Free-Reed, Woodwind Instrument - Harmonica

Woodwind Musical Instrument - Harmonica

The Harmonica is a free-reed, mouth blown woodwind musical instrument and is most commonly used as a part of Jazz Music, Country Music, Blues and Rock & Roll music, etc.

Other names of the harmonica include the Harp, Mouth Organ, or the Blues Harp.

How does the Harmonica play music?

The Harmonica essentially consists of a row of reeds which are set next to one another. These reeds are attached to a reed plate.

As air is blown into the holes placed in the front panel, the air enters the reed chambers and helps to vibrate the reeds which create sound. Since each reed has a predetermined tone, music is created as a combination of these reeds vibrate.

Perhaps the most important part of the Harmonica is the COMB that holds the air chambers.

Different Varieties of Harmonica

The 5 main varieties of Harmonica include

• Chromatic Harmonica
• Diatonic Harmonica
• Tremolo Harmonica
• Orchestral Harmonica
• Chord Harmonica

Producing Music

Over the years, several different techniques of playing the Harmonica have been developed whether in Blues music or country music. These include bending notes, head shaking, vibrato, etc.

Some Famous Harmonica Players

Some well known Harmonica Players and Artists include -

• Little Walters
• Charlie Mc Coy
• Mark Hummel
• James Cotton

Harmonica Performance

Do you play the Harmonica? Do you provide training in how to play the Harmonica? Write to us contact@musicalescapades.com