Jonathan Prestidge, Author at Harmonica Blog

Delay Pedals Versus Reverb Pedals

Posted on August 16, 2018by Jonathan Prestidge

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 its many different forms, has become a ubiquitous part of most guitarists’ setups. Harmonica players are different, though; some never play through an amp, and others just like the pure tone of the harp itself. If you’re this sort of player then the answer is no – you don’t need a pedal. However, if you’re playing through an amp, or recording your playing, and want to add a new dimension to your sound, then a pedal can really help. In this article, we’ll focus on reverb and delay pedals, but we’ll cover overdrive/distortion and other effects in future posts.

What’s the Difference, Then?

A delay pedal, in basic terms, produces a copy of the input signal, then reproduces it at a point in time after the original input. You might describe this, in simple terms, as an echo. Most delay pedals let you control the time (the amount of time between the original input and the echo), the mix (how loud the echo is compared to the original input) and the feedback (how long the echo continues).

Reverb is also a time-based effect, but instead of attempting to replicate a simple echo, like a delay pedal does, a reverb pedal replicates the reverberation effect that happens when a sound is produced in an enclosed space, where multiple short echoes from the various hard surfaces at different angles to each other combine to provide a full sound. An example of natural reverb would be the sound achieved when speaking loudly or singing in a cathedral or large church. Reverb, then, is generally a more subtle effect than delay.

There are several types of reverb, some of which refer to natural settings (room, hall, large hall, etc) and some which refer to manufactured types (spring, plate, etc). Although some amps have traditional spring reverbs, created by sending the signal down a spring and capturing the consequent reverb effect, the reverb effects created by pedals are all done through digital processing. The Xvive MaxReverb Pedal, for example, is able to switch between a number of different reverb types, including spring, plate and hall, all of which sound incredibly authentic.

Why Should I Use Them?

Reverb can provide a fuller sound to your recorded playing. In live situations, particularly in fairly dead sounding venues, it can also add depth. Think of how much better a good singer sounds in a large hall with natural reverb than on, say a street corner, and this will give you an idea of how reverb can be used to improve your sound. Just ensure that you don’t overdo it – most live venues will generate more natural reverb than your bedroom, or practice room, so dial it back a bit when doing a sound check.

Delay pedals are popular with guitarists often for solos, where they cover a myriad of sins and make it sound like you’re playing much faster than you actually are. However, they’re also useful for fattening out your sound by using a ‘slapback effect’ whereby the time control is dialled right back, the feedback reduced to the minimum and the mix set to about 50%. This is something that you can experiment with on the harmonica, especially if you need to fill space in the mix at a particular point in a song.

Of course, there’s nothing to stop you experimenting with more extreme settings – psychedelic sounds can be achieved quite easily by playing with large reverbs or long delays.

So, Should I Buy a Reverb or a Delay Pedal?

If you just want a fuller sound for recording and live purposes, and your amp doesn’t feature reverb (or has a poor quality one, which is quite common), then the reverb pedal is your best bet. If, however, you want to be more experimental, or just want to make your solos sound cool, then go for the delay pedal.

As ever, any questions or comments, contact us or use the comments section.

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How to Make Your Harmonica Better

Posted on August 2, 2018by Jonathan Prestidge

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 that it fulfills its potential in terms of playability and sound. Even the Custom Shop Fenders that we have upstairs in our coffee shop have had work performed on them to improve the action or feel, and these are guitars that have RRPs in the thousands of Pounds. Most harmonica players, in contrast, generally seem content with their instruments out of the box. Perhaps this is a consequence of the relatively low price of most harps, or the fact that they are an instrument with a finite lifespan. However, with a few fairly minor adjustments, you can really make a difference to the tone and ease of playing of your harp. Below we will cover how to make your harmonica better in four easy steps.

Gapping

The first thing to understand about a harmonica is that it is a mass produced instrument – even the most costly diatonic from one of the big manufacturers is not going to receive the care and attention to make it play at its absolute optimum.

Gapping is a way to set the resting point of each reed. How high you set it depends on how hard you play, and whether you want to use techniques such as overblowing (which requires the reeds to be set fairly low). The most important thing is consistency – reed gaps that are vastly different across the range of your harp will result in a poor sounding and feeling harmonica. Aim to set your reed at the point that produces the best tone for your own playing style.

A great guide to gapping using a relatively simple technique is here:

https://www.harmonica.com/caveman-reed-gapping-53787.html

Make it Air Tight

Not all harmonicas will be completely air tight from the factory: screws can loosen, combs can be less than perfectly flat, and, occasionally, there can be small errors in assembly. Harmonicas that don’t have optimum air tightness can be hard to play, and can often sound squealy.

The first step is to disassemble your harmonica carefully, then reassemble it, making sure that you tighten the screws gradually, and avoid over-tightening. Harmonicas with rivets, such as the Marine Band Classic, are best left alone, unless you’re confident that you can accurately reassemble them and/or replace the rivets with a bolted setup, like that found on the Marine Band Deluxe.

