Harmonica tonality for beginners. Harmonica: types and features. List of good harmonicas

Vintage sound

The HOHNER Golden Melody 542/20 D harmonica has a closed, round sound, which makes it lyrical and effervescent. She was the favorite model of the legendary Sonny Terry. It was with her that he performed for many years with his colleague, blues guitarist Brownie McGee.

The accordion has a rounded and ergonomic shape, which allows it to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, as well as to reproduce various effects with its help. Thanks to this shape, the sound becomes more intelligible. Long thin brass reeds are ideal for playing music in such musical genres like jazz and blues, as well as for playing various bends and blows. The notes are tuned clearly, without the need for additional tuning, which gives it the opportunity to calmly accompany other instruments, including the piano.

Harmonica assembled very tightly. All boards are tightly screwed to the body, and the strong plastic from which it is made has a positive effect on the sound, making it more rounded and melodic. Although the main styles of performing this musical instrument are quite narrow, it can be used in absolutely any genre and repertoire. A special feature of this harmonica is its even tempered tuning. Thanks to it, moving from one hole to another, the sound does not change, does not become quieter or louder, but remains at the same level. This allows the sound to be smoother and clearer. However, due to this feature, it sounds a little quieter than its counterparts.

HOHNER has made its name in the market musical instruments, therefore, when buying a harmonica from this company, you can be confident in the quality and excellent sound of this instrument.

HOHNER Marine Band 1896/20 C

Blues legend

HOHNER Marine Band is a legendary accordion that appeared on American shelves more than 100 years ago and was enjoyed by all early blues and folk performers. It has a spacious, open, diffused sound with rich highs. Thanks to this, it can play different genres of music, although it was originally intended for blues.

The special feature of this instrument is its reeds. They are quite long and mobile, which makes them very sensitive and adds a characteristic “husky” sound. Thanks to this, you don't have to put much effort into blowing a note out of it. It is enough to “breathe” to the beat of the music in order to play it. For beginning musicians, such an accordion will be an ideal option, since, firstly, it is made of very high quality and, secondly, it is tuned in the key of C major. This is the main key in which almost all musical repertoire. Therefore, you can easily learn to perform any songs on it and master new directions.

Thanks to its comfortable ergonomic shape, it allows you to perform various sound effects, and due to the dense varnish coating, you can play with your tongue for a long time. Interesting feature It also has a case for the accordion. It can be attached to your belt using a wide loop, which will allow you to always carry it with you without any problems.

If you are a music lover and cannot live without music, we recommend that you purchase headphones to listen to your favorite tracks. You can choose an option for every taste. Whether vacuum or overhead, for sports or computer, they will become yours best friends anywhere and anytime.

Affordable high-quality analogue

Easttop T008K is budget option harmonica, which is not inferior to its more popular branded counterparts. It is included in the list of one of the best instruments for both beginning musicians and experienced performers. The design of the harmonica is made almost by hand. All parts are tightly screwed with 11 bolts, so it is absolutely sealed. This creates a tighter, rounder sound that is suitable for blues playing. All bolts and fittings are made of stainless steel. The accordion itself is corrosion-resistant and waterproof, so it has a fairly long service life. You can use it anywhere in any weather: it is not dependent on weather conditions, be it hot or cold, so you can always please your family and friends with beautiful blues.

The boards and reeds are made of chrome-plated copper and have optimal dimensions for better sensitivity. The plates themselves are quite thick - 1 mm, making the sound brighter and more melodic. Its tonality is also quite diverse - you can choose any tone for yourself, regardless of whether you are a student or a professional.

An interesting feature of this model is its production process. Before release, each model is checked several times for sound quality and adjusted to perfection, as a result of which the harmonica becomes truly responsive and more vibrant. Thanks to such testing, the model has gained popularity, since, with its affordability, it can compete with more expensive models in quality and sound.

