Harmonica tutorial. Harmonica (harmonica): history, video, interesting facts

world of the harmonica

In English, the name of the harmonica can sound like harmonica, or harp. From the latter version came the nickname of the musician playing this instrument - harper.

Where did it come from, who invented it? To answer these questions, you have to delve a little into history.

Where did it come from...

The harmonica became known not so long ago. Its history, of course, cannot be compared with stories more than ancient or the same. Nevertheless, the harmonica has something in common with the flute: they both belong to the same family of wind reed instruments.

Unlike most musical instruments, the harmonica has an almost exact date of creation. It was patented in 1821 by the 16-year-old German H.F.L. Bushman, watchmaker. Of course, then it had a look that was clearly different from the modern appearance of this instrument: a metal plate with fifteen holes covered with steel tongues. The sound was extracted only on exhalation, and, as in our times, its volume and purity depended solely on the skill of the master.

This is what the first accordion looked like

The design of the first harmonica was not perfect. Many understood this, tried to make changes. Again, a German went further than anyone, a certain Richter from Bohemia. Already in 1826, he offered the musicians his version of the instrument. There were already 10 holes, and 20 reeds, that is, two for each: one of the reeds was responsible for extracting sound on inhalation, the other on exhalation. The scheme proposed by Richter with a diatonic scale turned out to be so good and convenient that it exists to this day.

Already in mid-nineteenth century, mass production of harmonicas began, and M. Hohner became the first among its manufacturers. Founded by him in 1857, the company, named after the creator, quickly conquered the market. Including due to the fact that Hohner relied not only on Europe. In the early 60s of the same century, he brought his harmonicas to America, and this was the most correct step. Since then, the German company Hohner has been the world leader in the production of these particular musical instruments. However, their assortment does not end there, it includes accordions, recorders, and guitars. But it all started with an ordinary harmonica!

Now you can even meet this: an accordion and a flash drive - two in one

Harmonic device

Inside the instrument there are two plates with tongues, one of which works on inhalation, and the other on exhalation. That is, the sound actually occurs when the tongue located opposite the hole into which you inhale (or, conversely, from which you "take" air) breaks the air stream.

Since the harmonica is a very small instrument in itself, no acoustic resonator, as, for example, in a guitar, would simply fit there. Therefore, the power of sound depends primarily (and only) on the musician himself, on the position of his hands, the development of the lungs and the degree of skill.

Harmonicas are made of wood, plastic or metal. The tree, as it should be, requires more careful care, is more sensitive to the weather and is more capricious about other everyday troubles.

Harmonicas, among other things, also differ in tone. The most common type of instrument is in the key of C major. Among the "Chinese" such harmonicas are the majority. Firms from Japan and Germany bring more diversity: harps in G major are often found, and also - less often - in other keys.

Varieties

What are harmonics? If it is quite simple, without rare professional instruments, then they are divided into diatonic and chromatic.

Diatonic (bottom) and chromatic harmonicas

Diatonic ones allow the musician to "by default" extract only the main notes from the instrument - C, D, E, etc. Chromatic ones make it possible to play the entire chromatic scale as a whole, using semitones (C-sharp, D-sharp, etc.). If we draw an analogy with the piano, then diatonic is playing only with white keys, and chromatic is also with black keys.

Of course, once you've mastered the diatonic harmonica, all the special techniques - bend, overblow, overdraw and others - it won't be too difficult for you to extract the "black keys" sounds from the instrument. But all this takes time.

You can already distinguish accordions by sight. The main difference is that the chromatic has a slider on the side, a special button that allows you to raise the note by half a step.

True, there are exceptions! For example, Tombo Chromatic Single S50. No slider, but chromatic. Halftones are extracted from the second row of holes.

As for the holes, the diatonic harmonica has the same number of holes - 10. But for the chromatic instrument, this position can change. Of course, basically it is from 12 to 16 holes, but there can be more or less - both 8 and 22. And even 10, as in diatonic. The more of them, the wider the range of notes you can use when playing.

And, of course, a chromatic harmonica will be larger than a diatonic one. The number of holes does the trick.

I’ll warn you right away: it’s more difficult to learn how to play chromatic. Maybe that's why it's less common. Store shelves often have a decent selection of diatonic instruments and a much smaller selection of chromatic instruments. And by the way, the price also varies quite a lot, but more on that below.

In addition to the main division, there is also a finer division into subspecies.

So, the diatonic harmonica is blues, octave and tremolo.

Blues - the most famous. 10 holes, the sound is extracted on inhalation and exhalation. It can also become chromatic for you, if, as mentioned above, you master all the tricks of playing it perfectly.

Hohner Blues Harp, blues (price about 1000 rubles)

Tremolo - great for playing folk songs. If you look inside such an accordion, you can find two sound plates at once. They are slightly out of tune in relation to each other, while sounding at the same time. From this combination, the tremolo effect is obtained, in fact, which gave the name to the instrument.

