Newbie Question - What have I got and where do I do now?

[*******]

I have been given a harmonica labelled "The Original Blue Danube Harmonica." It
has two rows of 24 holes. This instrument has not been played. The previous
owner took one look at all of those holes and gave up.

I have a couple of questions that I hope the group can answer. I have searched
the internet for information, but have come up dry. For example, Google just
gives a bunch of sales listings from dealers and e-Bay. Thank you in advance for
your help. Smart alecks will be cheerfully ignored.

1. There are no markings (except for "Blue Danube Harmonica" stamped on the top
and bottom). How can I figure out what note each hole is? I cannot even tell
which way is up without blowing through it, then turning it so that the low
notes are on the left !!

2. I have found several sources(e.g. books, websites) for the most basic
techniques, which is good because that is where I am now, but they all use a
smaller instrument. Should I learn on something else, or are there sources that
will teach me how to play this Blue Danube?

3. What type of music is a Blue Danube made for? Blues? Jazz? Folk? Something
else?

That is all the questions for now. I would appreciate anyone getting me started.
I will dedicate my first posted mp3 or Youtube video to you. But do not hold
your breath, because it will be a while!

[Chromatonic]

It's a Tremolo Harmonica. They're mostly good for Folk styles.

To learn more about tremolos, check out this site:
http://joshuacorps.org/projects/thetremolo/
The upper & lower rows are nearly identical notes, tuned just a little
differently so the notes will 'beat' against one another, creating the
tremolo effect.
They're tuned to a pattern that resembles 'solo'; i.e.:
C - E - G - C blow
D - F - A - B draw
...for a 'C' harmonica.


If you want to learn to play folk melodies, maybe even gospel,
tremolos are fine. Not for Blues or Jazz.
-C

Post by *******
I have been given a harmonica labelled "The Original Blue Danube Harmonica." It
has two rows of 24 holes. This instrument has not been played. The previous
owner took one look at all of those holes and gave up.
I have a couple of questions that I hope the group can answer. I have searched
the internet for information, but have come up dry. For example, Google just
gives a bunch of sales listings from dealers and e-Bay. Thank you in advance for
your help. Smart alecks will be cheerfully ignored.
1. There are no markings (except for "Blue Danube Harmonica" stamped on the top
and bottom). How can I figure out what note each hole is? I cannot even tell
which way is up without blowing through it, then turning it so that the low
notes are on the left !!
2. I have found several sources(e.g. books, websites) for the most basic
techniques, which is good because that is where I am now, but they all use a
smaller instrument. Should I learn on something else, or are there sources that
will teach me how to play this Blue Danube?
3. What type of music is a Blue Danube made for? Blues? Jazz? Folk? Something
else?
That is all the questions for now. I would appreciate anyone getting me started.
I will dedicate my first posted mp3 or Youtube video to you. But do not hold
your breath, because it will be a while!

[Keith Adams]

IMO tremolo harps work well and sound good on any type of music that a
person might want to play them on. Most people dont use them on songs that
work best with bent notes. They can be bent easy enough but you need to
block either the top or bottom row of reeds with the appropriate lip while
doing it. If you dont then it takes allot of wind to get the desired affect.
I guess that you could consider the lip equivalent to windsavers on a
chromatic harp. I'm not positive but I believe they're made in China. Dont
let that set you back though. Theres a whole bunch of different brands of
harps that you wouldnt suspect that are made there. The Chinese are some
harp playing sombitches and I'm pretty sure that all children are taught how
to play them to some extent if and when they attend school.
Not bad harps.

Post by *******
I have been given a harmonica labelled "The Original Blue Danube Harmonica." It
has two rows of 24 holes. This instrument has not been played. The previous
owner took one look at all of those holes and gave up.
I have a couple of questions that I hope the group can answer. I have searched
the internet for information, but have come up dry. For example, Google just
gives a bunch of sales listings from dealers and e-Bay. Thank you in advance for
your help. Smart alecks will be cheerfully ignored.
1. There are no markings (except for "Blue Danube Harmonica" stamped on the top
and bottom). How can I figure out what note each hole is? I cannot even tell
which way is up without blowing through it, then turning it so that the low
notes are on the left !!
2. I have found several sources(e.g. books, websites) for the most basic
techniques, which is good because that is where I am now, but they all use a
smaller instrument. Should I learn on something else, or are there sources that
will teach me how to play this Blue Danube?
3. What type of music is a Blue Danube made for? Blues? Jazz? Folk? Something
else?
That is all the questions for now. I would appreciate anyone getting me started.
I will dedicate my first posted mp3 or Youtube video to you. But do not hold
your breath, because it will be a while!

[Elmo' 7#9]

Post by Keith Adams
Most people dont use them on songs that
work best with bent notes.

You can get CRAZY motorboating sounds when one reed bends and the other
stays "straight".

Not much use for melodic playing, but useful in Free Jazz!

Elmo' 7#9