Suzuki Folkmaster 1072

Small and loud

The SUZUKI Folkmaster accordion is quite compact in size, but this is not reflected in its musical capabilities. It is quite ringing and melodic, has a high sensitivity of the reeds due to their optimal length and thickness, which allows you to extract notes from it without much effort. The model has a fairly wide range of tones, so it will appeal to any musician, regardless of experience. Although the main genre of this instrument is blues, it sounds cheerful and cheerful due to its major keys and is also suitable for jazz and folk compositions.

The accordion is made from environmentally friendly and durable materials. The body itself consists of molded ABS plastic, which is very important for a jaw instrument. Thanks to this design, it is less susceptible to negative consequences after a fall, namely cracks and chips. The covers are made of stainless steel, which protects them from corrosion. The accordion is assembled very tightly, so it is also waterproof, which makes it possible to play it in any conditions. Thanks to this compaction, the sound becomes more open and clear. The plates are made of copper as standard and are thick enough for good and high-quality sound production. It is also worth noting the production features, namely the introduction of new laser technology, which perfectly aligns the tool. There will be no need to adjust it, as the notes will be played perfectly. Thanks to this, the SUZUKI Folkmaster harmonica can be used to accompany any other instruments, be it a guitar or a piano.

Thanks to its compact size and ergonomic shape, it is easy to hold in your hand and perform different effects on it. It is ideal for hiking and traveling, especially with a group of people, where you can play it around the fire and please your family and friends.

Best beginner's choice

This model is very well suited for beginner musicians, as it is quite budget-friendly, but has quite good characteristics and high-quality assembly, which allows it to sound great. Worth noting her appearance, namely a worn metal cover, which gives the musical instrument a great vintage feel and attracts not only harpers, but also collectors of old things. Just the look of it is worth purchasing it and decorating your collection. Another advantage is the standard shape and size of the lid. This makes it possible, on occasion, to replace the cover of another harmonica with this one, and it will fit perfectly. The exception would be harmonics with rounded edges or smaller ones.

Swan Blues Harp has a rather weak sensitivity, so you will have to adapt to it and put more effort into extracting sound. Note that this model has different options tonality. Therefore, you can suit any tone to your liking, depending on your choice of genre and repertoire. She can play in both major and minor keys. Thus, this accordion becomes more universal, because thanks to this choice it can be used in any music.

The harmonica has a pronounced sharp sound due mainly to major scales, making it ideal for playing jazz tunes. We recommend customizing it before playing, that is, improving the characteristics by bending the reeds and board, which will give the harmonica a better response and deeper sound.

In this article, we will tell you how to choose and buy a good harmonica that you can learn to play.

Unfortunately, more than 89% of all harmonicas from leading (including German) manufacturers are not suitable for professional playing, much less for training (and this figure does not take into account a single Chinese harmonica, of which there are a dime a dozen on our market).

Once you try to learn to play a low-quality instrument, a person forever discourages the desire to master this instrument. And the main manufacturers of harmonicas, unfortunately, with a silent conspiracy, continue to “stamp” low-quality goods, since it is this that brings them the greatest profit. This is why the harmonica remains such a rare instrument and needs to be popularized.

It is professional harmonica players, popularizers of this instrument and enthusiasts who have the main function of informing all beginning harmonica players how to choose and buy a harmonica, which harmonicas should be learned to play, and how not to make a mistake in choosing, because music stores offer such huge amount harmonicas.

In fact, you can count the number of good harmonicas on your fingers. And we are immediately in this article Let's list all the good models of harmonicas, which are played by professional harmonica players and which anyone can learn to play.

List of good harmonicas:

By the way, we remind you that if you are just going to study, then you need to purchase one of these harmonics in the key of “C major” (this key is denoted by the Latin letter “C”).

Easttop T008K
Hohner Golden Melody
Hohner Special 20
Hohner Rocket
Seydel 1847
Seydel Session Steel
Hohner Marine Band Crossover
Hohner Marine Band Deluxe
Suzuki Olive
Suzuki Manji

Many people think that first you can choose and buy a cheap harmonica, a kind of “workhorse”, and then you can buy a harmonica for yourself good quality. But, as a rule, it doesn’t come to the point of buying the latter, since people are completely disappointed in this instrument after playing on a low-quality harmonica.

