I want to buy a harmonica for the first time but dont know which one to go for???

Question

well id obviousely be a beginner. i want to start to play the harmonica but when i went to search for them online i got so many different ones and i dont know which one to go for...........for eg. some have 10 holes, 16 holes and 32 holes etc which one is best for beginers?? and i keep getting in my search results the diatonic and chromatic. what are they and which one should i go for??

any help would be appreciated..

Answer 1

When I started playing, I chose a diatonic Blues Harp in the key of E. That seemed to fit in with most of the music I was listening too. Once you know how to play one, you can get others in different keys to play along with your friends.

Get a Blues Harp or other quality brand from your local guitar store, they normally don't sell junk.

Avoid the harmonicas that come with a book. They are usually trash.

Answer 2

The diatonic harmonica is so called because it uses only the Major and Minor Scales. Scales are the familiar do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-do. Seven tones Plus the First Tone repeated at the end to make an octave. The tones on the diatonic scale

(and therefore on the diatonic harmonica) are split between hole step(tone) and half steps(tone).

In the Chromatic scale (and the chromatic harmonica) the tones are the same distance apart - half tone(step) apart.

For beginners with no music background the diatonic harmonica is the way most people go.

One minor problem,You will have to own a separate diatonic harmonica for each major key in which you plan to play.

You could then own as many as 12 harmonicas .

Do not fear,  if you are not going to play with a band you can easily get by with just a "C" and a"G" key harmonica

Be aware that there are many songs that cannot be played on

the diatonic scale simply because there are missing notes on

the diatonic scale harmonicas.

The chromatic harmonica requires a little bit of knowledge about music. If you ever play another musical instrument before, you might find the chromatic scale (with all the sharps

and flats found in music) is for you.

The issue of "holes" only means that the more holes it has

the higher or lower the scale notes can be played. You are

still working with seven different notes "A-B-C-D-E-F-G"

An an octave the 8th Note is a REPEAT of the first note but

at either a higher or lower Tone.

Harmonicas are not too expensive (compared to other instruments) but they still can go into the $$$.

I own two diatonics and two chromatics but they are not Toys

If i recall my least expensive cost me $45. and the most expensive cost me $175.

There are many reliable dealers on the web, check around and read about quality. For a diatonic try to avoid the cheapest and again the keys of "C" and "G" can get you going.

If you must choose only one the "C" will be more practical.

Good Luck and Enjoy!