8
votes
Accepted
Making 12 bar blues more interesting
There are lots of ways to modify a 12-bar blues progression. I will narrow it down quite a bit because from your references to Led Zeppelin and Muddy Waters I gather that you're not so much interested ...
- 19.9k
7
votes
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Tired mouth after practicing blues harmonica
In my opinion half an hour sounds perfectly normal.
I suppose that is half an hour of constant playing? Most blues featuring harmonica do not call for it to be played continously but rather in a "...
- 1,427
7
votes
Am-Dm-Am-E songs (usually powerful folk songs) what key could they be in? What diatonic blues harp or penny whistle to use?
What key?
A minor, see Richard's answer (and my comment)
Which Harmonica to use
Harmonica is a diatonic instrument designed to play simple major folk tunes, however that's often not the way it's ...
- 5,030
7
votes
Accepted
Note designs on the 10 hole major diatonic harmonica
Both of the odd aspects of the tuning you've noted are caused by the same thing: Harmonicas are originally designed to play chords! It was basically built by 19'th century Germans to play polkas.
And ...
- 615
6
votes
Can a 4-hole harmonica play more than the 8 diatonic notes?
For a guide to the 4 hole harmonica, I'd recommend you check out The Ultimate Miniature Harmonica Tunebook by Pat Missin. I haven't read it, but the author is very respected in the harmonica world.
To ...
- 615
6
votes
Choosing the right harmonica to fit with guitar part transposed using an alternative tuning
Although it seems straight forward and simple, this is actually a tricky question.
The tuning you describe is simply standard tuning - except one whole step flat. Everything Bob Broadley said in ...
- 27k
6
votes
Accepted
Why does the blow/draw sequence reverse between B and C on the chromatic harmonica?
I went a bit down the rabbit hole with this one, I had some idea but in the end I ended up reading quite a lot about early chromatic harmonicas and diatonic harmonicas, so see if my ideas were in fact ...
- 5,030
6
votes
Diatonic harmonica: How to play the draw bend with the three semitones down (effectively)?
The best method for teaching bends I know of is to imagine drinking through a straw. In normal play, you softly drink water. To bend, you don't need to draw much harder, but you change the drink to ...
- 615
5
votes
Is it possible to play all melody songs on 10 hole diatonic harmonica?
YES. The easy way is on a C/T harmonica with a valve on the 5 hole. This will allow you to play chromatically in the mid range of the diatonic harp. The 5 hole will require a blow bend , giving you a ...
- 51
5
votes
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Should I learn guitar, harmonica, or violin first?
All of the below assumes whatever you do will involve daily practice (at least half an hour but an hour is better) and study (of resources on how to play). You don't need a teacher to learn harmonica ...
- 55k
5
votes
How to fix a not-working key on a Hohner Melodica
You can open up a melodica. There are screws holding the back on. Once you're inside the cure may be obvious.
But they're still for sale, and cheap. So don't waste too much time on it.
http://...
- 87.3k
5
votes
Accepted
Harmonica for pop music chords
Let's take a standard diatonic harmonica in C. By blowing, 3 notes are produced. C E and G. That gives us the C chord. Drawing will produce the other notes in that key - namely D F A and B. By ...
- 186k
5
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Harmonica on blues should be same Key as guitar?
Playing blues on a harp, drawing is the way to go. Blowing on, say, a C harp will give you the notes of that chord - C. So the blues notes, mainly, give the chord a fourth away - G. So, for a song in ...
- 186k
5
votes
Accepted
Which harmonica to accompany guitar tuned 1/2 step down?
Ahh the Neil Young classic "Heart of Gold". That is the song that inspired me to learn to play harmonica and guitar at the same time. It's just not the same without the harp solo.
Many folk songs ...
- 27k
5
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Why call a harmonica a harp?
Interesting question.
Wikipedia on history of harmonica states, there was a development related to the Aeolina or Aeolian harp. Following the link for Aeolian harp reveals: that one had strings which ...
