Hohner "Big River" or Suzuki "Folkmaster" is a Good Choice!
Most Common Key: C
Cross Harp/Straight Harp
How do I clean my harmonica?
The only cleaning normally required is to remove the excess moisture from the harmonica after playing by tapping it on the palm of the hand and wiping it clean with a lint free cloth. Equally important is to avoid allowing food particles or saliva to enter the harmonica by playing with a clean, dry mouth.
What is "cross harp"?
Originally a blues style, but used today for many kinds of music, cross harp is a system in which a diatonic harmonica is played in a key seven half-steps up from the key in which the harmonica is tuned, e.g. a C harp played in the key of G. This produces a blues scale with a flatted seventh and has the advantage that the most important notes can be bent in the low end, producing a fluid quality and great expressiveness.
Should I soak my harp?
No, soaking or rinsing can warp or crack harmonica wood bodies, promote corrosion of reeds and reed-plates and destroy the wind saving valves. A certain amount of breath moisture will naturally permeate a harmonica after a short playing period, helping to seal the reed chambers and improve the sound. Excessive moisture, however, can damage or shorten the life of a harmonica.
Can a harmonica go out of tune?
Notes may go a little flat if too much residue and moisture builds up on the reeds. This is one reason the instrument should be played with a clean, dry mouth, and be tapped out after playing. Playing too loud will also strain the reeds and eventually cause them to lose pitch. If a reed goes drastically flat, a quarter tone or more, it has most likely been strained and should be repaired or replaced.
How can I obtain a good tone from my harmonica?
Beginners and players learning new techniques may need to spend some time adjusting embouchure and air flow in order to obtain a good tone. Notes may rattle or stick with too much air pressure and may sound choked or not play at all if the tongue is in the wrong position. Low draw notes, especially on lower key models, require an adequate space in which to resonate properly. A harmonica will sound best with a normal amount of breath pressure and an open, relaxed air passage through the mouth
Diatonic - Chromatic harps
The most common harmonica is a "Diatonic Major" harp. Simply put, these harmonicas have all the notes of a Major Scale; C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C...
Chromatic harmonicas contain the notes of a Diatonic Major Scale, plus a "half-step" between each whole-step interval; C-C#-D-D#-E-F-F#-G-G#-A-A#-B-C...
Resources:
Hohner, Lee Oskar
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