Hohner Tremolo Soloist CG (price about 2300 rubles)

An octave harmonica differs from a tremolo only in that its two sound plates are not out of tune with respect to each other, but, on the contrary, are tuned "into an octave". They also make sound together, and because of such structural features, the music is louder and somewhat more specific than others.

There are, of course, also orchestral harmonicas (bass, chord), but they are so rare and narrowly professional that they are purchased only for playing in ensembles, when this is the main work. I think that in this case, the person himself, without this article, knows what he needs.

What are you going to play

The choice of a harmonica to a large extent depends on what kind of music you are going to mainly play on it. Different compositions require a certain arrangement of notes, the most convenient for your chosen style.

For example, if you want to play jazz or classical pieces in general, choose a chromatic harmonica. Blues is already diatonic, and, accordingly, blues. For simpler melodies, with a peculiar sound in the style of Russian-folk and dance-round dances, a tremolo is suitable. The octave and other orchestral ones are already very much for an amateur or for an actively performing professional.

What to buy anyway?

The first question for a beginner who is about to get serious about playing the harmonica is "Which instrument should I buy?"

If you are going to study with a teacher, then it all depends on the preferences of the teacher.

By the way, for a professional, the question is "what should I take - chromatic or diatonic?" sounds the same as for any other musician - someone's problem of choosing between a guitar and a saxophone. Simply, both chromatic and diatonic harmonicas, despite all the external similarity, are still different instruments in terms of the complexity of mastering, sound extraction techniques, etc.

But back to specific models. If you look in the direction of diatonic, then the most popular choice is Hohner Blues Harp (cost about 1000 rubles), Hohner Special 20 (about 930 rubles), Suzuki ProMaster (price around 2000 rubles), Lee Oscar Major Diatonic (you can found for 1200 rubles), Seydel 1847 (already somewhere around 3000 rubles).

Suzuki ProMaster

Chromaticity is not so easy. First, you should immediately decide on a tool with how many holes you need. As mentioned above, the more of them, the richer the scale (that is, more notes can be extracted from the instrument).

Nevertheless, among them you can find the most popular models among beginners. Perhaps, first of all, these are Hohner Chromonika 40 (somewhere around 3,700 rubles), Tombo Uni Chromatic (cost about 3,800 rubles), Hohner Super 64 X (already about 10,000 rubles).

Tombo Uni Chromatic Gold 1248

Buying Tips

Quite a decent instrument (from a number of diatonic ones) can be bought already in the region of $20. In stores, of course, they offer harmonicas starting from 300 rubles, but still it is better to focus on the average price threshold.

At the same time, keep in mind that the chromatic harmonica will cost several times more. Just a good tool starts from 3-4 thousand rubles, a very good one can cost about 35,000 rubles.

Hohner Amadeus Chromatik Harmonika (cost about $1500)

It is better to buy in the company of a person who understands harmonics. And if you still came to the store alone, do not be shy of sellers - try for yourself how the model you like sounds.

In most Russian cities, you can hardly get anything other than Hohner. If your soul yearned for something else, then welcome to the world of the Internet. Still, it will most likely come out cheaper than going to another city yourself.

In the end, no one bothers you later to buy a couple more representatives of your favorite instrument and then play the harmonica, the sound of which you like more. Most models are not prohibitive, this instrument is still easier to manufacture than, for example, a synthesizer.

In general, it all depends on the skill. A beginner on an expensive harp is unlikely to be able to beat the pros on a cheap harmonica, right? Another thing is that in skillful hands a good tool can work wonders.

By the way, the harmonica is great gift to kid. Now they are being produced by a great variety of children's - colored, with some kind of drawings, popular characters from cartoons.

It is both interesting and exciting, and at the same time educational. Maybe in this way your son or daughter will join the music, maybe later it will become their profession. Moreover, it is not at all necessary that the further choice will fall on the harmonica.

But who knows - what if a new Stevie Wonder is growing next to you?

Which oscillate in the air stream created by the musician. Unlike other reed musical instruments, the harmonica does not have a keyboard. Instead of a keyboard, the tongue and lips are used to select a hole (usually arranged in a linear fashion) corresponding to the desired note.

The harmonica is most often used in such musical directions like blues, folk, bluegrass, blues-rock, country, jazz, pop, various genres of folk music.

A musician who plays the harmonica is called a harper. harper).

Story

Varieties of harmonicas

Harmonicas are divided into:

• Diatonic harmonicas
• Orchestral harmonicas

Chromatic harmonica

Blues harmonica

The blues harmonica is the most popular today. It usually has 10 holes, each can be played by inhalation (eng. draw), and on exhalation (eng. blow). With certain playing skills, you can play chromatically using special techniques - bends and overflows. Sold in different keys and settings, but the most common is C-dur.