- 948
4
votes
Choosing the right harmonica to fit with guitar part transposed using an alternative tuning
Standard tuning on the guitar is E A D G B E, from the lowest/thickest string (6) to the highest/thinnest (1). Therefore, tuning the guitar strings down to D G C F A D, from lowest to highest, will ...
- 21.3k
4
votes
Can a 4-hole harmonica play this song?
There are a couple of problems. The harp is most likely diatonic, and has a major scale playable, with an octave - 8 notes- range. The song has a range of 10 notes, so the highest two COULD be played ...
- 186k
4
votes
Should I get a 12 hole or 16 hole chromatic harmonica?
I think the confusion comes from the naming of the notes. In C major, the notes will be C,D,E,F,G,A,B and the next C. This gives all the notes you need diatonically to play in key C.With the button ...
- 186k
4
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Help with notes of chromatic harmonica!! I have only 3 days to practise!
It's going to depend a lot on what key you play the piece in. It's Cm in the original, which will not be too bad for you, as it modulates to C maj. When you blow 4 or 5 notes simultaneously, button ...
- 186k
4
votes
Am-Dm-Am-E songs (usually powerful folk songs) what key could they be in? What diatonic blues harp or penny whistle to use?
I can't speak for what blues harp or penny whistle to use, but I can address the question of key:
Pieces with progressions like Am--Dm--Am--E are unequivocally in the key of A minor. If you've ever ...
- 83.3k
4
votes
C Minor Chord on a Chromatic Harmonica in the key of C
Is there perhaps a technique I can use to lower the pitch of the E to Eb while blowing a C triad?
No there isn't. For minor key chord stuff people tend to play chromatic harmonicas in D minor or Eb ...
- 5,030
4
votes
Only one key possible to play in for harmonicas?
Diatonic harmonicas are capable of playing in multiple keys.
This is done a few of different ways. The most common type of blues playing is called "cross harp," which involves using a harmonica in ...
- 6,448
4
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Choosing the right harmonica and key
If it's for a bluesy sound, the harp is usually a fourth above the played key.
So, he plays a song in G, the harp needed will be a C harp. However, since he tunes down a semitone, the harp needs to ...
- 186k
4
votes
Harmonica on blues should be same Key as guitar?
Generally, for blues, if guitar plays in C you would use an F harp. This is to get the Bb ("blue 7th"), otherwise known as Mixolydian mode. In general, you want the harp whose key is a perfect 4th ...
- 3,428
4
votes
Accepted
How to hit the right hole on the harmonica
caveat: I'm not an expert, but I've learned a little bit from my grandfather.
You can get the effect you want by puckering up to produce a really small hole, but you'll probably be better off in the ...
4
votes
Why call a harmonica a harp?
The harmonica has gone under many names, including mouth harp and French harp. The connection to Aeolian harps @MS-SPO mentions is possible, but in any case the names alluding to harps are very old, ...
- 615
3
votes
Accepted
Blues harmonica to start
The Wiki article for tremolo claims it's the most popular style, especially in Europe and Asia. Yet when I was researching harmonicas last year, most of the discussion I saw was for 10 hole diatonics,...
- 428
3
votes
Accepted
As a beginner, what should I look for in a chromatic harmonica?
I would suggest the best 12 hole chromatic that you can afford. 12 holes gives you 3 full octaves. Each extra set of 4 gives you another octave.
Based on your reputation you probably are already ...
- 428
3
votes
How to learn & play sheet music with diatonic harmonica
Different people's minds work in different ways, so there is no right or wrong, only what works for you.
Whatever way you choose, you're going to have to be able to switch your brain into different "...
- 35.9k
3
votes
Accepted
Is it possible to Overblow in Hohner Silverstar Harmonica?
It's quite possible that a harp like that may well have 1 or 2 overblows out of the box, if you're not unlucky (probably on hole 6 or 5). However, to get them to come out cleanly (or sometimes to ...
- 5,030
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible