Manitoba Slim
4 posts
Jan 18, 2015
7:15 AM
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I can't get enough of the great advice I'm getting on this forum. I'm finishing up my "You Can Teach Yourself Blues Harp" book by Phil Duncan (awesome book by the way) and am wondering what key of harmonica would be next for an "advanced beginner". I currently have a couple C harps and would prefer a lower key as every time I would listen to a track with my harp teacher it seemed like the songs were in a lower key. What is usually the next step for a beginner?
Thanks!
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ted burke
53 posts
Jan 18, 2015
7:25 AM
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C harps are great for beginners because they are in the middle of the available range. They are, across brands, easy to play, with a good range of low, middle and high registers. Nice, not too low, not too bright, full of good expressive color. It's a good instrument to learn on and to discover what can be done with a harmonica, as you go along. If you're looking for a lower key, I suggest getting an "A" harmonica; this key jams along brilliantly with blues tunes in the key of E, which is the rosetta stone of blues. Your milage may vary according to brand, though I would suggest a Special 20 A. Fine, durable, very playable.
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Ted Burke
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tburke4@san.rr.com
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jbone
1861 posts
Jan 18, 2015
7:41 AM
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I'm with Ted, A is a good next harp. You will notice as you expand your kit and acquire more keys, each key needs a slightly different approach to play. The very nature of the reeds in a G as opposed to an F demand a certain flexibility to learn how best to work each and all keys. In particular, A is good for both 1st position ala Jimmy Reed, and also for 2nd position songs where the root key is E.
2nd Position allows the minor notes to come into play and draw bends are a must for blues playing generally speaking. 1st position is playing harp in the root key of the song. Jimmy Reed was an early master of the upper register blow bend style, which can be heard in a lot of his work.
Sp20 is a good choice for a first harp.
Hard work pays off.
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florida-trader
608 posts
Jan 18, 2015
8:59 AM
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A
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
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tookatooka
3723 posts
Jan 18, 2015
9:03 AM
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Agree with Ted. Gotta be an A next.
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florida-trader
610 posts
Jan 18, 2015
9:48 AM
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C harps are excellent choices for beginners. If you want to play the blues you gotta learn to draw bend the 1 - 4 and 6. Its easier to do that on a C than on a lower key - but you have to learn to do it anyway. An A Harp will help you develop your chops. Don't go cheap. Get a good harp otherwise you might get frustrated trying to gain the same degree of control over an A (much less a G) as you might have on the C.
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Tom Halchak
www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by florida-trader on Jan 18, 2015 9:48 AM
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kudzurunner
5253 posts
Jan 18, 2015
9:56 AM
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Agree with everybody on key of A harp as the next harp. That gets you going on rhythm stuff (train songs, etc.); it gets you used to the idea that each key feels somewhat different and requires adjustments in your technique; and it lets you play blues in E with guitar players, E being a favorite blues key of guitar players. Plus you can mess with the high notes in first position.
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Barley Nectar
605 posts
Jan 18, 2015
10:15 AM
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Well you beat me. I carried a C harp for 20 yrs. Then I bought all the rest in a couple of weeks. A is a good choice because that is the harp that gave me the most trouble. Takes a lot of air and control.
A word about harmonicas in general. Harmonicas will play all types of music. Don't restrict yourself to blues. Try it all, funk, rock, country, alternative, swing and once you get all that under your belt, try some jazz... Not Easy...BN
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shakeylee
3 posts
Jan 18, 2015
1:23 PM
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i think A is a great answer.
C,A,D & G are essential,especially working with most guitar players.
in my experience ,F,Bb,and Eb come next,especially if you work with horns and piano.
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Ms Mighty Blue
1 post
Jan 18, 2015
5:01 PM
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A, Bb, G, and D.
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Jim Rumbaugh
1086 posts
Jan 18, 2015
5:55 PM
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welcome to the forum, Ms Mighty Blue
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
Last Edited by Jim Rumbaugh on Jan 18, 2015 5:56 PM
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SuperBee
2341 posts
Jan 18, 2015
6:03 PM
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i'm open to the idea of Bb being quite high up the list, but agree that A should generally be the 2nd (or 1st!) harp
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indigo
40 posts
Jan 18, 2015
7:01 PM
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there you go! a beginners question answered with verve and respect on the main forum ;-)
my choice for first 4 harps;C D A and F (though if i was aiming to play acoustic country style blues it'd be the G not F)
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Hobostubs Ashlock
2127 posts
Jan 19, 2015
3:56 AM
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C,A,D,G,the big 4 gets you though most jams or open mics,i carry those 4 in my guitar case,even if i dont think ill be playing harp,and its nice to have 2 sets of the big 4,then go from there
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Hobostubs
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SuperBee
2346 posts
Jan 19, 2015
11:43 AM
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Yes, I carry two sets of those, but also F and Bb, and sometimes I only carry one G
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SuperBee
2366 posts
Jan 25, 2015
10:33 PM
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and of course lots of those free Gussow lessons use Bb
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Raven
4 posts
Feb 04, 2015
4:20 PM
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And the last key you'll ever or perhaps never need is B, unless you're jammin' with Bruce Springsteen!
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JInx
966 posts
Feb 04, 2015
5:52 PM
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B harp is good when you play with a guitar player who likes to tune down a half step....
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groyster1
2743 posts
Feb 04, 2015
7:56 PM
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have never used a B,F# or even E in accompaniment with guitar....have used Ab,Db and Eb
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