Ooooops! how did that happen. by swillinbillyflynn

Ooooops! how did that happen.

OK so four weeks ago I decided that I had a hankering to learn a new instrument. I was inspired by some really effective harmonica playing on the intro to a Steven Wilson track -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5W6Z3u5Rz7s

I had no idea where this was going to lead me. ..... and here I am a month later with a basic working set of 12 harmonica (and a few spares) in the keys I am likely to use in the short term...... and the harmonica now features on no less than 5 tracks on the new Pirates of St. Piran CD I am currently working on. :)

I am a bit of a multi instrumentalist and this is now instrument 20 for me. So it's a bit of a landmark in my musical career and I'm loving every minute of the learning process. There is so much more to the harmonica than I ever dreamed possible. There is a long way to go before I can call myself a harmonica player, but I think it is going to become a firm favourite with me from now on.

The problem with the harmonica is that it is designed to play in one key..... although you can play in blues crossharp mode and play in a second key....... However if you want to be able to play in all the possible major keys, you need 12 harmonicas. Then there are the minor keys which need 12 more harmonicas...... Then if you want to get down and dirty there are some bass harmonicas which are tuned an octave lower. Then there are all sorts of special tunnings and custom harmonicas available. The choices are endless.

I'm sticking with major keys at the moment. Mostly Hohner Marine Band harmonicas with wooden combs which sound beautiful and Lee Oskar harmonicas which have plastic combes but still sound great but are less problematical and far easier to clean and maintain.
you dont go at things by halves do you?!

@aecasey another typology example
October 4th, 2017  
@kali66 My philosophy for life is simple.... if we are going to live..... lets live..... and if we are going to do something lets go full on at it and bloody well do it properly. :)
October 4th, 2017  
Cheaper than 20 guitars unless any of the harmonicas are vintage.
October 4th, 2017  
@padlock Professional quality ones can cost between £30 and £60 each..... but I have been snapping up some good quality second hand ones cheap from ebay...... You just have to give then a good clean and hope the previous owner didn't have herpes or leprosy. :)
October 4th, 2017  
Fun shot.
October 4th, 2017  
I couldn't play half a bar on any instrument even with a gun pointed at my head... and you can play 20 - life just ain't fair sometimes!
October 4th, 2017  
It’s exactly how it works... did you try the Hohner chromonica? A nightmare but what a sound! And the learning process on any instrument is a fab fun (I’m currently on guitar...)
October 5th, 2017  
@domenicododaro I was tempted by a chromonica....... but I thought that would be a completely different instrument/technique. May have a look at one, once I get o grips with the diatonic harmonica. :)
October 5th, 2017  
@swillinbillyflynn it is! It’s an entirely different approach! Good luck!
October 5th, 2017  
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