Tremolo harmonica

Class structure

Regularity is important. Build yourself a schedule. Don't deviate from it. Classes are recommended to start with slow playing chords. It is important to adhere to "diaphragmatic breathing". Then gradually move on to playing riffs, melodies. It is best to shoot licks and melodies by ear from the recordings of professionals. But still, to begin with, it is recommended to learn at least 10 riffs / melodies by notes; this will give you confidence in the game and allow you to match by ear faster. In addition, it is useful to play under the so-called minuses, to write down your own game in the form sound files. This will help you get a feel for how the audience will hear you (the harmonica player perceives the sound of his instrument differently, since the vibrations are transmitted through the hands and muscles of the mouth), and also allows you to be more critical of your playing.

Performers in Russia

see also

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Notes

Links

	Harmonica at Wikibooks

• (Spanish)
• (English)

Manual Anklets Labial Other types see also

Wooden Copper Keyboards Details

Brass Strings Drums Reed

An excerpt characterizing the harmonica

Having received this report, the sovereign sent the following rescript to Kutuzov with Prince Volkonsky:
“Prince Mikhail Ilarionovich! Since August 29, I have not had any reports from you. Meanwhile, on September 1, through Yaroslavl, from the Moscow commander-in-chief, I received the sad news that you had decided to leave Moscow with the army. You yourself can imagine the effect this news had on me, and your silence deepens my surprise. I am sending with this adjutant general Prince Volkonsky in order to learn from you about the situation in the army and about the reasons that prompted you to such a sad determination.