Firstly, we want to help you understand the types of harmonicas, since in music stores you probably could see harmonicas of different sizes and types. Harmonicas are really different: diatonic (10-hole), chromatic harmonicas, tremolo, octave, bass, chord harmonicas, as well as hybrids of these harmonicas. How do you still choose and buy a harmonica? Octave, bass and chord harmonicas are the most commonly used harmonicas in harmonica orchestras, and you probably won't find them for sale in your country, so we won't go into them here. Let's talk about diatonic, chromatic and tremolo harmonicas, and how to choose a harmonica.

Tremolo harmonicas.
In such harmonicas, on each note, the two sound reeds are slightly detuned relative to each other, thereby achieving a tremolo effect. On such harmonicas there are sounds only of the “white piano keys” and not a single black key. This harmonica is quite primitive; it is very easy for anyone with even the slightest hearing to learn to play. And at the same time, it is very limited in capabilities due to the large shortage of missing notes. By choosing a tremolo harmonica, you will be able to play only simple children’s melodies; Russian and Ukrainian ones can “lay down” well folk songs, well, and perhaps also the anthems of some countries - and, unfortunately, that’s all.

Chromatic harmonicas – on the contrary, they have all the sounds of the chromatic scale (all white and black piano keys). On chromatic harmonicas, as a rule, you can play complex classical works and jazz music, but here it is important to have a good music education, be able to sight read music and have good preparation on diatonic harmonica. Almost all harmonica players who play the chromatic harmonica start with the diatonic harmonica, since some techniques and skills, such as beautiful vibrato, or bends (which theoretically cannot be done on the chromatic harmonica, but in practice are used all the time) can be well honed on this diatonic harmonica without damaging the instrument's reeds.

Diatonic harmonica and how to choose it . The diatonic harmonica is the most popular harmonica in the world. An instrument on which you can play any music, in any style, and the sound of which is very rich and thick when compared with the harmonicas described above. All notes are present, but certain skills must be acquired to play this instrument. This harmonica is also called a blues harmonica, but this does not mean that only blues can be played on it. It just became very popular precisely in the era of active development of blues music, where it fits perfectly. It is diatonic (blues, or ten-hole) harmonicas that we popularize. For us, this is the most beautiful sounding musical instrument in the world!

Secondly, you need to decide for yourself which reeds you want to choose a harmonica with.
The material of the harmonica reeds directly affects the durability of the instrument. While Hohner and Suzuki have traditionally used copper reeds in their harmonicas, Seydel has made an innovative breakthrough in this area and became the first company to make steel reeds for its harmonicas. As a result, they last longer and are difficult to break.

Thirdly, it is important to note that harmonicas come in different tones. and if you are just a beginner harmonica player, then you should choose a harmonica in the key of C major.
Simply put, it will be easiest for you to master the basic techniques and skills; besides, almost all existing tutorials, including our tutorial for the harmonica, are written for the harmonica in “C major”. Having started learning to play the harmonica in this key, it will then be easy for you to play all the others: both higher and lower keys.

The fourth and last point when choosing a harmonica should be checking the instrument. If you buy a harmonica from a musical instrument store, ask for special harmonica bellows. You can “blow” each hole on them, both during inhalation and exhalation, making sure that all notes are heard. Unfortunately, music stores rarely carry bellows, so most likely you will have to check the harmonica yourself, and if the store does not have bellows, you cannot be refused. It is important for you to “breathe” each hole individually, which can be very difficult if you have never played the harmonica before. When checking each hole for inhalation and exhalation, pay attention to additional sounds in the form of “ringing” that can be found on harmonicas, which may mean that the reed is clinging to the harmonica board. In this case, ask for another accordion. Also, in low keys (A, G and lower), the reeds can hit the lid of the harmonica and also with a characteristic ringing. This happens very often on the Golden Melody harmonica, and in principle it is normal, but try several harmonicas of your chosen model, and you may come across one that does not ring. On harmonicas in the key of C major, there should be no ringing at all, so a clear sound at each hole is the best criterion for buying a harmonica in C major.

