Harmonica Advice

Harmonicas are a favorite for many people who wish to play music anywhere but want to save funds and space. However, if you are just starting to play the harmonica or are buying one for a beginner, selecting a harmonica can be very difficult because there are a lot of considerations to consider.

Here are some of the things you need to consider when choosing a harmonica for a beginner. What harmonica should you pick?

What is the First Harmonica to Buy?

It is often recommended that beginners start off with a standard blues harp or a diatonic harmonica. Many consider it to be the easiest harmonica to play since it plays only one key and there’s no need to memorize a lot of tricks to get it to change pitches. Pretty much every brand of harmonica will offer a low-end, beginner’s harmonica.

However, if you are considering playing other music styles, you can check out chromatic harmonicas, 10-hole diatonic harmonicas and even specialized harmonicas.

Things to Consider When Purchasing Your First Harmonica

1) How Much Does a Harmonica Cost?

Or how much should a Harmonica Cost? What should you lay out your budget to be?

If you get a diatonic harmonica, there are several cheap harmonicas which are high quality such as the Hohner Silver Star. However, if you go a little higher, there are high-quality harmonicas that will last longer, have fewer occurrences of air leaks and are easier play.

A top-notch 10-hole diatonic harmonica can range from $30 to $60 while a quality chromatic harmonica can be around $120 to $200. If you can allot more, it is a good investment, but you may want to start with a lower budget first.

2) Should I Get a Harmonica in The Key of C?

If you buy harmonica tutorial guides or watch tutorials online, they will tell you that the key of C is the best key to start off with when learning the harmonica (1).

This key is actually quite easy to understand since it does not have any sharps or flats that would ask harmonica players to bend tunes in a specific way. Blues lovers will also recognize this key aside from the key of G. Once you learn the tips and tricks around the key of C, you can turn into other keys such as the keys of G, D and A.

3) Can the Harmonica Be Fine-Tuned Easily?

Harmonicas are a favorite for musicians because of their capacity to bend pitches to any level. Some harmonicas are already tuned based on their keys and level. Depending on the harmonica’s brand, there will be differences in terms of how you can tune the reeds to your needs.

4) Should I Get a Wood, Metal, or Plastic Harmonica Comb?

Harmonicas tend to vary in how easy they are to play and how long they will last. Harmonicas with plastic combs are very easy to play and their sound is nice, but not professional by any means. Since they are plastic, they are not easily worn out and thus can play longer. As much as I love the idea of lightweight, durable plastic, harmonica plastic is not the kind that I am after. Harmonicas made out of other materials, such as wood or metal are often much better than plastic harmonicas (2).

Wooden harmonicas are also capable of playing high class music, but they are not sealed. As a result, moisture tends to seep inside the harmonica and cause wear in the reeds. However, this is not seen in diatonic harmonicas today, allowing wooden reeds to last longer and stop expanding.

Metal combs are also available in harmonicas and they tend to last forever. They are also lighter than either plastic or wood combs, allowing the harmonica to be lighter to carry. However, no matter which harmonica comb you pick, its durability depends on the user’s technical capability.

5) Should I Buy Harmonica Aids?

As a beginner in harmonica playing, there is a variety of harmonica aids you can purchase to assist you in learning how to play. Try checking your local music shops or even book stores for books on harmonicas.

Online tutorials are also available, as are harmonica guides.

What Should You Do After Choosing Your Harmonica?

When you choose a harmonica, it is important now that you have fun playing. Nothing will crush your spirits more than starting with music that is unrealistic to learn as a beginner. Start with simple songs or even make up your own.

The possibilities are endless with harmonicas. Once you get used to playing, practice learning the various techniques in harmonica playing so you can improve your style and technique.

Check the tutorials and books you may purchase along with your harmonica to learn more about it.

If you still need help or want more information on buying a new harmonica, click here to learn more on picking your first harmonica.

For music lovers and players, it is always a treat to hear music played on any instrument. If the instrument can play a variety of tunes despite its range, it is often preferred by artists since they no longer need to rely on various instruments to have a large choice of things to play.

