Best Harmonica Review and Buying Guide

Introduction 

Have you ever played musical instruments, for instance, the guitar or the piano? Perhaps you know what a musical harmonica is and how to choose the best harmonica in the store? If you are fond of classical or pop music and want to learn how to play the harmonica, the first step to success is choosing the perfect musical instrument! Undoubtedly, buying a musical instrument is not an easy task, and sometimes it can be an expensive pleasure for beginners.

This brief overview contains up-to-date information about the harmonic and its types. You will learn to choose the best musical instrument for folk and country music. Moreover, according to the recommendations of the best harmonicists, you will read a list of ideal harmonicas that are in demand among musicians!

Best Diatonic Harmonicas For Playing Jazz, Blues, Or Country Music

Now let’s look at the best harmonica for playing rock, blues, or pop. Each harmonic has its characteristics and features, so study them carefully to choose the best of the best! 

1. Hohner Special 20 Harmonica

According to many harmonists, the Hohner Special 20 Harmonica is the best model. This model is well-designed, reliable, and intuitive to use. For instance, Zoe Savage, a harmonica teacher at the Old Town School of Folk Music, notes that he is always glad to see this harmonica among students. As for the price, it is an inexpensive musical instrument since $50 is an affordable price for many beginners. The model has plastic wood combs and is made of high-quality material. Also, David Barrett recommends this harmonica.

2. Lee Oskar Harmonica

This musical model is also in demand among many professionals. For instance, such famous musicians as Brian McIniss and Marcus Millius recommend this harmonica for beginners. The advantages of such harmonicas are wide holes and a bright and clear tone! By buying this harmonica, you can make sure that this model is a perfect option for bending notes and playing melodies.

Main features:

• System Richter
• This model has ten cancels
• 5-fold screwed tuning cover plates made of brass
• Cover made of steel
• This model is ideal for learning how to bend notes
• Different keys (C Major, A Major, Low F Major, and others)

3. Seydel Classic 1847 Harmonicas

This harmonica costs about $100, and it is one of the most reliable harmonicas. This model is made of silver reed plates and has waterproof wood combs. A distinctive feature of the harmonica is a stainless steel reed. Thanks to this material, the harmonica will last you a long time, and you will not have to buy a new one from year to year. In general, the quality of this musical instrument is at the highest level.

4. Hohner Super Chromatic Harmonica

Unlike other models, these chromatic harmonicas (Hohner Super Deluxe) have about 16 holes, so the sounds are bright. This chromatic harmonica is perfect for playing a fantastic tune because it has white and black keys. If you want to learn how to play this wind instrument perfectly, you will have to learn solfeggio, scales, and basic theory. As you study the theory, you should practice melismas since the warbling sound created by you is something incredible! Learning more complex keys and honing techniques is a vital step to success and professionalism.

Main features of these models:

• 12 round holes
• Chrome plated mouthpiece
• Three full chromatic octaves
• 48 reeds
• Natural finish pearwood body
• High-quality waterproof material
• Tonal quality is clear

As for the price, these models are expensive (about $250). However, the value for money is excellent. If you buy this model, you won’t regret it!

5. Wooden Combed Harmonicas

As a rule, these models are made of the following materials: wood, brass, and pear wood and are designed for bass and country musical directions. Besides, these harmonicas have side vents that are slightly flat. Many professionals note the brighter and more vibrant sounds that you can hear from this musical harmonica. These models are tuned to the key of C and are also available in other major and minor tones! These models have a wide range of sound, which makes them the most popular among beginners. You can see pictures of these harmonicas on Google.

6. Hohner Golden Melody Harmonica

An excellent model for various musical genres is the Hohner Golden Melody Harmonica. This model has a warm tone, airtight construction, and ergonomic, rounded shape. Secondly, this harmonica has a larger plastic comb and is made of durable materials. By the way, you can also buy additional accessories for any harmonica. For instance, many musical artists buy a harmonica holder to store a musical instrument properly or a microphone for more sonorous chords. Chrome-plated covers fit securely over a plastic comb for airtight playing!

