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beginner harp for irish/folk

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 10:49 am
by madden
I'm wishing to learn to play irish/folk and ive never so much as picked up a harmonica in all my 40 something years. So there's your work cut out for you! Hoping for advice on what piece to start with that will not break the bank just yet. I've looked to on the website but it looks like all the likely candidates I thought I should get have been sold out or are no longer being made? I have happily ordered the book on playing irish music from our website and cant wait for it to arrive and in the mean time have been shopping with much confusion. Please help

Re: beginner harp for irish/folk

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 5:00 pm
by CrawfordEs
On Brendan’s website you can still order the 10 hole Suzuki pro master in Paddy Richter
Or for a bit less get the Lucky 13 and just ignore those first three holes for a bit.
Seydel offers 10 hole Paddy Richter harmonicas
Or if you have a tuner and a small file you can turn any harmonica into a Paddy Richter harmonica yourself with a gentle touch and a few minutes patience.

Re: beginner harp for irish/folk

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2018 11:24 pm
by triona
And Seydel offers the 10-hole-harp in Do-it (Dale King's open Irish tuning) too. I like it very much for jigs and reels.

Another option is the Seydel Sampler in D+G (called the "Irish").
It is similar to the discontinued Irish Session Harp of Brendan (solo tuned, 12-hole, with slide). If you are interested in this model, I can tell you the differences. I play both of them.


dear greetings
triona

Re: beginner harp for irish/folk

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:56 pm
by madden
Ive ordered the lucky 13! I’m excited to get started! Brendan please make it come fast!!! :D and thanks for the suggestions

Re: beginner harp for irish/folk

Posted: Sat Aug 25, 2018 3:57 am
by madden
My lucky 13 is finally in the US I keep watching videos and can’t wait much longer :P

Re: beginner harp for irish/folk

Posted: Tue Aug 28, 2018 11:11 pm
by madden
My harmonica has arrived I couldn’t wait any longer so as soon as I heard the package made it to the local post office I ran up to get it. They hadn’t even sorted yet, said it was still on pallet but they went and dug it out for me! Haha although I am a little worried when I move the harmonica around or shake it just a little I hear a rattle like something is loose in there. Is that normal to hear a rattle when u move ur harmonica! I am very new to it so I don’t know???

Re: beginner harp for irish/folk

Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2018 6:28 pm
by Brendan
If it's a G it will be the low reeds, they are very heavy and will vibrate when you move the harp.

Re: beginner harp for irish/folk

Posted: Sun Sep 09, 2018 8:45 am
by madden
My new harmonica is wonderful! Thank you Brendan Power and when I can I definitely plan to purchase the same in more keys. I do have a beginner question I hope that I can get an answer to. I’m using the “play Irish music on blues harp” book, and coming up soon is Crowley’s reel on d harp. I currently only have the g harp. My question is, how do I play this tune. Is the proper procedure to transpose every note on the d harp to the coresponding note on g harp. Such as, blow 8 on d harp = draw 7 on g harp? I’m slightly confused but I am enjoying my new harmonica, thank u again

Re: beginner harp for irish/folk

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:32 pm
by Brendan
Yes, transpose down. Use some slow-down software to hear the tune in G, and then learn by ear.

Re: beginner harp for irish/folk

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 12:04 pm
by DanPa
madden wrote:
Tue Aug 28, 2018 11:11 pm
My harmonica has arrived I couldn’t wait any longer so as soon as I heard the package made it to the local post office I ran up to get it. They hadn’t even sorted yet, said it was still on pallet but they went and dug it out for me! Haha although I am a little worried when I move the harmonica around or shake it just a little I hear a rattle like something is loose in there. Is that normal to hear a rattle when u move ur harmonica! I am very new to it so I don’t know???
Just got my Lucky 13 and experienced the same rattle, but quickly found it was the small bracing bit of metal under the cover plates. Bit of tape sorted it asap.