Other than the issue with the holder coming out of place, the K&M is a great piece that is simple and gets the job done. It’s on the lower end of the price range for holders to, which is nice. A very light holder but still sturdy, the Hohner is easily adjustable as well, Hohner in general is one of the better brands for Harmonicas and equipment. a pun on the inventor's surname and 成功, or "success," pronounced "chenggong" in Mandarin Chinese) harmonica, invented by Cheng Xuexue 程雪學 of China. The “correct” way of adjusting your harmonica is slightly out so it’s not right on your face and you have to reach only a little bit out to play, however this I do think should be more up to personal preference.

In 1898, the harmonica was brought to Japan, where the Tremolo harmonica was the most popular instrument. After about 30 years, the Japanese developed scale tuning and semitone harmonicas that could play Japanese folk songs. The harmonica was developed in Europe in the early part of the 19th century. Free-reed instruments like the Chinese sheng had been fairly common in East Asia since ancient times. They became relatively well known in Europe after being introduced by the French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot (1718–1793), who lived in Qing-era China. [3] Around 1820, free-reed designs began being created in Europe. Christian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann is often cited as the inventor of the harmonica in 1821, but other inventors developed similar instruments at the same time. [4] In 1829, Charles Wheatstone developed a mouth-organ under the name "Aeolina" (inspired by the Aeolian harp). [5] Mouth-blown free-reed instruments appeared in the United States, South America, the United Kingdom and Europe at roughly the same time. These instruments were made for playing classical music.This is good advice for any instrument you’ll ever learn, but I’d say especially for learning how to play Harmonica while you play another instrument you’ll definitely want to start with easy songs. I tried learning really complex stuff when I first started and was almost getting burned out, before I decided to start learning easier songs/riffs. The ChengGong harmonica [2] has a main body, and a sliding mouthpiece. The body is a 24-hole diatonic harmonica that ranges from B 2 to D 6 (covering 3 octaves). Its 11-hole mouthpiece can slide along the front of the harmonica, which gives numerous chord choices and voicings (seven triads, three 6th chords, seven 7th chords, and seven 9th chords, for a total of 24 chords). As well, it is capable of playing single-note melodies and double stops over a range of three diatonic octaves. Unlike conventional harmonicas, blowing and drawing produce the same notes because its tuning is closer to the note layout of a typical East Asian tremolo harmonica or the Polyphonias. The K&M harmonica holder is especially suitable for blues harmonica versions with breath size of 4.252 inches.

Weinstein, Randy F.; Melton, William (2001). The Complete Idiot's Guide to Playing the Harmonica. Alpha. ISBN 0-02-864241-4. When purchasing a harmonica holder, make sure that it can secure your harmonica in perfect and dependable playing position as such that, it does not move, swivel or slip when reaching out to it during play. This is the key point of consideration when shopping for the best harmonica holder. Harmonicas were scarce in the United States during World War II. Wood and metal materials for harmonicas were in short supply because of military demand. Furthermore, the primary harmonica manufacturers were based in Germany and Japan, the enemies of the United States and the Allied forces in the war. During this time, Finn Haakon Magnus, a Danish-American factory worker and entrepreneur, developed and perfected the molded plastic harmonica. The plastic harmonica used molded plastic combs and far fewer pieces than traditional metal or wood harmonicas, which made the harmonica more economical to mass-produce and more sanitary. Though the plastic reeds in these harmonicas produced a less distinctive (and, to many ears, inferior) sound than their metallic counterparts, Magnus harmonicas and several imitators soon became commonplace, particularly among children. [7] The patent for the plastic comb was awarded to William Kratt of Wm. Kratt Company in 1952. During World War II, the War Department allotted a rationed supply of brass to Kratt's factory so they could continue to produce harmonicas that the Red Cross distributed to American troops overseas to boost morale. Here are three tips for getting used to playing the Harmonica with other instruments (No matter which instrument pair you choose) – Horn harmonicas are available in several pitch ranges, with the lowest pitched starting two octaves below middle C and the highest beginning on middle C itself; they usually cover a two- or three-octave range. They are chromatic instruments and are usually played in an East Asian harmonica orchestra instead of the " push-button" chromatic harmonica that is more common in the European and American tradition. Their reeds are often larger, and the enclosing "horn" gives them a different timbre, so that they often function in place of a brass section. In the past, they were referred to as horn harmonicas.When President Ronald Reagan suffered a punctured lung in the 1981 attempt on his life, his breathing therapist was Howard McDonald, of the Cambridge Harmonica Orchestra. Orchestra director Pierre Beauregard had hoped that Reagan's therapeutic harmonica experience would help them get a chance to play at the White House, but this never occurred. [15] Related instruments [ edit ] The mouthpiece is placed between the air chambers of the instrument and the player's mouth. This can be integral with the comb (the diatonic harmonicas; the Hohner Chrometta); part of the cover (as in Hohner's CX-12); or may be a separate unit, secured by screws, which is typical of chromatics. In many harmonicas, the mouthpiece is purely an ergonomic aid designed to make playing more comfortable. In the traditional slider-based chromatic harmonica, it is essential to the functioning of the instrument because it provides a groove for the slide. When pressing down and moving around a lot I don’t have to readjust at all, the harmonica holder keeps everything in place. Getting used to playing any instrument involves learning lots of coordination. With Guitar, you’ve got to coordinate your right and left hands, and for instruments like drums you learn to use your whole body entirely. Of course, with the Harmonica you’ve learned to use your hands to move the Harmonica around, and you’ve learned to train your breathing as well. Initial diatonic harmonica tunings were major key only. In 1931, Hiderō Satō ( 佐藤秀廊) announced the development of a minor key harmonica. There are two types of minor key tunings, "natural minor" suitable for folk and contemporary music, and Latin American music, and the "harmonic minor" suitable for some famous Japanese pieces.

