HARMONICA

[splendid moonlight]

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@ aquafire: my aunt's coming from california.

so i'm just gonna tell her to buy say .. a silver star diatonic harp by hohner china. did i get that right? i'm not sure if i understand right. i am completely clueless about this.

by the way, how did harmonica came to be known as the harp?

[aquafire]

California? then ask her to get a Hohner Special 20 or any Hohner 10-hole diatonic harmonica. Buschman Harmonicas are also good. Lee Oskar is also good but you must specify richter tuned since it has models of another tuning.
I think it got that term during the 30's-50's. It was the poor man's harp or musical instrument. It is also known as the Mississippi Saxophone. It is also known as the Tin Sandwich. Cause when the poor people long time ago in america go hungry, they just play the harp. or eat the tin sandwich.
Till later. BTW.get the Key of C if she will only buy 1 harp. If more than one then get these keys in this order C, A, D, G, F. Good luck.

[serpentboy]

@Luthienne... I agree with master, key of C ang papalita sa imong auntie. Why settle for less? have her buy a HOhner (it's the Rolls Royce of harps). Have her buy two, and then give me one hehehe! Also ask her to buy instructional materials on harp playing, preferably those with CDs. Then share it with me too.

@aquafire... Nalipong ko sa imong lecture bahin sa music theories (positioning, unsa pa to...). You are indeed the master!

Bro, do you have instructional materials on harp playing? Share pud diha be...

[aquafire]

Na-a koy basic kaayo nga reference book. I may be able to bring along a copy of the CD if i go to Cebu. I will teach if i know more but am also keen to learn if I know less. Wa'y sa-ad. I gave away the original book and cd to somebody who unfortunately didn't appreciate it. Sayang lang. Daghan ka makuha sa harmonica websites. I learned a lot from the web too. I read on music theory mostly from blues guitar reference. But if you got extra cash go to amazon.com. Its amazing what they have there.
But I also need to remind myself that the three most essential things in blues harp playing are..........
Practice, Practice and more practice.

[serpentboy]

The best things in life are free... sige master, paabuton nako imong mga resource materials... anhi lang gud cebu!

I'm sure you could teach us a lot, especially with the technique. And it would even be better if you could share your blues cd's too, specifically those with harp players. I think listening to the legends is one of the best ways, if not the best way to learn the tricks of the trade.

For now, as you've said in your post, we'll just have to practice, practice, and practice...

Ayo-ayo diha bossing!

[splendid moonlight]

thanks, guys. i think i'll have to ask my aunt to buy just one (in key of C). because i really don't know yet if it's going to like me. if it doesn't then i'll have to consider selling it to any one of you. hehe. i hope that won't happen, though.

anyway, how old were you when you started playing it?

i am actually faced with a dilemma. i have to choose between three instruments. i can only have one because i can't ask for all of them at once. now what i need you guys to do is to convince me of this. hehe.Â*

@ serpentboy: if Hohner is the Rolls Royce of harps, isn't it a bit too much for a beginner? what do u guys think?

and also i have to ask what other instruments you play before or after the harp. because after that i have another question to ask of you, good people of the earth.Â*

[splendid moonlight]

err.. double post.

[aquafire]

Luthienne:
Yes get the Hohner Special 20 C harp. It is not too expensive. It has a plastic comb so you don't really need to break it in. It would be less difficult to learn the bending than on some other cheap brands. If you want to learn another instrument make it the guitar or piano (or keyboards). It will be of great value if you want to be a songwriter in the future. hehehe. Budding Alanis M...........
I play guitar (not so good) and some other small instruments(always beginner). Basta mutingog hala bira. hehehe.

Serpent boy:
I'll try to compile a blues harp song cd. Unsa Top ten blues harp songs imong gi-pangita?

[splendid moonlight]

i play a bit of the guitar. it's the only instrument i know how to play. the guitar and the harmonica are two very different instruments so i was wondering if the latter would prove a lot difficult to learn than the first one. but i think now that it is a silly thought because Alanis M. plays both so anyone can too (even if it's difficult). hehe. sige, mag balita lang niya ko ninyu kung naa na koy harp!

[serpentboy]

@aquafire... Any songs with harp on it bro, para makopya ang mga licks. Maayo man gud ko mangopya, sugod pag hi-skul hantud college hehehe...

I guess the ones by Howlin Wolf, Little Walter, etc., as long nga dunay harp. Ikaw na bahala bro, ikaw may master ana.

Kung duna kay mga instructionals, share pud bro ha?

I have a blues mp3 CD with at least 100+ songs, some of them with harp playing. I can make a copy for you too.

@luthienne... In my opinion, you should have a piano coz it's the hardest to get kay mahal man. The other two, you can always buy anytime. Pero ang deciding factor - which instrument you have the passion for.

Buy the best harp, mao ra man gihapon in the end u'll settle for nothing less. Mas ok gani na kay 99.9999% perfect ang tuning, unlike cheaper brands nga yabag.

Guitar and harp do get along fine, especially with blues songs. U could incorporate ur guitar licks with that of the harp. The harp playing of Alanis is easier to do since theyre mostly chords and all u have to do is blow and suck air with your mouth, unlike in blues where you do it note for note.