It is also possible to flatten the comb if there are any irregularities in it. This guide provides a detailed description of how to do this: http://harp.andrewzajac.ca/CombMethod

Tuning

Tuning is something very familiar to anyone who plays a stringed instrument, where temperature, humidity and the act of playing all conspire to make small changes to string tension. Many harmonica players don’t consider tuning, though – if the harp is not playing in, say, C, properly, it gets sent back.

Most harps, however, won’t be perfectly in tune straight from the factory. They may be sufficiently close to being in tune for the average player never to notice, but they can usually be improved, which will make audible differences to their tone.

Unfortunately, unlike a guitar, where tuning is a simple matter of turning a tuner whilst looking at a dial on a chromatic tuner, changing the tuning on a harmonica involves removing material from the reed itself – from the tip to raise the pitch and from the base to lower it. A detailed article on how to do this is available here:

http://harp.andrewzajac.ca/Tune

Embossing

The rather arcane term- embossing – refers to the process of narrowing the gap between the reed and the slot. When done correctly, this reduces the amount of air that escapes between the reed and the slot, allowing the reed to function more efficiently, thereby increasing volume and improving response.

We now have embossing tools from Andrew Zajazc available here:

Andrew Zajac Embossing Tool if you want the perfect implement for the task.

A guide showing how to perform embossing can be found here:

HOW TO NARROW THE REED SLOTS ON A HARMONICA

Final Thoughts

So, there you have it – how to make your harmonica better using four different methods. If you’re in any doubt as to your technical ability with any of these techniques don’t attempt them on a good harmonica; practise on one that is already faulty or old first.

As ever, drop us a line if you have any questions or comments..

Harmonica

How to Clean a Harmonica

Posted on July 20, 2018by Jonathan Prestidge

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 process should be part of your regular routine of instrument cleaning, as it’s simple and quick, and will help to limit saliva buildup in the harp.

How to Clean a Harmonica — Wash with lukewarm water

Rinse the harmonica with lukewarm water, then tap it against your hand, with the mouthpiece facing down, to remove any residual water. Leave it out to dry thoroughly afterwards.
NOTE: this step only applies to harmonicas with plastic, alloy or heavily sealed combs. Harmonicas with limited or no sealing on the comb (such as the Hohner Marine Band Classic) should not be subjected to this step, but should be cleaned with a soft, dry brush

Full Clean

This process is more involved than washing, and involves disassembling your harmonica, so should be performed after a significantly greater number of playing hours than the washing process.

First remove the screws holding down the cover plate with the appropriate screwdriver. Keep these in a safe place. Clean the cover plates with an alcohol spray and a clean cloth.

How to Clean a Harmonica

Soak the reed plates from about 30 minutes in a solution of lukewarm water and a few drops of vinegar or citric acid.

How to Clean a Harmonica

Whilst the reed plates are soaking, wash your metal or plastic comb with soap and lukewarm water and brush any deposits off with a soft brush. If your harp has a wooden comb avoid using water or soap – just use the dry brush to clean it.
Once the reed plates have soaked for a sufficient time, brush them with a soft toothbrush or similar implement, ensuring that your brush strokes are up and down the reeds, not across them. Rinse with water then dry.

How to Clean a Harmonica

Dry all of the components thoroughly and reassemble, making sure that you tighten the screws sufficiently to ensure airtightness, but not so tight that you risk damage.

This process works for diatonic, tremolo and octave harps. Chromatics are slightly more involved, so these will be covered in a separate post.

As ever, any questions or suggestions, just drop us a line via the comments section or by email.

Harmonica Players

Little Walter – Rock and Roll Legend

Posted on June 27, 2018by Jonathan Prestidge

We take a look at Little Walter – the legendary harmonica player.

Any awards system in the arts (and, perhaps, some in the field of science) is open to criticisms of subjectivism and bias. Music, as in all aesthetic pursuits is no exception, and is interesting to note that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which has existed since the 1980s, has often been accused of giving primacy to artists from the 1970s and beyond, at the expense of the earlier rock and roll and blues pioneers.

A cursory glance at a list of inductees will reveal only one artist who has been inducted purely as a harmonica player. That artist, is of course, Little Walter, and few would argue against his inclusion.

Early Life

Little Walter was born as Marion Walter Jacobs in Louisiana in 1930 (or possibly earlier – census data are not conclusive on this matter). In common with many blues musicians, he left school at an early age, choosing to earn money by busking on the streets of New Orleans and other US cities, before finally making his home in Chicago in the 1940s.

Solo Success

By 1950, he’d made his first recording and had started to play with blues legend, Muddy Waters. This led to various recording sessions, culminating in the release of Walter’s first solo record – Juke. The success of this track was repeated over subsequent years, with Little Walter scoring 14 top 10 hits in the R&B Chart.

By the 1960s, though, musical tastes had changed, and Walter fell into alcoholism and ill health as his popularity declined. He died in 1968 at the age of just 37, having suffered head injuries in a street fight.