Two of the most notable instruments that have the flexibility musicians love are harmonicas and melodicas.

There is often a misconception or confusion regarding the similarities and differences between harmonicas and melodicas, especially with melodicas being known as key harmonicas. What exactly are harmonicas and melodicas in the first place?

Both harmonicas and melodicas are free-reed instruments—instruments which create music when air passes a reed. Air passes within the instrument by blowing inside it or with a bellow.

Of course, all of this make much more sense if you understand the lingo. You can learn it here if you are unsure at any time

Melodicas

A melodica looks like a keyboard at first, but it has a mouthpiece in the side where one can blow air into the instrument . Pressing a key opens a hole which allows the air to circulate and in turn, produces a sound.

In some cases, foot pumps designed for melodicas can also be used to blow air into the melodica. Similar to a harmonica, melodicas are very small and easy to carry everywhere. They are also very popular in Asia due to the number of octaves they can reach.

Melodicas are also classified into various types based on the ranges they can play in. The first types of melodica are soprano and alto melodicas, which are melodicas that can produce high-pitched and thinner sounds. Some players tend to play these melodicas with both hands with the left hand taking care of the black keys while the right handles the white keys. Others play it similarly to how a tenor melodica is played.

The tenor melodica produces a much lowered pitch with the left hand holding the handle in the bottom part of the melodica and the right hand taking care of the keys. For easier playing, some tenors put a tube in the mouthpiece hole and lay the melodica on a flat surface to get easier access to the keys.

The bass melodica is also a choice for some players; however, it is very rarely used by melodica players.

There are also two other types of melodicas that are available in the market. The first one is the Accordina. An Accordina is made from metal but it still has the same parts found in a normal melodica. However, instead of a keyboard, a button schematic similar to an accordion’s keyboard is present in the Accordina.

The wooden melodica, on the other hand, is made of plastic and wood. However, only two companies are known to make these types of melodicas, Sound Electra (MyLodica) and Victoria Accordion (Vibrandoneon).

Harmonicas

On the other hand, harmonicas or French harps can be played with one’s mouth as it directs in air to one or more holes through the mouthpiece. Each hole has a chamber which corresponds to a reed and makes the melody.

When a harmonica player vibrates the free end of the harmonica, it also produces a sound. It is important to remember that the reeds are actually pre-tuned unlike melodicas and if one wishes to change the pitch it produces, the reeds must be manually shortened or replaced with stiffer reeds.

The location of the reeds varies depending on the harmonica type. Harmonicas are also well-known to be able to do pitch bending. In this case, the tunes drop a pitch as the isolated reeds are bent.

There are several types of harmonicas which vary in how they are played and what sound they perform. The most common one is the diatonic harmonica which is designed to play a specific key, but other keys can be performed by forcing the reeds to play these keys.

The chromatic harmonica uses button-activated sliding bars to influence the air flow and control the music that flows out of the harmonica. Tremolo-tuned harmonicas, on the other hand, can produce a warbling tune that is both sharp and flat in nature.

There are also other types of harmonicas that can be used for specialized purposes such as orchestras, chords and pipes. Electronic harmonicas are also available in the market.

If you have just recently purchased your harmonica, you may be wondering what comes next in the process. Some users may even get frustrated because they do not know what to do next with their harmonicas once they have bought it. To help you, here is a short guide on how to start playing harmonica for beginners. Already a few sessions in? We have your back! Here’s a few tips on speeding up your Harmonica Learning Process!

Learning the blowing and drawing technique

First, it is important to understand the parts of your harmonica and learn which hole corresponds to which note key.

When you start playing your harmonica from left to right, you would notice there is a skip in the notes so it will sound like 1, 3, 5, and 8 or C, E, G, C if your harmonica is in the Key of C Major. The reason for this skip is  that you have to direct the air to get the other notes through inhaling and exhaling, a technique known as blowing and drawing.

