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108-471: The Harmonica Gentlemen was a trio consisting of George Fields (chromatic harmonica ), Leo Friedman (chord harmonica), and Don Ripps (bass harmonica). They are largely remembered now for recording with The Andrews Sisters and Danny Kaye . George Fields had a solo career as harmonicist and is best known for his harmonica solo " Moon River " in Henry Mancini's score for Breakfast at Tiffany's . Donn Ripps

216-462: A "punchy" midrange sound that could be heard above an electric guitar. Also, tube amplifiers produce a natural growling overdrive when cranked at higher volumes, which adds body, fullness, and "grit" to the sound. Little Walter also cupped his hands around the instrument, tightening the air around the harp, giving it a powerful, distorted sound, somewhat reminiscent of a saxophone, hence the term "Mississippi saxophone". Some harmonica players in folk use

324-480: A cell and leakage through the nonplaying reed would be significant. For example, when a draw note is played, the valve on the blow reed-slot is sucked shut, preventing air from leaking through the inactive blow reed. An exception to this is the now-discontinued Hohner XB-40, on which valves are placed not to isolate single reeds, but rather to isolate entire chambers from being active, a design that made playing traditional blues bends possible on all reeds. The mouthpiece

432-459: A cloth maker and weaver from Trossingen , copied a harmonica his neighbour had brought from Vienna. He had such success that eventually his brother and some relatives also started to make harmonicas. From 1840, his nephew Christian Weiss was also involved in the business. By 1855, there were at least three harmonica-making businesses: C. A. Seydel Söhne , Christian Messner & Co., and Württ. Harmonikafabrik Ch. Weiss. (Currently, only C.A. Seydel

540-420: A diatonic interval, so that the interval is made larger or smaller by the interval of half step ["altered diatonic intervals"]. Because diatonic scale is itself ambiguous, distinguishing intervals is also ambiguous. For example, the interval B ♮ –E ♭ (a diminished fourth , occurring in C harmonic minor) is considered diatonic if the harmonic minor scale is considered diatonic, but chromatic if

648-444: A different timbre, so that they often function in place of a brass section. In the past, they were referred to as horn harmonicas. The other type of orchestral melodic harmonica is the polyphonia, (though some are marked "chromatica"). These have all twelve chromatic notes laid out on the same row. In most cases, they have both blow and draw of the same tone, though the No. 7 is blow only, and

756-514: A few orchestra harmonicas are also designed to serve as both bass and chord harmonica, with bass notes next to chord groupings. There are also other chord harmonicas, such as the Chordomonica (which operates similar to a chromatic harmonica), and the junior chord harmonicas (which typically provide six chords). The Suzuki SSCH-56 Compact Chord harmonica is a 48-chord harmonica built in a 14-hole chromatic harmonica enclosure. The first three holes play

864-403: A full chromatic (12-note) octave. Pitch pipes are also sold for string players, such as violinists and guitarists; these pitch pipes usually provide the notes corresponding to the open strings. Vibrato is a technique commonly used while playing the harmonica and many other instruments, to give the note a 'shaking' sound. This technique can be accomplished in a number of ways. The most common way

972-421: A generalized meantone tuning, notes such as G ♯ and A ♭ are not enharmonically equivalent but are instead different by an amount known as a diesis . Instruments limited to 12 pitches per octave can only produce a chain of 11 fifths, resulting in a "break" at the ends of the chain. This causes intervals that cross the break to be written as augmented or diminished chromatic intervals, with

1080-587: A handful of recordings in the early 1900s, generally labeled as a "mouth organ". The first jazz or traditional music recordings of harmonicas were made in the U.S. in the mid-1920s. Recordings known at the time as "race records", intended for the black market of the southern states, included solo recordings by DeFord Bailey and duo recordings with a guitarist ( Hammie Nixon , Walter Horton , or Sonny Terry ). Hillbilly styles were also recorded, intended for white audiences, by Frank Hutchison , Gwen Foster and several other musicians. There are also recordings featuring

1188-503: A larger set of underlying pitch classes may be used instead. For example, the octave may be divided into varying numbers of equally spaced pitch classes. The usual number is twelve, giving the conventional set used in Western music. But Paul Zweifel uses a group-theoretic approach to analyse different sets, concluding especially that a set of twenty divisions of the octave is another viable option for retaining certain properties associated with