How to Sound Like Little Walter

One thing that you notice when looking at harp tab for Little Walter songs is the dominance of the second position on the diatonic harp. He used third position on a number of occasions, and experimented with first position, but the majority of his hits were played in second position. This, of course, isn’t uncommon for a blues harmonica player.

One thing Walter was particularly known for was the early use of the harmonica with handheld microphone. He often used Masco valve amps, which were originally intended for PA use. Many of the extant Masco amps from this period have been snapped up by harp players, eager to achieve the Little Walter sound. For those of you without the time or energy to search for vintage kit, a similar setup can be achieved today by using something like a Bulletini mic, with its vintage sounding element, and a good all valve amp, like the Supro Supreme 1600 1×10.

In terms of harps themselves, Little Walter’s primary diatonic was a Hohner Marine Band. A modern 1896 Classic Marine Band is extremely close in construction and sound to those used by Walter in the 1950s, even down to the unsealed comb and nailed construction. Players look for a slightly smoother and more swell resistant harp would be best served by the Marine Band Deluxe, which has smoother edges, a sealed comb, and modern bolted construction.

Those of you who have studied footage of Walter and his record covers will know that he didn’t confine himself to the diatonic; he occasionally used a Hohner 280 chromatic.

Here are a trio of videos to get you started:

As ever, any questions or comments just post them in the comments section below and we’ll do our best to answer them.

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Chromatic Harmonica

Posted on June 20, 2018by Jonathan Prestidge

The Chromatic Harmonica – what is it and why should I be interested?

When I began to master the basic elements of the diatonic harp, several years ago, I started to wonder how difficult it would be to play the chromatic harmonica. After all, I was a classically trained pianist, and the layout of the chromatic harmonica didn’t seem to dissimilar to a piano keyboard. At least, that’s what I thought…

Trying to Play

Sitting in the corner of the office was an old Hohner Chromonica II Deluxe – a remnant from many years ago. I picked it up, expecting instantly to sound like Stevie Wonder (maybe a bit ambitious, but there’s nothing quite like false hope). The resultant cacophony, however, seemed to be most appealing to the local dog population. Less so, sadly, to my colleagues.

If we take a look at the construction of the chromatic harmonica, we can see, perhaps, how my expectations differed from the reality. In most cases it has two sets of reed plates – one mounted above the other – and a button that activates a slide, by which the air is directed to the top or bottom reeds (the exception is cross tuned harps, more of which later). The top reeds are usually tuned to an altered diatonic major scale, whilst the bottom reeds are usually tuned to the same scale, but a semitone higher. Thus, all twelve notes of the chromatic scale are available by using the slider to switch between which reeds are activated.

Visualising the Notes

My primary issue was that I was visualising the tuning as being akin to a piano keyboard – white notes on the top reeds, black notes on the bottom set. In reality, however, the bottom reeds actually contain a complete set of notes from the scale that is one semitone higher than the top reeds (so, on a C tuned chromatic, all of the notes from the scale of C#). This results in some duplication as the two scales will have some shared notes (C, D and F, in this case). In my naivety I expected to depress the button a few times and perform the sort of trills that Stevie Wonder achieved so effortlessly. Instead, as I was visualising the notes incorrectly, I was getting the sort of atonal chromaticism beloved of Arnold Schoenberg.

The other main difference I experienced, compared to a diatonic, was related to bending notes. Chromatics, generally speaking, can only bend notes down, and only by a semitone. There are some exceptions to this rule, but only in the case of non-standard chromatics, such as the Tombo S50, which achieves its chromaticism without a slide. Thus, chromatic harps are not the sort of instrument on which you’d achieve the traditional blues harp sound, and my ham-fisted attempts to do so did not help my cause!

Where they do excel, however, is in jazz and classical music, where their ability to play any note from the standard Western scales instantly, with no recourse to bending, and to pick out trills and grace notes with ease, is more important than achieving the wailing sound of the diatonic harp.

Let’s have a closer look at a typical chromatic harmonica to see how it achieves this.

How it Works

Although slider operated harps had been around in one form or another from the late 19th Century, it wasn’t until Hohner produced their first chromatic at the start of the 20th Century that something akin to what we play today was widely available. Indeed, the 10 hole Chromonica 260 from 1910 is very similar in appearance and specifications to the modern Chromonica 48.

We have already seen that most chromatics use a slider to switch between the two sets of reeds, but how these sliders operate can vary. The traditional straight tuning has the two reed plates tuned as explained above. Cross harp, in comparison, has a slider with a zigzag of holes, meaning that the notes are split between upper and lower reed plates when the slider is open or closed. There are some supposed advantages of the latter setup, including greater volume, due to the larger openings, but I struggle to hear or feel any appreciable difference myself.

What on Earth is a Windsaver?

You may have heard the term ‘windsaver’ bandied about when people talk about chromatics. This slightly mystifying word refers to the small valves that are used on most chromatic harps to make them more efficient. Due to their construction, chromatics tend to experience more leaks than diatonics; windsavers limit this leakage, and also help to shape the tone of the instrument.

