• Registered: 2008-07-09
  • Posts: 3

Topic: Which Harmonica

I play and sing a lot in the key of C, what harmonica should I buy

  • Registered: 2008-07-14
  • Posts: 2

Re: Which Harmonica

I have a C key harmonica. 12 hole,  A good buy of £18 pounds..

Its a good harmonica.. but if you sing in C key and play in C then C in harmonica?

  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: Which Harmonica

I am given to understand that the harmonica key is pitched up a fifth from the guitar key (five tones up the scale from C to G).
A G harmonica is used when the guitar is in C.
The harmonica guy in our group has gone back to the old, basic, Marine Band harmonicas.

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

tubatooter1940's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: Which Harmonica

tubatooter1940 wrote:

I am given to understand that the harmonica key is pitched up a fifth from the guitar key (five tones up the scale from C to G).
A G harmonica is used when the guitar is in C.
The harmonica guy in our group has gone back to the old, basic, Marine Band harmonicas.

This applies when one is playing cross or blues styles harmonica. The C will do the job for playing straight harmonica style( ie Neil Young, Bob Dylan) I play mostly straight style simply because it's easier. Blues style requires more drawing(sucking air in) and straight style is more exhaling(blowing air out).

Give everything but up.
  • From: A black hole in deep space
  • Registered: 2007-10-28
  • Posts: 7,865

Re: Which Harmonica

If your in the key of C and are not playing a blues style (sucking in and bending notes) and your basic chord changes revolve around C F G Am Dm a C harmonica works fine if you want to play blues style harp a C harp is used for the key of G  or a D harp is for G  A for E so the rule of thumb is buy a harmonica a 4th interval  of the key you intend to play in (for blues) also there are chromatic harmonicas that have a button  to play all the half steps of the scale the harmonica is in for C its c d e f g a b c  and it repeats till you run out of holes smile

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Russell_Harding's Website

  • From: Minnesota
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 4

Re: Which Harmonica

Howdy-
Although I've used this site a ton, I'm new to this forum.
I'm looking for some new songs (new to me) that are great for playing the harmonica.  I already sing and play guitar/harmonica songs from the likes of Todd Snider, Neil Young, Billly Joel and some Dylan.
I searched the songbooks without much success.  Any suggestions or point me in the right direction?
Thanks!