The top most part of the hole is for blowing, while the bottom half of the hole is for drawing. For example, if you blow on hole 9, you would produce a G note but when you draw the air back in, you would hear an F. It may be confusing at first, but harmonicas often have guides as to which notes are produced by blowing and drawing each hole, so double check your guide.

How can you play your harmonica?

It may look simple at first, but playing a harmonica is actually quite difficult at first because you have to make sure the air flows properly and produces the volume you want to be heard. There are actually two major methods of playing your harmonica: the tongue and the pucker method.

In the tongue method, it is important you relax your mouth first and ensure that it is covering several holes in the process to ensure that the air is concentrated in these areas. Then cover those you don’t want to make a sound with your tongue.

Many players prefer this method if they want to split the notes the harmonica plays. This also ensures that you will be able to produce two notes at the same time even if they are not beside one another.

The pucker method, on the other hand, starts with relaxed lips. When you start inhaling or exhaling, you will hear the notes of the areas that are affected. To play, just make your lips go into a ‘kissing’ position and start from there. Also guide your lips along the harmonica and get a feel of it. It can be difficult to learn this playing method, but with a little patience, it can be done.

What is bending?

Harmonicas are well-known for being able to bend pitches. When you bend a note, you change its pitch and volume. Once you inhale or exhale, your mouth position changes, influencing how the pitch is played and how fast it would react.

Bending notes are common in blues music. It is actually very difficult to start bending notes at first but it can be learned.

To bend a note, there are several techniques you can learn. The first method is called the tilt, which relies on changing the airflow’s angle for a certain hole. You need to experiment to find which angle works best to get the tune you want when bending using this method.

If you don’t want to use the tilt method, you can also start by changing the movement of your tongue when playing. Many experts say that to make a perfect bend, no matter what method is used, you just need to practice breathing and improve your capacity to direct the flow of the air in the harmonica.

How to clean your harmonica?

After you play your harmonica, it is important you clean it regularly to ensure that no gunk or residue is stuck inside it which may affect your playing. If your harmonica has a plastic comb, you can easily clean your harmonica with just running water and allow it to dry on its own.

You may also opt to disassemble it and clean it to ensure that nothing is indeed in the way of your reeds. Make sure you remember where each screw is located and clean the parts with soap and water.

Just make sure you clean it thoroughly as you may find yourself playing with the harmonica tasting like the soap you use. If there are metal components in it, make sure you dry everything before putting it back.

Final Remarks

If you are ever just sitting around, remember those are valuable moments to be practicing! Any time from waiting for the bus, to being stuck at home, even to a slow walk in the street is a great opportunity to practice what you know and master what you struggle with.

The biggest issue for those learning any instrument is the time commitment. So if you can overcome this, nothing will stop you from rising up to be one of the best at playing harmonica!

Like other musical instruments, there are actually several types of harmonicas in the market which vary in terms of what music they can play, what they look like and what level they are most suited for. The following content will make much more sense if you understand the common terminology used in the harmonica world.

Different Kinds of Harmonicas

Each of the models of harmonicas have varying purposes that they are outfitted for, but with some creativity, there can be some crossover. Here is a list of the types of harmonicas currently available for users to choose from:

Diatonic Harmonica

The most commonly used harmonica types, especially by beginners, are diatonic harmonicas in different keys. Diatonic harmonicas are made to play the major scale of one specific key, but if the harmonica’s tuning is done in the usual Richter Diatonic Tuning, it will be able to play in other keys by adding additional pressure to the reeds in order for it to play tunes that it could not otherwise play.

It is not unusual for avid and professional players to have a collection of multiple diatonic harmonicas, since they are limited to one key each. Even though this limitation seems like a setback, diatonic harmonicas are most often ideal, since they are the easiest to learn and master. Additionally, a majority of music, especially for beginners, is locked into one key anyways.

An example of a common style of music utilizing these kinds of harmonicas is country or blues rock. Learning different types of harmonicas and styles, like the blues harp will give a readiness to play whenever an opportunity arises, since the instrument can easily fit in your back pocket.

