The history of the harmonica, as we know it today, is an amazing tale which begins in the year 1821. It was then that sixteen-year-old Christian Friedrich Buschmann registered the first European patents for his new musical invention. His so called "aura" was a free-reed instrument consisting of a series of steel reeds arranged together horizontally in small channels. An awkward design, it offered only blow notes arranged chromatically.
Buschmann described his new instrument to his brother as "a new instrument that is truly remarkable. In its entirety it measures but four inches in diameter...but gives me twenty-one notes, and all the pianissimos and crescendos one could want without a keyboard, harmonies of six tones, and the ability to hold a note as long as one would wish to."
Initial designs by Buschmann were widely imitated, leading to many modifications and advancements. A Bohemian instrument maker named Richter may have made the most important advancements in early harmonica design. Around 1826, he developed a variation that consisted of ten holes and twenty reeds, with separate blow and draw reed plates mounted on either side of a cedar comb. Richter's tuning, utilizing a diatonic scale, became the standard configuration of what Europeans referred to as the Mundharmonika or mouth organ.
In 1857, the history of the harmonica changed dramatically as German clock maker Matthias Hohner turned to manufacturing harmonicas full-time. With the help of his family and a hired workman, he was able to produce 650 instruments that year. Soon after, he added local workers and developed mass production techniques.
Young Hohner was an outstanding businessman and showed his marketing savvy by developing ornate cover plates bearing the producer's name.
<<Q@A>>
He introduced the harmonica to North America in 1862, a move which would propel the Hohner company to its status as world leader in harmonicas. By 1887, Hohner was producing more than one million harmonicas annually. Today, Hohner produces over 90 different models of harmonica, with a variety of styles and tunings which allows the player freedom of expression‎ in all forms of music, from Classical and Jazz to Blues, Country and Rock, to the indigenous music of people worldwide.
Which is better - a plastic or wood body harmonica? And why?
Each material used for the body or comb of the harmonica has its own tonal characteristics and unique quality. A wood body (Marine Band or Blues Harp, for example) typically produces a resonant, full bodied timbre with an even note reproduction from lows to highs. A plastic body (Special 20), is characterized by a warm, even sound while being smooth on the lips. Also available are metal bodies (Meisterklasse), or a metallic finishes (Cross Harp), which produce a bright and clear sound. Similarly, the different cover plate designs used among the various models each shape and project the music in a different fashion.
How do I clean my harmonica?
The only cleaning normally required is to remove the excess moisture from the harmonica after playing by tapping it on the palm of the hand and wiping it clean with a lint free cloth. Equally important is to avoid allowing food particles or saliva to enter the harmonica by playing with a clean, dry mouth and keeping the head poised.
What is "cross harp"?
Originally a blues style, but used today for many kinds of music, cross harp is a system in which a diatonic harmonica is played in a key seven half-steps up from the key in which the harmonica is tuned, e.g. a C harp played in the key of G. This produces a blues scale with a flatted seventh and has the advantage that the most important notes can be bent in the low end, producing a fluid quality and great expressiveness.
If you can play a chromatic in any key, why does the "Super" 270 come in different keys?
A different blow and draw pattern is required for each key played on a single chromatic harmonica. There certainly is a great advantage in learning the different scales on a single harmonica, especially for jazz and other modern forms which modulate frequently. But for those who prefer to play in only one or two scales, the 270 Super Chromonica allows the player to join in music played in all the most common keys. Greater use of chords is also possible by using a chromatic tuned to the key of the music being played.
Why do 4 & 5 blow and 8 & 9 blow of my chromatic produce the same notes?
The duplicated note in the chromatic is the key note, which by being doubled, allows for the same blow and draw pattern in any octave.
Why are there plastic reeds on the chromatics?
The small plastic parts visible are not reeds, but are wind saving valves, which allow for greater volume and tone a lower breath pressure.
Should I soak my harp?
No, soaking or rinsing can warp or crack harmonica wood bodies, promote corrosion of reeds and reedplates and destroy the wind saving valves. A certain amount of breath moisture will naturally permeate a harmonica after a short playing period, helping to seal the reed chambers and improve the sound. Excessive moisture, however, can damage or shorten the life of a harmonica.
Can a harmonica go out of tune?
Notes may go a little flat if too much residue and moisture builds up on the reeds. This is one reason the instrument should be played with a clean, dry mouth, and be tapped out after playing. Playing too loud will also strain the reeds and eventually cause them to lose pitch. If a reed goes drastically flat, a quarter tone or more, it has most likely been strained and should be repaired or replaced.
How do I tell what key this model is in?
All models have the key designation stamped on the top coverplate or on the body.
How can I obtain a good tone from my harmonica?
Beginners and players learning new techniques may need to spend some time adjusting embouchure and air flow in order to obtain a good tone. Notes may rattle or stick with too much air pressure and may sound choked or not play at all if the tongue is in the wrong position. Low draw notes, especially on lower key models, require an adequate space in which to resonate properly. A harmonica will sound best with a normal amount of breath pressure and an open, relaxed air passage through the mouth.
<!-- -->
