[Harp-L] Questions about the Hohner Harmonetta.

Michael Rubin michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxx
Mon Jun 5 08:05:33 EDT 2017


George Miklas and Steve Watne


On Sun, Jun 4, 2017 at 11:43 PM Gary Lehmann <gnarlyheman at xxxxx> wrote:

> A big question is who can maintain these instruments--any volunteers?
>
> On Sun, Jun 4, 2017 at 12:29 PM, Winslow Yerxa via Harp-L <
> harp-l at xxxxx
> > wrote:
>
> > The Harmonetta is about six inches left to right, about seven inches
> front
> > to back, and about two inches thick. (In another reply I wro tfive by six
> > inches, but I just got out the measuring tape.)
> >
> > It has a mouthpiece along the front with two rows of holes, with half the
> > notes in the top row and half the notes in the bottom row. Total of 36
> > holes, one for each note in the chromatic scale covering three octaves
> less
> > a semitone. you get both top and bottom rows in your mouth at the same
> > time, same as you would on a tremolo harmonica.
> >
> >
> > The top surface of the instrument has buttons you press to sound notes.
> > Each button sounds all the notes with that letter designation. For
> > instance, if you press any button for D, you can play any of the D notes,
> > depending on which holes you breathe through.
> >
> > All notes sound as both blow and draw notes, in the same hole for both
> > blow and draw.
> > You hold the instrument in both hands, with the thumbs supporting the
> > bottom of the instrument and the remaining fingers used to press the
> > buttons. It weighs, I dunno, maybe five or six ounces.
> >
> > They're arranged in left-to-right rows. Each row has three notes that are
> > four semitones apart.
> >
> > The first row (the farthest away from your mouth) has six buttons: D, F#,
> > A#, D, F#, A#.
> >
> > The second row has seven buttons that stick out farther to left and right
> > from the first row. The notes are F, A, C#, F, A, C#, F
> >
> > The third row has six buttons: C, E, G#, C, E, G#.
> >
> > Th fourth row has seven buttons: D#, G, B, D#, G, B, D#.
> >
> > At this point you have all the notes of the chromatic scale, but there's
> a
> > fifth row that erepeats the notes of the first row but from a different
> > starting point: A#, D, F#, A#, D, F#.
> >
> > This may look like a crazy arrangement but it allows for some cool
> things.
> >
> > You can play a major chord with one finger if you press the intersection
> > between two buttons on one row and the button on the next row closer to
> you
> > that comes between the other two. For instance, D and F# on the first row
> > intersect with the A button on the next row in, One finger can grab
> corners
> > from all three and give you a D major chord.
> >
> > You can play a minor chord the opposite way. Two neighboring buttons on
> > the same row, and the button that comes between them on the next row
> > outside. For instance, on the inside row, grab D and F#, with B comging
> > between them on the row immediately outside, and you have a B minor
> chord.
> >
> > There are several other symmetrical correspondences of intervals, chords,
> > and scale fingerings that the button arrangement allows.
> >
> > Winslow Yerxa
> > Producer, the Harmonica Collective
> > Author, Harmonica For Dummies, Second Edition: ISBN 978-1-118-88076-0
> >             Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
> >             Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
> > Resident Expert, bluesharmonica.com
> > Instructor, Jazzschool Community Music School
> > President emeritus, SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and
> Advancement
> > of the Harmonica
> >
>


More information about the Harp-L mailing list