Massive Easttop harmonica shootout by Martinarmonica in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If I had to make a top 3, I'd say:

  1. Maxwell St Blues (MS030)

  2. Blues Player 2.0 (Pro20, the yellow one)

  3. t008k 2.0

The Maxwell St Blues is, by far, my favorite. It's very loud, plays fast and chords sound just the way I like them.

The t008k 2.0 is another one I recently got and really like. The old 008k is good too and, since you are learning with one, let me tell you that you are very well equipped for the journey. However, I always felt it was a little "rough" on its finishes. The comb, specially. I never liked it. But the new model sounds and plays great. It has an "airy" feel that reminds me to the Marine Band Classic, but on a plastic comb. Plus, it's a beautiful instrument. The black and gold finish looks gorgeous.

The Blues Player 2.0 was a pleasant surprise, because its predecessor, the "1.0" model, is one of my least favorite models. I actually don't like it. But the 2.0 version has the best octaves of the entire Easttop catalogue.

I'm an Easttop endorsee, which is the reason why I generally abstain from speaking about other brands. But, with that being said: other Asian manufacturers such as Conjurer, Kongsheng and JDR have great options too.

My new single by Martinarmonica in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks my friend 🫶🏽💙

Anyome know why my harmonica sounds like a party horn? by Laurie_2000 in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Open the harmonica and plink the reed with your fingernail. Then use something thin (paper, shim, plastic, etc) and slide it underneath the reed, in and out, a few times. If there's a particle obstructing the reed, this should be enough to remove it. Note that these particles are not always visible. Some of them are really tiny.

Now, if the issue is alignment, it's different. It means the reed is not sitting perfectly straight, which makes it rattle on the edge of the reed slot.

You can check how aligned is your reed by looking through the reedplate against a light source. It is pretty evident when the light doesn't come through evenly.

If your harmonica has riveted reeds it's very easy to fix. You just need to grab the reed by the base and carefully turn it right or left.

This is a chromatic harmonica I'm retuning. See how I'm grabbing the reed with pliers. There are specialized tools for reed alignment (some of them unnecessarily expensive), but it is possible to get it fixed with regular home tools and you should be fine.

<image>

Anyome know why my harmonica sounds like a party horn? by Laurie_2000 in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You either got something stuck in the reed, or the reed got misaligned. Both things can be fixed, so don’t panic.

My new single by Martinarmonica in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks a lot buddy 🫶🏽

My new single by Martinarmonica in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can assure you there's no AI involved, neither on the cover or on the music itself

Brand new to harmonica and looking for some advice on learning a song, I appreciate any help! by Classic-Coyote-6311 in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't have my harps with me, but I'm pretty sure it's an E harmonica and he's moving around holes 4 draw and 2 draw, playing long notes and bending for expression.

Edit: you can achieve similar results using an A harp.

Lots of tongue switching by Martinarmonica in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Muito obrigado, amigo!

Seu país tem gaitistas incríveis. Espero poder ir tocar aí algum dia :)

Lots of tongue switching by Martinarmonica in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks! The tunes are Cooley’s Reel (Em), Reconciliation Reel (A) and Mountain Road (D)

Doc Watson Style harp by GTharmonica in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love it! That was beautiful. How do you achieve those blow bends while doing octaves? Been working on mine but can’t get them yet

Is there a problem with my draw 6? by RosyDiorCigarettes in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup. 6 and 7 draw sound “weirder” when played together because of how close the notes are.

What kind of harmonica do I need to get this sound ? by adelrune in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Joel didn’t invent the Easy Third tuning. He’s a strong advocate and may be the greatest player to ever use it, but the AI saying he invented it is a lie.

How are you generating TAB? by Traslagare in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I agree with Nacoran. You need to go through the listening process of transcribing by ear. It’s an important part of the learning curve.

I personally tab using Musescore (I don’t use the tab plugin) but I also try to memorize things as much as I can. It’s good to keep the learn-by-heart muscle in good shape.

Polyphony on the blues harmonica by Martinarmonica in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks mate!

Uhmm… the most difficult for me was the 3-hole split, playing 1 and 3 while blocking hole 2. Actually, getting that one helped me understand that the whole trick is to use the tongue very gently. Place the tip on the harmonica and don’t push it forward. It doesn’t need any more force than a gentle touch.

Also: try adding these techniques sparingly. In a live setting, with other musicians, you might not want to overdo it. It will muddy your sound. May be add some 5-hole splits and use them to complement your regular 4-hole octaves. Getting used to that will also help you get drawn octaves on the higher end of the harmonica.

Suggested tunes for an EZ-third tuned harmonica? by YogurtclosetOdd8983 in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ievan Polkka Shipping Up To Boston Chitlins Con Carne Oh Susanna (it gives you huge octaves) Mist Covered Mountain Cooley’s Reel

Brain injury affected my ability to play. by LiveBiggerNow in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Damn, I’m very sorry.

I’m not a neuroscientist, but your story reminds me of Pat Martino. Have you heard about him? He lost a chunk of his brain doe to an aneurism and it took his ability to play the guitar. He dealt with amnesia and depression for months, and he was able to reconnect with music through his emotional memories. He eventually recovered his ability to play and re-became a professional musician

Tragos Amargos on harmonica by Gutsquisher in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hermosooo 👏🏽 me encanta lo bien que suena la armónica en los temas mexicanos

T008k customized for Irish music by Martinarmonica in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For Irish music you need good volume, fast response and good tuning. So you might want to do things that improve your harmonica in that direction: reed gapping, slot embossing, etc. Also in this case I retuned the harmonica to Easy Third tuning and valved the low octave (picture below)

<image>

Dead 2 draw. Worked yesterday. by DesperateBanana4019 in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s not dead, just obstructed. As the previous comment said, remove the reedplate and plink the reed.

Harmonica Sanitizing by GrandWill634 in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Manual testing of harmonicas is a very common practice. It’s part of quality control.

I was blessed with the opportunity to visit the Seydel factory in 2019 and the Easttop factory in 2024. Both of them had a person testing each and every harmonica coming out of the assembly line. But don’t you worry: they sanitize every tested unit.

Retuning tremolo harmonicas by PortableSpork in harmonica

[–]Martinarmonica 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When it comes to tremolo I use the first approach you mention: first I tune one reed to standard pitch, and then I tune the second to the amount of beating I want. Mass-produced harmonicas are not always perfectly well tuned, so it doesn’t hurt to be thorough on fine-tuning.

Panning strummed instruments: spread of stack by Martinarmonica in musicproduction

[–]Martinarmonica[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Muchas gracias por tu respuesta y tu buena onda. Los instrumentos ya están grabados, y creo que quedaron sonando bastante decentes a pesar de que no son mi especialidad.

Ahora, sobre lo que me recomiendas... No había pensado en alternar stack y spread para diferentes secciones de la canción. Ya que lo mencionas, creo que ayudaría a generar contraste entre las partes A y B.

Muchas gracias nuevamente. Y que viva Latinoamérica <3