Harmonica for beginners: features of the game. The best harmonicas to fill your life with the blues Which harmonica to buy for a beginner

We will talk about the diatonic harmonics of the Richter system.

Firstly, for beginners, it is important to choose the right instrument model.

It is absolutely not necessary to immediately buy expensive harmonica models, such as Hohner's Cross Harp and Meisterklasse or Susuki Pro Master MR-350. These are, of course, very high-quality instruments, but you should not immediately make your life easier, because you do not know what instruments you will play in the future, since in our country it is not always possible to purchase the harmonica models you need.

It is not worth it to spend money, because in the process of setting the breath, sound production, as well as mastering the bands, you have an increased chance of breaking the reeds, that is, blowing out the harmonica.

I would recommend cheaper, but quite professional tools from Hohner, preferably the MS series. For example: Big River Harp or Alabama Blues identical to it, or slightly more expensive Special 20 MS. These harmonicas have a plastic body.

If you want a wood-bodied instrument, try the Marine Band MS.

Also good for beginners are old Hohner models (so-called Hand Made), such as Special 20 Marine Band or Golden Melody - more expensive, but very interesting model, which has a body shape different from other harmonics.

I wouldn't recommend for beginners to buy Hohner's now classic Marine Band Hand Made model. This is a wonderful oldest model, but not the easiest for inexperienced players. In particular, you can get a lot of problems with its wooden body, as you need to carefully play this harmonica.

Don't go cheap. Do not buy very cheap Chinese-made harmonicas. Do not take harmonicas from the German company Seydel.

I would not advise Hohner's Silver Star model, because, after purchase, it still needs to be brought to working condition.

You can also try Tombo's Lee Oscar model, but it's quite difficult to get it in our country. In addition, it costs a little more than Hohnera, although it is justified.

The next stage is the actual acquisition of the harmonica.

Do not rush to buy a harmonica in the first store you come across. Consult with knowledgeable people if you have any or visit different stores to see the range and prices. It will be better if you take a knowledgeable person with you to the store.

I would recommend buying a C-major harmonica. It is most convenient for those who begin to master the techniques of playing this instrument, as it is located in the middle of the harmonica note range (not too low, not too high). In addition, most harmonica schools are written for the harmonica of this key. If you can't find a harmonica in the key of C major, you can purchase instruments close to it.

If the store allows you to play the harmonica, check all the holes on the inhale and exhale (if you can), and also, if you have mastered the banding technique, check all the bands.

It is very important to check the harmony of the chords. Check the chord on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th holes on the inhale, taken at the same time. Also, any 3 or 4 exhalation holes taken at the same time should form a harmonious chord (on the C harmonica, a C major chord).

If you can play in octaves, check the octave on the 1st and 4th holes on the inhale (taken simultaneously), the 1st and 4th on the exhale, the 2nd and 5th on the exhale, and so on all the octaves on exhale.

If the store does not allow you to play the harmonica, you must provide special bellows. Blow them through all the holes on the inhale and exhale, then move the bellows to the chord position and check the harmony of the chords in the same way as you would check them directly playing the harmonica (indicated above).

After purchase, blow the harmonica directly in the store. If in doubt, please contact the seller. He may say that you don't know how to play. Perhaps this is so, but still carefully check again on the furs.

Don't be shy - you spend your money and buy yourself a musical instrument.

Don't forget to take the check right away. Don't throw it away for a while.

If the harmonica suits you, but does not build a little - it's not scary. It can be adjusted.

Three Things You Should Know Before You Buy Your Next Harmonica

Choosing the right harmonica depends a lot on your playing style and the music you play. Get the right harmonica and you'll enjoy playing it. Get the wrong one and you'll "fuck" it and quickly become frustrated. Here are a few things you should take into account to do right choice:
1. The shape of the overlays

Some overlays, such as the "Lee Oskar" and "Hering Blues" harmonicas, are well suited for tongue blocking. This type of overlay is natural for tongue blocks and "octaves" (when you cover 4 holes with your lips and block the middle two with your tongue - approx. Lane), it easily allows blowing with both sides of the mouth, blocking unnecessary holes with the tongue.

Fingerboards such as the Golden Melody and Suzuki harmonicas are good for lip blocking. Don't get me wrong - you can block with your lips and tongue on any harmonica. But some fingerboard shapes are really better adapted to certain playing styles, they help you hit the right note exactly.