A blues harmonica style may be desirable because it can be played quickly or slowly and allows opportunity for bending notes, depending on your preference and skill level.

Lastly, blues rock with this type of harmonica playing simply sounds good! All Harmonica players own at least one of the diatonic harmonicas. Even with the classic diatonic harmonicas, varying techniques can yield incredibly different sounds. Different positions or trying to bend notes are fun techniques that tend to have the best creative results.

Chromatic Harmonica

The second major type of harmonica in the market is the chromatic harmonica, used mostly by those who have a good grasp on the diatonic harmonica and professional harmonica players. Diatonic and chromatic harmonicas are by far the most popular Chromatic harmonicas have a button on their side which helps redirect air flow around the harmonica and apply it to a reed of your choice.

If by any chance you do not want to use the side button, you will be able to play the altered diatonic major scale which your harmonica has. As a result of this feature, a player with a chromatic harmonica can play all 12 notes of the Wester scale.

Users can purchase chromatic harmonicas with 12, 14, or 16 holes in them depending on the keys one wishes to cover. The most common choice for players is the key of C as it allows them to guide the more easily than with other keys.

Many players also purchase chromatic harmonicas in order to assist them in doing solo tuning. In this case, the 12-hole chromatic would have its lowest note at middle C, while the 16-hole chromatic would begin its notes with a lower octave.

Tremolo Harmonica

The third major type is the tremolo harmonica, which has the capacity to play two reeds at the same time. It is notable that the pitch of these reeds varies as one is sharper and the other is flat. Some often consider this effect to highlight the changes in the song’s pitch despite playing the same note all over again. Tremolo harmonicas tend to be popular in East Asia as part of their folk music compositions.

Tremolo harmonicas are not seen too often in many western settings because playing a scale may be difficult and honestly quite confusing for beginners. The notes are in a different order than the piano, for instance, which makes mastering the music theory behind it all the more difficult.

That being said, if you are looking for a challenge, consider shopping around for a tremolo harmonica.

Orchestral Harmonica

Specialized harmonicas are also available and in this case, they are only used on specific occasions. The most notable specialized harmonica is the orchestral harmonica which is only used in orchestral performances. This harmonica guides players in directing the range and pitch of the song and changing keys.

ChengGong Harmonica

Knowing Where Harmonicas Came From and Early Versions of the Instrument will certainly lend some understanding to this next Harmonica in line.

There is also an Asian type of harmonica known as the ChengGong harmonica. This harmonica also has a main body, but unlike a harmonica with a steady or permanent mouthpiece, this harmonica has a sliding mouthpiece.

This harmonica comes is a 24-hole diatonic harmonica which covers 3 different octaves. The 11^th hole can slide along the harmonica to provide a variety of chords.

It is also capable of playing a single note song much like a regular harmonica. You can’t play different notes by blowing and drawing in the same position of this harmonica since it can only produce the same note each time.

Pitch Pipe

Another specialized harmonica available in the market is the pitch pipe. Normally, this harmonica is used as a guide for singers and other players when it comes to which pitch to follow.

Pitch pipes are now divided into several versions: chromatic pitch pipes which can perform 12-note octaves for choirs and the pitch pipes meant for string players to help them tune the open strings on their instruments.

Glass Diatonic Harmonica

There is also a glass version of a diatonic harmonica invented in 2009 by Geoff Stengel. This harmonica is actually a diatonic harmonica made with glass components. In this case, the glass is borosilicate glass to ensure that it will not break easily.

Each of the reeds can be changed and everything is held together with brass screws. To achieve the color of each part of this harmonica, oxides and the borosilicate glass are mixed by hand to get the right effect.

Electric Harmonica

Finally, electric harmonicas can also be bought in the market today. This type of harmonica doesn’t look any different to harmonicas available in the market today.