Nine days after leaving Moscow, a messenger from Kutuzov arrived in Petersburg with official news of the abandonment of Moscow. This one was sent by the Frenchman Michaud, who did not know Russian, but quoique etranger, Busse de c?ur et d "ame, [however, although a foreigner, but Russian at heart,] as he himself said to himself.
The emperor immediately received the messenger in his office, in the palace of Kamenny Island. Michaud, who had never seen Moscow before the campaign and who did not know Russian, was still moved when he appeared before notre tres gracieux souverain [our most merciful lord] (as he wrote) with the news of the Moscow fire, dont les flammes eclairaient sa route [whose flame lit his way].
Although the source of Mr. Michaud's chagrin [grief] must have been different from the one from which the grief of the Russian people flowed, Michaud had such a sad face when he was brought into the sovereign's office that the sovereign immediately asked him:
- M "apportez vous de tristes nouvelles, colonel? [What news did you bring me? Bad, colonel?]
- Bien tristes, sire, - answered Michaud, lowering his eyes with a sigh, - l "abandon de Moscou. [Very bad, Your Majesty, leaving Moscow.]
– Aurait on livre mon ancienne capitale sans se battre? [Did they really betray my ancient capital without a fight?] – the sovereign suddenly flared up and quickly spoke.
Michaud respectfully conveyed what he was ordered to convey from Kutuzov - namely, that it was not possible to fight near Moscow and that, since there was only one choice left - to lose the army and Moscow or Moscow alone, the field marshal had to choose the latter.
The sovereign listened in silence, without looking at Michaud.
- L "ennemi est il en ville? [Did the enemy enter the city?] - he asked.
- Oui, sire, et elle est en cendres a l "heure qu" il est. Je l "ai laissee toute en flammes, [Yes, your majesty, and he is currently on fire. I left him in flames.] Michaud said decisively; but, looking at the sovereign, Michaud was horrified at what he had done. The sovereign began to breathe heavily and often, his lower lip trembled, and his beautiful blue eyes instantly moistened with tears.
But it only lasted one minute. The emperor suddenly frowned, as if condemning himself for his weakness. And, raising his head, he turned to Michaud in a firm voice.
“Je vois, colonel, par tout ce qui nous arrive,” he said, “que la providence exige de grands sacrifices de nous… Je suis pret a me soumettre a toutes ses volontes; mais dites moi, Michaud, comment avez vous laisse l "armee, en voyant ainsi, sans coup ferir abandonner mon ancienne capitale? N" avez vous pas apercu du decouragement? .. [I see, colonel, in everything that happens, what providence requires great sacrifices from us ... I am ready to submit to his will; but tell me, Michaud, how did you leave an army that left my ancient capital without a fight? Did you notice her low spirits?]
Seeing the calm of his tres gracieux souverain, Michaud also calmed down, but he had not yet had time to prepare an answer to the sovereign’s direct, essential question, which required a direct answer.
– Sire, me permettrez vous de vous parler franchement en loyal militaire? [Sovereign, will you allow me to speak frankly, as befits a real warrior?] – he said to gain time.
- Colonel, je l "exige toujours," said the sovereign. "Ne me cachez rien, je veux savoir absolument ce qu" il en est. [Colonel, I always demand this... Don't hide anything, I certainly want to know the whole truth.]
– Sir! Michaud said with a thin, barely perceptible smile on his lips, having managed to prepare his answer in the form of a light and respectful jeu de mots [pun]. – Sir! j "ai laisse toute l" armee depuis les chefs jusqu "au dernier soldat, sans exception, dans une crainte epouvantable, effrayante ... [Sir! I left the entire army, from the commanders to the last soldier, without exception, in the great, desperate fear…]
– Comment ca? - strictly frowning, interrupted the sovereign. - Mes Russes se laisseront ils abattre par le malheur ... Jamais! .. [How so? Can my Russians lose heart before failure… Never!..]
This was just what Michaud was waiting for to insert his play on words.
“Sire,” he said with respectful playfulness, “ils craignent seulement que Votre Majeste par bonte de c?ur ne se laisse persuader de faire la paix.” Ils brulent de combattre, - said the representative of the Russian people, - et de prouver a Votre Majeste par le sacrifice de leur vie, combien ils lui sont devoues... . They are eager to fight again and prove to Your Majesty by the sacrifice of their lives how devoted they are to you…]
- Ah! the sovereign said calmly and with a gentle gleam in his eyes, slapping Michaud on the shoulder. - Vous me tranquillisez, colonel. [BUT! You calm me down, Colonel.]
The sovereign, bowing his head, was silent for some time.
- Eh bien, retournez a l "armee, [Well, go back to the army.] - he said, straightening to his full height and addressing Michaud with an affectionate and majestic gesture, - et dites a nos braves, dites a tous mes bons sujets partout ou vous passerez, que quand je n" aurais plus aucun soldat, je me mettrai moi meme, a la tete de ma chere noblesse, de mes bons paysans et j "userai ainsi jusqu" a la derniere ressource de mon empire. Il m "en offre encore plus que mes ennemis ne pensent," the sovereign said, more and more inspired. "Mais si jamais il fut ecrit dans les decrets de la divine providence," he said, raising his beautiful, meek and brilliant feelings eyes to the sky, - que ma dinastie dut cesser de rogner sur le trone de mes ancetres, alors, apres avoir epuise tous les moyens qui sont en mon pouvoir, je me laisserai croitre la barbe jusqu "ici (the sovereign showed his hand to half of his chest) , et j "irai manger des pommes de terre avec le dernier de mes paysans plutot, que de signer la honte de ma patrie et de ma chere nation, dont je sais apprecier les sacrifices!.. [Tell our brave men, tell all my subjects wherever you pass, that when I have no more soldiers, I myself will be at the head of my kind nobles and good peasants, and thus exhaust the last funds of my state. They are more than my enemies think ... But if destined by divine providence m, so that our dynasty ceases to reign on the throne of my ancestors, then, having exhausted all the means that are in my hands, I will grow my beard until now and rather go to eat one potato with the last of my peasants, rather than decide to sign the shame of my homeland and my dear people, whose sacrifices I know how to appreciate!..] Having said these words in an excited voice, the sovereign suddenly turned around, as if wishing to hide from Michaud the tears that had come into his eyes, and went into the depths of his office. After standing there for a few moments, he returned to Michaud with large steps and with a strong gesture squeezed his hand below the elbow. The beautiful, meek face of the sovereign flushed, and his eyes burned with a gleam of determination and anger.
- Colonel Michaud, n "oubliez pas ce que je vous dis ici; peut etre qu" un jour nous nous le rappellerons avec plaisir ... Napoleon ou moi, - said the sovereign, touching his chest. – Nous ne pouvons plus regner ensemble. J "ai appris a le connaitre, il ne me trompera plus ... [Colonel Michaud, do not forget what I told you here; maybe we will someday remember this with pleasure ... Napoleon or I ... We can no longer reign together. I recognized him now, and he will not deceive me anymore ...] - And the sovereign, frowning, fell silent. Hearing these words, seeing the expression of firm determination in the eyes of the sovereign, Michaud - quoique etranger, mais Russe de c?ur et d "ame - felt himself at this solemn moment - entousiasme par tout ce qu "il venait d" entendre [although a foreigner, but Russian at heart ... admiring everything that he heard] (as he later said), and he portrayed in the following expressions as his feelings, and the feelings of the Russian people, whom he considered himself empowered.
– Sir! - he said. - Votre Majeste signe dans ce moment la gloire de la nation et le salut de l "Europe! [Sir! Your Majesty is signing at this moment the glory of the people and the salvation of Europe!]
The emperor, with a bow of his head, released Michaud.

