Probably like many others when I bought my first chromatic, couldn’t get on with it and stuck it in a draw. Some time later I tried it again having learned a bit more music theory and hey-presto it started to come together and make sense, now it’s rare for me to pick up a diatonic even for playing blues I play 3rd position chromatic. When I wrote in a post that I preferred EAST:TOP Forerunners to my CX12s Luke seemed surprised but if anyone on the forum is looking to try a chromatic the Forerunner is a useful and inexpensive (especially the original Forerunner which it probably half the price of a Forerunner2 and in my opinion just as good) an instrument. I’ve customised all of mine for studio playing but out of the box they are already pretty good. I have no connection to EAST:TOP but it may be interesting to see what others think of the Forerunner on Easttop 1248NV (forerunner) fan club where opinions come from various players. I’m not suggesting that anyone should try a chromatic but if anyone does the Forerunner may be worth considering. Jay1
Hi @Jay1 been trying to find that post with the Chromatic notes on a A key Chromy but I can’t find it what I want to know basically is this, what Key am I in when I push the slide in and hold it. I was reading somewhere that Little Walter did this on a few tracks and kind of did the opposite letting the slide out for notes he wanted to get. Still finding a bit of a challenge, I realize now I should have definitely got one in C, which I will rectify shortly. There seems to be more backing tracks in the style I’m trying to achieve in C, but when I read that stuff about Walter I thought maybe I could give that a go and it would open the harp up a bit more for me. Cheers
With the slide pressed in the chromatic harps are then tuned a half step higher. So the A harp becomes an A# / Bb harp. Here is the diagram for an A chromatic harp.
– Slim 
Ahh that explains it thanks Slim, trying hard to learn this beast
@Andy2 and @Slim Sorry for the delay, only just got in as managed to catch an earlier flight back for the weekend. Slim has answered your immediate question. If you’re going for another Forerunner I’d suggest the earlier Forerunner 1. Frankly I can’t see why the Forerunner 2 is over twice the price other than dealers wanting to get rid of older stock. I use a Forerunner 1 in C and Forerunner 2 for all other keys as they didn’t produce the Forerunner 1 in other keys but honestly can’t see anything different enough to buy a Forerunner 2 in C. Others may disagree but in my opinion any difference is so tiny and in some cases even detrimental and I’ve seen a Forerunner 1 as low as £15. If you do get a C chrom I can post all the major and minor pentatonic and blues scales so you can play in any key. Jay1
If you have the scales in print form then you can either post photos of them here on the forum or post a link here to a PDF file for downloading. This would really help to promote the chromatic harp here among the forum members (who seem to be mostly diatonic harpists).
– Slim
@Jay1 and that was going to be my next question what’s the difference between Forerunner 1 and 2 now you’ve answered my question thanks and yes all of that stuff would be incredibly useful
@Slim @Andy2 This doesn’t work blame it on 2 large G&Ts with the third one waiting 
Tough case today 
If necessary I’ll take pictures and post them but not tonight!
Pentatonic and blues scales are the get you home free notes for chroms so
< is slide in - is draw + are blow bold print is the blues note.