However, this type of harmonica has a microphone inside to ensure that the sound it makes is louder without needing an amplifier. This type of harmonica is made by the founder of Harmonix Harmonicas, Richard Smith, who has the patent for this design.

Bass Harmonica

Among the less known harmonicas is the bass harmonica. It comes in a few variations, and it is exactly what it sounds like it would be; the bass harmonica plays those low notes, giving it a deep accordion noise rather than a chipper higher pitched noise.

They certainly are not an ideal starting point since they aren’t commonly seen or used, but bass harmonicas are mesmerizing instruments to listen to and watch people play. So if you are looking for a new party trick, perhaps this could be a fun one go to with!

You can learn more about the bass harmonica here.

The Six-Sided Harmonica

The novelty six-sided harmonica, or the Hohner Kreuzwender Six Sided Tremolo, is the world’s first and largest harmonica. Being 11”x3 ½” in diameter and weighing in at about 1lb, this solid device is the first and most unique of it’s kind.

The Hohner Kreuzwender combines six Tremolo harmonicas in the keys of C, D, F, G, A, and B flat. Each harmonica piece has 24 holes and 48 reeds and is designed with air tight maple materials created a warm, rich tone very similar to an accordion.

The beautiful thing about this harmonica is that it can be played in its unified form, or taken apart to play each harmonica separately. This not only allows you to have each harmonica in the key you need, but also makes it easier for traveling with one large device rather than six small devices.

 

This insanely unique instrument has quickly become a sought after collectibles item. Hohner only created a certain amount for a limited time, so coming across one of these musical gems is a rarity. Today, these harmonicas can be found from time to time through vintage shops and sometimes even Ebay.com. They are extremely unique, fun to play, and designed for the most devoted harmonica and music enthusiasts.

Two Main Categories of Harmonicas

Of all the fun varieties, flavors, and sounds across all harmonicas, there are two that get used far more than any of the others:

• Diatonic

  • Diatonic Harmonicas are by far the most popular, and truly what people think of when they think of a Harmonica. They have all the notes of a single scale, so nearly all Harmonica Players end up with multiple Diatonic Harmonicas to have one in each key. It’s prominent in Rock, Blues, Country, and many other Genres of music. This is definitely they way to go if you are just Learning to Play Harmonica

• Chromatic

  • Chromatic Harmonicas are Unique in that they have many more notes, which stretch across the whole chromatic scale. They require a little more discernment on which note to play since there’s an option to play so many more notes and not all the notes are in the same scale. These tend to be pretty big harmonicas, and fairly less known except to those who have a base level knowledge around the instrument and variations. Those who learn to play the Chromatic are often found playing Jazz, and it is an astounding thing to witness.

The Diatonic and Chromatic Harmonica Difference is the notes available. The difference in those who play which one is skill level and music theory knowledge.

What Harmonica Should I Buy?

After all that, you may still be asking Which Harmonica should I buy? or What is a Good Harmonica to buy?

Allow us to be your Harmonica Guide on your journey of learning all about this wondrous little instrument! 
The link just above has all you need to make your confident, educated harmonica purchase!

One thing to keep in the front of your mind is the sacrifice you might be making if you choose to save money on your Harmonica Purchase and go with a Cheaper Harmonica. Know the risks of going too cheap, and the benefits of spending those extra few dollars on your new harmonica. Here are some Tips and Tricks for how to decide your budget when buying a harmonica, whether it’s your first, fifth, or hundredth harmonica!

Of course, understanding that cheaper harmonicas are more susceptible to breaking, you may want to familiarize yourself with how to fix a harmonica if you plan on saving a few bucks by buying the cheaper option. Here is where you can learn to problem solve with your instrument and even fix it yourself.

Not A Harmonica

A common mistake is to mix up many other small, wind instruments with harmonicas. Those keyboards you blow into, those are melodicas, not harmonicas. Though they do make some fun music, they are definitely in their own category. Kazoos are not harmonicas either; those are the plastic humming toys you found in your party favor bag when you were a kid.

These are all too common of mistakes, and that’s ok. We’re here to provide some clarifying information.

