Harmonicas technical advice from Eagle Music Shop

Harmonicas - Frequently asked questions

Chromatic harmonica, what does this mean?
Reeds, can I mend them or re-tune them?
What’s the best type of harmonica for blues?
Diatonic harmonica, what does this mean?
What’s the best type of harmonica for a beginner?
What’s the best type of harmonica for playing Irish music?
What’s the best harmonica type for R&B and Rock playing?
Tremolo harmonica, what does this mean?
Amplify, how do I do this?
Octaves, how many do I need?
Microphone, what should I use?
Harmonica, how do I choose one?
Comb, what is this?
Wooden body, what is this?
Bending notes, what does this mean?
Cross harp, what does this mean?
Low harmonicas, what does this mean?
Solo-tuned, what does this mean?
Valved, what does this mean?
Airtight, what does this mean?

Eagle's Answers

Chromatic harmonica, what does this mean?
A chromatic harmonica has all 12 notes of the chromatic scale available enabling the user to play in any key. On a C chromatic harmonica the slide mechanism allows the player to alternate between the scales of C and C#-in effect like alternating between the white and black notes of the piano.
View our chromatic harmonica section here.

Reeds, can I mend them or re-tune them?
You can’t ‘mend them’ but you can re-tune them by gently removing material from the top surface of the reed near the tip will raise the pitch, near the base (riveted end) will lower the pitch. Use a small, curved needle file or very fine emery paper wrapped around a matchstick or similar.
View our reed plates and spares section here.

What’s the best type of harmonica for blues?
A diatonic. Hering, Hohner, Suzuki and Lee Oskar all make good 10-hole diatonic harmonicas. Look to spend between £10 - £25.

Diatonic harmonica, what does this mean?
A diatonic harmonica only has reeds tuned to the notes of one key, which will be printed or stamped on the body of the instrument. A C diatonic harmonica only has the notes of the key of C, an A only the notes of the key of A etc.
View our diatonic harmonica section here.

What’s the best type of harmonica for a beginner?
Probably a diatonic, 10-hole harp in C or a decent tremolo harp in C. Don’t go for the cheapest option-spend at least a tenner as it’s much easier to learn on a good instrument.

What’s the best type of harmonica for playing Irish music?
A diatonic in the key of ‘G’ is a good start …either a Hohner Golden Melody, Suzuki Promaster, Lee Oskar or Hering. All good quality harps. The best tremolo is either the Tombo band Deluxe or Suzuki Humming Tremolo. The best chromatics are Hering’s & Hohner.

What’s the best harmonica type for R&B and Rock playing?
A diatonic. Hering, Hohner, Suzuki and Lee Oskar all make good 10-hole diatonic harmonicas. Look to spend between £10 - £25.

Tremolo harmonica, what does this mean?
Tremolo harmonicas have two reeds for each note. One of these reeds is tuned slightly sharper than the other giving a waving, tremolo effect when they are played simultaneously. Octave-tuned harmonicas are similar in construction but the two reeds for each note are tuned an octave apart.
View our tremolo harmonica section here.

Amplify, how do I do this?
There are many choices. A vocal mic through a PA, a crystal, ceramic or controlled reluctance mic through a valve amp, transistor amp or PA (the mode favoured by blues players), finger-clip mics, Accusound or Microvox bugs or the all-in-one electric harmonicas made by Richard Smith.
View our harmonica pickups section here.

Octaves, how many do I need?
3 are enough for most people. The 16-hole chromatics and the big tremolos have more if necessary.

Microphone, what should I use?
There are many choices. A vocal mic through a PA, a crystal, ceramic or controlled reluctance mic through a valve amp, transistor amp or PA (the mode favoured by blues players), finger-clip mics, Accusound or Microvox bugs or the all-in-one electric harmonicas made by Richard Smith.
View our harmonica pickups section here.

Harmonica, how do I choose one?
CHOOSING YOUR MODEL: ROUGH GUIDE: The most popular model for the beginner/enthusiast of any age is the 10-hole, single reed diatonic model in the key of C. Many pros also choose this type since it encompasses a wide variety of musical styles like folk, country, rock, blues and jazz. Note: All Hohner hand made (HM) and modular system (MS) harmonicas have replaceable reed plates. All MS models have the same dimensions making them fully interchangeable. Choose your favourite harmonica and renew reed plates at a much lower cost than replacing the whole instrument. Tombo Lee Oskar and Hering instruments also offer replacement reed plates. NB. When learning to play ‘blues’ techniques, it is easier on professional models. eg The Cross Harp.