While Russia was half conquered, and the inhabitants of Moscow fled to distant provinces, and militia after militia rose to defend the fatherland, it involuntarily seems to us, who did not live at that time, that all Russian people, young and old, were busy only with to sacrifice oneself, save the fatherland or cry over its death. The stories, descriptions of that time, without exception, speak only of self-sacrifice, love for the fatherland, despair, grief and heroism of Russians. In reality, it was not so. It seems to us so only because we see from the past one common historical interest of that time and do not see all those personal, human interests that people of that time had. And meanwhile, in reality, those personal interests of the present are so much more significant than the general interests that because of them one never feels (even not at all noticeable) a general interest. Most of the people of that time did not pay any attention to the general course of affairs, but were guided only by the personal interests of the present. And these people were the most useful figures of that time.
Those who tried to understand the general course of affairs and with self-sacrifice and heroism wanted to participate in it, were the most useless members of society; they saw everything upside down, and everything they did for good turned out to be useless nonsense, like the regiments of Pierre, Mamonov, plundering Russian villages, like lint, plucked by ladies and never reaching the wounded, etc. Even those who, loving to be smart and express their feelings, they talked about the real situation in Russia, involuntarily bore in their speeches the imprint of either pretense and lies, or useless condemnation and anger at people accused of what no one could be guilty of. In historical events, the prohibition against eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge is most obvious. Only one unconscious activity bears fruit, and the person who plays a part in a historical event never understands its significance. If he tries to understand it, he is amazed at the barrenness.
The significance of the event taking place in Russia at that time was the more imperceptible, the closer was the participation of a person in it. In St. Petersburg and provincial cities far from Moscow, ladies and men in militia uniforms mourned Russia and the capital and talked about self-sacrifice, etc.; but in the army that was retreating beyond Moscow, they hardly spoke or thought about Moscow, and, looking at its conflagration, no one swore to take revenge on the French, but thought about the next third of the salary, about the next stop, about Matryoshka, the shopper, and the like ...
Nikolai Rostov, without any goal of self-sacrifice, but by chance, since the war found him in the service, took a close and prolonged part in the defense of the fatherland and therefore, without despair and gloomy conclusions, looked at what was happening then in Russia. If he were asked what he thinks about the current situation in Russia, he would say that he has nothing to think about, that there are Kutuzov and others, but that he heard that regiments are being completed, and that they must be fighting for a long time , and that under the present circumstances it is not surprising for him to receive a regiment in two years.
By the fact that he looked at the matter in such a way, he not only accepted the news of his appointment on a business trip for repairs for the division in Voronezh without regret that he was deprived of participation in the last battle, but also with the greatest pleasure, which he did not hide and which his comrades understood very well.
A few days before the battle of Borodino, Nikolai received money, papers, and, having sent hussars forward, went to Voronezh by post.
Only those who experienced this, that is, spent several months without ceasing in the atmosphere of military, combat life, can understand the pleasure that Nicholas experienced when he got out of the area that the troops reached with their forages, food supplies, hospitals; when, without soldiers, wagons, dirty traces of the presence of the camp, he saw villages with peasants and women, landowners' houses, fields with grazing cattle, station houses with sleepy caretakers. He felt such joy, as if seeing it all for the first time. In particular, what surprised and delighted him for a long time were women, young, healthy, each of whom did not have a dozen courting officers, and women who were glad and flattered that a passing officer was joking with them.
In the most cheerful frame of mind, Nikolai arrived at a hotel in Voronezh at night, ordered for himself everything that he had been deprived of in the army for a long time, and the next day, having shaved clean and put on a dress uniform that had not been put on for a long time, he went to appear to the authorities.
The head of the militia was a state general, an old man, who, apparently, amused himself with his military rank and rank. He angrily (thinking that this was a military property) received Nikolai and significantly, as if having the right to do so and as if discussing the general course of the matter, approving and disapproving, questioned him. Nikolai was so cheerful that it was only amusing to him.
From the head of the militia, he went to the governor. The governor was a small lively little man, very affectionate and simple. He pointed out to Nicholas those factories where he could get horses, recommended him a horse-dealer in the city and a landowner twenty miles from the city, who had the best horses, and promised him all kinds of assistance.
- Are you the son of Count Ilya Andreevich? My wife was very friendly with your mother. On Thursdays I have a gathering; Today is Thursday, you are welcome to me easily, - said the governor, releasing him.
Directly from the governor, Nikolai took the relay and, having seated the sergeant-major with him, galloped twenty miles to the factory to the landowner. Everything during this first time of his stay in Voronezh was fun and easy for Nikolai, and everything, as happens when a person himself is well disposed, everything went well and went smoothly.
The landowner Nikolai came to was an old bachelor cavalryman, a horse connoisseur, a hunter, the owner of a carpet, a hundred-year-old casserole, an old Hungarian and wonderful horses.
In a nutshell, Nikolay bought for six thousand seventeen stallions to select (as he said) for the casual end of his repair. After dinner and drinking a little extra Hungarian, Rostov, kissing the landowner, with whom he had already agreed on "you", along a disgusting road, in the most cheerful mood, galloped back, constantly chasing the driver in order to be in time for the evening to the governor.
Having changed clothes, perfumed himself and doused his head with cold water, Nikolai, although somewhat late, but with a ready-made phrase: vaut mieux tard que jamais, [better late than never,] appeared to the governor.
It was not a ball, and it was not said that they would dance; but everyone knew that Katerina Petrovna would play waltzes and ecossaises on the clavichord and that they would dance, and everyone, counting on this, gathered for the ballroom.
Provincial life in 1812 was exactly the same as always, with the only difference that the city was livelier on the occasion of the arrival of many wealthy families from Moscow and that, as in everything that was happening at that time in Russia, there was a noticeable some kind of special sweeping - the sea is knee-deep, the grass is in life, and even in the fact that that vulgar conversation that is necessary between people and which was previously conducted about the weather and mutual acquaintances, was now conducted about Moscow, about the army and Napoleon.

