[Harp-L] RE: Harmonica World Demographics - The Impact of the Harmonica

[Patrice Rayon <stpat95@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Todd, Hello all (I hope not being the only one to answer because I am very very very interested by your answers)


I would be happy to answer the questions you asked for on HARP-L. That would be the point of view of the French guy I am, but I am sure that according o the originate countries you get different answers for several reasons... So I am trying to stay as neutral as possible if that can help you :

1. How many harmonicas are sold each year?
I have been told several time that about 1 billion and 4 Hundred million harps are sold over the world each year. 
The only source I can give you is in one of these videos that I put a link on my Blog http://harmonica-world.over-blog.com/
  BBC: A Harmonica history (in the list of Documentaries at the bottom left)

2. What are the top 5 harmonica websites?
Trying to keep very neutral I would say -> The whole of the Internet portal by country about harp... that I would consider as ONE uniq site because it is really difficult to answer your question actually. I think the one which does permit people to share and discover the maximum of true things about harp (harmonica)HARP-L like any forum or mailing list where people does react with correct answers :) (something wrong said and someone to react and explain)YouTube ;-)Diatonic Harmonica reference : http://members.tripod.com/~diatonic/Chromatic Harmonica reference : http://www.angelfire.com/music/HarpOn/Sorry, I can't resist to ad a 6th one : Harmonicaspace for the spirit and for the amount of people of all over the world you can T'chat with very easily http://www.harmonicaspace.com/  .... But so many sites (http://www.harmonicajam.com/)Actualy my prefered as international are on my blog in the Top right list "Various harmonic resources"

3. What are the top cities for harmonica music?
  France: To answer that mean to be someone travelling a lot ;) ... As a French, sorry I promessed to keep neutral but I would say "Saint Aignan sur Chers" close to Orleans from the 20th to the 23th of May this year at the Harp festival (http://harmonicall.free.fr/englishprogram.php). Please also have a look to the Map of Paul Lassey : http://www.mappemonde.net/carte/Je-Tu-Il-joue-de-l-harmonica/monde.html
Belgium: In Liege where there is someone very involved in harp development, the same person who made the "HarmoLiege" Festival 
Germany : I guess Trossingen but when you see the map of German Harp player its great because you can see the concentrations : http://www.fbeat.de/harpmap/ I let you answer guys and girls for the other countries ;)

4. What are the most successful harmonica tours?
I am not sure th understand what you call harmonica tours... do you mean events ? 

5. What are all of the harmonica festivals? When? Where? How many people attend?
I made a list of some festivals I discovered for some of them thank to Internet on my blog http://harmonica-world.over-blog.com/ : The festival list on the top left list (If you could give me some other links that would be great)http://leptiloup.spaces.live.com/ (my French complementar speaking blog) : See the list "Festivals" on the leftI can ask the organizers that I know if you want for French Festivals and the one of Belgium....
6. What are the top harmonica magazines?
I would say the one of NHL (UK)I would be pleased to know about some in USA and other countriesIn France there is only one made on paper, the one of H2F i.e "Harmonicas de France" association every 3 monthes. The other one is the one created by Benoit Felten ("Salut Ben si tu me lis ;)) ...") called "Planet Harmonica" (but not enough people to participate...)
7. What are the most popular harmonicas in the world?
It depends on the country again... I am sure you don't get the same answer according to the country because of the physical providers (I mean not internet shops)Here is the result of a poll on the forum that I moderate in France (so you see for the french speaking people) for Diatonics (about 300 answers ):
Special 20 -> 17 %
Marine Band -> 15 %
Golden Melody -> 12%
Lee Oskar -> 9%
Pro-Master-> 7%
Meisterklass -> 5%
Blues Harp -> 4%
Pro Harp-> 3%
BluesMaster -> 2%
JJ Milteau Deep Blues -> 2%
Heiring Blues -> 1%
XB-40 -> 1%
Other -> 8%
There is no poll yet on Chromatic or Bass or Chord or...
8. What are the demographics for harmonica players? Break down in as much detail as possible.  Country, age, gender, etc.
I should post a poll for French speaking forum... But In France the people playing Chromatic, Bass, Tremolo and Chord are more around 50 to 70 in average. The one playing Diatonic I would say around 30 years old (but more and more very young people from 7 to ? because of of a young singer very popular and playing Diatonic while singing since 2 years)
9. What/who are the top harmonica acts?  What size audience?
Harmonica Festivals for sure in France and Belgium ! Audience in one night I think is around 600 people at least
10. How many companies, stores, people sell harmonicas? 
In France "One" serious store, but because of Internet people may kill it ! Pity :( !!!... The other I am not sure people really know enough about... Guitar is Far more popular... 
11. How many harmonica clubs are around the world?  Where are they located?  How many members?
Being part of the "Harmonicas de France" trying to federate Harmonicas in France, Here is a page with a list of asociations out there : http://harmonicasdefrance.org/index.php/associations 
In Belgium there is : CROCH the Club of the person who organize the HarmoLiege Festival in Liege 
Here again I can't seriously answer for other countries sinces the people of those countries are the best indicated to know abiout ;-)


I hope it helped... If I can help more you are Welcome :-)

Patrice

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