As with buying a guitar, piano or other musical instrument, harmonicas are also available in a range of brands that each has different qualities. There are many brands offering harmonicas to buyers today and many of these brands have an interesting history.

Even before considering brand, there are other things you may want to know or look into regarding your harmonica purchase. Here is the best Harmonica Advice I’ve ever received.

Popular Brands

After you have decided What Harmonica Key to Get, it is a natural next step to take a look at some brands.

Two of the earliest brands of harmonicas which became available in the market are Seydel and Hohner, which were founded in 1847 and 1857 respectively. Both brands had a rivalry with their respective harmonicas; Boomerang and the Marine Band. However, Seydel lost their rivalry when they found themselves on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain.

After the loss of Seydel in the race, the US company Kratt tried to compete in the harmonica market as German brands like Hohner lost their luster in the Second World War and its aftermath. However, Hohner regained its prominence after the war and became one of the major players in the harmonica market.

Aside from Hohner, several brands have also gained prominence worldwide. Some of the notable examples are Lee Oskar, Suzuki, Hering and Huang.

These brands are quite good for specific styles of music. Additionally, they may be the kind of harmonica you want to look into if you are buying your first harmonica.

Without any further delay, here are the Best Harmonica Brands!

The Top 10 Best Harmonica Brands and The Most Popular Harmonicas They Make

Suzuki Harmonica

Suzuki has been a widely popular, long-standing name in the harmonica world. Established in 1953, harmonicas are actually the first instrument the brand Suzuki ever produced in the music world. Ever since then, the name Suzuki has been reliable for both beginner musicians and professional musicians alike. With a focus on innovation and creativity, Suzuki works to push the boundaries and redefine the harmonica instrument.

They are constantly re-evaluating and looking to see where they can make tweaks or improvements with their next release. Their goal is to keep advancing the harmonica while holding on to its roots to create a new generation of harmonica playing. Their products are affordable, and come with many different options ranging for beginner players up to professional players.

Hohner Harmonica

Hohner has and will continue to have a monopoly over the harmonica industry, simply because their harmonicas are timeless and top-shelf quality. Many professionals run to the Hohner name for their harmonicas and choose to play this brand exclusively. In fact, some of the legends such as Adam Gussow, Bob Dylan, and two time Harmonica Solo World Champion Cy Leo have all stuck to the tried and true brand of Hohner.

Established in 1856 in a small town in Germany, Hohner has kept the same aesthetic and design for their harmonicas for generations. Their harmonicas are beautifully crafted and incredible quality. Many of their instruments provide this professional level quality while still staying within an affordable price.

SEYDEL Harmonica

Established in 1847 and produced in Klingenthal, Germany, what makes SEYDEL especially unique is that they are one of the few producers left to still hand make each of their harmonicas rather than mass produce them. Their instruments are each carefully designed and crafted, holding on to its original roots and aesthetic. They are crafted out of stamped, stainless steel plate covers, ABS comb to prevent moisture damage, and brass reeds for responsiveness, make them a bright, snappy option for harmonicas.

Aside from being hand crafted, these harmonicas have rounded edges to make them easy to hold in your hands as well as easier to play on your lips and tongue. With their smooth ergonomic design, these harmonicas are lip and beard proof, meaning they won’t cause any damage to you while playing.

Lee Oskar Harmonica

Lee Oskar Harmonicas, designed by harmonica musician, Lee Oskar, himself, have been especially noted for their clear sound quality, sleek design, brilliant construction, and high end materials. Globally recognized for their design, reliability, and quality, Lee Oskar Harmonicas are superior because of their ability to be completely interchangeable.

For most harmonicas, if a reed cracks or the comb becomes swollen with moisture damage, you can either buy a new harmonica, or pay a professional technician to repair the harmonica for you. Lee Oskar is the first brand to make all of it’s parts, from reed plates to combs, and even cover plates completely interchangeable if anything were to become damaged. Not only is this most cost-effective, but it extends the lifespan of your harmonica so you can keep playing years if maintained properly.

