harmonica

[thomasli]

i would like to get a beginners harmonica for an adult who may not be interested in learning to play it. It is a birthday present in the hope they may start to use it. what is a good enough beginners?

[saxy_jag]

Hohner seems to be one of the most popular. They make a wide range suitable for beginners through to seasoned pros, so you should find something to suit you.

[Mortartube]

You can buy a harmonica with an instructional DVD for around �15.00 in a music shop. They are perfectly good to learn the basics on.

Hohner is a good make but many of the cheaper ones are just as good for learning. Suzuki, The Blues and Jambone are all low price makes that I have learnt on. An individual harmonica of these makes can be bought for around 4 or 5 pounds.

I would strongly suggest you get the kit with the DVD.

If he starts with the deepest notes (deepest is on the left as you hold it) and blows up to the highest note (on the right hand end). he will get one set of notes. If he starts again and sucks all the way up from low to high he will get a different set of notes, Basically to play one he needs to learn when to suck and when to blow in various places up and down the harmonica. It is not a difficult instrument to start getting a tune from.

Good luck with it all.

[tamborine]

our local busker

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYycpuosyGk&fea ture=related

[Mortartube]

I forgot to mention that there are three basic types of harmonica.

1. Diatonic - This has one row of 10 holes and is easiest to learn on. http://www.themusicroom-online.co.uk/images/me isterklasse.jpg

2. Tremolo - This has 2 rows of holes one above the other. Harder to play for a beginner for sonme techniques. http://images.virtualvillage.com/009000-105/00 1.jpg

3. Chromatic.- Very difficult to master and best avoided as a first instrument. They have a button on the end usually. http://img.quamut.com/chart/941/02_chromatic_h armonica.jpg

I suggest you go for No1 - The diatonic.

The local busker is very nice. But I'll stick with my harmonica neck brace. You wouldn't get me putting parcel tape on my guitar fro love or money. Sounds like he has a tremolo harmonica. Very nice.