Ask Harmonica Expert Winslow Yerxa

I just dug out a Hohner harmonica I bought when I was a kid. It is called The Hohnerband (in G) and has 40 holes with a curved shape to it. It looks like it was rather good quality once upon a time.  The comb is wooden and very thin walled. Some of the notes down the bottom end seem frozen and won't play. But it isn't at all rusty or gunky though I haven't seen inside yet. continue reading...

Hi Winslow,

So a lot of blues players were at least playing harmonicas in the 40's.  Where were they getting the harps from since we were at war with Germany, and also, do you know how long it took before Germany started sending them here again.  I guess what I basically asking is, how did WWII affect American Harp Players?

-Taylor

Hi there, I just found that on my crossover C harp, the tongue block bending on the

4th draw just plays 20% sharper than what it has to. I can bend it nicely and deep if I pucker.

On all the other harps in different keys there is not problem even if toungue blocking.

Is there any reed work I can do to deep that one ?

Thanks.

Winslow..... i would like to learn this song with the music from the original movie....how does a person go about getting something like that on a cd...without the harmonica playing,..just the rest of the orchestra. .....so that you can play the harmonica....you can get the song but always including the harp.

Paul Laskey on utube has the track....but its all in French....so i cant ask him.

what to do?

Thank you...

Hey Winslow, 

Wonder if you have some tips on playing harmonica accompanyment or solo, I have a friend who plays ONLY that and I'd like to find some nice parts for the harmonica on it. can you share some insight on the chord structure or general structure of this type of genre perhaps so it would be easier to "navigate" through random songs? or any other tip would probably help:) 

Thanks

This is my first post and I apologize in advance if this question seems ridiculous and obvious but I'm relatively ignorant on music theory. The question; what is the difference between standard richter tuning and modern compromise tuning, and more specifically, would I play a modern-compromise tuned harmonica the same way I would my good ol' standard richter-tuned? Any (and all!) information or help with this would be really appreciated! Thanks for your time reading this novice inquiry! 

The 3 draw on my Chromonica (button out) sounds muted and buzzy.  I'm guessing that it's the windsaver that is getting stuck.  What I find odd is that if I remove the cover plates and/or the mouthpiece and do nothing else, the problem goes away immediately.  When I assemble the harmonica again it comes back.

I'm guessing that the stuck windsaver is inside the comb on the top group of chambers.  If I'm correct, what can I do to solve the problem?

3'' whole step bend on F harp, i cant play it at low volume, the aloud note is ok but if I decrease the air flow it stops playing.

Any suggestion ?

I am trying to learn 'One Last Kiss', By J. Geils, I know that the song is in Dm. However, I am having a hard time getting it to sound right using a C harp in 3rd position, Its close though, and it doesn't work using a G harp 2nd position, should I try a Dm harp? Where can I find a notation chart for minor harps?

I was given a great gift by my wife a month ago: a 1930's Chromonica 260

It has the six pointed star on the bottom cover plate and all the reeds function and seem in tune.  It has the old style slide mechanism rather than the checkerboard style.  A beautiful instrument to be sure.  There are, however, 3 things that bother me a bit:

1. The harmonica is in Richter tuning.  I didn't realize that early Chromonicas were like this. continue reading...