Octave Harmonicas

Octave tuned harmonicas utilise two sets of reed plates, tuned an octave apart, to generate a 'big' and rich sound. They mainly feature the curved 'banana' form and often use the Wiener Octave Tuning. They typically have a wider pitch range than diatonic harmonicas, although there are a limited number of 10 hole octave harmonicas on the market.

Uses for Octave Harmonicas

Octave harmonicas are generally not used in blues and jazz, as the arrangement of notes and nature of the reed plates mean that they don't respond well to bending - something that is core to jazz and blues harmonica playing. Instead, they tend to lend themselves well to traditional folk tunes and Alpine and German Music. They can also be used in an orchestral setting to add depth to a piece of music.

What is the Note Layout of Octave Harmonicas?

Most octave harmonicas feature the Wiener note layout system, which is similar to Richter tuning on diatonics, albeit usually with a greater range, due to the increased size of most octave harmonicas. One slight complication is that different types and sizes of octave harmonicas use different portions of the note layout: the Seydel Club Steel in C, for instance, will play the first hole blow as an E, whereas other octave harmonicas in this key will have the first hole blow as a C.

A rarer tuning for octave harmonicas is solo tuning, which is the same as that used on many chromatic harmonicas. Examples of harps with this tuning are the Seydel Fanfare S and the Tombo 3624.

The Harmonica Company stocks a range of octave harmonicas, available in various sizes, from the world's leading harmonica manufacturers, including Hohner and Seydel.