Cm : BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
C Eb F F# G Bb C
+1 <-1 -2 <-2 +3 <-3 +4 <-5 -6 <-6
Cm PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
C Eb F G Bb C
+1 <-1 -2 +3 <-3 +4 <-5 -6 +7 <-7
C Major PENTATONIC SCALE
C D E G A C
+1 -1 + 2 + 3 -3 + 4 -5 +6 +7 -7 +8
Gm : BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
G Bb C C# D F G
+3 <-3 +4 <+4 -5 -6 +7 <-7 +8 <+8 -9
Gm PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
G Bb C D F G
+3 <-3 +4 -5 -6 +7 <-7 +8 -9
G Major PENTATONIC SCALE
G A B D E G
+3 -3 -4 -5 +6 +7 -7 -8 -9 +10
Dm : BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
D F G Ab A C D
-1 -2 +3 <+3 -3 +4 -5 -6 +7 <+7 -7
Dm PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
D F G A C D
-1 -2 +3 -3 +4 -5 -6 +7 -7 +8 -9 -10
D Major PENTATONIC SCALE
D E F# A B D
-1 +2 <-2 -3 -4 -5 6 <-6 -7 -8 -9 +10
Am : BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
A C D Eb E G A
-3 +4 -5 <-5 +6 +7 -7 +8 -9 <-9 +10 +11
Am PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
A C D E G A
-3 +4 -5 +6 +7 -7 +8 -9 +10 +11
A Major PENTATONIC SCALE
A B C# E F# A
-3 -4 <+5 +6 <-6 -7 -8 <8 10 <-10
Em : BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
E G A Bb B D E
+2 +3 -3 <-3 -4 -5 +6 +7 -7 <-7 -8 -9
Em PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
E G A B D E
+2 +3 -3 -4 -5 +6 +7 -7 -8 -9 +10
E Major PENTATONIC SCALE
E F# G# B C# E
+2 <-2 <+3 -4 <5 +6 <-6 <+7 -8 <+9
Bm : BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
B D E F Ab A B
-4 -5 +6 -6 <+6 -7 -8 -9 +10 <-10
Bm PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
B D E Fstrong text Ab A B
-4 -5 +6 <+6 -7 -8 -9 +10 -10 -11
B major PENTATONIC SCALE
B C# D# F# G# B
-4 <+4 <-5 <-6 <+7 - 8 <+8 <-9 <-10
F#/Gbm BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
F# A B C C# E F#
<-2 -3 -4 +5 <+5 +6 <-6 -7 -8 <+9 +9
F#/Gbm PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
F# A B E F#
<-2 -3 -4 <+5 +6 <-6 -7 -8 +9
F#/Gb Major PENTATONIC SCALE
F# G# A# C# D# F#
<-2 <+3 <-3 <+5 <-5 <-6 <+7 <-7 <+8
Db/C#m BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
Db E Gb G Ab B Db
<+1 +2 <-2 +3 <+3 -4 <+5 +6 <+6 +7
Db/C#m PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
Db E Gb Ab B Db
<+1 +2 <-2 <+3 -4 <+5 +6 <-6 <+7
Db/C# Major PENTATONIC SCALE
C# D# F# G# A# C#
<+1 <-1 <-2 <+3 <-3 <+4 <-5 <-6 <+7
Abm/G# BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
Ab B Db D Eb F# Ab
<+3 -4 <+4 -5 <-5 <-6 <+7 -8 <+9 <-9
Abm/G# PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
Ab B Db Eb F# Ab
<+3 -4 <+4 <-5 <-6 <+7 -8 <+9
Ab/G# Major PENTATONIC SCALE
Ab Bb C Eb F Ab
<+3 <-3 +4 <-5 -6 <+7 <-7 +8 <-9 -10
Ebm/D# BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
Eb F# Ab A Bb Db Eb
<-1 <-2 <+3 -3 <-3 <+4 <-5 <-6 <+7 -7
Ebm PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
Eb F# Ab Bb Db Eb
<-1 <-2 <+3 <-3 <+4 <-5 <-6 <+7
Eb/D# Major PENTATONIC SCALE
Eb E G A# C Eb
<-1 +2 +3 <-3 +4 <-5 +6 +7 <-7 +8
Bbm/A# BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
Bb Db Eb E F Ab Bb
<-3 <+4 <-5 +6 -6 <+7 <-7 <+8 <-9
Bbm PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
Bb Db Eb F Ab Bb
<-3 <+4 <-5 -6 <+7 <-7 <+8 <-9
Bb Major PENTATONIC SCALE
Bb C D F G Bb
<-3 +5 -5 -6 +7 <-7 +9 -9 -10
Fm BLUES SCALE BLUES NOTES
F Ab Bb B C Eb F
-2 <+3 <-3 -4 +5 <-5 -6 <+7 <-7 -8 +8
Fm PENTATONIC SCALE NO BLUES NOTES
F Ab Bb C Eb F
-2 <+3 <-3 +5 <-5 -6 <+7 <-7 +8
F Major PENTATONIC SCALE
F G A C D F
-2 +3 -3 +4 -5 -6 +7 -7 +8 -9
Now Saturday morning so can add a bit more. Some will be able to memorise scales but for me it could be weeks between using some scales so I have an indexed notebook with one set of scales (Blues; Minor Pentatonic & Major Pentatonic) per page. If, for example, I’m confronted with F#m/Gbm I can turn to that page and know exactly what notes I can get away with especially if asked to improvise the melody. It’s all part of my cheat sheets. I’ll try to download a picture of my other cheat sheet stuck into the lid of my chrom gig box. It’s in Excel so copy and paste doesn’t work. Hope this is helpful.
