I am a newbie so this is strictly for educational purposes as I am not yet ready to dive into different keys yet. A lot of talk about favorite harmonica but how about favorite key and why? Thanks! Sorry if this has already been talked about. I did a quick look but didn’t see much.
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D is my favorite but I can’t say why it might be the tone I get. Followed closely by A,
I feel like I have heard a lot of people liking A, reading through the forum and FB posts etc. Once I find a harmonica I really like to play and get a little better I will start to add some different keys
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depends on the mood, style of play, etc., but in order of my own use that would be C, A, G, D. I rarely play to a backing track but if you do, of course that has to be factored in to play in the proper key also.
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I just spent a week playing my ‘C’ lessons with a G… really cool and really different. Like driving a truck, the ‘C’ is a compact-!
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I’d say G then D then A.
Thinking about it if I get a low D that migth be my favorite, the D harp I have is verging on squeek territory (i doubt I’d get any higher key harp, if I come to need one I’ll see about getting a low one).
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I guess G is one of my favorites mainly because it’s the key I fist learned with and play the most. I also like A & E. I have been meaning to try Bb and D, I think I will try to remind myself to do a self practice session with those.
I am in the process of adding an A. I’ll have A, B flat, C and G. C is in the middle and a good key to start with.
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I heavily favor a few keys, for a variety of reasons. But I’ll put on my beginner hat first.
When I was beginning, E was the favorite key (using key of A harp). Why? Guitar players love it. So it was easy to find someone to play with. Same thing for key of G, use key of C harp.
As for my favorite keys - sharing this because I love deeper positions and want to help people get interested in them. And same for reading music.
- For many keys, I like to use C Harmonica and Bb Harmonica. Why? Because then I can read parts that are written in concert pitch, or parts that are written in Bb like it is for trumpet and tenor sax. I’d add Eb to this, but I find the regular Eb harp to be a bit high, and the low Eb to be low. But if I could overcome this feeling, I could use Eb harps to read alto sax parts. Given that I love Kenny Garrett and bought several transcription books, I should spend more time with my Eb harps to get over this idea.
- G Harp, played in B minor. This is my favorite way to play in B minor (though I also like using a chromatic harp in C for playing in B minor). This is called 5th position, and it freaking rocks. All the 2nd position major pentatonic licks will also work in this position.
- For playing chromatic, I like playing a C chromatic in B minor (like mentioned above), Bb minor, D minor and D major, and Eb since it has so many useful enharmonic ways to play the Fs and Cs.
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Great info here thanks!
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When playing alone, the lower tuned harps have nice soothing sound and you can explore the top register without being super-shrill. I think it’s ultimately important to get comfy with all the keys, but I naturally gravitate toward G, A, Bb - I really like those registers.
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@Luke If you had to pick 1 for a “next in the collection” what would the top pick be of the G A Bb? I may just add a new one now.
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My personal favorite key is C. A lot of country and gospel music is played in the key of G, which is played on a C harp in second position. Terry McMillan played a lot of songs on a C Hohner Golden Melody, most notably on “Ain’t Goin’ Down (til the Sun Comes Up)” by Garth Brooks. For me, I play “Amazing Grace” on that harp alongside the Db harp. It has a very bluesy sound to it that I really enjoy and it’s not too low, not too high. But then again, the Golden Melody is very bluesy in its tone.
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@KeroroRinChou I am still waiting on my golden melody to show up. I think they shipped it pony express haha.
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Well, on your recommendation my Wife is buying me one for Valentine’s Day
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@davemacinnh Probably A if you wanna be able to play E blues with guitar players (their default key for blues.)
Or a G is what Joe Filisko recommends for daily practice of the Big Tone Train (although an A works too.) G also if you wanna play along with Heart of Gold.
Hope that helps. Rock on! 