If you’re new to the harmonica there’s a good chance you’ve started by purchasing a harp in the key of C, and have tried to play along with something bluesy in that key. The results have probably been a little disappointing; you’re trying to sound like Little Walter, but the sound coming out of your harmonica is more akin to that made by little Johnny and his recorder from next door . Don’t worry, though – this is perfectly normal, and, in this article I’ll show you how using what is known as second position on the harp can make a big difference to your sound.

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut as a musician. Guitarists often find themselves noodling around the minor pentatonic scale, pianists sometimes find it difficult to move away from their classical training, and drummers frequently bang out the same rhythm again and again (although not always at the same tempo (forgive me for the […]

Musicians are often obsessed with the materials used in their instruments and how they affect tone. For years I was convinced that the high density of the wood used for my Telecaster’s body was the key to its sustain. That was until I played some very light Fender Custom Shop guitars that reside at our […]

Harmonica Tunings Explained – Low Tunings and Range We’ve examined keys, tunings and playing positions in previous posts, but it recently occurred to me that some players, especially beginners, can be confused by specific pitch designations when buying a harmonica. Questions like ‘is a G harp lower than a C harp?’ or what’s a “Low […]

Some Musical Theory – Temperament and Why it Matters If you’ve been playing for a while, chances are that you’ll have come across the terms ‘equal temperament’ or ‘just intonation’. Those of you of with classical training in one instrument or another may even dimly recall what these terms mean. Others may be rapidly moving […]

How Difficult is it to Learn the Harmonica?  – Part 2 Musical instruments are hard to play well. This applies to almost any instrument beyond the most basic percussive devices. Whilst this may not be a particularly motivational sentiment for an article on the difficulty of learning the harmonica, please bear with me – I […]

What Harmonica Should I Buy as a Beginner? There are a number of questions that regularly arise in the day to day life of a harmonica business. Some of the most common are “What should I buy that will make me sound like [insert artist’s name]?” and “How do I learn to bend?”. The question […]

Delay Pedals Versus Reverb Pedals In this post we’ll look at delay pedals versus reverb pedals, outline some of the differences, and help you to choose the best pedal for your needs. Why Do I Need a Pedal? This isn’t a question that you’ll hear coming from many guitarists’ lips, as the foot pedal, in […]

How to Make Your Harmonica Better Being a guitarist before picking up the harmonica, I find it interesting to note the differences between approaches that players take to their respective instruments. When you buy a guitar, irrespective of how expensive it is, you assume that a certain amount of fettling will be necessary to ensure […]

How to Clean a Harmonica Unlike instruments like guitars, where a lack of cleaning will have few effects on playability or functionality, at least in the short term, harmonicas by their very nature require regular cleaning. Follow our guide to ensure that you know how to clean a harmonica in the correct way. Washing This […]