We wish you a successful choice and purchase of a harmonica!

Choosing a harmonica - complex process, where it is important to take into account every little detail. In order to get a quality tool as a result, you should study the article, which talks about everything that is important to consider when choosing. By choosing a reliable manufacturer and choosing the optimal model of harmonica, you will be able to effectively develop your skills in playing a musical instrument.

Choosing a harmonica is a very difficult task. If you make the wrong choice, you may end up with a low-quality instrument, which may even make you reluctant to play and learn the instrument.

People often think that a cheap harmonica will do to start learning, since it is important to first learn to play, and then you can hone your skills. In fact, this opinion is wrong. Only a high-quality model of a harmonica will allow you not only to learn how to play professionally, but also to master the basics and understand the beauty of playing the instrument.

In order for the choice to be correct and not to be regretted, it is necessary to take into account the fulfillment of three conditions:

Choosing a Harmonica Manufacturer

There are several high-quality manufacturers whose products truly surprise with their quality and clarity of sound. Here is a list of the best companies that make quality harmonicas:

Hohner is a German manufacturer of high-quality musical equipment. Producing harmonicas throughout many years, unique models with excellent technical characteristics. Modern models from the manufacturer Hohner are the embodiment of the highest quality. All models have a reasonable price, which is also very important.
Suzuki is a company formed in Japan that produces some of the best musical instruments. Harmonicas from the manufacturer are always made from the best materials using new, modern technologies. When making a purchase, you can be sure that you will definitely not get a defective instrument.
Yamaha is widely known all over the world. The production of harmonicas is always carried out at a high level. The resulting tool always has unsurpassed quality that meets international standards. Prices for harmonicas are always reasonable, which makes them affordable for everyone who wants to play a quality instrument.

Advice. When purchasing a harmonica, it is important to choose not only the manufacturer, but also the place of purchase. Only in reliable stores with branded musical instruments can you find a high-quality harmonica.

All three manufacturers make harmonicas that can be used by both professionals to hone their skills and specific playing styles, as well as by beginners who have just begun their careers as harmonica players.

For beginners, it is better to choose harmonicas marked “C”

The best harmonica models for beginners and professionals

Looking for harmonicas, how to choose the right option and don’t know which option to choose? There are quite a lot of models that combine high quality, low price and excellent sound:

Hohner Big River C is a model from a reliable manufacturer, made of reliable and durable plastic. This harmonica is perfect for both beginners and experienced harmonica players. Wonderful sound combined with a low price is a reason to buy such a model.
Suzuki HA-20 Bb is a harmonica that is professional tool. This model is suitable for anyone who wants to play a high-quality instrument with the purest sound. The model, made of brass, is very convenient to use.
Suzuki HA-20 G is a harmonica with many significant advantages. Such an instrument will allow you to feel and understand the beauty of playing it. Even the most inexperienced beginner with such a harmonica will be able to learn how to play professionally. Having received original model such a tool, you will definitely be satisfied.

Advice. Before choosing a model, decide on the direction in which you want to move. By choosing a certain style of music, you can choose the optimal harmonica model.

If you decide to seriously take up playing such an instrument, you should not settle for cheap models from dubious Chinese manufacturers. It's better to choose a tool right away high quality so that already in the learning process one becomes accustomed to a professional harmonica.

Which harmonica to choose: video

viborprost.ru

Differences between harmonicas | The best models for beginners

The harmonica is one of the most popular reed wind instruments in the world. Compact, lightweight, it can be played both solo and in an ensemble, it brings joy to many people around the world. With its roots in China, where the first prototype of a pipe organ was invented, the first harmonica in Europe was invented by watchmaker Christian Buschmann in 1821.

Types of harmonicas: There are many types of harmonicas, in different keys, but the most popular ones are: diatonic and chromatic in C major.