They, also, make bending notes more difficult, which has led to some players experimenting with their removal, and the creation of slideless harps that do away with their valves altogether.

Chromatic Harmonica Tuning and Keys

You might be wondering why chromatics are sometimes available in a range of keys. After all, you might think, if you can play any note in the chromatic scale, you shouldn’t need different keys of harmonicas for different keys of songs, as you do for a diatonic. The answer relates to range – a chromatic harmonica tuned to A, for example, will have a lower range (at the expense of the higher notes) than one tuned to C.

It’s useful to note that C is the highest tuned chromatic harp. The order of keys, from lowest to highest is as follows:

C Tenor (low) D (low), E (low), F(low), G, Ab, A, Bb, B, C,

Unlike diatonics, the keys of low D, E and F are not referred to as ‘low’, as there is no equivalent standard D, E or F above C.

Chromatics with 16 holes are generally only available in C, due to the fact that there is little need to offer alternative keys with the range available from this size of harmonica.

In terms of tuning, most chromatics are solo tuned. Of the alternative tunings available, the most common is Orchestra, as shown below in this diagram from Seydel:

Saxony Harmonica - orchestra Vs solo tuning — Saxony Harmonica – orchestra Vs solo tuning (Source: Seydel)

The primary advantage of this tuning is the additional range offered in the lower octave.

OK, What Harmonica Should I Buy, Then?

Because chromatics are more complicated than diatonics, they have a commensurately higher price. Hohner’s Chrometta range, which is targeted at beginners, sits at the £50 – £100 range (the larger models being more expensive), and is the entry point for chromatics.

The next step up is the Chromonica 48, which is noticeably weightier and deeper in tone than its less expensive brethren. At the same price point is the Seydel Deluxe Chromatic, which is similar in design and construction to the Hohner, but features an acrylic, rather than wood, comb.

The Hohner CX12, at around the £140 mark is unique in its design: it’s an extremely modern looking harp, with an ABS cover and easily removable reed plates. Sound wise it’s a bit brighter than a Chromonica, and its construction makes cleaning and maintenance exceptionally trouble-free.

At the next price point we have a range of chromatics: the Chromonica 270/48 Deluxe has thicker reed plates than the standard model and a fuller sound; Suzuki’s SCX-48 offers their signature phosphor bronze reeds; and the Seydel Deluxe Steel add unique stainless steel reeds to their Deluxe range. All are great harps and will give years of service if properly cared for.

Above the £200 mark we find chromatics with alternative comb materials, such as the Seydel Saxony, with its aluminium comb, and those with more than 12 holes, such as the 14 hole Suzuki SCX-54 and the 16 hole Hohner Super 64. As the price increases, we start to see more exotic materials, and in some cases, such as with the Hohner ACE 48, unique features such as the VarioSpring and Accoustic Coupling Elements. The Seydel Symphony even comes with a heated case that enables the harp to gently heated to the perfect temperature for playing prior to any performance.

Seydel Symphony ACRYL Grand Chromatic Harmonica

So, there you have it – the chromatic harmonica. It’s tricky to play at first, but, as with any instrument, persistence will reap rewards!

As ever, any questions, feel free to email us.

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Seydel Harmonicas – Buyers’ Guide

Posted on August 22, 2017by Jonathan Prestidge

In our series of buyers’ guides we look at the various models produced by the major harmonica manufacturers. This time it’s the turn of German brand, Seydel, or to use its full name, CA Seydel and Sohne.

A Long History

Back in the late 90s and early 2000s I had the good fortune to work in the then nascent dotcom industry. At the time, amongst the overspending on parties, table tennis tables in the board room (yes, really) and other frivolities, there was a great deal of talk about the advantages of being the first to market in a given area. This was thought to be the key to unlocking significant venture capital cash, which would subsequently be blown through at a rate usually reserved for the wives of Premiership footballers.

The evidence that being first to market could be correlated with long term success however, proved to be illusory. Few people today will have anything other than a distant memory of early search engines, such as HotBot or Excite; fewer still may recall using the music sharing service, Napster, yet these were the early icons of the internet.

Seydel, on the other hand, has managed to buck this trend. It may not be the largest manufacturer of harmonicas, but it is certainly the oldest extant one, with a date of establishment that is earlier, even, than their compatriots, Hohner. The date of their incorporation, in fact, is hard to ignore, given that they produce a whole host of harmonicas featuring the requisite year – 1847 – as their prefix.

Let’s take a look at the various models and help you to determine which ones best suit your needs.

Seydel Diatonic Range

Session Standard

Seydel Session Standard Harmonica

This is the entry point to Seydel’s harmonicas. Unlike many of the other major manufacturers, Seydel doesn’t outsource production to China, so, although this entry level harmonica is priced higher than the base models from many of Seydel’s rivals, it’s made in Germany and should be viewed as equivalent to a Hohner Special 20 or Rocket rather than cheaper harps, such as the Blues Band.

It’s similar in construction to the pricier Session Steel, with a plastic comb and stainless steel covers, but unlike the Session Steel it features brass, rather than stainless steel, reeds. A great introduction to Seydel harmonicas, and keenly priced, given the quality.

