Different Types of Harmonica (Diatonic vs. Tremolo)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 พ.ย. 2018
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In this harmonica lesson, Liam Ward teaches you about the differences between two types of harmonica: the tremolo harmonica and the diatonic harmonica (sometimes called a blues harp).
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Sorry, to clarify something not explained in the video: each small hole you see is a note. They are in groups of four, rather than 2. In my experience as a tremolo player, you don't really play with 2. I only really do it if I want to do a build up (single reed, double reed, quadruple reed, octave is a common one). Really it's a shame that tremolo isn't popular here in the west, since there's so many techniques on the tremolo that you don't find diatonic players using.
Hi poilean, thanks for your comment. I’m not quite sure what you mean - the point I tried to make in the video is that tremolo harmonicas are distinguished from others in that they contain two reeds for each note (tuned slightly apart to give a pulsing tremolo sound), I wasn’t saying that you always and only play two notes at once - you can of course change the mouth shape to play a range of holes. What were you trying to clarify?
@@Learntheharmonica Sorry, I was drunk when I wrote that, so that's why it's so incoherent. I think what I was trying to say was how there is 2 holes for each reed, so let's say you have the note c. Bottom right and left both pass air over the same reed, and top right and top left pass air over the detuned version. Hence if you wanted to use a technique like tongue blocked single notes, you are able to only unblock the bottom left hole, whilst still getting the same tone as if you were to unblock both the bottom left and right holes. That why for single note tongue blocking, you sorta lift the tip of the tongue off of the hole. That why you can play a tremolo reed and single reed accompaniment easily, since the tongue is bent to the left for the bass notes, and the gap between the curve and the lips play the melody. Sorry if this is not clear: I'll make a video explaining it if you want (cause I know it's hard to communicate sounds through text!)
Bravo Poilean.Potpuno vas razumem jer ja sviram tremolo tehnikom "tongue blocking" .Tremolo ne sluzi za sviranje na jedan ton.Na njoj se na jedan ton svira samo par nota zavisno od melodine pa prelazi na dvoglasno i troglasno sviranje.Pored melodije ja sviram istovremeno i bas ili ritmiku zavisno od melodije.Rupa iznad rupe na tremolo su isti tonovi samo se razlikuju za pola stepena.Ja sviram obrnuto tj. niski tonovi su sa moje desne strane a visoki sa leve ali to ne smeta sviranju ni malo.Ja na zremolo odvojim jezikom u donjem redu dve susedne rupe i jednu iz gornjeg reda u obliku latinicnog slova L.Tako se dobija tremolo zvuk.Sama rec kaze tre na italijanskom tri.Tremolo ne znaci trepetenje nego troglas.Sviram na isti nacin i diatonsku u dvoglasu kao i hromatsku.Sviram balkansku etno muziku, staru gradsku muziku balkana, makedonsku etno itd.Ukucajte na You Tubu Narodne pesme Vasiljevic Mile.Tu su tri pesme folk iz Bosne odsvirane na tremolo.
Very helpful, thanks! I just received my great grandfather's harmonica as a birthday gift and was admiring the sound it makes so much, I thought I would learn how to play. Its cool that you touched on the pulsing/beat (the tremelo), I felt that in my jaw when I was in the lower notes. That really caught my attention, and now I know why it happens.
Thank you for this perfect clarification between single hole and double hole harmonicas.
These clearly illustrated, lovely videos are very helpful!
Thank you :)
Thank you, Steve! Although now I'm wondering what a Chromatic Harmonica is.
I like the Diatonic better. Less frills and more soul.
Thank U for this informative video. My first harmonica I purchased when Iknew very little about harmonicas, was a 24 hole HOHNER INTERNATIONAL --WEEKENDER. After I learned more I purchased a 10 hole Diatonic, and put the 24 hole away. But ive taken it out of storage and will play it, now I know more about it/ Thank U. from Mass USA. Gouveia
Hi Liam. Just a quick note to say your album is so brilliant. Great vocals and harpin.
Cheers Harpoman!