Jay1
Thank you for the time and effort, @Jay1 !! 
The only thing I would add: the major blues scales. But that is just me, because one can expand your list almost endlessly by including various others (scales such as the Bebop, Diminished, Altered Dominant, etc). So I guess each of us would perhaps add in those scales that they typically like to use, and skip over the more exotic ones that they almost never play.
Thanks again, @Jay1 – you hopefully have encouraged some diatonic harpists to try out the extremely versatile chormatic.
– Slim
@Andy2 There’s a lot of opinions on the net about the new Forerunner, most seem to think the F2 is better than F1 but I just don’t see it. Covers are a bit further apart at the back and the spacers are an improved design; mouthpiece and slide appear to be identical my F1 doesn’t click as some have said but I do spend quite a lot of time customising in the mouthpiece/slide areas on F1 & F2; I’ve had to put self amalgamating tape around F2 covers to get as good a grip as on the F1
If you’re getting into solo tuning you can use them as solo tuned diatonics So:
Ab chrom with slide held in will give A’
Bb chrom with slide held in will give B
C chrom with slide held in will give Db
D chrom with slide held in will give Eb
E chrom with slide held in will give F
F# chrom with slide held in will give G
With the 6 solo tuned chroms you have all Western 12 key solo tuned diatonics to play all Major keys; all Minor keys (using draw 3 0r draw 7 as the root) and all 3rd position blues (using draw 1 or draw 5 as the root). With the C Chrom, using the Blues or Pentatonic scales I’ve posted you have just about everything in 6 chroms. Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together? 
@Slim I’ve tried to keep it simple so tend to just use the Major Pentatonic without the blues note especially as I’m rarely asked to play blues, It’s just a cheat sheet for those occasions when the mind goes blank. As I’ve written before chroms are just two solo tuned diatonics separated by a button not some evil device to be hidden away in the socks draw. Going back to other posts like ‘do looks matter’ and ‘why do harp players have such bad reputations’ pull out a chrom and attitudes change as Peter @Hogie.Harmonica put it ‘Ever notice how nobody disrespects a violin player? It is because they train.’ Chroms are viewed, in my opinion quite wrongly, as being far more difficult to play than diatonics, it’s partly because other musicians have never tried them. Jay1
@Jay1 and @Slim thanks for taking the time to do this, I’m not particularly good at reading Harmonica tabs so the actual notes do work for me better than numbers. I’ve found some swing style stuff on YouTube and I’ve been having a go by ear, and it’s not too bad, but knowing where all the notes are will be a big help. So thanks again.
The difficulty of diatonic vs. chromatic really depends on what you are trying to do.
If you want to learn music, chromatic is much more straightforward. You have to learn one octave and then how to manage transitioning into the surrounding octaves. All notes are (relatively) the same level of difficulty to play. Every note can be bent a bit.
Diatonic, if you want play 1st position Melody with chords, is incredibly simple. If you want to play some basic blues, it is also not too crazy. If you want to treat it like a full instrument it is insanely complex and difficult.
Oddly that’s the path I took because chromatic seemed troublesome when I started with one. But I’ve since learned things like heating it up before and after you play. And I spent a year or so learning the basics. About what it takes for any instrument.
Trochilus offered a middle ground, as your middle octave skills grow, those can be transferred to a chromatic. But, the shortest path is just play chromatic with a good method book and a teacher.
It’s chucking it down with rain here and just found some interesting harmonica music at amurray959.wixsite.com or possibly www.garymharmonica.co.uk might work better and also you might like to google chromatic harmonica jazz. Jay1