Session Antique

Seydel Session Antique Harp

This is a variant of the Session with ‘antique -coated’ (bronze/brown coloured) cover plates. Otherwise identical.

Solist Pro

Seydel Solist Pro Harmonica

Unlike other Seydel models at this price, the Solist pro has a wood, rather than plastic, comb. The comb itself is treated to multiple coats of sealant to mitigate against swelling, and features half flat stainless steel covers. Reeds are brass.

Session Steel

Seydel Session Steel Blues Harmoncia

The Session Steel ups the ante a little with Seydel’s signature stainless steel reeds. Seydel claims that these can last up to five times longer than some brass reeds. Whilst we’ve not empirically test this assertion, we have received plenty of positive feedback from customers on the longevity of these harps. Also available in a Summer Edition, which features a new colour of comb for each year of release. Many players like to pick up a new Summer Edition model in a different key each year, as it enables them to build a set in which the keys are easily distinguishable from each other by the comb colours.

Orchestra S

Seydel Orchestra S Harmonica

Although the Orchestra S shares a similar construction with the Session Steel, it is solo tuned, with the note layout being similar to that of a chromatic harmonica. This makes it particularly suited to playing melodies.

Favorite

Seydel Favorite Harmonica

The Favorite is similar to the Session Steel, with stainless steel reeds, but replaces the plastic comb with an anodized aluminium one, giving a clear, bright tone.

1847 Classic

Seydel 1847 Classic Blues Harmonica

This harmonica harks back to Seydel’s first production diatonic with stainless steel reeds, but updates it with modern precision manufacturing techniques. The maple comb is coated with multiple layers of sealant and the cover is made of extra strong stainless steel sheet.

1847 Silver

Seydel 1847 Silver Blues Harmonica

Shares many of the features of the Classic, but with a plastic, rather than maple, comb and silver reeds.

1847 Noble

Seydel 1847 Noble Blues Harmonica

This updates the Classic with an aluminium comb and an optimised cover plate design.

One70 Anniversary

To celebrate the 170th anniversary of Seydel, this harp takes the Noble’s construction and adds gold plated covers.

Seydel Octave/Tremolo Range

Club Octave

Seydel CLUB Octave Harmonica

Plastic comb, 40 brass reeds and a curved shaped for playability. Available only in C.

Concerto Solo 40 Octave

Seydel Concerto Solo 40 Harmonica

Richter tuned, 10 hole, 40 reed octave harmonica with a plastic comb and brass reeds.

Sailor Steel Tremolo

24 hole tremolo harmonica with stainless steel reeds. Plastic comb and German silver reed plates.

Skydiver Steel Tremolo

Seydel Skydiver Steel Tremolo Harmonica

Solo tremolo tuned harmonica which provides three complete octaves, making it particularly suited to playing melodies. Plastic comb, stainless steel reeds.

Seydel Chromatic Range

Deluxe Chromatic

Seydel Chromatic De Luxe Harmonica

12 hole, 48 note chromatic harp featuring an acrylic comb, brass reeds and stainless steel cover plates. Available in a number of keys.

Chromatic Deluxe Steel

Seydel Chromatic De Luxe Steel Harmonica

Not to be confused with the Deluxe Chromatic, this 12 hole, 48 note harp uses a CNC milled acrylic comb, stainless steel reeds and a silver plated mouthpiece. Available in a wide range of keys, and can be ordered in solo or orchestra C tuning.

Saxony

Seydel Saxony Chromatic Harmonica

Professional level 12 hole chromatic harp. German silver reed plates, stainless steel reeds and an aluminium comb for a clear and bright sound. Available in a range of keys and can be order in solo or Orchestra C tuning.

Symphony

Seydel Symphony ACRYL Grand Chromatic case

This sits at the top of Seydel’s chromatic range, and has a stunning array of features, including a case that plugs into a USB port or a vehicle’s power point and heats the harmonica to the optimum temperature for playing. The recessed reedplates are precision cut from anti-corrosive German silver, and the 64 stainless steel reeds are hand tuned. The valves have less adhesive than conventional ones, which facilitates precise control. The slider, made from 1mm German Silver, has an ergonomically convex-shaped, silver coated slider button with a soft surface. Available with an acrylic or aluminium comb.

Seydel Custom Tunings

Many of Seydel’s harmonicas are available in custom tunings, including Paddy Richter, PowerBender, PowerDraw and Orchestra C. For an explanation of these different tunings have a look at our guide here: Harmonica Tunings Explained

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Harmonica Tunings Explained

Posted on July 26, 2017by Jonathan Prestidge

Don’t know your Paddy Richters from your Richters, or your harmonic minor from your natural minor tunings? Our simple guide will help you navigate the slightly arcane world of harmonica tunings.

What is Richter Tuning?

Richter tuning is the most common tuning type seen on diatonic harmonicas. Named after the 19th century harmonica maker, Joseph Richter, who developed the tuning, it provides the tonic and dominant chords in the lower part of the harmonica (C and G Major, in the example of a C Major Richter tuned harp shown below) and the relevant scale (in the example below, C Major) between holes 4 and 7.

