| There's a wide range of harmonica instruments in the | | | | called second position or "crossharp" style where you |
| world, a wide range of harmonicas being built, and | | | | are actually playing a harmonica that is is four steps |
| quite often within a particular model of harmonica | | | | up from the key of the song. |
| there is a wide range of keys made for that | | | | For example, if the song was in the key of C, to play |
| particular model - therefore there's a wide range of | | | | crossharp you would use an F harmonica, because |
| harmonica notes that can be gotten out of just that | | | | the draw chord on a F harmonica is a C7 chord. |
| one particular model of harmonica. | | | | Not to get too deep into positions theory on the |
| In general, a harmonica note is sounded by either | | | | harmonica - but it is important to note that you don't |
| blowing in one hole of the instrument or drawing | | | | have a complete do-re-me scale on the bottom |
| ("drawing" being inhale in harmonica-speak). You get a | | | | notes because of the chord setup on the harmonica. |
| different note drawing in the same hole than you do | | | | It is possible, though, to use a playing technique called |
| blowing into the same location. | | | | "bending" notes to "bend in" the missing harmonica |
| The most commonly seen harmonica, at least in the | | | | notes and get that bluesy, soulful kind of sound that |
| US, is the 10 hole harmonica, and it is built with 10 | | | | way. |
| blow harmonica notes and ten draw harmonica notes | | | | The second most common form of harmonica in the |
| - a total of twenty notes built-in. | | | | world that produces a different type of harmonica |
| But, at least with the major diatonic harmonicas, you | | | | note is the Tremolo harmonica, and its' cousin, the |
| have in the bottom 3 holes (holes 1,2,3) what sounds | | | | Echo. |
| like an incomplete set of notes. | | | | What the tremolo and echo harmonicas are set up to |
| What actually you have is a setup where blowing | | | | do is to produce a double reed sound - tremolo |
| holes 1-2-3-4 gives you a major chord for whatever | | | | harmonicas instead of having one note sound per |
| key that harmonica is made in, and if you draw holes | | | | hole have instead a double row of holes and have |
| 1-2-3-4 then you get a 7th chord a fifth above the | | | | two notes sound when you blow into one of the |
| blow chord. | | | | holes. |
| So you don't have the complete do-re-me scale until | | | | The tremolo harmonica is set up to have a shimmery |
| you start it on #4 blow, but the reason for the | | | | or wavery sort of sound (done by having two reeds |
| chord setup on the bottom octave of the 10 hole | | | | a slight pitch difference) similar to what you get by |
| harmonica is so that you can accompany yourself - | | | | sliding your finger rapidly on the fingerboard while |
| that was the original reason for the incomplete scale | | | | playing the violin. So this gives you a thick sound |
| chord setup. | | | | without having to "work" for it, and is the most |
| You accompany yourself using the chords on the | | | | commonly type of harmonica played in the Orient. |
| bottom by using a technique where your tongue is | | | | The Echo harmonica also has double rows of holes |
| on the harmonica in the middle, and on the left side | | | | and the harmonica notes that the echos produce are |
| of the harmonica you blow and draw the chords for | | | | an octave apart. So if you have a "c" note hole for |
| the accompaniment and on the right side you play | | | | blow, one c note would be a middle c pitch and the |
| your notes of the melody - this is called doublestop | | | | other c note would be pitched an octave above, still |
| tongueblocking. | | | | in the same hole position. |
| This is a much rarer harmonica technique nowadays - | | | | So you have this thick harmonica notes sound again |
| most often, people play what's called first position or | | | | but it's not as "wavery" - it is more like the sound |
| "straight harp" style where the root note is the same | | | | you get with a 12 string guitar. |
| as the key that the harmonica is built in so that they | | | | When you speak of harmonica notes you are |
| actually would use the do-re-me scale starting at | | | | speaking of a huge range of keys, models, styles, |
| blow number four. | | | | and types of harmonicas, played all over the world! |
| The other most commonly used way of playing is | | | | |