SWAN Harmonica

The SWAN Harmonicas are ideal for a variety of different types of music including jazz, folk, country, rock, and especially blues. These harmonicas offer a clean, unique sound slightly different than most traditional harmonica brands. Because of this slight feature, it actually makes them very versatile in the music industry. While traditionally being a 10-hole chromatic harmonica, these harmonicas are able to reach 40 different tones, making them easy to jam along with any genre of music and extremely enjoyable to play.

These harmonicas are light and comfortable to hold, easy to play, and come with a beautiful design. Many have reviewed that although these harmonicas are extremely versatile, they are still cheap in price and materials. Therefore, if you are a beginner player to the harmonica, this brand is a great first option.

Boseno Harmonica

Boseno Tremolo harmonicas are extremely unique and offer a very non-traditional sound in the harmonica world. Tremolo harmonicas come with double holes and double reed plates. Boseno actually imports their phosphor bronze alloy from Chile to ensure high quality and responsive sounds from the reeds. This quality bronze ensures your harmonica reeds will resist damage, and overall extend the lifespan of the instrument.

In addition to this, Boseno harmonicas are designed with black stainless steel cover plates for a beautiful aesthetic and classic look. These harmonicas are sturdy, reliable, and focuses on comfort and taste for beginner and professional players.  While tremolo harmonicas are not meant for every genre of music, they can be used on classical stages, or for unique sound effects. These little instruments are perfect for any level of musician and are extremely fun to play.

Harmo Harmonica

The Harmo is one of the most beautiful harmonica brands on the market today. Established in 2016 by professional harmonica player, David Herzhaft, each harmonica is careful hand crafted and tested for quality right here in the United States. Being new to the market, the Harmo brand has quickly taken flight and has easily become one of the top harmonica makers in the market. Their harmonicas are each crafted with a sleek, minimal design with their logo etched into the stainless steel cover plate.

They are comfortable to hold, heavy in your hand, and easy to play. Because of their extremely high quality, these harmonicas are aimed for intermediate to professional level players. They are the more expensive option compared to other brands, but the quality you will receive from these little instruments is unmatched.

Fender Harmonica

When people first think of the brand name Fender their minds go to their guitars. In fact, Fender crafts many beautiful instruments aside from just guitars. Their harmonicas are one of the top brands chosen by players around the world. Designed for comfort and durability, the Fender harmonicas have made a name for themselves for being one of the loudest harmonicas available.

Compared to other brands, these harmonicas have loud, responsive reeds, great for jamming or playing for an audience. Fender also offers the convenience of interchangeable parts. Similar to Lee Oskar, Fender provides replacement parts for your harmonica to extend its lifespan and keep you playing your instrument. Their wide variety of different harmonicas offers different types of playing depending on your music genre and skill level. This brand is fantastic for both beginners and experienced players.

PowerBender

With over thirty years of experience in the music making industry, PowerBender works to create a strong, powerful little instrument to the music world. PowerBender tuning builds off of the best qualities of the Richter Tuning while slightly altering the scare to make your power notes easier to hit though a three-octave range. Overblowing is also easily obtainable for each hole, making it easy to hit different notes and chords.

The PowerBender harmonica is built with quality and design in mind for beginner to intermediate players. While still built durable, the PowerBender is not quite sturdy or versatile enough for long term playing or professional players. That is why this brand is ideal for new harmonica players.

SonnyBoy’s Classic Harmonicas

Started by two passionate music professors in the UK, Pete Smith and Ben Hewlett, founders of the SonnyBoy’s Music Store, have worked together to create a top of the line products for their students and any new musician. Their goal is to provide a product that is professional quality without the professional price tag. With over 45 years of harmonica player experience, Pete and Ben have worked to create an incredible instrument for all new harmonica players.

