Which Harp?

TITLE: Learn to Play Harmonica - Which Harp Should I Use?


When you learn to play harmonica you will discover that there are a number of options in what type you can play. If you are a little confused about your options then read on and decide for yourself what type would suit you best. For future reference the harmonica is also referred to as a 'harp'.

It is always a good idea to start at the beginning. Most people learn to play on the 10 hole diatonic version. Quite simply, they are considered the easiest to play. They also provide a good grounding for a player to hone their technique. However, it is somewhat of a general term because it refers to any harmonica that is to be played in one key only. In general, you can expect a standard harp to be in the key of C and is the most prevalent of all the mouth organs out there.

The chromatic harmonica is a well known instrument as many of the legends of this genre tend to showcase their talents with one of these. The harp is similar in appearance to the diatonic but has a button activated slide bar as part of its construction.

Without getting too scientific this slide bar acts as a funnel from the point where air is blown in and directed to the preferred reed plate that the musician has opted for. The effect of this is the creation of more varied notes and in the case of a larger harmonica (standard sizes are 10 holes) more keys can be accessed. It's fair to say that if you have just started to learn to play harmonica the chromatic may be a bit of a mouthful. More advanced musicians will want to take advantage of it's versatility and the greater challenge

The tremolo harmonica is a more specialized type. It creates what can be described as a wailing tone. The unique structure of having a double reed per hole is responsible for this. There are no particular reasons why you shouldn't try this version as a means of providing your playing with a bit of variety.

The ChengGong harmonica is a large diatonic harmonica with a mouthpiece that actually slides across the main body. The number of notes and chords that can be produced is remarkable due to this structure. As you learn to play harmonica and start to really improve this version can be used to expand your range. If you are interested in joining an orchestra then playing the harmonica will not limit you. There are specific types that are constructed to be used as part of a wider collection of orchestral instruments.

For example, there is the chord harmonica where a great number of chords can be produced through the double reed 4 note cluster arrangement. The harmonica itself is quite large in comparison to its cousins and has great capacity to produce memorable sounds. If you've never come across one of these I urge you to search on You Tube to see how remarkable this harmonica is.

For lots more information on the harmonica world check out the links below.

Click here for more info on how to learn to play harmonica. Check out this site for tips on which harmonica set to buy.

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