Horner Harp Choice Family/Model for Consistency
I have a set of C harmonicas in my quest to find the style that suits me. My background is musical, playing the trumpet and piano throughout high-school --- but nothing since. I'm 45 now and my wife and I are digging the idea of playing the harmonica.
We both have C special 20s we have been learning on in general. I also took a liking to the Low register harps so I got a Low C, and really enjoy the depth of the tone. So I want to have my collection consistent, the equivalent to the Low C would actually be the Amp C, as far as side vents closed - but rear open. So I was thinking of getting my main harps in Rocket Amp, for consistentcy with Rocket Lows.
I'm not concerned with the investment, and I do have a crossover in C, but it just sounds --- not as warm and cozy as the SP20 family. I'm sure there are a lot of good reasons for that harp to be a super favorite, but for me its very bright sounding and the cover plate is quite sharp in the rear. I mention that because had I liked the crossover I would just go down the thunderbird line for consistency.
Basically there is now Low version of SP20 as the rear is closed off too. So AMP+LOW for collection, no regular Rocket.
I have no experience with proper harp articulation but as a trumpet player I basically double tongue into them to determine responsiveness and for some reason the rocket itself is not quite the same, I could also have a bias for not having to deal with the bamboo as far as cleaning.
Advice very welcome, I do really seem to enjoy the larger holes in the progressive line, I just hope that's not a crutch in the long run as I know some instruments have training wheels so to speak.
Thanks!
Jason B
Thank you very much for your thorough reply. I very much appreciate the musicality of what the staff hybrid looks like here, and totally follow the line of thought on leaving it in C as its a reference to the melody not what I read and press valves note by note. I just cannot comprend tabs without any timing involved.
Would you say that this course is well rounded for all types of harp playing, I like first position folk style a lot as well. Are there any major techniques that would be significantly less relevant if I didnt focus on blues per the style of the learning. Or is it more of a genre thing that the skills will translate to.
The reason for the C's was to see what I liked after reading and listening to reviews. And the prevailing thought I've seen on the internet is, first get a C, classes and lessons are in C.
I was trying another course, but it was pure tab based and there was no indication of beats, measures, note length so it was messing with my head. The notion of memorizing the melody and then playing it only on tabs is just not how my brain works. So I looked for a lesson site that dealt with the musicality which I appreciate and will help me understand positions for sure, and thats why I am here.I've definately forgotten my key signatures by now so I appreciate the neutral method of supplying melody to support the harmonica nomenclature. Easier to by a C harp than a C trumpet :)Another random question: What is H, someone said its B? and that B is Bb? I definately dont know how to play H on the trumpet :)
Thanks again for your advice!
Jason:
You've brought up some interesting music history. In 18th Century Germany, "B" meant Bb to musicians, so they used "H" to designate B-natural. Yep, I can see how the key of B major could be a bit of a challenge on any Bb instrument (!).
This site is definitely blues based. But the general chordal simplicity of most blues tunes, coupled with all of the complications of various harmonica techniques used by blues greats, makes the lessons a fun challenge. Every so often, though, a subscriber checks out, noting that they don't really like blues. Which is OK. You'll find techniques here that will help you for folk, jazz, Celtic, and other styles, but those styles are not specifically taught.
Also, there are only five lessons using chromatic, a great introduction to the instrument, but if you're looking to become a classical or jazz chromatic player, you may end up moving on to somewhere or someone else.
Re David's transcriptions, you get full notation and rhythm, so if you read music, even rudimentarily, you'll be ahead of the game.
Try it all out. The worst that can happen is that after a while you decide to pursue some other system of learning, and that'll be OK. The harmonica world is huge, with many styles. (Check out Neil Warren's Harmonica Happy Hour podcast. Interviews with everyone from well-known blues players to classical and jazz players, to players who specialize in obscure Scandinavian folk genres.)