       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
       -----------------------------
blow: |C |E |G |C |E |G |C |E |G |C |
draw: |D |G |B |D |F |A |B |D |F |A |
       -----------------------------

What is Country Tuning?

Country tuning is a modification of Richter, with the 5th draw reed raised a semitone (so, in the example below, the 5th draw reed has been raised from F to F#). This provides the major seventh scale when playing cross harp, which makes it particularly suitable for country music.

       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
       -----------------------------
blow: |C |E |G |C |E |G |C |E |G |C |
draw: |D |G |B |D |F#|A |B |D |F |A |
       -----------------------------

What is Natural Minor Tuning?

Natural minor tuning has blow reeds 2, 5 and 8 and draw reeds 3 and 7 lowered a semitone compared to a Major Richter tuned harmonica.

Natural minor tuned harmonicas are generally played in second position, so, the example below, which shows a C Minor tuned harp in the first position, would generally be used to play G Minor in the second position. Most natural minor harps are labelled in the second position.

       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10
       -----------------------------
blow: |C |Eb|G |C |Eb|G |C |Eb|G |C |
draw: |D |G |Bb|D |F |A |Bb|D |F |Ab|
       -----------------------------

What is Harmonic Minor Tuning?

Harmonic minor tuning, compared to a Richter tuned Major harp, has blow reeds 2, 5 and 8 and draw reeds 6 and 10 lowered a semitone. Compared to a natural minor harp, the only difference is the raising of the seventh note in the scale by a semitone. So, in the example below, the Bb is raised to a B on the 3rd and 7th draw reeds.

Harmonic minor tuned harps are generally labelled in the first position and are typically used to play Eastern European and Asian musical styles.

       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10
       -----------------------------
blow: |C |Eb|G |C |Eb|G |C |Eb|G |C |
draw: |D |G |B |D |F |Ab|B |D |F |Ab|
       -----------------------------

What is Melody Maker Tuning?

Melody Maker tuning is a variation of country tuning that features primarily on Lee Oskar harmonicas. Designed to be played in the second position (and labelled as such), it provides two complete octaves of the relevant major scale from the 2nd hole draw to the 9th hole blow. The example shown below is for a harp labelled as C major (in the 2nd position).

       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10
       -----------------------------
blow: |F |A |D |F |A |C |F |A |C |F |
draw: |G |C |E |G |B |D |E |G |B |D |
       -----------------------------

What is Paddy Richter Tuning?

Paddy Richter tuning was developed by Brendan Power to enable traditional Irish melodies to be more easily played on the diatonic harmonica. This is achieved by raising the 3rd blow one tone; in the example below, raising the 3rd blow G to an A, when compared with standard Richter tuning.

       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
       -----------------------------
blow: |C |E |A |C |E |G |C |E |G |C |
draw: |D |G |B |D |F |A |B |D |F |A |
       -----------------------------

What is PowerBender Tuning?

PowerBender tuning makes some significant changes to the Richter note layout to emphasise draw bending and reduce the need to overblow to achieve the full chromatic range.

       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
       -----------------------------
blow: |C |E |G |C |D |F |A |C |E |A |
draw: |D |G |B |D |E |G |B |D |G |C |
       -----------------------------

What is PowerDraw Tuning?

PowerDraw tuning has a consistent blow/draw pattern across all 10 holes. Holes 1-6 have the same note layout as a Richter tuned harp, but 7-10 have the same note layout as the PowerBender tuning, facilitating draw note bends in the upper register of the harmonica.

      1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10
       -----------------------------
blow: |C |E |G |C |E |G |A |C |E |A |
draw: |D |G |B |D |F |A |B |D |G |C |
       -----------------------------

News

Harmonica.com – A Review

Posted on July 7, 2017by Jonathan Prestidge

When I was an undergraduate back in the early 1990s, one of my friends was a Computer Science student. He’d regularly make visits to the IT labs at the university – strange, dark rooms devoid of natural light and crammed with computers whose blinking command line driven interfaces were enough to discourage their use by all but the most committed students – to make use of something he called ‘the internet’. When I enquired as to what this internet thing actually was, I was met with a barrage of terms that at the time were incomprehensible. So I ignored it.

Months later, however, when my friend returned home clutching pages of A4 paper which contained guitar tab for dozens of songs, my interest was piqued. Maybe he was on to something after all.

Today it’s hard to imagine a world without access to the seemingly limitless resources that the internet provides. When you’re learning to play an instrument, or want to progress from beginner to intermediate or beyond, the web offers thousands of sources of material, from video lessons to sheet music and tablature. The problem now is more a case of locating the best resources for your needs – quality can be highly variable and Google is not always the best judge of this.

Harmonica.com

Which brings us to Harmonica.com, which is one of the most popular harmonica-related websites currently in operation. Established by JP Allen, the site offers a range of content, from harmonica reviews and lessons, through to blog articles and player profiles.

