Author: Wang Yingjie reposted from: original hits on this site: 177.
10 hole blues harmonica-guitar in pocket: I call the blues harmonica a guitar in my pocket because it can play a guitar-like pulling effect-crying! This is something that no other wind instrument can do. How's it going? Come and play, maybe you can attract some girls by him!
Chapter 1 Harmonica Rooting
The setting sun set on the Mongolian prairie, as if symbolizing the decline of the Mongolian empire. Once upon a time, Genghis Khan, who was born in this land and was hailed as the first person who influenced the world at all times and at all times, led his Mongolian soldiers to invade the east and kill the west, reaching the Danube River and dominating Eurasia. This war can be said to have done cruel harm to eastern civilization, but it really kicked the door of western civilization. Westerners began to understand the power of oriental civilization, and began to learn from orientals, and the achievements of oriental civilization also spread to the west (by the way, 100 years ago, westerners used weapons inspired by oriental civilization, and in the same way-war, kicked open the door of China, and from then on an ancient sleeping nation began to move towards new life. Maybe the development of civilization seems to start with war? )。 Among them are Chinese musical instruments Sheng, Pipa and Mongolian Kouxianqin. Inspired by these things, westerners have their own functional thinking, transforming these musical instruments into harmonica, organ, accordion, guitar and JAWHARP (Note: JAWHARP should be called harpsichord according to its playing function, and it should be developed from Mongolian harpsichord, with a reed in her mouth, and it sounds a bit like it. It is often used as a bass and rhythm instrument by some country musicians. Madcat, an American 10 hole blues harmonica player, is her lover. In addition, the Daur people in Heilongjiang still play some local folk songs with the kouxianqin. Recently, a kouxianqin used in the Jin Dynasty was unearthed near Acheng, Heilongjiang Province. It seems that the clavichord should be a musical instrument used by some ethnic groups in the north.
/kloc-At the beginning of the 9th century, a Bohemian musician put the reed on the sheng into a box and made the first harmonica, which was completely played. Later, an instrument player named RIGHTER found that the full-blown instrument was not suitable for playing, so he added a suction spring, thus constructing a harmonica with seven chords in the bass. This scale arrangement was very suitable for playing folk music at that time. This scale arrangement system is called the right tone system, which is a very important scale system. So far, it has been used on the harmonica with hole 10.
A great industrialist is indispensable for the promotion of a musical instrument. MATTH, Germany Horner is such a person. He was the first person to commercialize the harmonica. Horner Company has made great contributions to the popularization of harmonicas from the initial annual output of several hundred harmonicas to the current annual output of 10 million harmonicas. About 60 years after Horner Company was founded, Horner harmonica began to be sold in the United States. From then on, the harmonica began to have new vitality, and the comprehensive culture of Americans injected fresh blood into her. By the1920s, unknown black blues musicians had recorded records with the 10 hole harmonica, and some typical blues harmonica techniques, such as the pressure spring and the train, could be heard in it.
Bruce's prosperity began in the 1930s. Due to the pressure of African-American life, a large number of blacks poured into the city, and Chicago was one of them. These black people brought their own music, and their skills and inspiration were greatly improved through communication. In Chicago blues, those black masters who used to turn the harmonica into the main instrument owe their lives to the harmonica with hole 10. If we list them one by one, there can be more than 10, and we can't help but mention John Lee Williams and Walker Jr.
John Lee Williams is known as the father of modern blues harmonica. His typical playing style is to play one melody first and then sing another. Later, he was called one of the professional blues giants. He ended up being slaughtered in the street. The murderer took his three harmonicas, a watch and a wallet. At the age of seven, Little Walker played the harmonica and begged in the street. /kloc-At the age of 0/7, the country blues master muddy water discovered this talented harmonica player. With the cooperation with Muddy Water, Little Walker gradually became "the most popular harmonica in Chicago". He invented a method of playing the harmonica (such as holding a microphone in his hand), sometimes he croaked and sometimes he played it. Although with the help of a microphone, such a small instrument really has such a great expressive force that people can't help but admire it. Unfortunately, Little Walker is also a talented musician who ruined his life. He drank heavily in the second half of his life and completely lost the title of "the reddest harmonica in Chicago".