Dear Brother, I thank you for the clarity, sincerity, and the straightforwardness of your presentation. ‘Much appreciated!
Hey Mark, no worries - thanks for watching!
Hi Liam great explanstion. Many thanks. Your teaching method is so sincere and relaxed. 👌
Glad you enjoyed it, Anvar Kasmi :)
Tremolo harp player here (Hohner echo 56/96 C/G).....This was a very well presented video explaining the difference.
Thanks reelreeler. What styles of music do you play? Cheers. Liam
That's not real tremolo
Informative as I have learnt that tremolo effect is achieved by the notes parallel to each other are set at slightly different pitches.
Very good and clear explanation. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hey Liam, without exposing myself too much, I've been playing 1st position only for a while now. The idea of other "positions" is actually quite new to me, except for the few times I've accidentally playing something in another position without realising it! Anyway, I have a question... do "positions" only refer to Diatonic harmonicas or is it possible to play different positions on other types of harmonica as well? I imagine you can on a Chromatic, but the idea of other positions on a Tremolo seems rather silly to me. I've never been able to successfully bend on a Tremolo but I have seen the odd person online claiming that bending on a Tremolo is possible... any thoughts?
Hi Kerin, firstly yes it is possible to bend on a tremolo (take a single hole rather than both and try it - obviously you won't then have the tremolo effect though). In theory you could play in different modes. Tremolo is most often (in the West) used for Celtic folk music, which uses simple diatonic melodies so there's no need to complicate things or seek different scales. In the end, it's horses for courses. That said, I'm not really a tremolo player so I'm happy to be corrected.
@@Learntheharmonica Sweet, thanks Liam, I'll give it a go.. you're very right about tremolo and folk melodies, I played Portsmouth on mine recently and it sounded awesome, compared to my other harmonicas that is... keep up the great work!
Thanks kept wondering what two sets of rows were for...its tremolo...so nice of you to simplify things
You're welcome! 😎
Brilliantly presented video, thanks. I may sign up!
Glad you liked the video! 😎
The first tremolo song was from Harpvard 💚
Thanks Liam!!
No worries Denise :)
yes i would love to learn the harmonica
Very helpful. I've had my 20 hole double row harmonica since I was a child but never really knew what mine was, you explained my situation so precisely lol thank you.
Hey Seth, I'm glad it helped! Cheers. Liam
I’ve got a 16 hole tremelo and I would recommend it to everybody it’s so fun to. Sit down and just play some random songs on the harmonica
Hello,
You helped me to make up my mind on whether or not to buy a tremolo harmonica. I'm just starting out playing the harp, and, have Diatonic harmonicas....like them better than the tremolo. I'd been wondering what sort of sounds the Tremolo makes - now I know. Think I will definitely be sticking with the Diatonic. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and techniques ... and for helping me to save a bunch of money. I think if I *had* gotten a Tremolo, I would have been so disappointed in the way it sounds. Maybe one day I'll get one - just not right now. Thank you again. Please keep the lessons and information coming for us. I do appreciate your talent and your taking the time to make your videos.
No worries Curtrice, I'm glad it helped. In Asia the tremolo is massively popular, as popular there as the diatonic is here. It's an interesting sound but often confuses people when they're buying for the first time. Good luck!
This was a great explanation
Thanks, Steve!
For anyone picking up a Tremolo, here's a few lil tips:
1. The Tremolo is good for if you're playing long notes that make use of the tremolo to pierce out, consider playing the Reveille (the military bugle call), this song suits a tremolo as you hold those notes, the Tremolo actually helps you sound louder with less air, and keep the note going longer.
2. If you tilt the harmonica either up or down, you can play on just half of the notes to get a more typical diatonic sound. This might also lead you to bending a bit more as well, and you might be slightly out of tune, so keep that in mind.
Ok but how do I insert it into my butt?
I picked up harmonica in japan so started on the 24 hole tremolo since that was more standard and it was pretty much possible to find diatonic. They were really expensive in comparison too.