A Quick Overview

Given that one of the most frequently asked questions on harmonica forums is ‘which model should I buy’, it’s great to see a wide range of harps from all price points covered in the review section. Each one is given a star rating and an accompanying video so that the viewer can get some idea of tone and volume. The reviews are extremely honest, and the reviewers are not afraid to point out any flaws in particular models.

Reviews Section Screenshot

Probably the next most frequently asked harmonica questions are related to technique, and harmonica.com has a section covering the fundamentals as well as some more advanced techniques. There are also free harmonica tabs featuring a range of artists and genres, including classical, rock and pop.

In addition to the free resources, Harmonica.com offers two main pay-for tuition products – a portfolio of lessons (http://www.harmonica.com/lessons/) covering a range of techniques and musical styles, and a Jam-Along Sound System (http://www.harmonica.com/songs/) that enables players to learn songs by playing along at a tempo that they control.

If you’re more interested in articles about harmonicas and artists, there’s plenty of content on the site that fits the bill – from artist profiles through to regular blogs covering a range of harp-related topics.

To summarise, then, Harmonica.com is a great website for all harmonica-related information, and is one that we wholeheartedly endorse.

Links

Beginner Lessons: http://www.harmonica.com/lessons/

Jam Along Sound System: http://www.harmonica.com/songs/

Blog: http://www.harmonica.com/category/blog

Top 100 Players: http://www.harmonica.com/top

Harmonica

Which Key of Diatonic Harmonica Should I Buy?

Posted on July 3, 2017by Jonathan Prestidge

If the search query ‘what harmonica should I buy?’ is the most common harp-related entry on Google, then the corresponding ‘which key of harmonica should I buy?’ question must be a close second.

Before we examine this in detail, though, it’s worth noting an important point: if you never perform with other musicians, and never play along to recorded music, the choice of key is fairly irrelevant. You can transpose a piece of music to suit almost any key of harmonica, as long as the designation is the same (ie major to major or natural minor to natural minor. Harmonic minor to major, for instance, would be problematic). It might sound a little higher or lower than the original, but it won’t be fundamentally different (unless, of course, you subscribe to the theory that musical keys have their own distinctive and unique essence, which I don’t).

When I was a teenager, I’d often work out on the piano songs that I’d heard on the radio. As this was in the days well before the unfettered access to music we now enjoy via Spotify, YouTube, et al, this was performed largely from memory, resulting in me knowing many songs in keys that were vastly different from those of the originals (I tended to favour D♭, A♭, B♭ and their relative minors).

Of course, when I came to play some of these songs with other musicians I had to re-learn them in the correct keys, but the point is, had I continued to play alone, this wouldn’t have been necessary (pitch-related pedantry notwithstanding!) The same is true for the small percentage of harmonica players who perform entirely unaccompanied.

Enough Preamble – Which Keys Do I Really Need, Then?

If, however, you’re one of the 99% who wants to play along to music or as part of a band, choice of key is paramount. Traditional wisdom says that C, G and A are the best initial harmonicas to purchase, and this is what most of the multi-harmonica packs are comprised of. Is this advice correct, though, and, if not, what should we be buying when we start playing?

Spotify data analyst, Kevin Ning, examined the key of every track in the Spotify catalogue, which is largely comprised of Western contemporary music, and produced the following chart:

Spotify Analysis of Musical Keys — Source: https://insights.spotify.com/us/2015/05/06/most-popular-keys-on-spotify/

One of the big surprises here is the popularity of G major. In other analyses of popular music keys (albeit usually with much smaller datasets) C major has been shown to be the most widely used key by a significant margin. G major has usually been a distant second – often around half as frequently used as C major.

It has been posited by various commentators that C and G are both keys that are relatively easy to play on guitar and piano – historically the most popular instruments with which to compose music. Whilst I don’t disagree fundamentally with this, I would say that D major and E major, for me, are easier keys to work with on guitar (the latter key of which is a distant 11^th in popularity in the Spotify catalogue), and Db, Ab, Eb and Bb are much nicer to use on keyboard (the latter especially for bluesy and jazzy pieces).

Flat keys, however, are not easy to work with on guitar, unless you’re using altered tunings, so maybe the popularity of C and G major is related to the need to find a common key that is the best compromise for the two most popular instruments.

The Useful Bit!

So, what does this tell us about the keys of harmonicas we should initially purchase? As most beginner lessons assume the use of a C harp, it’s probably safe to say that this should be our first choice, if only because it enables playing along to pre-recorded material in these lessons.

The next key should probably be A major, which, although only fourth in the chart above, is useful for a number of reasons. The majority of diatonic harp players are focused on the blues, and, as it’s easier to play this style of harmonica in the second position (cross harp), an A major harmonica translates to the key of E major. Whilst this only accounts for around 3% of music on Spotify, its popularity in the blues genre, which is only a small subset of the Spotify catalogue, is much greater. Similar justifications can be made for G major, D major and E major, in order of popularity.