Diatonic - This harmonica only has notes available in the diatonic scale. Despite the fact that such a harmonica has a limited scale, using various techniques (bends) you can extract notes that were not originally included in the harmonica's tuning. Having mastered this technique, you can smoothly learn to lower notes, which is very typical for the blues style. Diatonic harmonicas are very popular among beginners because their bodies are mostly made of plastic, they are relatively inexpensive and easy to use.
Chromatic - this harmonica has a special mechanism (slider), which allows you to take semitones. Thus, it can be used to extract all the notes from the chromatic scale. These harmonicas are large in size, and the number of holes ranges from 10 to 16. The body can be made of plastic or wood. Most often used in styles such as jazz, blues, and classical.
Tremolo and Octave - These harmonicas typically have an extended note range, and a double row of holes. With a tremolo, one of the reeds is tuned slightly higher than the second, this creates a tremolo effect, the sound is fuller, and the coloring becomes slightly “out of tune”. In an octave harmonica, the reeds are tuned to the same note, but with an interval of one octave, which gives the instrument the effect of sounding two harmonicas at the same time. They are used for traditional folk melodies: polkas, Scottish melodies, waltz, etc.
Minor and major - as a rule, any harmonica has its own specific key. This is not always convenient; double-sided accordions were invented. The design of these models is such that the holes are located on the left and right, and the musician, changing sides, can play in a different key. The maximum number can be up to six options.

The designs of the most popular models currently in use were reviewed.

Tips and care: For beginner harpers (harmonica players), a diatonic harmonica in C major is suitable. This key is most convenient for studying works, since most tutorials are written in this key. The accordion must have a plastic body; it does not swell like wood, it does not need to be impregnated with wax, and it does not transmit sound. If you decide on a wooden body, it is worth considering the Marin Band Crossover harmonica, its resonator is made of bamboo, and unlike a pear, it does not swell over time. Typically, the boards are attached with screws to the covers and over time they can be disassembled and the reeds can be carefully cleaned from dust and dirt. By buying a children's or cheap harmonica, you are dooming your lungs to difficult work with these “tight” instruments.

Brands and models: Most popular manufacturer The leading brand of harmonicas worldwide is HOHNER. Least popular Suzuki, Seydel.

Popular models:

igrazvuka.ru

How to choose a harmonica

Harmonica (colloquial “(harmonica)”, harp (from English harmonica)) is a common reed musical instrument. Inside the harmonica there are copper plates (reeds), which vibrate in the air stream created by the musician. Unlike other reed musical instruments, the harmonica does not have a keyboard. Instead of a keyboard, the tongue and lips are used to select the hole (usually arranged linearly) that corresponds to the desired note.

The harmonica is most often used in such musical styles as blues, folk, bluegrass, blues rock, country, jazz, pop, various genres folk music.

A musician who plays the harmonica is called a harper.

In this article, the experts of the Uchenik store will tell you how to choose harmonica, which is exactly what you need, and not overpay.

Harmonica device

A harmonica consists of two plates with reeds (shown in the figure below). The upper plate contains reeds that work when exhaling (blowing air into the holes), and the lower plate - when inhaling (drawing air from the holes). The plates are attached to the comb (body) and covered with the upper and lower housing covers, respectively. Each plate has slots of different lengths, but on each plate the slots stacked on top of each other are equal in length. The air flow passes over the reeds above or below the slots in the comb and causes the corresponding reeds of the upper or lower plate to vibrate. Thanks to this design of the reeds, the harmonica is classified as a reed instrument with a free reed.

The figure above shows the structure of a harmonica in its usual position. Please note that the illustration does not show the tabs. Both plates have tongues pointing downwards (in the figure below), so when assembled, the tongues of the upper plate are directed inside the grooves of the comb, and the tongues of the bottom plate are directed outward.

The vibration of the reeds occurs due to the air stream directed into (or out of) the housing. However, you should not think that the sound occurs when the reed hits the plate - they do not touch each other. The gap between the slots and the corresponding tongues is small, so when the tongue vibrates, it falls into the slot, and the passage for the direct movement of the air stream is temporarily blocked. As the tongue moves in one direction or another, the path for air is cleared. Therefore, the sound of a harmonica depends, first of all, on the vibrations of the air stream.