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1296-413: A major chord on blow and draw, with and without the slide. Holes 2, 3, and 4 play a diminished chord; holes 3, 4, and 5 play a minor chord; and holes 4, 5, and 6 play an augmented, for a total of sixteen chords. This pattern is repeated starting on hole 5, a whole step higher; and again starting on hole 9, for a total of 48 chords. The ChengGong harmonica has a main body, and a sliding mouthpiece. The body

1404-486: A melodic chromatic interval is introduced in the interests of vertical perfection (e.g. Old Hall, no. 101; see ex. 2d), musica ficta is by nature diatonic. Even music liberally provided with notated sharps is not necessarily chromatic. This has been called 'accidentalism'. Increasingly explicit use of accidentals and explicit degree-inflection culminates in the madrigals of Marenzio and Gesualdo, which are remote from medieval traditions of unspecified inflection, and co-exists in

1512-495: A note, or the "colouring in" of an otherwise empty head of a note, shortens the duration of the note. In works of the Ars Nova from the 14th century, this was used to indicate a temporary change in metre from triple to duple, or vice versa. This usage became less common in the 15th century as open white noteheads became the standard notational form for minims (half-notes) and longer notes called white mensural notation . Similarly, in

1620-437: A pair, especially when applied to contrasting features of the common practice music of the period 1600–1900. These terms may mean different things in different contexts. Very often, diatonic refers to musical elements derived from the modes and transpositions of the "white note scale" C–D–E–F–G–A–B. In some usages it includes all forms of heptatonic scale that are in common use in Western music (the major, and all forms of

1728-413: A passage exploiting chromatic harmony, with the upper part forming an ascending, followed by a descending chromatic scale : In the following passage from the slow movement of Beethoven 's Piano Concerto No. 4 , Op. 58., the long, flowing melody of the first five bars is almost entirely diatonic, consisting of notes within the scale of E minor, the movement's home key. The only exception is the G sharp in

1836-646: A range of techniques that exploit properties of the microphone and the amplifier, such as changing the way the hands are cupped around the instrument and the microphone or rhythmically breathing or chanting into the microphone while playing. The harmonica was developed in Europe in the early part of the 19th century. Free-reed instruments like the Chinese sheng had been fairly common in East Asia since ancient times. They became relatively well known in Europe after being introduced by

1944-594: A regular vocal microphone, such as a Shure SM 58 , for their harmonica, which gives a clean, natural sound. As technology in amplification has progressed, harmonica players have introduced other effects units to their rigs, as well, such as reverb , tremolo , delay , octave , additional overdrive pedals, and chorus effect . John Popper of Blues Traveler uses a customized microphone that encapsulates several of these effects into one handheld unit, as opposed to several units in sequence. Many harmonica players still prefer tube amplifiers to solid-state ones, owing to

2052-515: A relative sense: the augmented triad E ♭ –G–B ♮ is diatonic "to" or "in" C minor. On this understanding, the diminished seventh chord built on the leading note is accepted as diatonic in minor keys. If the strictest understanding of the term diatonic scale is adhered to – whereby only transposed 'white note scales' are considered diatonic – even a major triad on the dominant scale degree in C minor (G–B ♮ –D) would be chromatic or altered in C minor. Some writers use

2160-502: A slight expansion, which they intended to make the seal between the comb, reed plates, and covers more airtight. Modern wooden-combed harmonicas are less prone to swelling and contracting, but modern players still dip their harmonicas in water for the way it affects tone and ease of bending notes. The reed plate is a grouping of several reeds in a single housing. The reeds are usually made of brass, but steel, aluminium, and plastic are occasionally used. Individual reeds are usually riveted to

2268-455: A way similar to the traditional diatonic selections of pitch classes (that is, a selection of seven beats from a matrix of twelve beats – perhaps even in groupings that match the tone-and-semitone groupings of diatonic scales). But the principle may also be applied with even more generality (including even any selection from a matrix of beats of any size). Each tetrachord or hexachord is a diatonic entity, containing one diatonic semitone; but

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2376-404: Is bending , causing a drop in pitch by making embouchure adjustments. Bending isolated reeds is possible, as on chromatic and other harmonica models with wind-savers, but also to both lower, and raise (overbend, overblow, overdraw) the pitch produced by pairs of reeds in the same chamber, as on a diatonic or other unvalved harmonica. Such two-reed pitch changes actually involve sound production by

