Re: [Harp-L] harp vs. guitar



I think that an accomplished guitarist could more easily learn harmonica than vice versa. 

My musical talents and abilities are very limited.  However, since I play chromatic harmonica and guitar simultaneously, I have a feel for the question.  My efforts on both instruments are geared to the same song at the same time.

I think that the guitar is far more difficult to learn and to play well.  In most cases when I make an error in performing, it is on the guitar part.  The harmonica doesn't require the hand strength and the fingertip toughness of the guitar. The guitar is polyphonic and requires chord reading while the harmonica only requires reading a single voice.  

The guitar requires the player to learn to find multiple notes on both the fingerboard with one hand and on the strings with the other hand.  Everything is on one harmonica mouthpiece.

The duplication of note layouts in the different octaves makes the (chromatic) harmonica easier to learn.

If I could have a miraculous instantaneous improvement in chops on one instrument, I would choose guitar.

The skill that sets harmonica-and-guitarists Enrico Granafei and Tobias Volkamer apart is their guitar chops. As much as I admire the harmonica artists, I am more impressed by the guitarists. My ultimate admiration is for those who play both.

Vern 




On Oct 25, 2010, at 9:19 AM, John Dekker wrote:

> Overall, which would you say is harder to learn, the harmonica or the guitar?






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