A Message from Lee:

While we have endeavored to provide complete, in-depth information about our products on our Web Site, we cannot possibly answer every question on the subjects of harmonica and harmonica playing. Below we have provided a list of links for those who are interested in the further exploration of these subjects. Also, in the event that you are unable to locate a retail outlet in your area that carries our products, we have provided a list of places on the net where our harmonicas are available for direct purchase.

Harmonica Resources

LEEOSKARQUICKGUIDE.COM

• Incorporating Harmonica Play With Other Instruments. Educational resource and complimentary site to LEEOSKAR.COM

LEEOSKARHARMONICALESSONS.COM

• Learning to play harmonica with Steve Lockwood

HARMONICALESSONS.COM

• Excellent site for learning to play harmonica.

HARMONICA.COM

• A resource to learn more about playing the harmonica.

HARMONICALINKS.COM

• The most complete links site to everything harmonica on the web.

HARP-L

• This internet discussion group covers just about everything anyone would ever want to know about even the most esoteric aspects of harmonica playing. The knowledgeable members of this group are able to answer almost any question related to the subject of harmonica playing.

Commercial Websites Offering Lee Oskar Harmonicas Online

U.S.

• Sweetwater
• Musician’s Friend
• Dave Gage’s Harmonica Store
• Rockin Rons Music

CANADA

• Long & McQuade
• The Music Stand

INTERNATIONAL

• Harmonicas Direct (UK / England)

Harmonicas are not exchangeable, refundable, or serviceable by retail stores due to health regulations. Once a harmonica has been played by any person or removed from a store (purchased), it is considered to be used merchandise, and must be returned to the manufacturer by the purchaser for warranty service.

An obvious reason harmonicas are not returnable is the fact that they are mouth-blown instruments, and as such are susceptible to being carriers of germs. Many times a “defective” harmonica needs nothing more than a good cleaning. Why not learn to clean and maintain your own instrument, thereby extending its life, and keeping your cost down?

Since the harmonica is a mouth-blown instrument, the very act of playing it contributes to the deterioration of tone quality, reed pitch and instrument life. The human breath carries with it many contaminants that build up residue on the reeds, inside cover plates, and the comb. Each person’s body chemistry is different, and varying levels of sugar and other chemicals are present in the saliva. These contaminants, together with any others that may be present from eating or drinking, will collect within the harmonica and solidify on the various components. Any build-up on the reeds will obviously cause the pitch to vary. Since the build-up most often occurs on the free end of the reeds, the pitch will flatten.

Heavy residue on the reed plates themselves, as well as the inside surfaces of the cover plates, may cause a loss of tone brilliance. Particles of food, hair, and pocket lint often become lodged between a reed and the reed slot, interfering with the action of the reed. Careful cleaning at regular intervals will help prevent corrosion and preserve your harmonica, extending its life. Also, from an aesthetic point of view, frequent cleaning of the comb cavities and the outer surfaces of the cover plates, will keep your harp looking presentable.

Periodic rinsing of your Lee Oskar Harmonica, which has a plastic comb, in plain water will go far to keep it clean.

For a more thorough cleaning, the following suggested materials are readily available: Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol, small spray bottle, lint-free cloth and small round brush (i.e. electric shaver cleaning brush).

Before disassembling your harmonica, spray a light mist of alcohol on both cover plates and wipe clean with a lint-free cloth.

Using your tools, carefully disassemble the cover plates and reed plates from the comb.

NOTE: Any time the cover plates are removed, it is of utmost importance that exposed reeds be handled very carefully, and not disturbed or snagged.

Cleaning the Reed Plates – spray both sides with alcohol and carefully wipe the plates clean. On the side of plates having reeds attached, wipe in parallel direction of reeds, starting at rivet end, being careful to not snag the free ends or disturb them in any way. DO not use a brush on the reed plate, as the brush may get caught or snagged between the reeds.

Cleaning the Comb – spray with alcohol and use small round brush to clean holes and chambers. Then wipe dry with cloth.

Cleaning the Cover Plates – spray with alcohol and carefully wipe inside and outside surfaces with cloth.

When all components are completely dry, reassemble harmonica according to instructions provided in the Lee Oskar Harmonicas Tool Kit Maintenance Manual. DO NOT play harmonica before all alcohol is dry. Inhalation of Isopropyl alcohol fumes may be harmful.

