Any Harmonica players ?

[Bigpineguy Retired]

I got a Harmonica for Christmas, And I am hell bent on learning it, I have some programs and videos to help....but it's not as easy as one would think...Blowing single notes consistently is pretty hard, but I am slowly getting it down ....a fun thing to learn...


BPG~

[steelpicker]

in addition to many stringed instruments, i also play harp. did you get a diatonic (like a hohner marine band or blues harp, 10 hole) or a chromatic (it has a button on the side for playing sharps, it's what stevie wonder plays)? i play diatonic, have never tried a chromatic. either way, start out by playing simple tunes, like oh, susannah, that will give you an idea when to draw or blow. for the best selection of instructional books and video, check out elderly.com, they are the best that i know of.

[Bigpineguy Retired]

It's a Diatonic "C" and right now I am learning Shenandoah first, then Oh, Susannah next...


BPG~

[steelpicker]

one thing that you should know, right now you are learning "staight" harp, this is, as in your case, you are playing in the key of C. if you were to play blues, with a C harp, you are playing a 4th above, which is F. also remember, that no matter what key the harmonica is (diatonic), the 4th hole on a blow, is C. you'll also find for blues, an A and D harp is good to have, which will let play in E and A, probably the most common keys for the idiom.

[Bigpineguy Retired]

Thanks for your advice, I am sure that I will be asking questions as I go along, like I said, I am hell bent on learning this thing, right now, I am still learning single notes, and I will go from there, and I am sure that it will take some time.....again, Thanks..

BPG~

[steelpicker]

with the additude and drive (if you can keep it at that level), you should do great. i had the the privilege of learning from blues great Sonny Terry (he was in the movie, the jerk and did the harmonica playing in Crossroads, the one about Robert Johnson). Sonny, however, played upside down...made it hard to follow. unfortunately, i have emphasema and can't play much anymore.

[Bigpineguy Retired]

Oh, I am determined that I will learn it, I am getting better all the time, I keep it with me at all times and practice whenever I can , I am getting much better at the single notes, I almost can play "Shenandoah" everytime without messing up, and all in single notes...it's really a great feeling, making music with this little thing....


BPG~

[swingbozo]

I started in on it quite a bit but could never bend notes. I should probably have kept on it, but I was so disappointed I couldn't bend anything that I lost interest.

I was able to consistently do single notes back then, but after having been unable to bend anything I just kinda gave up.

Now that I'm trying to rationalize it, is there a difference in pressures that causes the actual bending? Everything I read on bending simply stated, "open up your jaw" or some such rediculous nonsense which simply made everthing louder. I can read music, play trumpet and sing reasonably well and was never able to figure out the trick to bend.

Is there a reason behind all that hand work in front of the harmonica to make the pressure changes? Is this what officially causes a bend? I know you do this stuff to cause vibrato but is this necessary for bending?

[jtr]

interesting thread:
i have a bluesband (hohner international),been playing since i ran it over with the mower a few odd seasons ago,not in the best shape but good sounds,
yep 10 holes,i swear its in the key of E.....
beat up old thing still sounds good & i never learnd, i play by ear.just like my drums .& keyboards. +g-tars.. no sheet papers..
just stick with it & u will enjoy 4 yrs 2 cum..

[Bigpineguy Retired]

I have been in a couple of bands, I am a singer, and have been for years, but never got into instruments , ( I learned how to play "Every Rose Has It's Thorn" on a Guitar ) , but that's it....but there is something about this Harmonica that I know that I want to learn it....and from what I have learned about Vibrato is that it's part of the breathing on the draws , and I got that okay now I can "bend" the notes, didn't seem that hard to me...or maybe, I just got lucky...lol

BPG~

[jtr]

if the sound is good: = then its good. just keep working on it is all..
no grade 12 needed ,lol..

[steelpicker]

bending notes on the draw is done with how hard you draw, nothing to do with your jaw, as far as i know. how hard it is to bend a note depends on the reeds in the harp, the thinner the reeds (as in a hohner blues harp) the easier the it is to bend. the last 6 years of my music career ( i played with an internationally known country band for 30+ years), i quit using hohner and switched to Huang (pronounced wong) star preformer. these are less expensive, sound great, and at least for me, lasted much longer. as with any instrument, practice is the key, you may never be the world's greatest, but who cares as long as you enjoy it. though i was lucky enough to make a great living playing music, i've met hundreds of pickers that where so much better than i ever could have been, but either never the the breaks i did or just played because they enjoyed it. for a long time, i didn't play in my spare time (it was like a plumber, plumbing for the fun of it), and now that i have limited use of my hands and want to play, i can't...enjoy it while you are able!
the hand work is vibrato, that is, a varying of the sound wave...it can also help in sliding from a bend into the next note.

[steelpicker]

just a thought ona couple things. first the correct way to hold the harp: left hand, hold between index finger and thumb, then cup right hand around. second, practice your draw and bends by trying to duplicate a train whistle. if nothing else, that impresses people.

[Bigpineguy Retired]

holding the harp was by far the easiest thing...lol....

I have also found that youtube is full of videos with how-to's for all different songs, but I keep going back to the basics learning my full first song first, but have to admit , I am getting much better at that one..

practice is the key..

BPG~

[Bigpineguy Retired]

Once I get a chance, I will record what I can do so far and post it, if that's even possible ...lol...not ready for those on Utube, but it's a work in progress...lol...


BPG~