Harmonica and Guitar...

[PedalFreak]

Does anyone here play harmonica while playing guitar? I'd like to start. I own several harmonicas, and have tried to learned over the past few years. But something about it I'm not getting, and I don't know why.

Any pointers, to playing harmonica in general? And what about harmonica selection? If I'm playing a song that I'd normally play a Em pentatonic scale over, do they make a Em harmonica, or just get an E?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!

[RustyAxe]

Does anyone here play harmonica while playing guitar? I'd like to start. I own several harmonicas, and have tried to learned over the past few years. But something about it I'm not getting, and I don't know why. Any pointers, to playing harmonica in general? And what about harmonica selection? If I'm playing a song that I'd normally play a Em pentatonic scale over, do they make a Em harmonica, or just get an E?

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Normally, you'd use an A harp (diatonic) for the E pentatonic. For blues, the key of the harp is usually the IV of the root chord, and is played "cross harp", that is, by sucking mostly, rather than blowing. So blues in G, use a C harp, blues in A use a D harp, etc.

I've been finding that plastic comb harps are easier to play (less "blow by" than a wooden comb), and somewhat more sanitary. Good ones can be had from Hohner (my faves), Lee Oskar and others. Here's a handy link for you:

http://www.harmonicalinks.com/

[PedalFreak]

Thanks! I've got a couple Special 20's right now. I'm really into figuring this out right now.

Thanks for the information!

[jpfeiff]

Your choice of keys depends on whether you wanna play straight harp or cross harp. With straight harp, you play in the same key as the song, and you can take nice little solos that follow the melody of the tune. Lots of Neil Young and Bob Dylan-type harp is straight harp. If the song is in a minor key, yes, they make minor keyed harps these days.


Cross harp is typically for the blues, whaere you play as RustyAxe says a harp in the IV key of the root chord. So an E blues uses an A harp, and etc. from there.

[PedalFreak]

Your choice of keys depends on whether you wanna play straight harp or cross harp. With straight harp, you play in the same key as the song, and you can take nice little solos that follow the melody of the tune. Lots of Neil Young and Bob Dylan-type harp is straight harp. If the song is in a minor key, yes, they make minor keyed harps these days.


Cross harp is typically for the blues, whaere you play as RustyAxe says a harp in the IV key of the root chord. So an E blues uses an A harp, and etc. from there.


That helps. Dylan & Young is the type of harmonica I want to play along with some songs. I may just buy a couple to try cross & straight harp.

Thanks again!

[jpfeiff]

Get yourself a G-harp. I really like Special 20's and Lee Oskars--both have black plastic that slides nicely. You'll find LOTS of Dylan and Neil songs that you can play with a G-harp, as well as some Beatles and I'm sure TONS of other stuff...

[PedalFreak]

Another question....If I've got a capo on the 2nd Fret, progression of C, F, C, G, C (chords not realative to the capo, so the C becomes a D).

Which harp should I use? For some reason I just cant get my head around this harmonica thing.

[EL 34 X2]

It's what actual key you're playing in. If playing a C chord capoed at the second fret that's sounding a D chord.

For straight harp you would use a D harp. For cross harp use a G harp, as G is the IV in the C scale.