VTgreen81
Active member
If I were to purchase my first harmonica what should I get? Which Key? Natural? Diatonic?
M
MaChMa
New member
I strongly recommend the Hohner Special 20 Chromatic in the Key of C. It's great for beginners and you get a quality harp for $20. Learn how to jam on the C, and then you can feel comfortable about buying whole sets.
And make sure you keep it clean, they can get outta tune easy.
And make sure you keep it clean, they can get outta tune easy.
G
greyfox
New member
Hohner Golden Melody is another good one. I agree that it's probably best to start with a "C" harp since most of the free instructional material you'll find on line will be in "C."
Have fun,
Will
Have fun,
Will
VTgreen81
Active member
Thanks guys.
M
moresound
Loud Sun Studios
I don't go anywhere with out my comb and a piece of wax paper. 
squibble94
Nature of Force
R
Racherik
New member
What does Chromatic in the Key of C mean? I'm a piano player, so excuse me while I try to wrap my head around this. C major is WWHWWWH. Chromatic is HHHHHHHHHHHH.
Also a newb question do harmonicas have a middle C & is it located in the middle? You can't tune one right? You just throw it away?
Racherik
S
stevieb
Just another guy, really.
"Chromatic/ C" means the harmonica only plays notes in the C scale, and only produce chords in the key of C (actually, it is possible to blow minor chords, but that's a somewhat advanced technique.) If you wanted to play a song in the key of D, you would need to choose another harmonica. The advantage is you almost can't play a sour note, as long as you choose the right "harp."
Glad to see someone here with an interest in harmonica. The world has all the guitar players it needs (and that includes me) but we could do with some more harp players. I started playing guitar more than 40 years ago, and am okay but no great shakes- poeple say "Yeah, that's okay.". First started blowing harp about 6 years ago, and when I blow, people say, "Wow, that sounds GOOD!"
I can only dream about how good I might be if I'd discovered my true instrument at age 11...
Armistice
Son of Yoda
I think the question was how can a "chromatic" harmonica have a key? Apart from perhaps a start and end note.
If it's in the key of C and you can only play chords in the key of C, then it ain't chromatic by my understanding of the word, as that includes, as Racherik has posted, all the half steps and not just the major scale...
Damn marketing departments...
Armistice
Son of Yoda
... and to the OP... aren't they like $10 each?
Get a mixed assortment and see what you like best..
Get a mixed assortment and see what you like best..
S
stevieb
Just another guy, really.
I think the question was how can a "chromatic" harmonica have a key? Apart from perhaps a start and end note.
If it's in the key of C and you can only play chords in the key of C, then it ain't chromatic by my understanding of the word, as that includes, as Racherik has posted, all the half steps and not just the major scale...
Damn marketing departments...
Damn! You are RIGHT! A labeled-key harmonica is NOT a chromatic instrument, it is a diatonic instrument. How sill of me to get it backwards.
I can only present in my defense, that I was hungry and the pizza delivery guy got here right as I began to answer the question.
Armistice
Son of Yoda
Ah yes, when all the brain cells normally devoted to rational music analysis suddenly look around and go "Hey, guys! Something big is going down with the at the Taste Bud Receptors.... pizza!"
We've all been there...
Goldilox
New member
FWIW harmonica is my first instrument.
I only play diatonic, but if you want to focus on melody playing and aren't worried about not being able to bend notes (NEVER try to bend on a chromatic - it's an expensive mistake!) then you might want a chromatic. It really depends who you want to sound like. Stevie Wonder and Larry Adler played chromatic, most blues, country and folk players use diatonic.
If you're buying a diatonic I'd go for a standard richter tuned 10 hole in C. I wouldn't bother with alternative tunings (natural minor, country-tuned et al) until you've got some practice in.
A C harmonica will let you play first position in C (for simple melody playing) and cross (or second position) in G (for blues and country). It's also the key of harmonica that almost any instruction material will be written for.
Personally I like Lee Oskars for playability and longevity. Not sure where you are, but in the UK Hohner big rivers seem to be the harp most widely carried in music shops (about £17) and they're a good enough place to start but I wouldn't really suggest you go any cheaper as you'll struggle to get a good sound and play fluidly as certain notes can feel 'stiff' on bottom-of-the-market harmonicas.
If you're just interested in getting the tone from an old blues record then go for the hohner marine band. They aren't the easiest to play and they die pretty quick, but they do sound awesome when played well.
Hope some of that is useful...
I only play diatonic, but if you want to focus on melody playing and aren't worried about not being able to bend notes (NEVER try to bend on a chromatic - it's an expensive mistake!) then you might want a chromatic. It really depends who you want to sound like. Stevie Wonder and Larry Adler played chromatic, most blues, country and folk players use diatonic.
If you're buying a diatonic I'd go for a standard richter tuned 10 hole in C. I wouldn't bother with alternative tunings (natural minor, country-tuned et al) until you've got some practice in.
A C harmonica will let you play first position in C (for simple melody playing) and cross (or second position) in G (for blues and country). It's also the key of harmonica that almost any instruction material will be written for.
Personally I like Lee Oskars for playability and longevity. Not sure where you are, but in the UK Hohner big rivers seem to be the harp most widely carried in music shops (about £17) and they're a good enough place to start but I wouldn't really suggest you go any cheaper as you'll struggle to get a good sound and play fluidly as certain notes can feel 'stiff' on bottom-of-the-market harmonicas.
If you're just interested in getting the tone from an old blues record then go for the hohner marine band. They aren't the easiest to play and they die pretty quick, but they do sound awesome when played well.
Hope some of that is useful...
Goldilox
New member
Oh and chromatic harmonicas can be in different keys, although they're nearly always C. A chromatic harmonica gives you the major scale, and by means of a button on the end can shift any note up a semi-tone. This gives you every possible note, but if you do come across one with a different key on the end, it just means you're starting from a different major scale. No harmonica is "chromatic" in the sense of being able to play any possible chord...but then neither is the oboe, or the recorder, or name any other wind instrument ;-)
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