A harmonica vs C harmonica
Hi David,
I have one question for you. You advise your students to practice with an A harmonica, and yet I see that on scores, notes are named like on a C harmonica (hole one C and D, hole two E and G, etc.), which makes me think that I can use my C harmonica (I have just one harmonica, because I intend to learn all bent notes, overdraws and overblows so I can play any score with one instrument).
I thank you.
Raphaël Dalla-Costa
Raphaël:
Learning to play all notes and scales on a 10-hole C diantonic is a great challenge, and I wish you success.
But bear in mind that the master of this skill, Howard Levy, spent decades to get where he is today. Starting out in college when he would spend all-nighters in a piano practice room doing scales, and then figuring out how to match them on the harp.
While working on this challenge, don't forget to have FUN! As David points out, one of the things that the harmonica can do that other wind instruments can't is chording, and blowing and drawing multiple notes for all sorts of cool effects. Once you get started, if you end up listening to harmonica players from the 1920s, and then giants like John Lee (Sonny Boy I) Williamson and Big Walter Horton, you'll find a whole ton of wonderful sonic effects that work best in certain keys on harmonicas in certain keys.
And if you stick with just the C harp, you'll have a ton of fun. But if you wake up one day and decide, "Hey, I want to try this on a Low F harp!," or say to yourself," Maybe this would sound cool if I switched harps on a chorus and swapped a Bb in 3rd position for my C," don't be surprised. Or think that somehow you've failed in working on your goal. You'll just be joining a worldwide club of folks who really enjoy playing all sorts of types and keys of harp.
When I went off to college 56 years ago my Dad had just one piece of advice: "Study hard; get good grades; and have FUN!"
I'll paraphrase for learning harmonica: "Practice diligently; play (and listen to) great music; and have FUN!
Hello Raphaël Dalla-Costa. You can use one harmonica to play in all keys, but it does not work with the strengths of the harmonica that way. The harmonica is best approached, especially for blues, and most other styles, in 1st (C), 2nd (G), and 3rd (D) positions, of which you will learn with me here on the site. As you move outside of these positions, very basically speaking, you will lose the ability to play as much of the chords and two-note combinations the harmonica has to offer. You'll also find yourself using bends for important notes of the chord, which don't sound as good as standard blow and draw notes. So, in short, you can, but you run into more limitations as you move further away from your home key signature. Don't let me stop you from exploring this, but this is what you'll discover as the years go on.