The Harmonica,, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica include diatonic, chromatic, tremolo, octave, orchestral, and bass versions.
10 June 2022
Recommend Links & Resources
Family run music store in Boyertown, PA specializing in ukulele, retro styles guitars, lessons, workshops, accessories and more... The area’s LARGEST selection of ukuleles and the most knowledegable on all things ukulele. Boyertown, Pennslyvania’s premiere music location for lessons, workshops, instruments and music goodies. Open Monday to Saturday and Sunday by Appointment. Funky Frets is Curt and Bernadette Sheller with their daughter Kelly Thompson Our goal is to provide the Boyertown and surrounding communities a first class music store and professional one-on-one private lessons with a weekly selection of workshops and group instruction options.
The Seydel family were originally miners in Saxony. When this activity ceased to be cost effective, the brothers Johaan and Christian Seydel began to make musical instruments, eventually leading to their being approved by the court of Untersachsenberg as harmonica manufacturers (these being the days when doing anything other than scraping a living in subsistence agriculture seemed to require official approval from some court or other).
Additional Links & Resources
Musicians
- Charlie Musslewhite •
Musselwhite continues to create trailblazing music while remaining firmly rooted in the blues. His worldly-wise vocals, rich, melodic harmonica playing and deep country blues guitar work flawlessly accompany his often autobiographical and always memorable original songs.
— AllAboutJazz.com - Lee Oskar • Lee Oskar Harmonicas Founder/President Lee Oskar is a world-renowned harmonica virtuoso, composer, producer, visual artist, musical explorer and harmonica manufacturer. Internationally renowned for his unique role as a founding member and former lead harmonica player for the pioneer Funk/Jazz group, WAR, Lee’s stellar career as a globally touring musician uniquely equipped him to become a revolutionary harmonica maker.
- Howard Levy • Howard Levy is an acknowledged master of the diatonic harmonica, a superb pianist, innovative composer, recording artist, bandleader, teacher, and producer. In 1970 at the age of 19, he discovered how to play the diatonic harmonica as a fully chromatic instrument by developing techniques on it that had never existed before. This enabled Howard to take the harmonica out of its usual role as a Folk and Blues instrument, and into the worlds of Jazz, Classical, Middle Eastern music, and more.
- Will Wilde • Will Wilde has taken the harmonica way beyond its blues roots since he first emerged on the music scene in 2010. Always pushing forward, evolving and redefining his sound, Wilde is now ready to take the rock world by storm.
On his latest album, Bring it on Home, Wilde’s hard-edged harmonica steals the spotlight from the traditional rock guitar, with a sound that owes as much to Slash or Jimi Hendrix as it does to Sonny Boy Williamson or Little Walter. - Grandpa Elliott • Grandpa Elliott has been a New Orleans street icon for decades. His music and comforting presence have touched countless hearts throughout the years. When you think of the French Quarter, a soulful neighborhood of New Orleans, you think of Grandpa. Many locals and frequent visitors to the Quarter consider Grandpa the saving grace and passionate force behind the revitalization of the city since Hurricane Katrina. His voice reminds us all that music can help the soul persevere through many hardships. A Granpa Elliot, Lee Oskar Harmonica is available to support the Playing for Change Foundation
Harmonica Tabs
Harmonica
- Wilde Tuning • "I designed the Wilde tuning specifically for playing blues rock and hard rock music. As much as I love Richter tuning, I have always found it somewhat frustrating when it comes to playing 'guitar-like' minor Pentatonic/Blues licks in the upper octave. The Wilde tuning addresses all of the frustrations I had with Richter tuning, whilst still retaining the familiar bluesy feel of classic second position harmonica playing that we all know and love." — Will Wilde (Creator) — Wilde Tuned harmonicas are available from Seydel.
- Pat Missin • Harmonica player, teacher and technician, bringing you a whole heap of information about the harmonica and related musical instruments.
.jpg)