Hi guys. I’ve been playing harmonica for about a month now and I play in first position, straight harp, simple melodies such as Happy Birthday, She’ll be coming round the mountain, You are my sunshine, etc…
I have a C harp and a G harp. I find the G much easier to play, particularly on the top 3 holes. And I like the deeper sound. Yet I keep reading that the C is the better harp to learn on?
I get that if you’re playing bluesy cross harp then a C might be better, or if you’re playing with a band, you need a certain key, but if I’m just enjoying playing melodies at home, does it really matter?
Should I keep persevering with the C? Or simply enjoy playing the G?
Definitely. Just enjoy learning to play well with whatever key harp you wish. If you are taking lessons (e.g. from Luke @Luke) then it is typical that most of the instruction assumes you have and play a C harp, but that is only important if you wish to play along and be in the same key as the instructor – all of the techniques taught apply to any key diatonic Richter blues harp.
Most every harp instructor will suggest a C harp, I think because it’s basically in the middle of the range - not as low as, say, the G nor as high as an E. Top notes on a G are easier to play because it takes less precision in technique. Back when I started an old harp player told me when it comes to holes 7-10 “don’t go there.” But I eventually did and you will, too. If you can play top to bottom on a C harp it will be easier on lower keys and a good start to the higher ones. Incidentally, my carry harp is an A or a G because I like the deeper sound as well and I can sing to it when I’m feeling brave. But, like the others have said, play and enjoy what you like.
In my (limited) experience, I have found that I also prefer the sound of the G when I’m playing for my personal enjoyment and want the fattest sound. However, I found that when I began to learn bending, it was easier for me to bend the C and the C used less air. You will find slight bending differences across the C and G harmonicas. I started hitting bends on my C before my G.
In general, I use my C harmonica for (most) practice since so many lessons are in C and the bending is easier (for me). But I switch up when I’m playing for pure enjoyment, depending on what I’m in the mood for. But yes, the G and A are definitely the nicest to play alone and if you’re only playing straight, first position I would just enjoy the fat G.
When you play by yourself, use whatever key harp you like. But most instructional material uses a C - next most used is an A.
However, if you want to play along with recordings, or a vocalist, or a band, you need to be able to play in the key they select - but you get to figure out which position you want to play in and therefore what key harmonica you will use.
Vocalists pick a key they like singing in, but guitarists like E (lots of easy chords), so I use an A in second position for a lot of blues in E.
I practice using my Ab and B harmonicas, as I have all keys of harp and those two are the least used in bands in my experience. But at jams I often get surprised when someone wants an unusual key, so I have learnt to always bring all the harmonica keys. At last week’s jam I was onstage when they decided on a late change - to do the song (Elvis - ‘Mean Woman Blues’) in Bb, after initially agreeing to do it in E. A quick sprint back to my harp case to swap the A for an Eb and all worked well.
FYI, I use mainly LO harps, but got a set of 12 keys of Easttop T008K in a case for a good price as backups.
Cheers
Maka
