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Post by philw on Oct 17, 2013 14:38:00 GMT
Can someone give me the heads up please as to who plays harmonica on here if poss Cheers Phil
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Oct 17, 2013 14:57:59 GMT
Akquarius is the fella you want to talk to - I think he's on holiday just now, but will be back soon. He conducted a harmonica workshop at our recent forum meeting in Halifax. I've got a harmonica and occasionally blow it a bit, but can't really play it.
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Post by keithambridge on Oct 17, 2013 15:07:13 GMT
I've got a harmonica and occasionally blow it a bit, but can't really play it. Likewise!
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Oct 17, 2013 15:10:59 GMT
define 'plays' ... I sometimes breathe in and out with a metal thing stuck in my gob....
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Post by philw on Oct 17, 2013 15:34:37 GMT
Akquarius is the fella you want to talk to - I think he's on holiday just now, but will be back soon. He conducted a harmonica workshop at our recent forum meeting in Halifax. I've got a harmonica and occasionally blow it a bit, but can't really play it. thats more than me pal, mines in erm....hibernation since i got it I sometimes throw.caution to the wind and go all rock n roll and get it out and hold it whilst talking to the wife, she thinks Im hardcore - another fad she says stick to your shoes love What harmonica does everyone have in here - mines a lee Oscar but with u had got the honer special tbh
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Oct 17, 2013 15:40:41 GMT
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Post by Banadog on Oct 17, 2013 16:33:44 GMT
I used to play a bit of blues harmonica, as well as the Dylan/Donovan stuff with the shoulder holder. To be honest they were a bit of a pain, you need to have them in different keys, and the reeds would always be going wonky, especially if you bent the notes. The ten hole Hohner echo super vamper seemed to be the harmonica everyone used, I think maybe it is called the blues harp now. Quite nice to carry one in your pocket though.
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stringdriventhing
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Post by stringdriventhing on Oct 17, 2013 16:37:15 GMT
define 'plays' ... I sometimes breathe in and out with a metal thing stuck in my gob.... What he said :-)
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Akquarius
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Post by Akquarius on Oct 17, 2013 19:26:17 GMT
I've got a Tombo Lee Oskar in C, a Seydel in G, a Hohner Cross Harp in G and and a Hohner Marine Band in A. They're all in Richter tuning.
My favourite is the Marine Band, though all 4 are a pleasure to play.
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Post by philw on Oct 17, 2013 20:35:28 GMT
I've got a Tombo Lee Oskar in C, a Seydel in G, a Hohner Cross Harp in G and and a Hohner Marine Band in A. They're all in Richter tuning. My favourite is the Marine Band, though all 4 are a pleasure to play. hi bernd - are you self taught as over here harmonica tutors are not as readily available as guitar tutors - i was thinking of getting a.start and trying to learn to play the harmonica. I have a.couple of dvds but YouTube will also have bits n bobs too? But i was wondering if you have any tips or do's and don't s. One day i would love to be able to play the opening harmonica part from the song by the hollies, he ain't heavy he's my brother - aswell as much more stuff of course
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Akquarius
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Post by Akquarius on Oct 18, 2013 18:58:43 GMT
I'm selftaught. Had played frequently in my twens, then forgot about it for 2 decades and came back to the harmonica last year at the forum meet.
Youtube can be a great help. Mitch Grainger does some good lessons.
As to tips, there are a few that might help.
If you've got trouble to hit a single note instead of 2 or 3 at the same time, try shifting the harmonica upwards in a slight angle. Make sure you breathe through your harmonica while practicing. Do a bit of theory. If you want to play blues, your C tuned harmonica is the right one for Blues in G. just start with Draw instead of blow.
For a beginner I prefer a book instead of a DVD. Preferably a book that includes a CD. There's a beginner's guide for blues by Mitch Kinsella which is said to be quite good.
What kind of music will you focus on ?
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007
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Post by 007 on Oct 18, 2013 19:08:15 GMT
I had a Hohner with a button on the side which raised the note when you pushed it in but I am b******d if I can find it now
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Akquarius
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Post by Akquarius on Oct 18, 2013 19:19:19 GMT
I had a Hohner with a button on the side which raised the note when you pushed it in but I am b******d if I can find it now One like these ? great stuff. The button saves you the need to bend the notes. Though it doesn't sound the same as a bending. It's not easy to play, though. I used to have one, too. And can't find it either...
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007
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Post by 007 on Oct 18, 2013 20:56:53 GMT
Weird Bernd perhaps there is a Harmonica gremlin around I suspect in one of our house moves it got tidied away in the rubbish. Sad really as I had the neck brace thingy as well which must still be with it.
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Post by ianlp59 on Oct 28, 2013 15:13:43 GMT
A long time ago, whilst at school, I went through a phase of learning and playing blues harmonica. The book that I learned from was "Blues Harp" by Tony "Little Sun" Glover. This book is the real deal. Glover captures the essence of blues harmonica and stresses the importance of listening to the greats of the past - Sonny terry, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jimmy Reed et al. Here's a review quote from the amazon.co.uk website - you can still get this book, it's a must if you want to play blues harmonica .
"As a 16-year-old in the fall of 1974, determined to learn how to play blues harmonica, I stumbled across this book purely by chance in the local mall. I picked it up along with my first Hohner Marine Band harmonica. Now, almost 40 years later, as a pro player and teacher, I'm still in awe of Glover's achievement. He may not get every single lick right--his tab system raised as many questions for me back then as it answered--but he DID get the instrument's great tradition exactly right. In his inimitable hipster's voice, with a cool gruffness that makes him seem like every teen wannabe's knowing, disreputable Kerouackian uncle, he hips you to all the Big Names, tells you why they're important, what they're ABOUT, and makes you feel as though you're setting off on a serious, soulful enterprise. This book will inspire you and comfort you; it'll challenge you, too. Are you paying attention? This is your roadmap. It's an ancient roadmap, but that's okay, because the music is about all that old stuff, too. Blues harmonica is a sorcerer's art; a little attitude, a little improvisational juice, a dash of mumbo jumbo, is just as important as sober rationalism. Thanks to YouTube, young players these days have infinitely more instructional material to choose from, and some of it is very good indeed. But nobody--not Gindick, not Barrett, not Gussow (!)--has captured the feel of the music and its warm, sometimes gruff mentorship process more perfectly, in the form of a written voice, than has Tony Glover in this book. Start here. "
Cheers,
Ian
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