Thus, one of the simplest wind musical instruments is the harmonica. If you watch a few video tutorials, read theory, and practice, you will learn how to play the harmonica in a few weeks. The store offers a wide range of musical instruments designed for different musical genres. If you want to learn how to play the harmonica, you need to start now! 

Great Harmonicas Variations

In addition to the universal name “harmonica,” this musical instrument is known as a French harp, blues harp, or mouth organ. Indeed, it is an elementary musical reed wind instrument, widely used in various musical directions (for instance, in classical music). Today there are different types of such wind instruments, thanks to which you can create an incredible melody and vibrato effect!

Below are the most popular types of harmonica:

• Chromatic harmonica
• Diatonic harmonica
• Tremolo harmonica
• Chord harmonicas
• Octave and orchestral harmonicas
• Bass harmonicas

Learning to play the harmonica is not resource-expensive. But you will definitely need time and possibly money for training. If you don’t want to spend money, you can start playing this instrument yourself, watching video tutorials, and reading some theory.

The technique of playing is simple: you need to take a deep breath and exhale evenly into the hole along a mouthpiece. Usually, each harmonic hole has a chamber containing one or two reeds. If the playing technique is correct, the sound will be clear. But if you do something wrong, the sound will seem slightly sharp.

Harmonica Lovers Takeaway

To sum up, harmonicas are popular musical instruments designed to perform fantastic songs. At the same time, a vital technique in performance is bending, causing a drop in pitch by making embouchure adjustments. You can learn to play any chord in a few days. The most important thing is to choose the best quality harmonica made of high-strength materials. Be sure to look at reviews of the best musical harmonicas, read articles, and look for all additional information from sellers.

However, harmonicas are simple musical instruments, and you will easily learn how to play various melodies. As a rule, harmonicas are not expensive, no more than $100. Most musical professionals recommend buying diatonic harmonicas, as they are better than chromatic harmonicas. Musicians note that diatonic harmonicas are easy to learn, even if you do not have a musical education and do not know the single notes. The diatonic harmonica is similar to a harp and is ideal for the following musical genres: rock, blues, jazz, and folk music. Musician Sasha Vallely recommends playing in the single key of C, as it is the simplest musical key.

Frequently Asked Questions — FAQ

Where can I buy a harmonica?

You can buy a harmonica at local stores or online at Amazon. As a rule, harmonicas cost from $40 to $200 and are made of durable materials (wood, steel, plastic, or bronze). The stores offer a wide range of such musical instruments, and that’s why you can choose the best models. You can also buy additional devices, such as microphones or holders (racks).

How are harmonicas made?

As a rule, the comb of a harmonica is constructed of wood or durable materials (for instance, injection-molded plastic or steel). The semi-hardness of the wood produces a rich sound while resisting swelling. Reds are cut from precision-tapered strips of brass alloy material. Before buying a harmonica, consult with the seller and read about all the characteristics.

How much does a good harmonica cost?

This instrument costs from $30 to $300, depending on the material and functions. If you are a beginner and do not know the basic theory, an inexpensive harmonica will be an ideal option for you. However, if you are a professional artist and are a member of a musical group, do not spare money to buy a high-quality instrument.

What states play the harmonica the most often?

According to historical facts, this instrument was developed in Europe at the beginning of the 19th century and has also been distributed in East Asia since ancient times. Over time, these tools have become more convenient, easy to use, and stronger since they were made of reliable materials.

What are the best harmonicas?

Your best buy is a set of multiple tones, the most common being C, A, G, E, and D. You can play incredible songs thanks to these tones. The best models are the following: Hohner Marine Band, Hohner CX-12, Suzuki Chromatix SCX 48, Lee Oskar, and East Top Chromatic. But keep in mind that the best models are not cheap.