The harmonica is a miniature woodwind organ that not only has a deep and distinctive sound, but also pairs well with guitar, keyboards and vocals. No wonder the number of people who want to play the harmonica is growing all over the world!

Tool selection

Exists a large number of varieties of harmonicas: chromatic, blues, tremolo, bass, octave, as well as their combinations. by the most simple option for a beginner, there will be a ten-hole diatonic harmonica. Key in C major.

Advantages:

• A huge number of courses and training materials in books and the Internet;
• Jazz and pop compositions, familiar to everyone from films and music videos, are mainly played on the diatonic;
• Basic Lessons, mastered on the diatonic harmonica, will be useful for working with any other model;
• As the training progresses, the possibility of using a large number of sound effects opens up, which captivates the listeners.

When choosing a material, it is better to give preference to metal - it is the most durable and hygienic. Wood panels require additional protection against swelling, while plastic wears out and breaks quickly.

The most common models for beginners include Lee Oskar Major Diatonic, Hohner Golden Melody, Hohner Special 20.

Correct harmonica position

The sound of the instrument largely depends on the correct setting of the hands. Hold the harmonica with your left hand, and direct the flow of sound with your right. It is the cavity formed by the palms that creates the chamber for resonance. By tightly closing and opening the brush, you can achieve different effects.

In order to ensure a strong and even flow of air, the head must be kept level, and the face, throat, tongue and cheeks must be completely relaxed. The harmonica should be tightly and deeply clasped with the lips, and not just pressed against the mouth. In this case, only the mucous part of the lips is in contact with the instrument.

Breath

The harmonica is the only one that produces sound on both inhalation and exhalation. The main thing you should pay attention to is that you need to breathe through the harmonica, and not suck in and blow out air. The air flow is created by the work of the diaphragm, and not by the muscles of the cheeks and mouth. At first, the sound may be quiet, but with practice, a beautiful and even sound will come.

How to play single notes and chords on the harmonica

The sound range of the diatonic harmonica is built in such a way that three holes in a row form a consonance. Therefore, it is easier to play the harmonica than a note.

During the game, the musician is faced with the need to play notes one at a time. In this case, adjacent holes are blocked by the lips or tongue. At first, you may have to help yourself by pressing your fingers on the corners of your mouth.

Basic Techniques

Learning chords and individual sounds will allow you to play simple melodies and improvise a little. But in order to unleash the full potential of the harmonica, you need to master special techniques and techniques. The most common of them:

• Trill- alternation of a pair of adjacent notes, one of the common ones.
• Glissando- a smooth, sliding transition of three or more notes into a single consonance. A similar technique, in which all notes are used to the end, is called drop off.
• Tremolo- a trembling sound effect, which is created by squeezing and unclenching the palms or vibration of the lips.
• Band- changing the tone of the note, by adjusting the strength and direction of the air flow.

You can understand how to play the harmonica without knowing it at all. However, by spending time on learning, the musician will have the opportunity to read and study a large number of melodies, as well as record their own developments.

Don't be scared - they are easy to understand (A is la, B is si, C is do, D is re, E is mi, F is fa, and finally G is salt)

If learning takes place on your own, a voice recorder, a metronome and a mirror can come in handy in your work - for constant control over yourself. Ready-made accompaniment will help prepare for live musical accompaniment. musical recordings.

Here's a final positive video for you.

Blues on harmonica

The harmonica is a small, versatile instrument that most of the peoples of the world play almost any kind of music. Although at first glance it may seem difficult to learn how to play the harmonica, the harmonica is actually an easy and fun instrument to learn to play. Read the steps below to learn how to play the harmonica.

Steps

Getting Started

Choose a harmonium. There are many different types of harmonicas available for purchase that vary in use and price. Today, you can buy a diatonic or chromatic harmonica. Either type can be used to play the most popular music such as blues or folk.