In addition to already having an incredible product, the pair also release a YouTube video review of each of their new products they release so you can hear the harmonica being played before you purchase it. They also teach online lessons, and strive to ignite a passion for the harmonica in their students. In fact, with each purchase you will also receive a free, one-hour beginner, intermediate, and advanced lesson from them.

The passion they have for teaching, music, and the harmonica comes out in their product. While they are a smaller brand name, they are quickly being recognized as one of the finest quality harmonicas at an affordable price.

Blues Harmonicas

For blues players and regular harmonica players, Lee Oskar, Hering, Seydel, Huang and Suzuki are mostly preferred aside from Hohner’s Meisterklasse. Lee Oskar’s harmonicas look very sleek and play very well in a variety of keys, including the most common harmonica key of C

Hering is now making great harmonicas too for blues players with its chromatic harmonica now becoming a favorite for players like Peter Madcat Ruth.

Seydel’s 1847 harmonica is also a great favorite for blues players such as Charlie Musselwhite and James Cotton as it is easy to play and inexpensive in cost. Their other harmonica, the Session Steel, is becoming another harmonica of preference as it has stainless steel reeds and is cheaper, with a sound that can compete with other harmonicas.

Suzuki’s Promaster series can compete against Hohner’s Meisterklasse when it comes to its sound quality and the quality of the harmonica’s body.

Suzuki’s other variants such as Bluesmasters, Harpmasters, Manji and Olive are also very good for playing the blues. The price range of these top-class blues brands is about $35 to $100+, depending on the brand and series.

Cheap Yet Quality Harmonicas

For cheap yet quality harmonicas, brands like Johnsons and Meranos, Huang – for its Huang Bacpac series -, Suzuki – for its Easy Rider and Folkmasters series – and Hohner’s Blues Band are your options.

It is also not a bad choice to try out Hohner’s Big River and Huang Star Performer as a cheap yet quality harmonica for your collection. These harmonicas prove that you don’t need to spend hundreds to get something that is functional and satisfying.

If you want to buy a cheap harmonica for your kids, you can also check out Hohner’s Fuego Azul and China’s Golden Cup, Hero, and Parrot brands. Each of these have been called the best inexpensive harmonica at one point or another, as they are fairly cheap, yet they would still be able to produce great music.

Chromatic Harmonicas

In the chromatic harmonica section, several brands would work well for you. The first notable one is Hohner’s Chrometta series or their Discovery series. The Discovery series is actually quite a bit cheaper than the Chrometta, but it still has a high-quality sound.

The Hohner 270 Deluxe is also not a bad choice for a chromatic harmonica. If you are willing to spend more, you should consider the Meisterklasse and Amadeus models. Hering also makes top-notch chromatic harmonicas, for example their 64-hole chromatics.

Suzuki is also another brand you can check out for their chromatic harmonicas. Several series from this brand are notable chromatics including the SCX series, Gregoire, Fabulous and the Sirius series.

Seydel also has its very own chromatic harmonica series, the Saxony Chromatic, which people say is similar to Hering’s chromatic harmonica in terms of its mouthpiece and design.

If you want to try out Huang, they also have good chromatic harmonicas for example their 12-hole chromatic series as seen in the Huang Cadet Soloist series.

Given all these brands, it is still crucial that buyers double check each one of these brands before purchasing to ensure that it will fit their needs. Check out a general overview of the best harmonicas out there.

Noteworthy Brands

The above categories lay out why some people might lean towards one harmonica or another, but we think there are some brands that stand out above others and are worth the mention.

Hering Blues Harmonica Review

The Hering is a Harmonica Brand that has held its own among the mess of other huge names. They make harmonicas like the Hering Free Blues Harmonica. This one is not with the bottom tier harmonicas and we like it that way! It’s lightweight and proves itself to be consistent. Some complain about the weight, and we did question why it was so lightweight. Could something this lightweight really be considered a professional harmonica?

But we decided it didn’t have to feel like a professional harmonica. It was fun to play, and the price is right! If we really wanted a professional harmonica, we wouldn’t have gone bargain hunting in mid-range priced harp.