How to Play Harmonica Special 20

The Hohner Special 20 is a plastic-bodied harmonica that's become a favorite of blues and bluegrass harp-blowers for its strong tones and durability. The mechanics of playing a Special 20 are the same as any other diatonic harmonica: One note is sounded when you draw and another when you blow, and notes are most often bent on the draw for that trademark bluesy honk. However, with a little extra care your Special 20 can keep playing the blues for decades.

Things You'll Need

• Hohner Special 20 harmonica -- any key
• X-Acto knife (optional)
• cotton swabs (optional)
• deionized water (optional)
• petroleum jelly (optional)

Instructions

Blow And Honk

1. Jump in and play. Unlike most diatonic harmonicas, which have wooden bodies, Hohner Special 20 harmonicas are plastic-bodied. They share the main characteristic of diatonic harmonicas in that they produce one note by inhaling and a different note (though not always the next note on the scale) by exhaling, but they have a different feel from wood-bodied harmonicas. Some people say it's easier to bend notes on a wood-bodied harmonica like a Hohner Blues Harp or Marine Band, but it's a moot point once the harps are broken in -- and most people agree that a Special 20 requires a different break-in than a wood-bodied harp.

2. Don't soak your harp. There's a segment of the harp-playing populace that holds that the way to break in a harp is to soak it in water to encourage the wood to swell and make the harp more airtight and easier to bend. Try that with a Special 20 and all you'll get is wet plastic. The only way to break in a Special 20 is to get in there and play.

3. Bend notes to break in your harp. Start by bending notes on the draw. Instead of sucking air straight in, try to alter the inward airflow up. Think of a jet stream starting at the harp and proceeding across the roof of your mouth. Tilt the harp slightly upward to help the bend. The note may not bend downward in pitch right away; all you may get is a restricted sort of sound. Keep at it, and eventually the notes will bend. Bend notes no more than a quarter-tone at the outset, and work the tricky upper register especially hard to get those reeds to that sweet spot where bending ease meets overall intonation.

4. Play around with bending notes on the blow. Bending blown notes is a hundred times trickier than bending drawn notes. Again, try to channel the airflow up across the roof of your mouth and tilt your harp up and into the bend. Don't be discouraged if the notes don't bend right away. Some will and some won't, and it varies from harp to harp. The only way to find out how your particular harp behaves is to keep playing.

5. Once your harp is sufficiently broken in, try playing a scale starting by blowing into sound hole No. 1. Some scale notes are tough to bend; the fourth is nearly impossible. Try, though, and try to make each note sound clear and distinct. The importance of this exercise is to tune you into the possibilities of bent notes and the myriad of sounds available from your Special 20.

Cleaning Your Special 20

1. Clean your instrument periodically. Since the Special 20's body is not porous, whatever goes into the harmonica either evaporates, collects around the holes or goes into the harmonica's body. While harmonica innards do not rust, they do gum up, and Special 20s are susceptible to gumming up and not sounding certain notes. The good news is that they can be cleaned; the way to do it is to take apart your Special 20 periodically and de-gummify the works.

2. Take a X-Acto knife to the sound holes to peel away any dried-on material. A cotton swab moistened with some deionized water can be inserted into sound holes to remove deep-down gunk.

3. Unscrew and remove the top and bottom shells and use the razor knife to very gently clean over and under the reeds, taking care not to bend the reeds. (If you bend a reed up, push it back down using the point of the X-Acto knife, but don't make a habit of it.) A very thin coating of petroleum jelly applied to the inside of the top and bottom shells will help prevent gunk buildup.

4. After cleaning, let your harmonica dry before putting it back in its case -- but always remember to put it back in its case. That'll help prevent dings and chips to the body.

5. Taking care of your harmonica in this fashion will help keep your Special 20 sounding clear and strong for decades.

Resources

• Hohner Inc.