The shape of the fingerboards is definitely something to think about when choosing a harmonica if you want a harmonica that is comfortable for your playing style.
2. Response time

response is very important factor when choosing a harmonica. The fast response tongue vibrates mainly at the tip or the upper third of its length. A reed with an average response vibrates at half its length. A slow reed vibrates (slower!) its entire length.

What does all of this mean? High quality harmonics provide fast response, medium priced harmonics are medium, cheap harmonics are slow.

If you just want to make some noise, or you are just starting to learn how to play, buy a cheap harmonica. If you want a tolerable harmonica for study - buy a harmonica at an average price. But if you really want to play music, I would advise you to buy a quality harmonica. Of course, a lot depends on how it was set up from the very beginning. But basically here is my experience with freshly bought harmonicas without fine-tuning.
3. Volume

The loudness of a harmonica is determined by a combination of the two previous characteristics - the shape of the fretboards and the response time - plus one more - airtightness. Harmonics with a plastic case let in less air throughout their life. Wood-bodied harmonicas constantly change throughout life due to the expansion and contraction of wood caused by moisture generated by your breath as you play. Wood is a very unstable material as it constantly changes with the weather and environment while playing, creating more and more air leakage problems.

A few things should be noted even in the case of a plastic case. On some harmonicas, the reed plates are recessed into the body, providing less clearance between the pickguard, body, and plates. Examples of harmonicas of this type are "Special 20", "Lee Oskar", "Suzuki Bluesmaster" and "Hering Blues".

Other harmonicas, such as the "Huang Slivertone", do not have the fins recessed into the body. Such harmonicas may be less airtight, as the overlays lie directly on the plates and can sometimes be a source of air leakage. However, there are several high quality harmonicas arranged in this way, such as the "Suzuki Promaster" or "Hohner Meisterklasse", but less expensive harmonicas with this arrangement may tend to let more air through.

Whether you're an experienced pro or a beginner, these three things will help you choose the right harmonica.

This article will discuss how to play the harmonica. For novice musicians, this question is especially relevant. Next, we will consider it in detail.

What is this instrument

The harmonica, as it is also called, is a small wind organ that creates a deep and distinctive sound that goes well with guitar and vocals. According to statistics, more and more people want to learn how to play this instrument. It is used in different areas musical accompaniment. These are children's morning performances, and concerts, and home evenings.

How to choose

There are several types of harmonicas:

• Chromatic.
• Blues.
• Tremolo.
• bass.
• Octave.

But there is an easy option. for beginners - diatonic. It has 10 holes and the key is C major. When buying in a store, ask the seller for special harmonica fur. Use it to blow out all the holes to ensure sound.

The harmonica for beginners combines the advantages of diatonicism:

• Ability to play different compositions, including jazz and pop. They are familiar to many people from movies and clips.
• The basic lesson learned on diatonic is useful for working with different models.
• In the process of improving the skills of playing the harmonica, it becomes possible to create more effects.

When choosing a material, give preference to metal panels. They are durable and hygienic. The wood will require additional protection from damage, and the plastic will wear out. So draw your own conclusions. The most common harmonica for beginners is the Lee Oskar Major Diatonic. There are others, these are Hohner Golden Melody, Special 20.

How best to position the instrument

The sound of an accordion is very dependent on the correct laying of hands. You need to hold the left, and the right should direct the sound stream. The air gap that forms the palm helps the sound and creates resonance. When squeezing and unclenching the brush, you can achieve different timbres and effects.

How to breathe correctly

Next, playing the harmonica will be described directly. Beginning musicians are especially often interested in the principle of the instrument. To ensure a strong and even flow of air, keep your head straight, relax your face and tongue. The main thing is not suction or blowing, but breathing through the harmonica. The work goes not through the lips and mouth, but due to the diaphragm. It may be quiet at first, but as you gain experience, a normal sound is created.

Single notes, harmonica chords and playing principles

So how do beginners play the harmonica? You need to understand the device of the tool. The harmonica for beginners is made in such a way that it has 3 holes in succession creating a harmonic consonance, which makes it an easy tool to quickly create a certain composition. And a note is harder to play than a chord. Playing the harmonica is nothing out of the ordinary. You just need to choose the right notes one at a time and work with your lips and tongue. Of course, first you will need to help yourself and press a little on the corner of your mouth.