Types of harmonicas

Among harmonicas, three types are most popular:

diatonic (blues)
chromatic
tremolo

Tremolo harmonicas

In such harmonicas, on each note, the two sound reeds are slightly detuned relative to each other, thereby achieving a tremolo effect. On such harmonicas there are sounds only of the “white piano keys” and not a single black key. This harmonica is quite primitive; it is very easy for anyone with even the slightest hearing to learn to play. And at the same time, it is very limited in capabilities due to the large shortage of missing notes. By choosing a tremolo harmonica, you will be able to play only simple children’s melodies, Russian and Ukrainian folk songs can “go well”, and, perhaps, the anthems of some countries - and, unfortunately, that’s all.

Tremolo harmonica.

Chromatic harmonicas

On the contrary, they have all the sounds of the chromatic scale (all white and black piano keys). On chromatic harmonicas, as a rule, you can play complex classical works and jazz music, but here it is important to have a good musical education, be able to sight read notes and have good training on the diatonic harmonica. Almost all chromatic harmonica players start with the diatonic harmonica, since some techniques and skills, such as beautiful vibrato, or bending (which theoretically cannot be done on a chromatic harmonica, but in practice are used all the time) can be well honed on this diatonic harmonica without damaging the instrument's reeds.

Chromatic harmonica

Diatonic harmonica

This is the most popular harmonica. An instrument on which you can play any music, in any style, and the sound of which is very rich and thick when compared with the harmonicas described above. All notes are present, but certain skills must be acquired to play this instrument. This harmonica is also called a blues harmonica, but this does not mean that only blues can be played on it. It just became very popular precisely in the era of active development of blues music, where it fits perfectly.

Diatonic harmonica

Don't buy an expensive harmonica right away. In the process of mastering various playing techniques (such as bending) there is a high chance of breaking the reeds;
some popular types of accordions are difficult for beginners and need to be “brought” to working condition;
buying a cheap accordion can also complicate the learning process;
when buying a diatonic harmonica, it is better to buy harmonicas in the key of C major, since it is in the middle of the musical range and most teaching schools are written specifically for this key;
Directly when purchasing in a store, check all the holes for inhalation and exhalation. If you have mastered bends, check them out too;
If the accordion suits you, but doesn’t build a little, it’s not a big deal. It can be adjusted.

Write your questions and experience in choosing a harmonica in the comments!

You can use an inexpensive, simple instrument, and then buy a high-quality harmonica later. With this approach, the matter most often does not come to the point of buying an harmonica, because the performer is completely disappointed in the harmonica after playing a low-quality instrument.

There are several types of harmonicas:

Diatonic (10 hole);
Chromatic;
Tremolo;
Octaves;
Bass;
Chord;
Various hybrids of these harmonics.

Most often, chord, bass and octave harmonicas are used in harmonica orchestras; they are very difficult to find on sale, so we will not focus on them. Let's instead discuss diatonic, chromatic and tremolo harmonicas.

Harmonica tremolo

They tend to have the two sound reeds slightly out of tune relative to each other on each note. This is what creates the tremolo effect. These harmonicas have only the sounds of the “white piano keys” and do not have any “black keys”. The tremolo can be considered a primitive harmonica; anyone with the slightest ear for music can learn to play it quickly and easily. However, due to the large shortage of missing notes, it is very limited in its capabilities. If you choose a tremolo harmonica, you will only be able to perform simple children's melodies, Russian and Ukrainian native songs and, probably, the anthems of some countries.

Chromatic harmonica

It has all the sounds of the chromatic scale, i.e. with all the “white and black keys of the piano.” Chromatic harmonics capable of reproducing complex classical works and even jazz music. But at the same time, it’s good to have a good musical education, sight read music and play the diatonic harmonica perfectly. Everyone who plays the chromatic harmonica started with a diatonic harmonica, because you can learn some techniques (like bends or beautiful vibrato) perfectly on a diatonic harmonica without damaging the reeds of the instrument.

