Playing the Hohner Echo Harmonica

The Hohner Echo harmonica has two rows of reeds for twice the volume.

Someone once described the harmonica as the easiest instrument to play and the hardest to play well, but with the wide range of instructional materials available these days, no one has an excuse to play poorly. And if you can play a standard harp, you can play the Hohner Echo harmonica. The Echo harp has two rows of reeds with two rows of corresponding holes, one above the other. The top row is an octave higher than the bottom with between 28 and 48 reeds total and is louder than a standard harmonica.

Things You'll Need

• Hohner Echo harmonica

Instructions

Learning to Blow the Harp

1. 

   This is the left-hand position for holding a harmonica.

   Position the harmonica so the row of holes with the lowest notes is on the bottom. The numbers will be right side up if you have it turned correctly. Put your left thumb underneath with the index finger on top. Keep your fingers clear of the holes so they don’t get in the way of your blowing in the holes.

2. 

   Note how the right hand creates a hollow space.

   Bring your right hand up alongside the harp to stabilize it. Partially cup your right hand to create a hollow space between the hands for shaping the sound. By bringing the outside edges of the hands together and apart you can create the familiar "wah, wah" sound harmonicas are noted for.

3. 

   Mastering the pucker will take some time.

   Moisten your lips and then lightly “kiss” the rows of holes. The pucker or “embouchure” funnels the air you are blowing into a hole that only plays a single note at a time. The pucker is very important if you don’t want nearby holes playing over the note you want to sound.

4. 

   Opening and closing the space between the hands alters the sound.

   Blow out steadily, then suck air back in. Note that the note changes depending on the direction air flows through the holes. To achieve all the notes of a tune requires knowing what holes to blow on and what holes to inhale on. You’ll have to work on your pucker to define the note as you practice those clear one-hole notes.

5. 

   Work those scales till you have them cold.

   Play the scales on your harp. Start on the bottom row, far left hole, and alternate between blowing and inhaling all the way up the scale on the bottom row.

6. 

   Learn to play a single row and two at once.

   Move to the top row and inhale and exhale on each hole moving left to right. Note that sometimes the inhale note is the same as an exhale note. This happens when there is no flat or sharp between notes like between B and C or E and F. Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it.

7. 

   To change keys with a harmonica, you'll have to buy another harp.

   Practice till you can run up the scale rapidly on both rows, then try altering your pucker to pick up the top and bottom rows at the same time--again, just playing the two matching notes without blowing over into the adjacent holes. It will take some practice.

8. 

   Now get yourself some music and learn a tune.

   Pick out a first practice tune, playing it on the top row, bottom row and both rows together till you master the song. Now go find someone to teach you how to play cross-harp, bend notes and play harmonies.

Tips & Warnings

• You can get music or tabs that show you which holes to blow and whether to suck or blow either online or in a music store.

• As you learn more and more songs, you’ll develop an ear for how to play tunes. Try playing around without tabs and “find” the tune on your harp.

• Collect harmonicas in keys commonly used by people you jam with. A lot of country songs are in the key of A, for instance. A lot of folk and blues numbers are in C and G. Start out buying harmonicas in the keys you need and eventually you will collect yourself a complete set.