Want to quickly learn how to play simple harmonica melodies? For beginners, the main thing is to learn chords and individual sounds. Next comes improvisation and the disclosure of special techniques and techniques. Let's move on to the melody. Do not be afraid of the alphabetical marks of melodic sounds - they are easy to be aware of. If the preparation is done independently, a voice recorder, a metronome and a mirror may be needed in the lesson - for continuous self-control. To prepare for an active melodic accompaniment will help to play along with individual melodic records.

Basic technique

• Trill - two adjacent notes alternate. It is melisma.

• Glissando is a slow and "slippery" translation of 3 or more notes into a common consonance.
• Tremolo is a trembling sound effect created by squeezing and relaxing the palms or lips.
• Band - a change in the tone of notes from the correction of the strength and direction of the air stream.

How to play the harmonica with single notes? Harmonica lessons for beginners take place in three stages:

• True sound.
• The correct shape of the lips, that is, rounded.
• Formed and relaxed air jet (mentally say "O").

Learn to play single notes in such a way that the air jet does not hit other holes. Learn how to use the three essential rules of alt in playing single notes only. Focus on the music and play as clearly as possible. Take your time. If something goes wrong, look in the mirror and see if the harmonica is lowered as you play, and play the note again as you exhale. Next, you need to remove the tool from the lips, while maintaining their position and making sure they are correctly rounded. It is likely that there was a mistake here, and the mouth had a different shape. To avoid making a mistake, do correct form as if you want to whistle.

Try to find the note on the fourth part of the harmonica. Should come out. And if it still doesn’t work, raise the harmonica, point it up. This is allowed. Just watch your lips for the right sound. When everything comes out with the 4th hole, go to the 5th hole of the harmonica. After working out single notes on the fifth, immediately work from 4 to 5. To do this, use the scheme of an ordinary C-major scale (if there is a harmonica in the key of C-major). You can figure out how to play the harmonica without knowing how to read and write. But if you spend time and effort on learning, you can try more and more complex works and write your own sketches.

Choose harmonica For a beginner musician, it is not so difficult. Most often on sale you can find diatonic, chromatic, tremolo, octave harmonicas from manufacturers from Germany and Japan. The most common, diatonic 10-hole harmonica, often called "blues". It is about them that we will tell further.

Using the advice of professionals and our own many years of experience in choosing harmonicas, checking the quality of their manufacture and sound, we are pleased to offer you our recommendations for choosing a harmonica for beginners: 1. At the beginning of your training, you can try different kinds harmonicas, such as chromatic. However, most experts agree that harmonica for beginners should be diatonic with 10 holes and in the key of "C" (C major). Tutorials, textbooks and sound examples for beginners, as a rule, are recorded in the key of C major, which is indicated on the body of the harmonica or on the box with the letter "C".

2. Best Option harmonica will become plastic or metal case, which does not deform when frequent classes or with prolonged single use.

3. When buying a harmonica, you must check all reeds for operability by blowing the accordion holes with special bellows. If the harmonica is up to standard, you will hear distinct, clear sounds from every note as you inhale and exhale the harmonica holes.

4.Buying a cheap harmonica can greatly complicate the learning process or stop it altogether.. With such a choice, the phrases are most often heard: “Let him try first, and then buy an accordion more expensive”, “Suddenly he will abandon training and will not play anymore”, “You will buy an expensive harmonica, and then ruin it with the wrong playing technique”.

Nevertheless, choosing a cheap tool(10-15 dollars), we we deprive ourselves or a novice musician of high-quality sound, distinct sound extraction so necessary at the beginning of training.

Ultimately, such a “pricing” strategy leads to a loss of interest and disappointment in the instrument. After all, we always strive for convenience, comfort and true professional sound!

Otherwise, and money wasted

and the purchase does not bring joy and pleasure.

5. Reliable, professional harmonicas are instruments that can last a long time with proper use and proper care. An important role here is played by the material of the body and reeds of the harmonica., which directly affect tool life..

Traditionally, manufacturing companies use copper reeds in their harmonicas. However, the German company made a technological breakthrough and became the first company to produce harmonicas with long time keep the harmonica in tune and performance.

6. A real musician knows his harmonica taste! If all the stages of selecting and checking the instrument are completed, try extracting the sound yourself. Now this is your instrument, and with its help you will make your sound unique.