Best great thanks
Do you know where I can find TABS for Italian and/or French tremolo harmonica music for 24 holes? Thank you for your video!
Yep. Clearing out my grandma’s house and found the tremolo harmonica. I didn’t know at first because she said she played the harmonica but didn’t specify.
Yeah the tremolo was a popular choice with a certain generation. It's still used a lot in Asia and for Irish music.
If you had a chance to record When The Levee Breaks with Led Zeppelin, back in Nineteen-Hippie-Doodles (?)
What harmonica would you use? Style, key, brand, anything... (amp and effects?...
Mainly just: what Harmonica?
love it Steve, I'm ready, and Im 60 +..lol! lets do it!!!
Rock on!
Thanks Liam, I think I'll stick to my diatonic. I was given a tremolo harp as a gift. I found it's about 100 yrs old and has a wooden comb. It sounds pretty but won't be playing it. But makes a great conversation piece in my music room.
Very informative. I am trying to get a horn sound, saxophone, out of my diatonic. I'm in a band and one of the guitar players an I are trying to work up a back up horn section sound. I thought the tremolo harp might be helpful. Any suggestions?
Hi Gerald, for me getting a horn sound is more about the note selection and phrasing (plus you can get a distorted sound by using certain amps/mics). I did a lesson on a sax/trumpet lick a while back: th-cam.com/video/1MvVkue6xZA/w-d-xo.html.
Listen to the studio version of the song as well, there are some extra cool horn parts: th-cam.com/video/Xx6YbbqRvzA/w-d-xo.html
I'm so impressed you knew I had a temolo harmonica laying here at home. i have one with 10 holes (from shanghai) and one with 20 holes (OPERA Ligna made in Checkoslovakia) they are both old and kind of useless in my opinion :(
Hey thanks for the explanation. I got my tremolo harmonica yesterday and I know nothing about it. Any videos/websites you'd recommend for a complete beginner?
There's not a lot out there but I am planning to make some tremolo vids in the future. I think Kerin Gedge has some on TH-cam?
I have been a tremolo harmonica teacher
Nice…thanks from Japan!
You're welcome! 😎
Hello Liam! I played Delta blues for years on the diatonic harp and then decided to start playing Irish traditional music. Sometimes I really like to use the Lee Oscar Melody Makers. Have you ever used one of those? Also what is the name of that jig that you play on the tremolo?
Hey Anam Cara, thanks for watching. I've never used a Melody Maker but I do want to try it out soon :) The Irish tune is Connaughtman's Rambles. You can download the tabs for free at www.learntheharmonica.com/free-folk-tabs. Cheers! Liam
Molim vas od kog broja se počinje kod tremolo 16 rupa?
Diatonic sounds more classic, natural and real. Love diatonic.
Hi Liam. I've really been wanting to play blues on a harmonica but unfortunately I couldn't afford a diatonic, so I had to buy a 24 hole tremolo. Can I still play any song on your channel?
I'm afraid that you'd need different tabs for tremolo. It's worth looking at Kerin Gedge's channel, he does some simple tremolo songs :) Good luck! Cheers. Liam
Hi is it easy to switch from a tremolo to diatonic ?
Please send the 24 holes harmonica video
what kind of harmonica does ennio morricone play>?
I loved that intro, how to play that please, I beg you. Can you tell me, please, please????
So then..... where's the riff??
Please🙏🙏🙏🙏
I’ve definitely got a big long harmonica and i came here to figure what is it lol
Hi Liam: My question concerns the quality of the harmonica I use: I consider myself a fairly good harmonica player for what I like to do. I like to play the harmonica as accompaniment to my singing and playing guitar.... sort of Bob Dylan style. Except I simply like to play the melody of the song. My problem is I have tried a couple of different brands of harmonicas and I'm not happy with the quality of the sound when I play in the high register. It is too difficult to blow and inhale. I'm looking for harmonicas in different keys that play easily. I've tried washing my Marine Band Harmonica, etc. and I still have to blow and inhale too hard to get the note. I attribute this problem to a poor quality harmonica. But maybe I'm wrong. It just seems to me like its the harmonica... not me, that causing this problem. What are your thoughts? Thanks... Tom
Just lower your jaw when you blow in 10th hole for example. I blamed my harmonica just like you but then Liam blew my mind yesterday when he said that more often then not it's not the harmonica but your lower jaw position. I think it was in his Auld Lang Syne song tutorial.
