Here is more information about playing your Hohner Ocean Star tremolo harmonica.
First, you might be able to buy a copy of this harmonica method book for tremolo harmonicas. I'm not an employee of any harmonica company or music publisher:
"Tremolo & Octave Harmonica Method," by Phil Duncan, published by Mel Bay Publications. Here is the Mel bay website:
www.melbay.com
This instruction book is the only book written for use with the tremolo & octave harmonicas. It answers most of your questions, and has a CD and note charts for the tremolo harmonicas.
Second, If you live in Mumbai or Dehli, I can recommend harmonica players who might be able to help you to learn the tremolo harmonica.
Third, To play 8th notes in the 4/4 time signature, each foot tap gets two 8th notes or rests. Each foot tap gets four 16th notes or rests.
In music, the words "key, or Keys" are a way to locate a set of notes ("scales"). A music key is spelled starting with it's first note, sometimes called "do." A "C" scale, for example, starts on C.
C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. The last note is also called "do," because it has the same spelling as the first note.
Tremolo harmonicas are designed with one reed in each hole. When you play two reeds that are stacked vertically, you will hear a wavy tone. This is the result of factory tuning, to get the tremolo sound.
The two vertically stacked reeds have the same spelling, and they are the same note, except one of the reeds is slightly de-tuned from the other. When they're played together, the wavy sound is produced.
You may play one reed at a time, or you may play 2 or more reeds together. The customary way to play the tremolo harps is with a mouthful of reeds sounding together.
You may also play bend and overblow notes on the tremolo harp, playing one reed at a time.
Most tremolo harmonicas use the Richter note placement system. That's the same note placement as the 10-hole diatonic single reed per note harmonicas.
Tremolo harmonicas are in two types of note placements. One type starts on "do" of the music scale, like a 10-hole diatonic, and the other tremolo type starts on "mi" of the music scale (3rd note of the scale).
If your tremolo harmonica is in the key of C, for example, hole 1 (lowest pitched note) might be a blow note, C.
If your tremolo harmonica is in the key of C but isn't a blow C in the first hole (lowest note), then it will have the E note as it's lowest note.
You can find the key of your harmonica by looking on it's metal covers. If you see a letter, C, stamped on the top cover, that is the key of your harmonica. That means that the harmonica uses the set of notes for the key of C.
Your Ocean Star harmonica is probably in the key of C.
If you tell us how many double reed holes your tremolo harmonica has, and the key that it is in, we can tell you the note placements of the reeds (we can spell them for you on a note chart).
Good Luck
John Broecker
-- Edited by John Broecker on Friday 3rd of December 2010 03:04:37 PM
-- Edited by John Broecker on Friday 3rd of December 2010 03:09:06 PM
Just what Michael says. Right now I am playing all over Gambling Blues by Pinetop Perkins and Bigeye Willie. Great song to catch and learn riffs by listening.
Everything they said! Then find some harmonica music you like, and listen to a lot of it. I learn as much by listening as I do by playing. You will start to "feel" things from listening, even if you don't know the names for it. Don't give up.
Jon (Gindick) the owner of this site, has some very good EASY TO UNDERSTAND videos on youtube that explain what you are trying to learn... there's only one small problem... you will be needing a regular diatonic (10 holes) in the key of C harp to play along with the excerces ...
Here is the link
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=JamCamp06
Hope this helps
PS don't speed up tapping your foot for faster notes, just play more notes on each tap (2 on the down beat, 2 on the up beat)
A key is the key of music you are playing in. For example, your harmonica (harp) will have a letter on it - that is the key the harp is tuned to. If you are not playing along with another instrument then it does not matter what key you are in just play.
A scale is a musical ladder of sorts. It plays the keys of the scale in order. For example, A-B-C-D-E F-G and then back to C. Your harp has one complete scale and it start on 4 Blow. It goes 4 blow, 4 draw, 5 blow, 5 draw, 6 blow, 6 draw, 7 draw and 7 blow. Give it a try and you will see what I mean.
As far as beats go, it goes like this....
Think of your foot tapping down and up to the music. When your foot hits the floor that is the down beat and when your foot is at the top, that is the upbeat. Beats are counted when your foot hits the floor. So a whole note has your foot hitting the floor 4 times, in fact on a 4/4 beat your foot will alway hit the floor 4 times per measure. 8 beats in 4/4 time has you playing the note on the down beat and the up beat.
As i am new to feild of Harmonica & also i am not from Musical Background even i don't know basic music theory. But some days earlier when i was refering some information regarding Harmonica in the Internet i understood some thing like what is tapping & counting notes for example : quarter note gets one tapping & beat, half note gets two tapping & two beats, whole notes gets four tapping & 4 beats, but didn't understand how much to blow or tap for eight & sixteenth notes.....Also i am from INDIA didn't have any helping sources here. So please someone can help me out by solving my problem. Also i have Honer Ocean Star Tremolo Harmonica but didn't know any technical stuff about it, And i am finding diffcult to understand harmonica stuff through Internet. Also what does Keys, Scales means i don't know. I am too confused, but yet i am having much intreast to learn harmonica. Can someone help me solve my problem regarding harmonica and music. I repeat as i am from INDIA I AM NOT HAVING ANY OF THE HELPING SOURCES LIKE FRIENDS DO NOT ABOUT know what is harmonica, Please help me....Because i am trying to learn by my own...Please help me.