After the war, the golden age of Bruce gradually passed away. The harmonica, once the main instrument of Chicago blues instrument, was also replaced by saxophone. The new playing method of black people on 10 hole harmonica was borrowed by white musicians and began to be widely used in country music, western music and some folk music. Because white people don't live a bumpy and depressed life like black people, their music style lacks the groaning and depression of black harmonica music, and more is a light rhythm, memories of the past and yearning for future life. Charlie McCaughey, a famous American country harmonica master, was born in 1970s. His harmonica music was cheerful and melodious, and its speed was extremely fast, which influenced countless 10 hole harmonica players at that time. At the same time, Levi Holly, who studied at Northwestern University in the United States, found that by bending the spring, not only the sound can be lowered, but also the sound can be improved. After three years of practice, he was finally able to play all the semitones within three degrees freely on a harmonica with G key 10 hole and use it for free modulation. This speaker technique is used by Mr. Holly as "super blowing or super sucking". In 1990s, JOHN POPPER, the lead singer and harmonica player of "Blues Traveler" band, galloped on the 10 hole harmonica at an amazing speed and played wild rock melody, which became a model of rock harmonica in 1990s.
It has been 150 years since the birth of 10 hole harmonica. This kind of "musical instrument" is usually used as a tuning tool at first, not as an instrument. Because countless musicians and instrumentalists have devoted their lives to developing his voice, he finally has the expressive force that is not inferior to other instruments. Looking back at history can't help but make people feel deeply moved! This branch originated in China, crossed the Mongolian Plateau, was born in Europe, leaped over the Pacific Ocean, carried forward in the United States, and finally bypassed the Pacific Ocean and returned to its birthplace, facing us with a brand-new look. In what way will we welcome it? Leave this for my friends to consider, but don't let him feel cold!
Chapter II Brands and Types of Blues Harmonica
There are three major harmonica producing countries in the world. -China, Germany and Japan. Most of the high-grade harmonicas in the world are made in Germany and Japan, while most of the lower-grade harmonicas are made in China. The so-called "grade" mentioned above is based on the average quality of products. From an individual point of view, domestic harmonicas can also choose high-quality harmonicas. The "Yellow" brand made in China (customized by the China factory for the famous Chinese-American Master chromatic harmonica) is a proof. Its price in the United States is only 1/3 of that of German and Japanese harmonica, but it is in the eyes of quite a few people. Its quality is not worse than theirs, and even several varieties are better than theirs, especially the stock "yellow" brand produced ten years ago, which is of very good quality. I am a fan of it, and I think it is the best harmonica in the world.
Germany's "HOHNER" is recognized as the world's first harmonica brand by many harmonica musicians and lovers around the world, and its output of blues harmonicas is about 4 million pieces per year. The harmonica named by TOMBO Company in Japan after LEE OSKAR, a famous American blues harmonica, and the PRO MASTER series blues harmonica designed by BRENDEN POWER, a New Zealand harmonica master, for Suzuki Company in Japan have also attracted many players. There is also an American paizi "Helin", which was made by Joe Felisco, a famous American harmonica maker. Joe Felisco is a talented harmonica maker. He makes special harmonicas for many famous American harmonicas, such as MADCAT and MIKE STEVENS, who are all his customers. At the same time, he also improved some German and Japanese harmonicas to make them more expressive. It also manufactures and sells the harmonica named "Helin". This brand enjoys a high reputation in the American harmonica circle, but the output is too small. I have never played "Herring" myself. But many musicians speak highly of him. I believe he must be a good harmonica, and I will definitely get one in the future!
Because many players participate in the manufacture, design and marketing of harmonica, it is very beneficial to improve the quality and promotion of harmonica.