Thanks for your answer, Arne Frantz. You save me a job! I do have a little video explaining in more detail: th-cam.com/video/SqV4V8DbeqY/w-d-xo.html
When u inhale and exhale in the tremolo harmonica different notes are played
Can I play blues with 24 holes ?
Hey, can you make a thunderclouds harmonica tutorial?
Hi Rafif Ghani, is Thunderclouds a song? Can you be more specific? Cheers. Liam
@@Learntheharmonica LSD- Thunderclouds
Thomann Melodia 48C
What I have is the Tremolo harmonica. I need a chromatic harmonica to really enjoy full tones
Chromatic is a completely different instrument. I have tried them and I prefer the ten-hole diatonic or tremolo. They are the best for blues or Irish tunes.
We Indian (Asian) don't play Blues .
Our songs Can play only on Chromatic and Tremolo.
But we love Blues.
I have one that is double sided in the key of C and G.
Cool. Do you play folk music?
I played Tremolo Harmonica because that's the only Harmonica I've seen in Nigeria musical store. But I desired Chromatic Harmonica, please kindly recommend a good chromatic brand for me & where to get it from?
I play Hohner CX12 chromatic harmonicas, they play well and they're great because you can take them apart easily. You can order them easily online. Hope this helps!
Bonjour
Comment jouer sur un trémolo de 42 trous (2×21) qui n a pas de chiffres sur le capot comme sur un diatonique et donc aucun repère ? 😥 merci.
Salut freelive6922. Vous devrez utiliser un diagramme pour savoir quelles notes jouer: www.harmonicaacademy.com/categories/20101115
@@Learntheharmonica merci. Donc on ne peut pas jouer une tablature à 10 chiffres pour diatonique ?
What type of harmonica is better when blending in other musicalvinstruments...? Tnx
Hi Estephen, it really depends on the style of music you are playing, and what you want to sound like. There's no right and wrong in music!
Can you use diatonic tabs for the tremolo harmonica?
Hi Sarah, no the tabs I use only apply to diatonic harmonica. Certain sections of the tremolo are similar to the diatonic but the notes won't line up exactly by following a diatonic tab. Sorry!
great
Thanks :)
How to play your intro at start of the lesson please ?
One day hopefully!
Pandemic got me bored and I am in my room ended up ordered a harmonica which I dont know how to play omg
Oh your accent :,)
Hey like I want to learn how to play harmonica so should I start from 10 holes or 24 holes chromatic??
It depends what music you want to play - diatonic is better for blues, folk, rock. Chromatic is used more for jazz, classical and some pop music.
@@Learntheharmonica thanks i guess I'll go with diatonic.
Schade dass es dein Video nicht auf deutsch gibt. Danke Liam
Hi Karin, I think there is a version with the title and description in German?
@@Learntheharmonica Yeah the video title and description get translated automatically to german. It's just that the video itself stays in english.
which harmonica did you play? could you give me a name of it. tks a lot.
The diatonic is a Hohner Special 20. I can't remember what the tremolo was, it was just a very cheap one 😎
Are there harmonicas that are alternatie Blow and Draw all the way up the scales, not with one pair the other way round - Draw Blow? Even better for me just Blow all the way without any Draws?
Hi Edmund Paul Charnley, thanks for your question. These days you can get almost any tuning of harmonica you'd like - some companies like Seydel offer a custom tuning order where you can get any layout you'd like - perhaps it's worth ordering one of those? Thanks. Liam
My tremolo is having 18 holes, what should I do???
cut off eight holes
I'm focusing on your friend's video
Why tremolo harmonica hasn't 10 holes?
