passable Augustus Pablo impressions though maybe I should just go the whole way and get a melodica.
threebikesmcginty
Corn Fed Hick...
- Location
- ...on the slake
Kim Wilson of The Fabulous Thunderbirds is a great player, he usually does an epic solo every gig. Here he is road testing at some kind of exhibition.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
I was given a Hohner harmonica when I was a teenager and got pretty handy with it, but played one in probably 30 years.
Salad Dodger
Legendary Member
- Location
- Kent Coast
Forgive me if you already knew this, but.........
There are 2 basic styles of harmonica: chromatic and diatonic.
The chromatic has a "press button" in the side which helps you to reach all the sharps and flats. So, like a piano, you can play every note, and you can play a scale starting at any note and you will be able to include any sharps or flats. With practice, that is.
A diatonic harmonica is set up to mostly play just the notes of one scale. With practice, you can force the instrument to play some "out of scale" notes, which is called note bending, but you cant play every note including all sharps and flats.
Where it becomes difficult is when you try to play along with either other musicians, or with a record. Because apart from the difficulty of hitting the right notes, if you go for a diatonic harmonica, you need to have one in the right musical key. Diatonic harmonicas come in different keys (and C is the easiest to get your head round at the start), but if you do get hooked on harmonica playing, you may well eventually need some more harmonicas in different keys, as well as the C one......
I have now used up all my harmonica wisdom, so I will shut up now!
There are 2 basic styles of harmonica: chromatic and diatonic.
The chromatic has a "press button" in the side which helps you to reach all the sharps and flats. So, like a piano, you can play every note, and you can play a scale starting at any note and you will be able to include any sharps or flats. With practice, that is.
A diatonic harmonica is set up to mostly play just the notes of one scale. With practice, you can force the instrument to play some "out of scale" notes, which is called note bending, but you cant play every note including all sharps and flats.
Where it becomes difficult is when you try to play along with either other musicians, or with a record. Because apart from the difficulty of hitting the right notes, if you go for a diatonic harmonica, you need to have one in the right musical key. Diatonic harmonicas come in different keys (and C is the easiest to get your head round at the start), but if you do get hooked on harmonica playing, you may well eventually need some more harmonicas in different keys, as well as the C one......
I have now used up all my harmonica wisdom, so I will shut up now!
OP
OP
Smokin Joe
Squire
- Location
- Bare headed cyclist, Smoker
The one I've ordered is C. I'll give it a go and upgrade if the bug bites and ability dictates.
twentysix by twentyfive
Clinging on tightly
- Location
- Over the Hill
I'm expecting a YouTube video at some stage
raleighnut
Legendary Member
- Location
- One of the 'Elite'
SteCenturion
I am your Father
- Location
- The Dark Side of the Moon.
Beautiful sounding instrument in the right hands, awful if not.
Might just try one again, as last time I was just awful.
Might just try one again, as last time I was just awful.
Arjimlad
Tights of Cydonia
- Location
- South Glos
Enjoy.. been playing blues harmonica for 28 years... mostly in church.. sometimes in the pub or at festivals. I have a full set of diatonics which I've built up over the years. The one I wear out the most is in A & played in E (cross-harp). I started with a Marine Band in D which was recommended as easier to play yet not to squeaky. It plays blues in A which is a popular key for guitarists. The advantage of playing cross-harp is that you can bend the first, third, fifth notes as you are sucking for those, and you also get the bonus diminished 7th note, which is supremely bluesy.
Enjoy !
Enjoy !
