Advice for Beginner with previous music experience.

[Blaggy]

Hi Slide Meister members.
I am 55 with 30+ years pro experience piano/trumpet .
I have doodled and played with the ugly word it seems in here "diatonics" but have now invested in
a Hohner CX12 as I just love the sound and colour of the chromatic and wish to start at the very beginning with it...
so I understand music, written notation and I have the will and  musical sense to know how to practise.
What I would like advice on please is suggestions as to good teaching books and methods that have been tried and tested.
After a brief search on chromatic harmonica  it appears there are hundreds around...so I am looking for good advice
before I throw my money away......
Many thanks for any time given to a reply

[pax]

Hi! Your in the right place. Lots of chromatic information here!

[charlespaul]

I bought "The Ultimate Jazz Fake Book" by Hal Leonard publishing to learn jazz solo standards, and I also used my old Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced Rubank books for saxophone, working through them from beginning to end. In fact, I have now been playing for two years and I am still using these books, and have recently added a fake book of pop/rock classics.

The combination of scale practice, etudes and songs works for chromatic just as it does for other instruments. Just make sure you buy songbooks in "C" editions and you're good to go.

Welcome to the chromatic harmonica world!

[Blaggy]

I bought "The Ultimate Jazz Fake Book" by Hal Leonard publishing to learn jazz solo standards, and I also used my old Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced Rubank books for saxophone, working through them from beginning to end. In fact, I have now been playing for two years and I am still using these books, and have recently added a fake book of pop/rock classics.

The combination of scale practice, etudes and songs works for Chromatic just as it does for other instruments. Just make sure you buy songbooks in "C" editions and you're good to go.

Welcome to the Chromatic harmonica world!

Hi and Thanks for your thoughts and ideas.....they will be a great help.
I have a million piano books and jazz fake books.
Once I have got to grips with the basic physical scale patterns
I will get them out.  Thanks again.

[Bill Morris]

The physical scale patterns are easier than you might think.

On your CX12 you have three sets of four holes left to right.  Each set of four holes consists of a C major diatonic scale with button out and a C# major diatonic scale with button in.

Learn the C scale first.  You'll notice that each set of four holes is just an octave higher than the adjacent set to the left.

Hole 1 has C (blow) and D (draw)
Hole 2 has E (blow) and F (draw)
Hole 3 has G (blow) and A (draw)
Hole 4 has C (blow) and B (draw)

This pattern is the same as the middle octave on a 10 hole diatonic Marine Band.

What's different is that on your CX12 each octave has the identical pattern.

Hole 5 has C (blow) and D (draw)
Hole 6 has E (blow) and F (draw)
Hole 7 has G (blow) and A (draw)
Hole 8 has C (blow) and B (draw)

Hole 9 has C (blow) and D (draw)
Hole 10 has E (blow) and F (draw)
Hole 11 has G (blow) and A (draw)
Hole 12 has C (blow) and B (draw)

Now push in the button and you get

Hole 1 has C#or Db (blow) and D# or Eb (draw)
Hole 2 has E#or F (blow) and F# or Gb (draw)
Hole 3 has G# or Ab (blow) and A# or Bb (draw)
Hole 4 has C# or Db (blow) and B# or C (draw)

This is what makes the CX12 a "chromatic".  After studying this for a few minutes you'll notice that there are some repeated notes.  These are necessary to construct complete octaves and can be a challenge to use them or work around them as you like.

Once you've got the breath patterns down for a C major scale you can add F major and G major fairly easily.

Have fun and let us know how it goes.

Bill

[Tim Atwell]

The chromatic is well set up for jazz.  Because the slide raises all notes a half-step, there are two ways to play C natural (as C or as B#) and two ways to play F (as F or as E#)  So you always have the choice of playing C and F with the slide in or out, and also as either a blow note or a draw note.  This is imortant because most standards are in flat keys, and this C/F option remains through five of the flat keys, F and C being the last naturals affected by the flat keys.  If you play F and C with the slide in, it's as easy to play in Ab (with four flats) as it is to play in G (one sharp).