• Diatonic harmonicas are the most common and affordable type, and, of course, the cheapest. It is tuned to a specific key that cannot be changed. Most diatonic harmonicas are tuned to the key of C. Types of diatonic harmonica include “blues harmonica”, “tremolo harmonica” and “octave harmonica.”
  • The blues harmonica is common in the west, while the tremolo harmonica is more common in East Asia.
• The chromatic harmonica is a type of harmonica that uses a mechanical apparatus that controls which holes make the sound. Basic 10-note chromatic harmonicas can only play one full note (just like a diatonic harmonica), but 12-16-hole chromatic harmonicas can be tuned to any key. Chromatics are significantly more expensive than most diatonic harmonicas; a quality chromatic accordion from a well-known brand can cost several hundred dollars.
  • Due to its tunability, the 12-note chromatic harmonica is generally preferred for jazz music.
• The common abbreviated term for the harmonica is "harmonica". This name comes from other traditional names, including "French harmonica" and "blues harmonica". As long as the context is clear, the words harmonica and harmonica can be used interchangeably.

Learn about the harmonica. The harmonica is a reed musical instrument that uses brass reeds. The reeds are used to create tone when you blow or blow air through the holes. The reeds are mounted on a plate called a reed plate, which is usually made of brass. The part of the harmonica where the reed plate is installed is called the comb, and is usually made of plastic or metal. The harmonica's mouthpiece can be built into the comb, or, as with chromatic harmonicas, screwed on separately. The protective panels for the rest of the apparatus can be made of wood, metal or plastic.

• The guide rail of the chromatic harmonica is also made of metal.
• Depending on whether you inhale or exhale into the harmonica, different notes are produced by the reeds. A typical diatonic harp is tuned to C (C major) on the exhale, and to G (G major) on the inhale. They complement each other perfectly and there is no need to add extra holes.
• The reeds inside the harmonica are thin and wear out over time. Easy game and regular care will keep a good sound as long as possible.

Learn to read harmonica tablature. Like guitars, the harmonica can be played in tablature, which simplifies the notes on the music sheet into an easily observable pattern of holes and inhales/exhales. Tablature is also suitable for large chromatic harmonicas, but it differs somewhat from diatonic tablature and is usually less commonly used.

• Respiration is marked with arrows. The up arrow indicates exhalation; down arrow - inhale.
  • Most holes on a diatonic harmonica produce two "adjacent" notes at a given scale, so playing C and then D on the same scale is done by blowing into the corresponding hole and then drawing in air from the same hole.
• The holes are marked with numbers, starting with the lowest (left) note and moving up. So the bottom two notes are (up) 1 and (down) 1. On a 10-hole harmonica, the highest note would be (down) 10.
  • Some notes of a normal 10-hole harmonica overlap, especially (down) 2 and (up) 3. This is necessary to ensure the correct range for playing.
• More advanced methods are indicated by slashes or some other small label. Diagonal slash arrows indicate that note curvature (discussed later) is required to produce the correct sound. Chevrons or slashes on chromatic tablature can indicate whether the button should be held down or not.
  • There is no standardized tablature system that is used by all harmonists. However, once you practice and master one type of reading, you will quickly master most other types.

Basic harmonica playing technique

Play the notes as you exhale. The very first thing to do is practice with the new instrument by playing notes. Choose a hole or holes on the mouthpiece and blow gently into them. Neighboring holes are usually designed to automatically harmonize the melody with each other, so try blowing three holes at the same time to produce a pleasant sound. Practice blowing into one hole, then playing chords into several holes.

• This type of playing is called “straight harmonica” or “first position.”
• As you can imagine, the number of holes you blow through is partly controlled by your lips. Ultimately, you will learn how to use the front of your tongue to block the holes in order to maintain control over the notes you play. This is described below.

Take a deep breath to change notes. Remembering that the air through the reeds must be inhaled gently, inhale, increasing the notes by a step. By inhaling and exhaling through the mouthpiece, you can access all of the tuned notes for the harmonica.

• This kind of playing is called “cross harmonica” or “second position.” Cross harmonica notes are often suitable for blues riffs.
• If you have a chromatic harmonica, practice pressing and holding the button for extra control over the notes you play.

Try to play the whole range. On a diatonic harmonica tuned to C, the C scale starts at (to) 4 and rises to (to) 7. The standard in/out pattern repeats except for the 7th hole, where it switches (inhale, then exit). This scale is the only full scale on a C tuned harmonica, but it is sometimes possible to play songs on other ranges, provided they don't require the missing note(s) of the range.

Practice. Keep practicing playing the range and individual notes until you feel comfortable playing just one note at a time. Once you can achieve the desired control over the instrument, choose simple songs and practice on them. Tablature for songs like “Mary Had a Lamb” and “Oh Susannah” is easy to find online if you don't have one.