Let's talk about the structure and material of the harmonica first. The structure of harmonica is divided into cover plate, sound hole, reed plate, reed and screw. The manufacturing materials of the first four parts and the shape of the cover will have an important influence on the timbre of the harmonica, the taste of the player and the effort spent on blowing and sucking.
1, cover plate: most of them are chrome-plated copper plates, gold-plated or silver-plated, and ABS; The cover plate is also drilled with holes. For example, each cover of TOMBO harmonica has four square holes, which has a great influence on the volume and timbre of the harmonica.
2, sound hole: according to the material, there are wood, plastic, metal (copper or aluminum, etc. ), but also ABS gold plating; According to the shape, there are square holes and round holes.
3. Spring leaf: Generally, it is made by adding some metal copper alloy to copper.
4. Reed: Generally speaking, it is made by adding an alloy of metals such as silver to copper. There are also high-grade pianos made of silver and platinum; In addition, the thickness, length and weight of the reed have great influence on the volume and strength of the reed.
Due to the different materials used to make harmonicas, the price of each harmonica ranges from $20 to $70 (the price is American). The above is some information about harmonica in foreign markets. Now let's look at the domestic harmonica. The three major harmonica manufacturers HOHNER, TOMBO and SUZUKI all have branches in China, but it seems that the "HOHNER" piano is not sold in China. TOMBO Qin and Suzuki's "Kingdee" brand can be bought in the market; Taiwan Province Shuang Yan Musical Instrument Company also produces "LINKO" brand 10 hole harmonica; All the domestic harmonica factories produce blues harmonicas, but all of them are exported, and occasionally you will see the "Victory" brand made in Shanghai. From the price point of view, TOMBO is the most expensive, and the rest is about half of it.
There are many kinds of blues harmonicas. In addition to the standard blues harmonica with hole 10, there are holes in minor 10, natural minor, jazz, flamenco, 8 high, 8 low, 12, 14 and so on. In short, these special specifications are prepared for playing some special music.
It is enough for beginners to buy a blues harmonica in C major, but for each harmonica whose retail price is below 10 yuan, you should choose carefully. It may have a bad structure, which will cause a lot of trouble for your future study!
Chapter III Adjusting the Clearance of Harmonica Reed
The reason why everyone learned this skill from the beginning is that most harmonicas in the domestic market have the problem of improper gap. Harmonica is produced by the vibration of reed. If the gap between the reed and the reed plate is too large, it is not easy to make sound when you encounter weak breathing. If it is too small, it is easy to suppress the reed, resulting in no sound. So how big is the gap? Some foreigners have some special instruments to measure the pressure and the best gap of reed. But this method is a bit too far for me and some friends, so I put it aside for the time being. Let's learn this "Kung Fu" from the experience accumulated by some predecessors:
From the past experience, when the distance from the reed plate is two reeds thick, the reed is the best: find a screwdriver and remove the screws on both sides of the harmonica, so that the cover plate of the harmonica is removed and the reed plate appears. The reed is fixed on the reed plate beside the upper cover plate (the cover plate numbered "1- 10" and vice versa) and the lower cover plate. Through observation, we will find that the blowing spring is inside the sound hole and the absorbing spring is outside the sound hole; Find a toothpick or something, poke the root of the reed (the end fixed on the reed) with it, and force the reed distance to change with external force; How much force does it take to change the distance between the reed and the spring leaf? Everyone is different, and the strength of each of us is different. The strength of different brands of harmonica reeds is also different, so we must feel and observe it ourselves. Personally, I think the reed should be changed when it forms an angle of about 30 degrees with the reed plate.
When adjusting the blowing spring, we need to "press" the blowing spring in the direction of the sound hole to expand the distance between it and the reed plate. If the distance between it and the reed plate is too large, then we will put the toothpick in the sound hole, press the root of the reed and push the reed in this direction to narrow the distance between them. As for how to adjust the suction reed, you can refer to the adjustment method of the blowing reed and think for yourself.