Cajun and Quebecois tunes

[Malarz]

Which harmonicas are recommended for playing Cajun music? Which for Quebecois/French-Canadian? I understand the first key choice for Cajun is C and the first for Quebecois is D.

Thank you.

[triona]

For Cajun I would consider G as the first choice. G is the key by which the typical cajun accordion is tuned with. If you want to play mainly in second position, you are right with the C harp. But I prefer Brendan's Slide Diatonic by Hering in G. It is perfect to play the voice of the cajun accordion in authentic simulation of the specific and typical mellow sound of this accordion. I think it is a pity, that this harmonica has been discontinued. And I do not know whether the alternative new slide harps by Brendan come equal in sound to the discontinued slide diatonic.

A very nice sound for cajun can be brought out by any octav harmonica. Usual models to recommend are Seydel Concerto Steel or Seydel Club Steel (or Hohner Autovalve, discontinued too). They are available in all common keys including C and G. For the octave sound Brendan has also some special double harp. But I just have blown once through one of these for a minute or two, so I can not really tell much about it.


I do not know anything about Quebecois music. Is this more like Cape Breton / Celtic, or more like Gallo-French folk music (f.expl. musette etc)? Or does it sound different from all of that? The only Quebecois Band I have ever heard are "Les Tireux d'Roches". It is some kind of folk music, but more modern than traditional. Do you mean stuff like that?


dear greetings
triona

[Malarz]

Thank you for your reply and advice. I had thought a C harmonica for Cajun because I play a C diatonic single row accordion when I play Cajun tunes. Your recommendation to use a G harmonica is a good idea to then be able to play in first position.

Quebecois/French-Canadian music is, to my non-native ears, a melding of Irish/Scottish/Cape Breton/French tunes with a decidedly “upbeat” and happy lift to the melodies. The largest percentage of tunes are played in the key of D with the keys of G and then A (and their relative minors) following behind.

I don’t know anything about the Brendan Powers nor Seydal harmonicas. Now I have both a Hohner Golden Melody in D and a Suzuki Humming Tremolo in D. Are soundclips available for those harmonicas which you have suggested?

Thank you for your help.

Ken

[Brendan]

Winslow Yerxa is an expert on this style, hopefully he can advise here. I'd be interested too - Winslow?