Of course, this all assumes that the player is most interested in Western pop or blues-based music. Should you be a fan of playing ethnic or traditional folk music, then you would be better served by the likes of harmonic minor harps.

Returning to major key harps, once you have equipped yourself with C, A, G, D and E, it is worth considering E♭, especially if you like to play music which features horn sections, which often play in B♭, (which, of course is an E ♭ harp in second position). The only possible disadvantage to this harp is that it is at the higher range of the pitch register, so a low E♭, so, a low E♭, if it is available in your choice of harmonica, may sometimes be preferable.

Once you have the most popular keys, it’s then up to you to decide whether you want to expand to the standard 12 major keys, or venture into new areas, such as low and low low keys, or natural and harmonic minors. The great thing about the diatonic harmonica is that the relatively reasonable pricing of even fairly high end models means that an entire set of harps in every imaginable key can be purchased for less than the price of a half decent guitar, for instance. Just remember to keep them clearly labelled!

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How Difficult is it to Learn the Harmonica?

Posted on June 21, 2017by Jonathan Prestidge

Every year, towards the end of the summer term at my secondary school, we were ‘treated’ to a speech by the head of the board of governors. Despite the fact that he was addressing an audience composed primarily of teenagers who’d already sat through at least one of these speeches in the past, the governor’s subject matter was unwaveringly consistent. So consistent, in fact, that by year three most of the students with a decent memory could probably have recited the whole thing verbatim.

The message itself was a fairly simple one – success is predicated more on hard work than on some elusive inspiration or special talent. The fact that I can still recall this, many years on, is, I suppose, testament, in some small way, to the fundamental truth of this notion. Or perhaps it was just its repetition every year for seven years.

Practice Makes Perfect

When we learn an instrument, we’re often told a similar message – practise, practise, practise, then practise some more. But some instruments seem to offer more in terms of delivering a return on your time investment than others. Which brings us to the harmonica, and a couple of commonly asked questions on harp forums – exactly how difficult is it to play, and how much return does it give you on your time spent learning to play it.

It’s probably useful at this point to provide a bit of detail on my own musical background. I was classically trained from a fairly young age as a pianist, then came guitars, bass and a bit of fairly poor drumming. The harmonica is my fifth instrument, and, in terms of my playing ability, it currently sits below bass but above drums.

Transferable Skills

The first thing to say, perhaps, is that being competent in other instruments before taking up the harmonica definitely speeds up initial progress. Once I’d worked out a major scale in the first position, for example, I could play simple tunes straight away. In this respect, it’s relatively intuitive to anyone who’s played a keyboard or piano – much more so than other wind instruments, whose note layouts often appear to have been designed by a lunatic (I’m thinking of you, saxophone).

Compared to playing the guitar, where sounding a set of clear notes initially feels like the work of impossibly complicated contortions of the fingers, the harmonica appears to be quite straightforward. Then you find you need to produce a note outside of the major scale, and suddenly things aren’t quite so easy. Bending notes on the guitar is the work of a few hours’ practice; bending notes on the harmonica involves attempting a variety of oral gymnastics with seemingly little effect on the note’s pitch. Then repeating, ad infinitum, with no obvious improvement.

Like all skills, though, progression never maps as a nice smooth gradient of continual improvement; it’s more like the odd, sudden “eureka!” moment, followed by endless plateaus of ‘am I ever going to get any better?’. Persist, however, and usually you’ll make the leap – this was certainly the case with bending, where it took many, many fruitless hours before I achieved any variation in pitch.

Comparison With Other Instruments

In terms of difficulty, I would say that this isn’t quite comparable with the trickier initial aspects of being a pianist, such as coordinating left and right hands to perform completely different tasks. It’s more akin to the level required on the guitar to move seamlessly between chords, with no dead notes sounding and no delay. That is to say, tricky at first, but within reach without having to commit half of your life to practising the technique.

By this point you should be able to do a passable imitation of a harmonica player. Enough, at least, to fool the very untrained ear into thinking that you can actually play. Not enough, however, to sound good to anyone who’s a fan of the instrument.

The next stage is being able to play more complicated melodies at speed without hesitation or nasty squealing noises. This is analogous, in many ways, to learning guitar solos; in fact, given the strong connection of both instruments with the blues, the scales used tend to be very similar for many of the most popular pieces of music.

Of course, the differences between the average and the great are obvious not only in the complexity of a piece and the speed at which it can be played, but also in the tone produced. I have to say at this point that I haven’t quite mastered a perfect tone yet; just like when I became competent on guitar and could string together a few decent sounding licks at speed, it sounds relatively impressive at first, but a closer listen reveals little imperfections that are notable in a good player’s rendition by their absence.

Conclusion

So, in answer to the original question – in my view, the harmonica has a less extreme learning curve initially than instruments like the guitar or piano, and, ultimately, is not as hard to reach a reasonable level of competence with. Like all instruments, though, achieving true mastery will take a considerable amount of time and energy – perhaps even conforming to the old 10,000 hour rule of focused practice. With this in mind, I’ll report back in around a decade, hopefully with news of my virtuosic ability!