• Try adding some flair by playing multiple notes at the same time. The next step in your practice is to loosen control a bit and add two-note and three-note chords to the songs you practice by playing two or three adjacent holes at once. This will help you have more control over your mouth and breathing, and help you play songs more sonorously.
  • Don't play everything in chords! Try adding a chord at the end of a verse or phrase. The important thing is to master switching between single notes and multiple notes.

Advanced Techniques

Pay for lessons. From now on, if you are under the guidance experienced player, you will see fast and technically sound results, although you can, of course, continue to study on your own. Harmonica lessons vary in price and frequency; feel free to try a few lessons with one teacher and then move on to another that suits your needs.

• Even if you are taking lessons, continue to rely on guides and books to improve your game. There is no reason to abandon other materials just because you supplement them with professional activities.

Skip holes. It's easy to get used to the pattern of constantly forcing air in and out through the harmonica, but once you start playing more advanced songs you have to practice skipping some holes to reach others. Play songs on notes that require you to jump over a hole or two, such as the American traditional tune, “Shenandoah,” which jumps from the 4th to the 6th hole near the end of the second phrase (on standard C diatonic).

• Practice skipping by pulling the harmonica slightly to the side and then back into position (to further familiarize yourself with the position of each hole) and by stopping the airflow without retracting the harmonica (to practice more breath control).

Play with two cupped hands. To begin with, you have probably held the harmonica with the index and thumb of your left (or non-dominant) hand, and moved it as you played it. Add the right (or dominant) hand to the game. Rest the heel of the right hand and the thumb of the left hand, and then place the edge of the right hand together with the left so that your fingers close around the left little finger. This creates a "sound hole" that can be used to affect the sound coming from the harmonica.

• Add a quiet melody or yell as you slap the sounding hole open and close. Use it at the end of a verse to add emotion, or just to practice.
• Create a train whistle effect by starting with the sounding hole open, then closing it and opening it again.
• Play a muffled, quiet sound, leaving the sounding hole almost closed.
• You will probably find that this position forces you to hold the harmonica at an angle, with the left edge pointing down and in. This position is actually perfect for other techniques, so take advantage of it.

Learn to block your tongue. Tongue blocking is a great way to turn single notes into beautiful chords without breaking the original notes. By using the side (edge) of the tongue, you will be blocking some of the notes of the chord and then lifting it partially as the note is played to add them. This technique takes practice, but the position of the hole should help to naturally present the side of your tongue to the mouthpiece.

• To begin, open your mouth to cover the first four holes of the harp. Using your tongue, block holes 1 through 3 and play a straight note on hole 4. If you've done everything right, you should only hear the played (up) 4. After you've done this easily, play a steady note and then raise your tongue in the middle to make complete harmony.
• The basic technique for changing notes is to make the lip holes very, very small, and force air through them into the hole you want to be changed. Stretch the notes of the cross harmonica and gradually purse your lips until you hear a change in tone. By squeezing your lips to a greater or lesser extent, you can further control the tone of the note.
• Be very careful when you practice changing notes. Because air crosses the reeds so abruptly that it can easily loosen or bend them, destroying the instrument. Finding the sweet spot between not changing a note and changing it too much requires patience and caution.

• When people start playing the harmonica, the sound sounds bad, and many people take longer to produce a good sound. Practice every day and don't give up.
• When changing notes, inhale/exhale very deeply. Changing notes on the harmonica requires thorough preparation and strong lungs.

We can say about the harmonica that it is a compact musical instrument that brings joy to many people in different countries. In fact, this is a Western-style wind organ. Not all of its fans know that the oriental wind organ is the immediate ancestor of their favorite instrument, and not only it, but also all European reed instruments.

Christian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann created the first ever harmonica in 1821. He was a German watchmaker. His invention, which he called "aura", was a metal plate with fifteen slots, which are closed with steel tongues. Creating his brainchild, the author did not think about musical instrument, but rather about a tuning fork. The notes in it are arranged in chromatic order, they were extracted exclusively with the help of exhalation.

But a more important design development for that period of time was proposed by a master named Richter from Bohemia. In 1826, he made a sample of an accordion, which had 20 reeds and 10 holes (separate for exhalation and inhalation). They were installed in a wooden case made of cedar. The tuning option proposed by Richter, using a diatonic scale for all European instruments, called "Mundharmonika" or wind organ, became standard.

The harmonica was brought to North America by Matthias Hohner in 1862. The overlay, on which the manufacturer's name is depicted, was a marketing find of his company. By the year 1879, Hohner was able to produce up to 700,000 instruments a year. By the turn of the century, the number of products manufactured by him per year was equal to 5 million units!

In the early 1920s, the harmonica was recorded in the United States for the first time in history, although this instrument was already recorded on film in silent films in 1894. The Great Depression in the 30s, as well as the Second World War in the 1940s caused southerners to migrate to the west coast and northern states. Through this migration process, small tool spread throughout the United States.