It is the most popular harmonica in the world and can play any music in any style. It has a rich and thick sound relative to the harmonics described above. It has all the notes, but, nevertheless, you should master sufficient skills to play this instrument. This harmonica is sometimes called a blues harmonica, but this does not mean that it is intended only for blues compositions. The name is explained by the fact that diatonic harmonica gained enormous popularity precisely in the era of the formation of blues music, into which, by the way, it fits perfectly.

Harmonica reeds

The material from which the harmonica reeds are made directly affects the durability of the instrument. Hohner and Suzuki traditionally use copper reeds for their harmonicas. Seydel made an innovative breakthrough in this area; it became the first company to make steel reeds for its harmonicas. They are difficult to break and last longer.

Harmonicas have different tones. If you consider yourself to be a beginner harmonica player, then opt for a harmonica in the key of C major. It will be easier and easier for you to master the main techniques and skills. In addition, most of the existing tutorials are written for the harmonica in C major. Once you start learning the harmonica of this key, you will then easily play all the others, higher and lower. keys.

Checking the tool before purchasing

If you purchase a harmonica in a special musical instrument store, be sure to ask for special bellows for harmonicas. With their help, they “blow through” each hole as you inhale and exhale to make sure that all notes are sounded. It is very important to “breathe” each hole separately. This can be quite challenging if you have never played the harmonica before. When checking each hole for inhalation and exhalation, pay special attention to additional sounds in the form of “ringing” that can be found on harmonicas. This means that the reed clings to the harmonica board. In this case, ask for another harmonica. In addition, in low keys (A, G and lower), the reeds may hit the harmonica cover; in principle, this is normal, there is nothing wrong with that. But after going through several harmonics, you will find one that does not ring. On harmonicas in the key of C major there should be no ringing at all, so the best criterion for buying a harmonica in C major is a clear sound on each hole.

The harmonica does not tolerate sudden changes in temperature and dampness. Before playing, it is recommended to heat the harmonica in your palms to human body temperature. For a long life, the harmonica should be carried in a case, played softly and try not to drop it. Periodically, it must be shaken out, removing particles of dirt and accumulated saliva. And then the harmonica will delight you with its sound for a long time.

Develop a sense of rhythm

If you have a natural sense of rhythm, that’s good, but this does not free you from working on the rhythmic pattern of the work. This is where a regular metronome will come to your aid. By the way, metronome analogues can be easily found on the Internet. Having achieved some success, do not stop and continue to master complex types of rhythm, learn to determine the size of a musical composition by ear.

The harmonica is very compact and convenient to carry with you all the time. You can train in any free minute, you will feel significant progress and in a few months you will not recognize yourself.

Develop musical memory

Once you start learning a melody from notes or tabs, try to break away from them at some point and pay attention to the intonation. Play from memory, putting your soul into this piece. At the same time, you will develop your ear for music, each time memorization will become easier.

Accurate sound and original playing style

High-quality sound and a good sense of rhythm are the main thing for a master! Show your individuality in variations on the theme of the melody, but the sound must be impeccable!

The game of virtuosos is the best textbook for beginning performers. You should always have with you not only a harmonica, but also audio recordings of your favorite melodies and musicians. Listen to them whenever possible.

Play in a group

So, you are already quite good at playing and improvising, and now you are invited to join a musical group. Playing in a group requires compliance with special rules: you must wait for the moment when you can solo without interrupting other performers. A sign of the skill of a harmonica player who performs in an ensemble lies precisely in the ability to collaborate. If you give others the right to speak, you won't be left behind either.

The harmonica is a small instrument, but with enormous capabilities. Harmonicas are most often used in blues and folk music. There are many types of harmonicas: diatonic, chromatic, octave, tremolo, special small ones for children. And each variety is more suitable for playing in one style or another. For example, octave and tremolo harmonicas are best suited for folk music, while diatonic harmonicas are best suited for blues playing, although they can also be used for melodic music.

The basis of the harmonica is the reeds, which are located inside the comb body. When playing on them, an air stream is supplied through the holes in the comb, which causes the reeds to vibrate, and thus a sound is created.

