This was a post I made on r/harmonica on January 8, 2025. I originally wrote this as a response to the common myth that “Golden Melodies are not made for blues”.
I’ve been hearing the same things online for years about how certain harmonica models are “made” to only play one genre of music. Mainly because Hohner marks their models as only good for certain genres. The constant argument that has been happening for years is, “Golden Melodies are only made for melodies and Marine Bands should only be used for blues”. Diatonic harmonica players and even the general public have been telling this myth for as long as I’ve been playing (if not, longer) and people have tried to convince me for years to switch to a Marine Band, with no other explanation given other than “the GM’s tuning is bad”.
There’s something my teacher told me a long time ago. If the tuning’s the problem, then how come people use chromatics for blues? Both the Golden Melody and a chromatic have a similar intonation structure, being Equal Temperment, meanwhile modern Marine Band’s are Just Intonation/Compromise. Then it just boils down to “are equal temperment harmonicas valid for blues?” Which they are, of course. Some people use Chromatics, Lee Oskars, Suzuki’s, and Kongshengs (in recent years) for blues and it doesn’t make the Golden Melody less valid as a blues harp. And yes, you can play chords on them just fine. It will all depend on your ear and what you’re used to hearing.
For example, I can’t stand the tuning of a Marine Band. And I know this about me because I tried one out and found out the chords were too out-of-tune compared to my harmonica of choice, the Hohner Golden Melody. I’m not a typically a melody player, but I often associate it with the music that I and my heroes have played, which most of it has been country music. The player I heard the most on the radio was Terry McMillan. He played everything using only Golden Melodies. Prior to the 80s, he played Marine Bands but switched to the Golden Melody when he became a Hohner endorsee. Terry was mostly known as a country and gospel harmonica player, but his style was heavily influenced by modern blues musicians like Paul Butterfield, John Mayall, and Norton Buffalo. He was also influenced by Little Walter. Terry was mainly a session player and could play in any genre in any style he wanted, but he had an affinity for playing the blues. One example of this being his version of “Stormy Monday”, where he played amplified with Bb and D Golden Melodies. You could tell he put so much heart and soul into playing that song with his stage presence whenever he played. But then the next day, he’d be in the studio doing studio work. So the question isn’t really “Are Golden Melodies are viable for blues?” Because it’s actually possible to play Golden Melodies in the blues. The actual question should be, “how I can use this harmonica to get the most out of what I want to play?”
Good write up. I am actually going to buy a GM because I am curious about it. Granted I am just a newbie but at this point I am trying to find the harmonica I like the best
I saw footage of Paul DeLay playing a GM, it was he said the only harp they had in the store when he bought it. He proceeded to blow everyone away. At the end of the gig you could hear the audience saying what was that harp he was using. And DeLay overheard as he was putting his stuff away and he said “Golden Melody”. And several people who I assume were harp players said" I’ve got to get one of those" DeLay was a tongue blocker he played chords and melody on the GM it sounded thick and quite deep. I’ve been considering getting myself one.
Not sure if you realise, but a new design of Golden Melody came out last year. The new one is not the same as the old. There’s a lot about the differences out there on the Internet…
Here’s what @Luke had to say last April
https://forum.harmonica.com/t/new-vs-old-golden-melody-shoot-out/13706
Interesting. Thanks for the heads up!
It’s funny. When I was a kid, Marine Bands were the only harp in the store. That’s why all the blues greats of the 50s and 60s played MB’s. You didn’t have competition. Now, it’s a different landscape.
On the subject of Golden Melodies, great for blues and jazz. If Hohner compensated players for playing and endorsing them they’d be more in demand.
They do sponsor a few but only for Marine bands deluxe now as everyone seems to have switched to them. I just don’t trust wooden combs harps now. I’m not sure if the deluxe is Bamboo now though. Which will last a lot longer than pear wood but I still think despite the bang on tuning etc they’d have to drop the price a bit before I’d try one.
But I do see your point as @KeroroRinChou correctly stated on Hohner’s own blurb they state that the GM is not any good for blues. Somebody ought to forward that Paul DeLay vid it might change there minds
The Crossover is bamboo and the Deluxe has the same wood as a Marine Band.
