How do you play a 16 hole 32 tone Harmonica? (Key of C)?

-Or let's say a double reed harmonica?? I'm just a beginner, and I know, I should probably buy a 10 hole diatonic. But it seems that the store where I bought my harmonica doesn't have any intentions to sell a 10 hole. :(16/32 is either a tremolo or an octave. "How do you play" depends on if it has a Richter scale (most of the German harps) or is solo-tuned (most of the Asian harps. 16/32 is much more common among the German models - Asians tend to be 21-hole with duplicated "Do" in each octave. The Hohner Comet 2503 is an example of the German 16/32 Octave harp. The Suzuki Su-21 is an example of the Asian tremolos. http://www.grothmusic.com/cgi-local/Soft鈥?/a> is a chart of the scale on the different models of Hohner tremolo/octave harps.



If it's Richter tuned then you have exactly the same scale as a 10-hole diatonic and do-re-mi-fa... starts around 4 blow and follows the pattern 4blow 4 draw 5 blow 5 draw 6 blow 6 draw 7 draw 7 blow. Any tab for a 10-hole will work on it - it just has an octave and a half more notes. [note - some put Do at 5blow instead and have a little more range on the bottom chording section - test yours by using the pattern I gave at 4 blow. [note: many of the Hohner and other tremolos start the scale at 5 instead. You'd just add 1 to any tab you find for 10-hole]



If it's solo tuned then it's just like a chromatic but without the slide to raise the pitch. The pattern is the same but Do is usually all the way down on 1 and you have 4 full octaves of scale to work with. The advantage of solo tuned is that you're not missing the notes a Richter is missing in the bottom (1-4) of the harp. The disadvantage of solo tuned is that it's not set up for vamping the "three chord trick" in crossharp that blue players use. If 1 blow, 1 draw, 2 blow, 2 draw, 3 blow, 3 draw, 4 draw, 4 blow is a major scale (do re mi fa sol la ti do) then you're solo tuned.



The tremolo/octave harp is fantastic for playing melodies and tunes. That's what it's for. And, you can play some pretty fancy melodic stuff on one. It's not for wailing the blues (though some people do it) because 1) you can't bend two reeds equally at the same time and 2) the chord pattern is different.



The best way to learn it is by ear. Playing from tab or with "licks" is really not as advantageous. http://www.gatewayharmonicaclub.org/solo鈥?/a> is an excellent tutorial for solo-tuned harmonica though you'll need to find out where your harp placed the Do (start of the scale).



If it's Richter tuned (same as a 10-hole) then any harmonica lesson material will work for it except you won't be able to bend and scoop like a 10-hole does.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrL1Pg-Kp鈥?/a> is an example of what one of these sounds like very well played.