Playing C and F as B# or E# can often simplify your slide work and also help you to even out your breathing.

[Gustavo Casado]

Here is a chart with the location of the notes. It can help you. Print it.

Make click on it and wait a moment: http://db.tt/isiQjlkJ

Regards.

[A.J.Fedor]

Here is a chart with the location of the notes. It can help you. Print it.

Make click on it and wait a moment: http://db.tt/isiQjlkJ

Regards.

Nah! That link don't work! Try again.

[Gnarly He Man]

I got it to work--here it is pasted into a .doc file.

[Blaggy]

All good so far, thanks for all your help, and the chart will be useful to have nearby.

[nicolas olmos]

Hi, remember that  the good sound of the chromatic is possible practicing EMBOUCHURE. There are
many techniques to get properly the  kind of sound you like. Two different  ways: one to get velocity on reading music, another to get expression.  What music you prefer or want to play ? sheers,
nico

[hillyscheper]

Hi Blaggy!!
Congrats on Your CX-12, I hope You grow a liking to it and enjoy playing a Lot. The CX-12 has got Lots of reviews here and seems to be a Great choice.
Well, I just thought I'd put some "General information" here; You say You read music so there isn't much for You to learn that way, all You need to know is how to "translate" Your knowledge to the harmonica. There are some tips here already about the lay-out, blow and draw notes etcetera, Hopefully I can add some useful information here for You:

The Biggest difference in playing a chromatic harmonica that You need to remember is that there are No Flats on a Chromatic. For Any Flattened note, You will need to play what's called "the Enharmonic", so: Instead of a B-Flat, You play the A-Sharp. Not so much of a problem with this note as A and B are both Draw-notes, but it can be confusing anywhere else: an E-Flat can Only be played as a D-Sharp, and the E is a Blow but the D is a Draw.
I personally reckon that once You get Your head around this, You will soon get the Whole Concept of how to play a Chromatic harmonica.
It's nothing special or anything Secretive, but it's just that sort of Mind-Set that helps a Lot IMO.
Have Fun with Your chromatic!!!

[vcleynes]

I learned that the hard way.  C, E and G are blow notes while D,F,A and B are draw notes.  In my tab sheets, I don't use flat notations because it confuses my blow and draw action.  So, instead of, say Eb, I use D#.  It is easier to remember that D is draw and E is blow and it confuses me that it is draw for Eb and blow for Ab.

[hillyscheper]

I learned that the hard way.  C, E and G are blow notes while D,F,A and B are draw notes.  In my tab sheets, I don't use flat notations because it confuses my blow and draw action.  So, instead of, say Eb, I use D#.  It is easier to remember that D is draw and E is blow and it confuses me that it is draw for Eb and blow for Ab.

Exactly!!! I'm glad You agree with me here, it's Very confusing indeed.
I do exactly the same, I use Only Sharps in my Notation, and No flats. For anyone who's interested, I have posted a bit of this Idea onto my Website, have a look at the page "Hilly's Music System" for an example:  http://coventry-harmonica.co.uk
The Only difference between Flats and sharps is the Note it REPLACES: an A-Flat INSTEAD of an A, and a G-Sharp INSTEAD of a G. So... if You write Sharps instead of Flats, that means that You'd No longer Replace notes, but play Both the Sharp as well as the natural.
For someone who reads music already, I seriously believe that once You're familiar with this very Harmonica-Specific feature, You're Off playing.

[Gustavo Casado]

Nah! That link don't work! Try again.

 

I´m sorry but I´ve checked twice the link before send it and worked well.

Thanks Gnarly He Man.

[A.J.Fedor]

Okay, I got it!

[thebuglleboy]

Howdy and a big welcome Blaggy!
I started out a brass man too.

TBB