RE: keys and instruction

[Dick Anderson <anderson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Stuart,

I began playing 10 hole diatonic harmonica (again) about 4 years ago.
Since then I have tried to stay up with every new book or teaching system.
I use the Jon Gindick books and tapes for my students, I teach beginners
and intermediate "blues" players.

Jon's tapes are full of examples and he plays guitar chord progressions
with which you can play blues riffs.  All the stuff he does up to the
intermediate tapes is for "C" harp.

I would recommend that you buy one of each of the following keys.

 "C"  You've already bought this, the most popular key.
 "G"  Lowest standard harp made.  Good to practice high bends and play
      straight harp
 "A"  Just a step up from the G in pitch.  Plays cross harp in the key of E
      which is every blues guitar player's favorite key.
 "D"  This one is higher than your C and you will get some great wailing
      notes when playing it in cross harp (Key of A)  But it's a little
      screechy.

With only these 4 harps you'll be able to accompany lots of music.  Of
course one can NEVER have too many harps, so just keep on buying them until
you have a good assortment.

When I was beginning, I would buy a different brand for each key and that
way I could check out each model while I was filling up my case with
different keys.  I finally settled for the Golden Melody.  It fits my hands
and I like the mouthpiece.  But that's a personal thing.  Some folks swear
by Lee Oskar or Huang.  Buy some and make up your own mind.

By all means, subscribe to one of the harmonica publications around the
world.  There is a newsletter in England and of course you probably have
heard us talking about the American Harmonica Newsletter from Al Eichler in
Michigan.  And there is the new one "HIP" or Harmonica Information
Publication published by a guy in San Francisco.  All of these are a wealth
of information and good places to meet other players.

good luck,

dick....
"I'm warning you...  I have a HARMONICA, and I'm not afraid to use it!!!"

Dick Anderson  CCMO Component Engineering      Telnet                 229-3110
Hewlett Packard                                Direct Dial      1-303-229-3110
3404 E Harmony Road                            HPDESK     dick_anderson@hp4000
Fort Collins Colorado 80525                    mail  anderson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx