robc
1 post
Oct 22, 2011
9:21 AM
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I've been learning blues harp for a little over a year now and own a small number of harmonicas in different keys (C,Bb,A,Low-F). The more that I play the more I have found that they are all very different animals. Apart from the obvious change in key the harmonicas feel quite different to play. They seem to require subtly different techniques to get the best sound out of them. When I play the 3 draw half step bend on my A harp for example it has a different character to the same hole played on my C harp - apart from the obvious change in pitch. I personally prefer the feel and sound of my A harp to my C harp at the moment but I want to play all keys equally well. I understand that “feel” is very subjective but I’d be really interested to hear what you guys think about the subject. Could my taste for the lower keyed harps eventually mature to an overall appreciation of all keys?! Something tells me that I might be falling into a bit of a beginners trap…
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Stevelegh
318 posts
Oct 22, 2011
12:47 PM
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Hey Robc,
Yes, lower harps. They feel kind of 'slurpy'. Higher keyed harps seem more snappy. I think it's a case of getting all 12 keys and learning on them. It's no different to playing guitar. You go up the neck and it feels different. We all like certain keys, but we need to learn how to play well in all of them.
I play guitar with my band. We play funk and soul, but we were trying out a new trumpet player this week who also plays drums. We jammed and ended up in E. most guitar players love E, but I prefer A or C. I had to dig in and play. Not comfortable for me, but that what the band was doing.
Just buy as many good harps as you can (take advice from the many great harp players here on what to buy) and learn to play in all keys. You'll be fine.
Regards
Steve
Last Edited by on Oct 22, 2011 12:47 PM
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snakes
651 posts
Oct 22, 2011
2:15 PM
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Yes, my take on it for what it is worth is that whether a higher keyed harp or higher notes on a harp there is a diminished return on air volume as you get higher. This along with a more difficult tone quality achieved on the higher notes and harps. I'm no pro, but there is my 2 centavos.
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snakes in Seattle
Last Edited by on Oct 22, 2011 2:15 PM
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hvyj
1896 posts
Oct 22, 2011
3:45 PM
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Higher key harps respond well to a sharp breath attack. Lower key harps require a softer attack to get the larger reeds moving. One certainly must adjust playing technique depending on the key of the harp.
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nacoran
4782 posts
Oct 22, 2011
6:29 PM
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The more you switch between harps the more automatic those adjustments become. Harps starting at D (or is it Db?) have a shorter reed profile too. The slurpy effect gets even more dramatic when you get into low and super low harps. You can get some neat percussive sounds out of lower harps (I can get them to sound right above G). You'll find as you play that different keys are useful for different types of music. D is great for Irish tunes- high and fast, and G is good for slow tunes and chords. I've got a great little F# Golden Melody that I use for some things, but if I tried to use the same technique when I switched to my LLF I'd probably turn my lung inside out. :)
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Nate
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robc
3 posts
Oct 23, 2011
1:14 AM
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Thank you all very much for your advice and thoughts on the subject! I guess I’m going to have to work hard to get the sound that I desire from the higher keyed harps and not the squeaky sound that I seem to be getting at the moment. I’ve got to say that I do love the 2 hole draw double bend on my C harp - it’s harder to get that sound out of my lower harps.
I do have a slightly technical question while on the subject of keys. Does the thickness of the reed change as you move from higher to lower keyed harps? I understand how reed length affects the pitch of the note on an individual harp - but how are key changes achieved?
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