The attachment mechanism of this holder is what makes it even more outstanding! You can adjust it in three different ways so that you have the best in flexibility. I assume this doesn’t apply to everyone that reads this article. However….I’d like to add that playing the Harmonica while playing a different instrument is pretty difficult, and you should consider the time and effort this will take as well to learn how to play the Harmonica while playing something else as well.

Another significant aspect of this holder is the rare-earth polymer covered magnet that completely secures your harmonica in the playing position you want. There aren’t many downsides at all, most people love this holder and it does well for them especially for the price. Playing the Harmonica paired with your favorite instrument can be an absolute blast, for me that’s playing guitar (my first musical love). Super rewarding to learn, and stupid stupid fun to jam with others with. I got a few bandmates jealous quite a few times. lol. Since the 1950s, many blues harmonica players have amplified their instrument with microphones and tube amplifiers. One of the early innovators of this approach was Marion " Little Walter" Jacobs, who played the harmonica near a "Bullet" microphone marketed for use by radio taxi dispatchers. This gave his harmonica tone a "punchy" midrange sound that could be heard above an electric guitar. Also, tube amplifiers produce a natural growling overdrive when cranked at higher volumes, which adds body, fullness, and "grit" to the sound. Little Walter also cupped his hands around the instrument, tightening the air around the harp, giving it a powerful, distorted sound, somewhat reminiscent of a saxophone, hence the term "Mississippi saxophone". Some harmonica players in folk use a regular vocal microphone, such as a Shure SM 58, for their harmonica, which gives a clean, natural sound. [ citation needed]

Your harmonica attaches very simply to the top on this one by a magnet and is not bulky and looks extremely comfortable. The downside is that some harmonicas will not attach to the magnet. They usually feature a U-shaped metal band that fits over the shoulder attached to an adjustable metal upright that has in built slots for the harmonica. The majority of holders are set up to take standard 10 hole diatonic harps, as these are the most common types used in situations that require a holder. However, Hohner does produce one holder - the HH154 - that will accept 10, 12 and 14 hole harmonicas, thereby allowing players of longer harps to benefit from hands free harmonica playing. How do you Use a Harmonica Holder?Strictly speaking, diatonic denotes any harmonica designed to play in a single key—though the standard Richter-tuned harmonica diatonic can play other keys by forcing its reeds to play tones that are not part of its basic scale. Depending on the country, "diatonic harmonica" may mean either the tremolo harmonica (in East Asia) or blues harp (in Europe and North America). Other diatonic harmonicas include octave harmonicas. Playing the harmonica requires inhaling and exhaling strongly against resistance. This action helps develop a strong diaphragm and deep breathing using the entire lung volume. Pulmonary specialists have noted that playing the harmonica resembles the kind of exercise used to rehabilitate COPD patients such as using a PFLEX inspiratory muscle trainer or the inspiratory spirometer. Learning to play a musical instrument also offers motivation in addition to the exercise component. Many pulmonary rehabilitation programs [ specify] therefore have begun to incorporate the harmonica. [11] [12] [13] [14] Harmonica For Fun & Health Classes". Harmonica Masterclass. Archived from the original on 2006-06-30.