Harmonica questions

W

WarrenBuffet

Registered User
Messages
173
Hi,

My Dad often tells us that he used to play the mouth organ (harmonica) when he was a young lad (that was after he walked 15 miles to and from school!!). To call his bluff I am going to get him one this Christmas.

Now to the tricky bit – this might sound like an odd question but would any of the older generation of posters know what type of mouth organ he learnt to play on? Also what brands / marques he would have used and are they still around today?

Finally, in case it turns out that he isn’t as ‘talented’ as he once was, could any of the AAM mouth organ players point me in the direction of a good book tailored towards Irish people?

Thanks,
WB
 
WarrenBuffet said:
but would any of the older generation of posters know what type of mouth organ he learnt to play on?
Click to expand...
Wouldn't they need to know who he is first?
Also what brands / marques he would have used and are they still around today?
Click to expand...
Hohner is one well known brand and my father in law used to play one in the 50s.
 
Thanks for that Clubman.

However with regard to your first point - I meant to say what type (god knows there might only be one for all I know - hence the questions) would a man in 1950s Ireland have played?

Sorry if my question mislead you - although I get the impression you are being more facetious than helpful. But fair enough, its a Monday evening!
 
WarrenBuffet said:
could any of the AAM mouth organ players point me in the direction of a good book tailored towards Irish people?
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The Sound Shop in Drogheda (which has moved recently to an industrial estate outside the town) has a great range of harmonicas and presumably teaching manuals that should be of help.
 
WarrenBuffet, I wonder if your dad went to the same school as I did. My daughter can testify to the fact that I also walked 15 miles, and I can go one better, I walked barefoot.!!! We had a man call to the school to say he would teach the mouth organ. We all bought mouth organs from this man. He turned up once and we never seen him again.Dont remember what make the mouth organ was but I can still get a tune out of one even now. Get him a tin whistle ( much better )
 
Thanks for all the help! Will stick with the harmonica for the moment - he will get a better kick out of it!

Another question:
Should I go for a diatonic or a tremolo?

Who would have thought this would be so complicated!
 
WarrenBuffet said:
Finally, in case it turns out that he isn’t as ‘talented’ as he once was, could any of the AAM mouth organ players point me in the direction of a good book tailored towards Irish people?

Thanks,
WB
Click to expand...


When I first started I used a Don Baker instruction book (similar to http://www.amazon.com/Learn-Harmonica-Diagrammed-Complete-Beginners/dp/185720137X/ref=sr_1_3/105-2375742-2777204?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1194961023&sr=1-3 (this) one). I found it very good.

Incidentally I play a diatonic hohner...
 
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