GENERAL GUIDE FOR IRISH & SCOTTISH MUSIC. Diatonics: To play reels, jigs etc. it helps if you have an airtight, responsive, well-tuned harp. The best available ‘off-the-shelf’ models have either a plastic or metal comb (the bit in the middle!). Models we recommend are: Cross Harp, Meisterclass, Golden Melody, Suzuki Pro Master, Lee Oskar and Hering Blues & Black Blues. Tremolo: These have a pleasant, accordion-like sound, well suited to folk music. They are generally tuned like diatonics e.g. on a 3-octave harp - the 1st octave is DO RE MI SO SO TI DO. 2nd octave is full. 3rd octave is DO RE MI FA SO LA DO. This can be restrictive, for instance, many tunes played on a ‘D’ whistle would fall outside the scope of a ‘D’ tremolo. Also it is very difficult to bend notes on a tremolo. One answer is to buy a great big one (4 to 6 octaves!), another is to purchase a model which is “solo-tuned” ie all octaves are full. The Tombo ‘Band Deluxe’ is an excellent choice. Chromatic: Physically the easiest type of harmonica to play folk music with as it is not essential to perform difficult bends and a full chromatic scale is available. They are however, a very different instrument to the 10 hole diatonic. We recommend the Hering and Hohner range. If you are ever around the Manchester area, look up Mat Walklate: an excellent traditional player of these instruments.

Comb, what is this?
This is the central part of the harmonica upon which the reed plates sit-the bit with the holes in it! It can be made of wood, plastic or metal.

Wooden body, what is this?
A wooden comb this is the central part of the harmonica upon which the reed plates sit-the bit with the holes in it! It can be made of wood, plastic or metal.

Bending notes, what does this mean?
By altering slightly the pressure of the breath passing over a harmonica reed the note of that particular reed can be lowered in pitch. This works on a 10-hole diatonic for draw reeds 1-6 and blow reeds 7 –10. Blow reeds 1-6 and draw reeds 7-10 cannot be bent down in pitch on a normal diatonic. Reeds on chromatic and tremolo harmonicas can be bent down. On chromatics all reeds can be bent but only by a semi-tone at the most and although it is possible to bend reeds down on a tremolo it is tricky to do and thus not widely used.

Cross harp, what does this mean?
This is the most commonly used ‘position’ for playing harmonica in blues, rock and C&W. I you play a harmonica in the key of C over a piece of music in the key of C this is termed First Position harmonica. If you play a harmonica in the key of C over a piece of music in the key of G this is termed Second Position harmonica or ‘Cross harp’. This position is the most user-friendly for delivering melodies, riffs, effects and chordal accompaniment in blues and blues-related music. To work out Cross Harp find out the key of the piece of music you wish to play and then work out the fourth note of the scale of that key-that will dictate the key of the harmonica you need to play cross harp/second position. E.g. G A B C D E F# G 4th is C C D E F G A B C 4th is F etc.

Low harmonicas, what does this mean?
Standard diatonic harmonicas go from the lowest in pitch-G through to the highest in pitch-F#. It is possible to obtain versions of the normally high-pitched harmonicas that are tuned an octave lower in pitch. Low C, D, Eb, E and F harps are readily available, others can be made as custom instruments. High G diatonics can also be found. Hering make a low-tuned or ‘baritone’ C chromatic and the Suzuki Humming Tremolo in D is an octave lower in pitch than ‘normal’ D tremolos.

Solo-tuned, what does this mean?
The note layout of a normal diatonic harmonica omits the fourth and sixth notes of the scale in the first octave and the seventh note of the scale in the third octave. Solo-tuning replaces these missing notes so that there are three complete octaves available. Solo-tuned diatonics tend only to be available in C. The Suzuki and Tombo tremolos are solo-tuned which makes the ideal for playing melodies.

Valved, what does this mean?
Chromatics have small flaps of plastic called valves covering the reed slots (on the opposite side to the reeds obviously!). These maintain the air-tightness of the instrument. They also mean that that reeds can be blow and draw bent. Suzuki do a valved version of their Promaster. This tends to be a more responsive and louder instrument than the un-valved version and has the added bonus that blow reeds in holes 1-6 and draw reeds in holes 7-10 can be bent down in pitch thus increasing the range of notes available.

Airtight, what does this mean?
Air from the player should go to the reed(s) being played and nowhere else. If air is leaking from some part of the structure of the harmonica the it can be said to be ‘leaking’ or not airtight. A harmonica that is airtight will be responsive to the player and will not require great lungfulls of air to play it. A bad embrouchure however is the players’ problem!