Playing the Harmonica - Box Set

by Dave Oliver

"Playing the Harmonica" is a great kit for older children, teens and adults. It contains a fully-illustrated 64-page book all about the harmonica, a genuine 10-hole blues harmonica in the key of C and a red felt pouch to keep your harmonica in. Using clear text and colourful, easy to follow illustrations, the book shows you how to play the harmonica in a variety of styles and then gives you 20 well-known tunes to get started on right away. Within minutes of opening the box, you could be playing real music on your harmonica - one of the coolest and most versatile instruments around. Once you've mastered the basics, the book goes on to give you lots of tips and ideas for refining your sound, setting you firmly on the road to becoming a more advanced player. The book also includes sections on the history of the harmonica and on how to care for your harmonica. And, to inspire you, it profiles some of the harmonica's greatest players, including Little Walter, Larry Adler and Toots Thielmans.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction, Reference

64 pages, Paperback

First published September 9, 2002

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative little book. The first half is about the history of the harmonica and some of the greatest players of the instrument. Also recommended recordings by them.

What I didn't care for was, things like holding the instrument and playing chords and single notes, aren't really explained in enough detail for someone who may be absolutely new to such. But of course, you can always turn to YouTube for a solid explanation of each.Then return to the book for a list of some simple single note songs that make for good practice. Quite a bit too. Even a section on reading music notation.

Overall, I enjoyed it!