Learning the Harmonica

Many people have bought or have been given a harmonica at some stage. Most of these instruments are lying in cupboards or drawers, unused. The main problem with learning harmonica is finding some decent music to play! A small piece of paper comes in the harmonica box, but helps little. Good teachers are hard to find. And sometimes, harmonica knowledge is just not shared.

This is a shame, as the harmonica is a wonderful instrument, suitable for learners of all ages. The harmonica fits easily into a pocket, and is always at hand, ready to make good music. This makes practice easier than with other instruments, which often need , private space, music stands, and dedicated time (hard to find for most of us). Harmonica practice can be done almost anywhere, whenever there is a spare moment.

The harmonica fits in with most popular music. Blues, rock, folk, country, bluegrass, celtic, and even jazz fit with harmonica. Chances are that whatever music you like, the harmonica is suited to it.

Is learning harmonica easy?

Well... yes and no. It’s easy to get it to make a noise; harder to get it to make real music. But anything worth doing requires effort, and the harmonica is no different. As you will find out with these harmonica lessons, the instrument can be challenging. Don’t let this discourage you. Even for beginners, harmonica practice is great fun. Also, the lessons are designed so that you will be playing music from the very start.

These lessons also teach you how to play with other musicians. This is one of the great joys of life, which you may soon experience.

Need any previous musical background?

No. We start from the very beginning. If you have been wanting to know how music works, this a good place to be.

Which harmonica should I buy?

There are many harmonica types available. We will be using the "diatonic" harmonica, which has 10 holes. Get a harmonica in the key of C to begin with. Your music shop will explain what "keys" mean, if you do not already know. Avoid very cheap harmonicas, as they are harder to play. A good music store should have a range of 10 hole harmonicas. Buy a more expensive one if you can, it will be easier to play (and you should still have change from $30US). Beginners may find that harmonicas with plastic combs (i.e. the middle part) are easier to play than harmonicas with wooden combs.

Want to start?

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A 12 month subscription is only $29.95. All you need is a 10 hole harmonica in the key of C.