Harmonica

Harmonica

A harmonica is small musical instrument that is played with the mouth by blowing into holes in its side. Harmonicas are cheap and easy to play. Harmonicas produce their musical sounds from the vibrations of reeds in the harmonica's metal case. Harmonicas are used in blues music, folk music, rock and roll music, and pop music. A special type of harmonica, the chromatic harmonica, is used in jazz and classical music. Harmonicas are made in several different keys: G, A♭, A, B♭, B, C, D♭, D, E♭, E, F, and F♯. Each key can play a different range of notes.

How they are played

Harmonicas are played by blowing or sucking air into one side. On this side, there are many holes. Each hole has a different note. Different notes are played when you blow or suck air.

Harmonica players

• Bob Dylan is a famous harmonica player from the 1960s folk rock scene.
• Willi Burger is a famous classical harmonica player.eez
• Neil Young is a folk/grunge musician who plays the harmonica.
• Steven Tyler, from Aerosmith, plays the harmonica.
• Little Walter, one of the most well known blues harmonica players ever.
• Yvonnick Prene is a groundbreaking jazz harmonica player.

Other Harmonica players

*Bluesharp players

Billy Boy Arnold DeFord Bailey Steve Baker Carey Bell Billy Bizor Blind Percy Billy Branch Buster Brown George Buford Norton Buffalo Eddie „Guitar“ Burns Lester Butler Paul Butterfield Joe Carter William Clarke Jaybird Coleman Jim Conway

James Cotton Cyril Davies Lester Davenport Paul deLay Carlos del Junco Rick Estrin Frank Frost Billy Gibson Jazz Gillum Alan Glen Tony Glover Dennis Gruenling Adam Gussow Slim Harpo Shakey Jake Harris Big Walter Horton aka Shakey Horton Howlin’ Wolf Mark Hummel

Paul Jones Paul Lamb Lazy Lester Little Walter Louisiana Red Lee McBee Jerry "Boogie" McCain John Mayall Jean-Jacques Milteau Mike Morgan Sam Myers Charlie Musselwhite Hammie Nixon Darrell Nulisch Paul Oscher Lee Oskar Rod Piazza John Popper

Jerry Portnoy Gary Primich Snooky Pryor Annie Raines Jimmy Reed Jason Ricci Curtis Salgado Richard „Magic Dick“ Salwitz Mikael Santana Ronnie Shellist Matthew Skoller George „Harmonica“ Smith Willie "Big Eyes" Smith Little Mack Simmons Sonny Terry

Sugar Blue Sugar Ray Norcia Big Mama Thornton Watermelon Slim (Bill Homan) Junior Wells Phil Wiggins Sonny Boy Williamson I. Sonny Boy Williamson II. Kim Wilson Big John Wrencher

• Jazz
• Larry Adler
• Matthias Broede
• Jens Bunge
• Hermine Deurloo
• Maurício Einhorn
• Adam Glasser
• Howard Levy
• Hendrik Meurkens
• Richard Oesterreicher
• Toots Thielemans

Types of harmonicas

Another type of harmonica is the chromatic harmonica. More songs can be played on it than a regular harmonica, because chromatic harmonicas can play more different notes. Chromatic harmonicas have a button which moves a sliding bar. By pressing the button, the player can play a larger range of notes.

German minister Ernst Pfister playing the smallest harmonica in the world

Different names

The harmonica is called many different names, such as: mouth organ, mouth harp, Hobo Harp, French harp, Reckless Tram, harpoon, tin sandwich, blues harp, Mississippi saxophone, or simply harp.

Harmonica Media

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  Parts of a harmonica: Comb (centre) and reedplates

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  Reed plate of a diatonic harmonica.

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  Reed plate mounted on the comb of a diatonic harmonica, one of several categories of harmonica

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  Mark Wenner cups his hands around a "bullet mic" as he plays amplified harmonica.

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  Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, 1963: Dylan is wearing a harmonica holder.

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  Hohner Super Chromonica, a typical 12-hole chromatic

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  SuzukiHumming

Other websites

• todoarmonica.org Archived 2008-01-22 at the Wayback Machine
• Virtual harmonica lessons HarmoPoint Archived 2012-03-01 at the Wayback Machine
• Harmonica's blog Archived 2007-01-04 at the Wayback Machine
• Harmonica Riff Archived 2019-01-20 at the Wayback Machine