2484-462: Is F ♮ lowered by a quarter tone). For all three tetrachords, only the middle two strings varied in their pitch. The term cromatico (Italian) was occasionally used in the Medieval and Renaissance periods to refer to the coloration (Latin coloratio ) of certain notes. The details vary widely by period and place, but generally the addition of a colour (often red) to an empty or filled head of

2592-448: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Harmonica Reeds are tuned to individual pitches. Tuning may involve changing a reed's length, the weight near its free end, or the stiffness near its fixed end. Longer, heavier, and springier reeds produce deeper, lower sounds; shorter, lighter, and stiffer reeds make higher-pitched sounds. If, as on most modern harmonicas, a reed is affixed above or below its slot rather than in

2700-474: Is a 24-hole diatonic harmonica that ranges from B 2 to D 6 (covering 3 octaves). Its 11-hole mouthpiece can slide along the front of the harmonica, which gives numerous chord choices and voicings (seven triads, three 6th chords, seven 7th chords, and seven 9th chords, for a total of 24 chords). As well, it is capable of playing single-note melodies and double stops over a range of three diatonic octaves. Unlike conventional harmonicas, blowing and drawing produce

2808-775: Is credited with inventing the blow and draw mechanism), was created in 1826 and was eventually adopted nearly universally. In Germany, violin manufacturer Johann Georg Meisel from Klingenthal bought a harmonica with chambers (Kanzellen) at an exhibition in Braunschweig in 1824. He and the ironworker Langhammer copied the instruments in Graslitz three miles away; by 1827 they had produced hundreds of harmonicas. Many others followed in Germany and also nearby Bohemia that would later become Czechoslovakia . In 1829, Johann Wilhelm Rudolph Glier also began making harmonicas. In 1830, Christian Messner,

2916-420: Is essential to the functioning of the instrument because it provides a groove for the slide. Since the 1950s, many blues harmonica players have amplified their instrument with microphones and tube amplifiers . One of the early innovators of this approach was Marion " Little Walter " Jacobs, who played the harmonica near a "Bullet" microphone marketed for use by radio taxi dispatchers. This gave his harmonica tone

3024-534: Is intended to play in only one key, the 12-, 14-, and 16-hole models (which are tuned to equal temperament) allow the musician to play in any key desired with only one harmonica. This harp can be used for any style, including Celtic, classical, jazz, or blues (commonly in third position). Strictly speaking, diatonic denotes any harmonica designed to play in a single key—though the standard Richter-tuned diatonic harmonica can play other keys by forcing its reeds to play tones that are not part of its basic scale. Depending on

3132-462: Is meant simply a chord entirely of linear origin which contains one or more chromatic notes. A great many of these chords are to be found in the literature. Diatonic chords are generally understood as those that are built using only notes from the same diatonic scale; all other chords are considered chromatic . However, given the ambiguity of diatonic scale , this definition, too, is ambiguous. And for some theorists, chords are only ever diatonic in

3240-410: Is often needed to find one that feels suitable for each individual player. This device is used by folk musicians, one-man bands , and singer-songwriters such as Bob Dylan , Edoardo Bennato , Tom Harmon , Neil Young , Eddie Vedder , Billy Joel , Bruce Springsteen , and blues singers Jimmy Reed and John Hammond Jr. The chromatic harmonica uses a button-activated sliding bar to redirect air from

3348-549: Is placed between the air chambers of the instrument and the player's mouth. This can be integral with the comb (the diatonic harmonicas; the Hohner Chrometta); part of the cover (as in Hohner's CX-12); or may be a separate unit, secured by screws, which is typical of chromatics. In many harmonicas, the mouthpiece is purely an ergonomic aid designed to make playing more comfortable. In the traditional slider-based chromatic harmonica, it

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3456-465: Is still in business.) Owing to competition between the harmonica factories in Trossingen and Klingenthal, machines were invented to punch the covers for the reeds. In 1857, Matthias Hohner, a clockmaker from Trossingen, started producing harmonicas. Eventually he became the first to mass-produce them. He used a mass-produced wooden comb that he had made by machine-cutting firms. By 1868, he began supplying