There are several common difficulties that you may experience when learning to play the harmonica. For example, draw 1, 2 or 3 may sound muted, airy, distorted, or flat. Other notes may sound shrill, unclear or might not play at all. Many players assume that there is something wrong with the harmonica. However, it is usually improper playing technique that is causing the problem. You can overcome these problems with practice and by learning correct playing technique, correct positioning of the tongue/oral cavity and developing proper breath control.

Difficulty with 2 & 3 draw notes is the most common problem. Beginners and even some experienced players may have problems with the 2 & 3 draw. This is because the 2 & 3 draw reeds bend more than the other draw reeds. Bending is an advanced playing technique that occurs when we constrict the air flow. This results in varying tones and notes, delivering greater musical expression. Bending notes does not refer to bending the reeds physically.

Tech stuff: What makes a bend happen? And what governs whether or not a reed will bend and by how much? Each chamber shares two reeds, a blow and draw reed, which interact with each other. When the two reeds are more than a semitone apart, the higher pitched of the two reeds, as in draw hole #2 and draw hole #3 (with proper technique) will produce the bent note, or notes.

However, when a beginner constricts the air flow too much by using improper technique, the note will sound muted, airy, distorted or flat because they are bending the reed accidentally. Some brands of harmonicas are made with a less exacting design or inferior quality materials and will have air leakage and poor reed response. These leaky harmonicas require a player to use a lot of air to get the reeds to respond. Lee Oskar Harmonicas are designed and manufactured to be very airtight using a plastic comb and high quality materials that provide reeds with very responsive action. However, because our reeds are so sensitive, sometimes even an experienced player may encounter problems because they are constricting the air too much, out of habit. This is especially common if they have been playing other brands of harmonicas that are less airtight.

Refer to the chart below for further help if you are experiencing these problems.

Remember, take your time and practice each step and technique.

Embouchure is the actual method of applying your lips, tongue and mouth on the harmonica. Many beginners may have playing difficulties which can be attributed to incorrect embouchure.

Note: Another reason a reed may have poor or no response is due to not enough reed offset (gap). Refer to the harmonica maintenance overview for more info on reed offset.

Many novice players ask us for advice about which keys of harmonicas they should start out with. To determine which keys will be best for you to buy, ask yourself these two questions:

1) Will you be playing solo, or with others?

If you intend to play solo, or simply for your own satisfaction, then any key can be used. In other words, any song can be played in any key, regardless of what key the original composer, or artist, may have selected.

However, if you plan to play with someone else, such as a duo or group, or to play along with a favorite recording, your key selection would be governed by those situations.

2) What kind of music do you want to play?

In order to know which keys of harmonicas to buy, it is necessary to first determine which style of playing you will be using, 1st Position or 2nd position.

If you want to play simple melodies and folk music, you will probably be playing in 1st Position. This means you would start from the blow, accenting the blow notes and blow chords. You would use a C harp to play in C.

If you want more “expression” for playing Blues, Rock, Country and Pop music, you will probably be playing in 2nd Position. This means you would start from the draw, accenting draw notes and draw chords, and bending. You would use a C harp to play in G.

90% of today’s players use 2nd Position for Blues, Rock, Country and Pop music. Click on 1st Postion / 2nd Position or Basic Chords and Bending to learn more about these topics.

It’s important to understand that although the note layout for each key of Major Diatonic will be different, the PATTERN of notes, chords and bends will be the same. This means that once you learn to play “Jingle Bells” on a C Major harp, you can play “Jingle Bells” on any key of Major harp (G, A, Bb, Low F, etc.) using the exact same blow/draw patterns.

Note:

The following information relates to the Major Diatonic tuning click this link here now. To learn more about the Melody Maker™, Natural Minor and Harmonic Minor tunings, see the harmonicas page. We also suggest that you consult our Pitch Charts to know which keys are highest in pitch and which keys are lowest, for all four tunings.

The biggest selling keys of Major Diatonics are:

C A G D E F Bb Eb – in that order.

If your goal is to be able to sit in with others, jam with bands and play in most any situation, it would be ideal to have all 12 keys, plus Low F and High G. However, if you are just getting started, we feel that owning the first 5 keys listed above would give you enough flexibility to play in many situations.

Click Here to go to the Major Diatonic Key Chart, showing the various keys of music that each key of harmonica can play in, using 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd & 4^th positions.

Key selection charts are included with every Lee Oskar Harmonica.