Thanks again. I can apprciate the perspective! As a trumpet player I played concert, orchestra, jazz. And jazz trumpet playing is a lot different than orchestra (aka, 40 bars of rest) lol. I stopped playing because my lower lip had some nerve damage, lost sensaton of tension, but still feel touch etc. so i couldn't make an embouchure that would work with brass instruments -- couldn't create precision tension -- I was stuck in the middle-C world, could barely make it to open G lol. But the harp it doesnt get in the way. So I was going to either go sax or harmonica. This is way more fun! :)
What draws (no pun intended) me to this site is the nomenclature that my brain can understand so I'll jump in!
I ordered the Rocket AMP, and its great for me! Its like a nicer special 20, very resoponsive! Blue and lime green combs here we come!
Hi Jason! Welcome to the site. (I've been a subscriber for 10 years, and continue to learn new and exciting stuff.)
From your post it would appear that you want to stick with Hohners, of one model or another. I've played Suzukis, Lee Oskars and Seydels, and each has its plusses. E.g., there's something to like about each of them. But the majority of my harps (and 10 of the 12 harps in my every-key gigging kit) are Hohners.
Remember, "your milage may differ," but from my perspective a couple of thoughts:
As at jams and other performing opportunities I play through a harp mic and amp more frequently than "acoustically," i.e., using the vocal mic on a stand, I really like the Rocket Amp. So much so that I've put Rocket Amp cover plates on some of the standard Rockets I have in keys in which Hohner doesn't make the Rocket Amp. The idea is that the closed cover ends send more sound out the front, so in cupping the mic, more is being directed into the mic. Don't know if this is actually all that true, as lots of players play traditional side-vented covered harps into mics. But playing the harp is probably 90% mental and 10% mechanical, so if I like the idea, I like the idea.
My LowF is a Rocket Low. Plays nicely, and priced lower than the Thunderbird.
The thing I like about the Rocket and Rocket Amp combs is the beveled holes. For me, more comfortable to play than the squared-off holes on the Special 20 comb. (I have some Special 20s that I've modified with beveled aluminum combs from Blue Moon, but that adds to the cost a lot.) But some folks like the smaller, non-beveled Special 20 holes. And the Special 20 comes at a very nice price-point for a pro-level harp. Not a small factor for a lot of folks.
But I also like the Marine Band Deluxe. (An improvement over the 1896 Marine Band, as it uses screws instead of nails, so is much, much easier to service.)
The Crossover is a great harp. Dennis Gruenling swears by the model. But I own two (and A and a G), and to me, they do sound a bit brassier, and not exactly what I'm looking for. And they are at the top end of Hohner's price list (not counting the Meisterclasse, which is in a class of its own.)
One question though: Why are you putting together a variety of harps, all in the key of C? Great for playing 2nd position in G and 3rd position in D (and 4th position in Am), but rather limiting as you begin to explore all of the various keys that great blues tunes come in. At some point you'll probably want to have harps in at least the five or six keys that the majority of blues songs are in. And for David's series of lessons here on the site, after you feel you've mastered his beginning lesson for the C harmonica, you'll need to pick up an A harp for the first couple of following lessons, then G, Bb, D, possibly LowF, etc.
As you're just starting here, I'll assume you've reviewed the "Watch Me First!" video on the home page. After that, the C harp beginning lesson at https://www.bluesharmonica.com/lessons/c_harmonica_intro_lesson . Once you've done that, the Levels of Achievement lessons and related materials are a great way to monitor your progress.
One final thing: As you're coming to the harmonica with a background in another instrument, one thing that can confuse folks here who have a background in music is that David writes out all of his transcriptions as though they're in the key of C, regardless of what key they're actually in. So, e.g., if a tune is in the key of E (the "people's key for blues, as it seems to be favored by guitar players), and he's transcribed it to be played in 2nd position on an A harp, on paper it'll still be as if it was in C. It's the harp that changes, not the scale steps. So if you use the blow and draw TAB numbers, it all works out. Of course, if you play trumpet, you're used to reading scores in Bb, and then having to deal with transposition when presented with a concert-key score, so you'll probably be ahead of the game. But the way David writes out transcriptions as though everything's in C major results in frequent questions to him in his "Ask Instructor David Barrett" thread here.
Enjoy!