Here is how, for example, recognized gurus: And now let's talk more about the harmonicas themselves. Most recently, we talked about. And this is no coincidence. Undoubtedly, today the music market is widely represented as high-quality harmonicas recognized by professionals from well-known manufacturers (German Hohner, Seydel, Japanese Suzuki, etc.), as well as a huge mass of other, often inexpensive instruments of rather low or even worse, unacceptable sound quality and workmanship.

And let's be honest: we're in love withSeydel!

This is love at first sight.

When we first met, we discovered a bright appearance, ease of play, appreciated the richness and nobility of sound, ease of sound production, as well as an unsurpassed margin of safety and a wide dynamic range. Seydel - as already mentioned, offers harmonics with stainless steel tongues, which provides bright and voluminous sound tuning stability even during very active play, and exceptional durability under all operating conditions . List of harmonicas with links to descriptions and other useful information can be found below.

NEW!

Of the novelties, we are pleased to offer you new models: - - professional diatonic harmonica with optimized reeds and laser-cut body;

Premium model with aluminum case in minor;

Original accordion from Seydel: 6 holes (12 tones) and stainless steel reeds like the more expensive models like 1847. Packed in a tin that serves as a packaging and also as a resonator for additional sound effects.

Harmonicas Seydel like a constructor: if necessary, you can repair or replace any part. So your pet will not be left without attention and proper treatment. Now we have an official service center for the repair and tuning of harmonicas Seydel.

And for dessert, one of the great reviews of harmonicas Seydel:

Share the feeling of beauty with us!

Happy shopping and welcome to " Your Sound»!

vendor code	Name	Unit rev.
Diatonic harmonicas
	Seydel Blues 1847 CLASSIC C
	Seydel Blues 1847 CLASSIC Ab
	Seydel Blues 1847 CLASSIC A
	Seydel Blues 1847 SILVER C
	Seydel Blues 1847 SILVER A
	Seydel Blues FAVORITE C
	Seydel Blues FAVORITE D
	Seydel Blues FAVORITE G
	Seydel Blues FAVORITE A
	Seydel Blues FAVORITE Bb
	Seydel Blues FAVORITE natural Minor A
	Seydel Blues SESSION Steel C
	Seydel Blues SESSION Steel D
	Seydel Blues SESSION Steel G
	Seydel Blues SESSION Steel A
	Seydel Blues SESSION Steel Bb

Below we will talk about the diatonic harmonics of the Richter system.

All of the following harmonicas for beginners and professionals are available on the site.

The most important step for a beginner is choosing the right instrument model.

You don't have to start with expensive harmonicas like the HOHNER CROSS HARP and HOHNER MEISTERKLASSE or SUSUKI PRO MASTER MR-350. These are undoubtedly high-quality instruments, but in the process of learning you can break the reeds of the harmonica (and this happens quite often), that is, blow it out.

It is recommended to buy cheaper, but also professional HOHNER tools and it is desirable that this be the MS series. For example, BIG RIVER HARP or ALABAMA BLUES similar to it. The case of these harmonicas is plastic. If you prefer a wooden body, check out the MARINE BAND MS.

For beginners, the old HOHNER models (the so-called Hand Made) are also convenient, these are SPECIAL 20 MARINE BAND or GOLDEN MELODY. The latter is a more expensive model, but the shape of its body is different from the shape of other harmonicas.

It is not recommended for beginners to buy the classic HOHNER MARINE BAND HAND MADE model. This model is wonderful, but it needs to be played very carefully, otherwise you can get a lot of problems with its wooden case.

IN last years the famous HOHNER company has a competitor - the less eminent Belgian company STAGG, which offers whole line mouth harmonicas, not inferior in quality to the Hohner itself.

A novice musician can advise a high-quality harmonica STAGG BJH-B20. Its price will pleasantly surprise a person who has played it at least once.

When choosing an accordion, you do not need to chase cheapness. Forget about cheap Chinese-made harmonicas (the very "harmonicas" that are on the market "in ruins") - they are more like toys than a musical instrument. Harmonicas of the German company Seydel are also not worth taking.

It is also not worth buying the HOHNER SILVER STAR model, because after the purchase you need to spend time on it to bring it to working condition.

Now a little about the tonality of the harmonica. Beginners are advised to buy an accordion in C-major or the closest to it - B, Bb, D. The C key is most convenient for those who are just starting to master the techniques of playing the instrument. C major is in the middle of the note range (the golden mean is not too high and not too low). Yes, and most of the harmonica playing tutorials are written for this key. However, it is worth remembering that a non-professional musician who plans to play the harmonica at home, and not in clubs, accompanying the guitar, will not notice the difference between the keys.