The most famous harmonica manufacturer
- German company Hohner.
The company was founded by Matthias Hohner in 1857 in the German city of Trossingen and is still located there. In addition to harmonicas, the Hohner company produces guitars,
recorders, melodicas, accordions and various accessories. From the moment of foundation until today Hohner employees are constantly improving the design of accordions, creating new models, introducing modern technologies production. But despite this, some models are still made by hand, such as the legendary Marine Band harmonica.

The range of Hohner harmonicas is huge and includes all existing varieties. At first, when you first want to learn to play the harmonica, it may be difficult to choose, especially if you do not know the basic features of the various types of this instrument. It is advisable to take your first steps in playing using a diatonic harmonica in the key of C major (which in the European tradition is designated as C major, or simply capital C). Other types of harmonicas have features that, at the first stage, can distract from learning the basics of playing. Therefore, we will dwell in more detail on the diatonic harmonicas produced by the Hohner company.

Diatonic harmonicas differ from others in that they have a diatonic structure with alternating successive 2 whole tones, a semitone, 3 whole tones and another semitone. Such an accordion has one row of holes, and behind each of them there are two reeds that give one note when you inhale, another when you exhale.

For comparison, octave harmonicas have a double row of holes, with two reeds in each. Coinciding holes in rows are tuned to the same note, but one octave apart. In tremolo harmonicas, one of the reeds is tuned slightly higher than the other, resulting in a “tremolo” effect. A similar tuning feature on the harmonica's sister accordion is called a "spill".

Today, the range of diatonic harmonicas includes four series:

Enthusiast– an entry-level series, it presents inexpensive accordions produced automatically.

MS-Series– the so-called modular system – this series includes accordions of both medium and high levels. The difference is that most harmonica parts are interchangeable from one instrument to another. The main parts are produced automatically, after which assembly and adjustment are done manually.

Progressive– a series of intermediate and high level harmonicas for advanced harpers. Collected by hand.

Marine Band is a legendary series, which is represented by several classic models of the old design from 1896, as well as modified models. These harmonicas are handcrafted and have a wooden body made from a variety of woods. Marine Band harmonicas have earned their popularity because they are ideal for blues playing; they are used by most famous musicians.

Based on their areas of application, diatonic harmonicas can be divided into two categories. Some are more suitable for playing blues, since they are convenient for making bends, which are distinctive feature blues playing. Harmonicas of another category are less suitable for blues and in to a greater extent intended for others musical styles. Let's take a closer look at the model range of Hohner diatonic harmonicas. For convenience, we will distribute them into series.

Marine Band Series

Enthusiast Series

MS-Series

Progressive Series

What should you look for when choosing a harmonica? As for the case material, it is very difficult to say unequivocally which is better - wood, plastic or metal. Every instrument sounds different and everyone has their own personal preference for sound. The wooden body used to have a swelling problem, but in the last few years the wood has been coated with a special varnish that minimizes this problem. The plastic case is more sealed and sounds duller, but due to the changed shape of the lids the sound is brighter. The metal body gives the brightest and loudest sound, which should also correspond to individual preferences.

You can start mastering the game on almost any accordion described above. Of course, harmonicas of the middle and high price categories are more convenient to play and provide more opportunities for sound production and work on timbre. For example, it is difficult to make blues bends on inexpensive Enthusiast series harmonicas, especially with little playing experience. But at the same time, at the initial stage this is not so necessary.

Those who have been playing the harmonica for a long time and are passionate about this musical instrument most often have several different models, since each of them gives a different sound and capabilities. After all, harmonicas are inexpensive, unlike many other musical instruments, so you can start with the simplest models, and after mastering the basics, move on to more expensive ones and have the choice of which sound you like best and which style is preferable. By the way, in many models, especially the Enthusiast series, since 2015, along with the accordion, a special code is provided with which you can get a 30-day free access to David Barrett's training lessons. More than 3 thousand video and audio files will help you master the harmonica.

We hope that after this short review of Hohner harmonicas, it will be easier for you to make a choice with which harmonica model to start mastering this wonderful instrument, or which one to buy next. After all, the choice and variety of options provide real wealth for development, regardless of your level of training!