Ahh I wasn’t sure. Wooden combs not something I’m keen on
Yes! Especially to the admin of r/harmonica. He thinks that I would sound better on a Marine Band or Special 20 for blues instead of a Golden Melody. He doesn’t really know me or heard how I play. A lot of people say that I’m out of tune with the Special 20 and the Marine Band, so somebody should send him that Paul DeLay video. Besides if Golden Melodies are only for melodies, then why does Terry McMillan make it sound like it was meant to be a blues instrument?
Now he’s trying to say that tuning is related to physics. The thing I know about harmonica players who don’t post their playing and talk shit about others, is that they misuse science to get their point across.
I’ve heard you play, you are great ignore the idiots that talk bollocks. It’s all about their own egos not their ability. I had similar problems not long back. Then this person heard me play, he hasn’t come around since. Let your playing do the talking
Real talk: Most of the modern harmonica world is BUILT on using these instruments in a way they were NOT designed to be used.
Richter tuning was not made for playing blues. It was made for playing German folk melodies. Something that is underappreciated, in my opinion.
But harmonica players hacked it and used it for another purpose entirely, that fundamentally changed how people understood the instrument.
Then came overblowing and Howard Levy, who hacked it even further and expanded what the world understood was possible for the harmonica.
Do chords sound much smoother on 7 Limit Just Intonation? Heck yes they do. Listen to Filisko play, it is amazing. Beautiful and rich, and smooth and just overall pleasant. Similar for 19 Limit Just Intonation, but less so.
But let’s face it, a lot of modern blues harmonica playing isn’t very focused on beautiful, rich, and smooth. It is focused on power, sharp attacks, and is much more focused on melody and licks than (most) pre-war playing.
And depending on how you play those chords, the beats (the unpleasant sound made from equal temp harps when playing chords, especially the draw chord) may not be noticable. I usually play ET harps, so I tend to keep my chords quite short and abrupt.
As for how people respond to you, I’ve found there’s a few factors in how people respond to me. People that are heavily invested in the harmonica world (e.g., it is their job) have the unique challenge of trying to pass on what they know to help people, to a crowd that is, by cultural tradition, rebels.
Guitar players may have that reputation, but it is nothing compared to the intense “I’ll do it my way” attitude in the harp community. It’s part of the appeal! Even includes modifying the harp for special uses. I’ve resisted A LOT of learning. Had some ego battles over the years. Through that, I learned one thing: it costs me nothing to try other people’s suggestions, and usually it benefits me. Even if I stay on my planned course.
Looking ahead, I foresee that, if you choose, you could in the coming years become an authority on Terry’s playing, similar to how Filisko is with Sonny Terry. I would ABSOLUTELY be interested to see you you break it down and teach the world how to play just like him. You are one of the only players I know of that is very focused on his style, so it only makes sense that at some point you’ll want to share that with the world.
Fantastic post @Hogie.Harmonica
@Hogie.Harmonica I’d double ‘like’ that post if it were possible. 
If you’ll indulge me going off on a tangent <ignor if you don’t>
As a sweeping generalisation, guitar players… <you can fill in the blank ;)>
The funny thing with guitar players is just hw much effort has gone into monetizing their egos.
$35 EQ pedal? No way, $300 magic tubes to get “your” sound (which is inevitably slight crunch on a guitar that is broadly similar to one of 5 designs from the 1950s), hell yeah!
I had a small bonus from work and had been wondering about getting a new guitar and went down the youtube guitar rabbit hole, and wow, it’s been dialed up since the last time I got interested.
So back to point, Solidarity with @Hogie.Harmonica 's post.
My opinion… 90%+ is the PLAYER, not the particular harp he/she is using.
I’ve been thinking about something witty to add, and I think I’ve got it:
- What people think will make them better: An expensive harp*
- What will make them better: regular practice with a metronome
*here by expensive harp I mean something that’s above a special 20. don’t get a 5usd harp from china. terms and conditions apply.
@yuriythebest @Hogie.Harmonica @dblues Thank you all so much for helping me out. I blocked the admin of r/harmonica a few days ago, I also blocked him on Facebook. I told him that I didn’t understand why he had to put science into music and that we need agree to disagree, but he was ranting about how Golden Melodies “don’t work” for blues being “scientific fact”, which it isn’t. The guy never posted a video of him playing neither on Reddit nor Facebook, but he says that he closely follows Adam Gussow’s teachings.