After you have decided on the harmonica model, you can ask the store for special bellows. With their help, you can blow through all the holes on the inhale and exhale. However, furs are a rather expensive attribute and not every store has them. After the purchase, blow the harmonica right in the store and if there are any doubts (for example, one of the holes is not audible), contact the seller. Practice shows that the percentage of marriage among harmonicas is minimal.

And finally... HOHNER has prepared the perfect gift for all its fans! This is a HOHNER mini harmonica in the form of a keychain. If you have nothing to do, and only the keys in your pocket, then the accordion will help out and brighten up your moments of loneliness. It's also the perfect New Year's gift. The accordion-keychain is presented in four colors: red, blue, yellow, green. The harmonica keychain is sold separately and is not a gift with purchase.

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 game and even more so for learning (and this figure does not take into account a single Chinese harmonica, which are a dime a dozen on our market).

Once trying to learn how 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 tacit agreement, 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 on professional harmonica players, popularizers of this instrument and enthusiasts that the main function of informing all beginner 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 a huge number of harmonicas.

In fact, good harmonicas can be listed on the fingers. And we immediately in this article list all good harmonica models, which are played by professional harmonists and which everyone can learn to play.

List of good harmonicas:

By the way, we remind you that if you are just going to learn, then you need to acquire one of these harmonicas in the key of “C major” (this key is indicated Latin letter"WITH").

• 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 for starters, you can choose and buy a cheap harmonica, a kind of " workhorse”, and then it will be possible to buy a harmonica good quality. But as a rule, it does not come to buying the latter, as people are completely disappointed in this instrument after playing a poor-quality harmonica.

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First, we want to help you understand the types of harmonicas, since in music stores you probably could see harmonicas different sizes and types. Harmonicas really are different: diatonic (10-hole), chromatic harmonicas, tremolo, octave, bass, chord harmonicas, as well as hybrids of these harmonicas. How do you choose and buy a harmonica? Octave, bass, and chord harmonicas are most commonly used 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 out of tune relative to each other, due to which a tremolo effect is achieved. On such harmonicas, only the sounds of "white piano keys" are present and there is not a single black key. This harmonica is quite primitive, it is very easy to learn to play it for anyone who has even the slightest hearing. And at the same time, it is very limited in terms of possibilities due to the large shortage of missing notes. By choosing a tremolo harmonica, you can only play simple children's melodies, Russian and Ukrainian melodies 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). Chromatic harmonicas can generally be played with complex classical works, jazz music but it is important to have a good musical education, be able to read sheet music and have good training on a diatonic harmonica. Almost all harmonica players who play the chromatic harmonica start with the diatonic harmonica, as 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 precisely on diatonic harmonica without damaging the reeds of the instrument.

Diatonic harmonica and how to choose it . The diatonic harmonica is the most popular harmonica in the world. An instrument that can be played with any kind of music, in any style, and the sound of which is very rich and thick when compared to the harmonicas described above. All notes are present, but you need to acquire certain skills 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 in the era of the active development of blues music, where it fits perfectly. It is diatonic (blues, or ten-hole) harmonicas that we popularize. For us, it 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 a harmonica's reeds directly affects the durability of the instrument. Hohner and Suzuki have traditionally used brass reeds in their harmonicas, while Seydel has pioneered this area by being the first company to make steel reeds for its harmonicas. As a result, they do not get upset for longer and are difficult to break.

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

The fourth and last point when choosing a harmonica should be to check the instrument. If you buy a harmonica in a store musical instruments then ask for special harmonica bellows. On them, you can “blow through” each hole, both for inhalation and exhalation, making sure that all notes sound. Unfortunately, bellows are rare in music stores, so you will most likely have to check the harmonica yourself, and if there are no bellows in the store, you can not refuse it. It is important for you to “breathe” each hole individually, which can be very difficult if you have never played the harmonica before. As you check each hole as you inhale and exhale, look for additional "ringing" sounds that can be heard on harmonicas, which could mean that the reed is catching on the harmonica circuit board. In this case, ask for another harmonica. Also at low keys (A, G and below), the reeds can beat against the lid of the harmonica and also with a characteristic ringing. This happens very often on the Golden Melody harmonica, and in principle, this is normal, but play a few harmonicas of your chosen model, and you may come across one that does not ring. Harmonicas in the key of C major should not have any 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!