Hi Willem. There are lots of different types of harmonicas, all with their own distinctive note selections. A tremolo harmonica is just one option - there are harmonicas with as little as four holes, and some with dozens. So the answer is that it is what it is haha! Cheers. Liam
Dude you are really right on your knowledge about harmonica.
Appreciate you greatly....
Thank you buddy.
Thanks JAICIL. Good luck with your playing :)
Ay the tremelo is the same as mine its Swan!
Great minds think alike!
0:35 what lick is that from??
Hi Sketch._.Book, that was just some improvised blues playing. Do you play much second position blues?
Hi, I heard that the diatonic in G is for more experienced players, why?
Depends on if you’re a beginner or not. For beginners C is the best, after you’re comfortable any other key is pretty much fair game and G might actually be the easiest thereafter. Let me know if you have any questions or need a better explanation.
@@taipogriz836 Oh thank you so much, you made it very clear. I just wanted to understand better; well I'm a jew's harp player and I find a lot of tonal similarities with this equally wonderful instrument... for example I like to imitate diatonic harmonica riffs in blues songs and I do it quite well!
The low 3 holes are more difficult to get a consistently clean notes out of on the G diatonic compared to the C diatonic. Especially hole 2 blow and draw and hole 3 draw. Nevertheless, it's not a big deal. My first harmonica was a G diatonic, I practiced and it is absolutely fine, I learned to get those low notes clean. You just need practice.
👍👍
I mean hole
I want to buy the swan double sided harmonica key C and G. Is it good?
Hi Henry, I don't play Swan harps but for beginners they're fine.
@@Learntheharmonica okay
Thanks
Okay, I'm a tremolo player. :-)
Victor Skolozubov school Tremolo. Это всё шляпа, Виктор Сколозубов всё рассказал о Тремоло.
There are more than three types of harmonicas: DIATONIC Blues, DIATONIC tremolo, CHROMATIC non-tremolo and CHROMATIC tremolo harmonicas...
Only saying "tremolo harmonica" is not enough to say about the main, most important difference between various types of harmonicas :D
Hi, thanks for commenting. There are far more types of harmonica than the ones you mention here but that misses the point. The intention of this video is not to give an exhaustive list of types of harmonica - it's to explain about the harmonica I use in most of my lessons and how it differs from tremolo harmonicas in general, because I get a lot of questions about using tremolo harmonicas with my lessons.
there's no diatonic harmonica in indonesia for many years but cheap tremolo from china coz people think that harmonica is just a fun instrument for kids or students.
and most of asian don't like blues or black music with blue notes. asian traditional music even just have 5 notes wkwkwk
Uh I have a 38 hile
Secont comment, Brazil
almost 97% harmonica in my country indonesia is tremolo. its so difficult to find a diatonic harmonica. i think most of asian dont like blues music
So i need to buy a diatonic
I got a big, long harmonica, hehe.
Stumbled across the following song a while ago. The harmonica on it dominates the song and is exquisite. Have been told it is an echo harmonica. Can you confirm this? Here is the song th-cam.com/video/dIPKlKeOHF0/w-d-xo.html
Hi wasslic, to be honest it just sounds like a diatonic harmonica to me!
@@Learntheharmonica Thank you for responding. Hope you at least enjoyed the song.
Hai, arnold szwarzeneger here...shalom
Please please share video of mouth organ 24 holes
First comment
Who in 2019 is still saying First Comment?
I apologize for the criticism, but this video told me nothing anyone with even one minute of interest in a harmonica already knows. They are different. Yep. You seem knowledgeable about them all and clearly you can play - how about something with more meat and less talk? I can’t find a good tremolo harp tutorial worth watching anywhere. Anything that tells me more than: 1 a tremolo is hard to play and bending notes is a challenge, 2. The scale is all fucked up (no one ever explains why) 3. it play 2 tones at once giving it’s signature sound 4. How to play single notes. Anything past those pretty obvious Uber-novice points would be so much more helpful than what I’m finding.
i buy a tremolo armonica.. i dont like, fuck..