3564-439: Is that of the 'trill' (or 'roll', or 'warble, or 'shake'); this technique has the player move their lips between two holes very quickly, either by shaking the head in a rapid motion or moving the harmonica from side to side within the embouchure. This gives a quick pitch-alternating technique that is slightly more than vibrato and achieves the same aural effect on sustained notes, albeit by using two different tones instead of varying

3672-440: Is to change how the harmonica is held. For example, the vibrato effect can be achieved by opening and closing the hands around the harmonica very rapidly. The vibrato might also be achieved via rapid glottal (vocal fold) opening and closing, especially on draws (inhalation) simultaneous to bending, or without bending. This obviates the need for cupping and waving the hands around the instrument during play. An effect similar to vibrato

3780-455: Is used often in East Asian rock and pop music. Orchestral harmonicas are primarily designed for use in ensemble playing. There are eight kinds of orchestral melody harmonica; the most common are the horn harmonicas often found in East Asia. These consist of a single large comb with blow-only reed-plates on the top and bottom. Each reed sits inside a single cell in the comb. One version mimics

3888-621: The Aeolian harp ). Mouth-blown free-reed instruments appeared in the United States, South America, the United Kingdom and Europe at roughly the same time. These instruments were made for playing classical music. The harmonica first appeared in Vienna, where harmonicas with chambers were sold before 1824 (see also Anton Reinlein and Anton Haeckl ). Richter tuning, invented by Joseph Richter (who also

3996-649: The War Department allotted a rationed supply of brass to Kratt's factory so they could continue to produce harmonicas that the Red Cross distributed to American troops overseas to boost morale. In 1898, the harmonica was brought to Japan, where the Tremolo harmonica was the most popular instrument. After about 30 years, the Japanese developed scale tuning and semitone harmonicas that could play Japanese folk songs. In Europe and

4104-470: The harmonica , harp , and glockenspiel, are available in both diatonic and chromatic versions (although it is possible to play chromatic notes on a diatonic harmonica, they require extended embouchure techniques, and some chromatic notes are only usable by advanced players). When one note of an interval is chromatic or when both notes are chromatic, the entire interval is called chromatic. Chromatic intervals arise by raising or lowering one or both notes of

4212-638: The 16th century both with older hexachordal practices and with occasional true melodic chromaticism. It is the small number of chromatic intervals in Lassus's [= Lasso's] Sibylline Prophecies (Carmina chromatica), for example, that determine its chromatic status, not the large number of sharps that give it 'chromatic' colouring according to looser modern usage. Throughout this paper, I use the terms "diatonic," "pentatonic" and "chromatic" in their generic senses, as follows: See also #Extended pitch selections , in this article. See also an exceptional usage by Persichetti, in

4320-400: The 16th century, a form of notating secular music, especially madrigals in [REDACTED] was referred to as "chromatic" because of its abundance of "coloured in" black notes, that is semiminims (crotchets or quarter notes) and shorter notes, as opposed to the open white notes in [REDACTED] , commonly used for the notation of sacred music. These uses for the word have no relationship to

4428-419: The 1950s, in which the reed and reed plate were molded out of a single piece of plastic. The Magnus design had the reeds, reed plates, and comb made of plastic and either molded or permanently glued together. Cover plates cover the reed plates and are usually made of metal, though wood and plastic have also been used. The choice of these is personal; because they project sound, they determine the tonal quality of

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4536-470: The 1960s, with 100 members, most of whom played harmonicas. Non-harmonica instruments were also used, such as double bass, accordion, piano, and percussion such as timpani and xylophone. Diatonic and chromatic Diatonic and chromatic are terms in music theory that are used to characterize scales . The terms are also applied to musical instruments, intervals , chords , notes , musical styles , and kinds of harmony . They are very often used as

4644-666: The China Harmonica Society, and the Heart String Harmonica Society. During the 1950s, chromatic harmonica became popular in Hong Kong, and players such as Larry Adler and John Sebastian Sr. were invited to perform. Local players such as Lau Mok ( 劉牧 ) and Fung On ( 馮安 ) promoted the chromatic harmonica. The chromatic harmonica gradually became the main instrument used by the Chinese Y.M.C.A. Harmonica Orchestra. The Chinese YMCA Harmonica Orchestra started in

4752-543: The French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot (1718–1793), who lived in Qing-era China. Around 1820, free-reed designs began being created in Europe. Christian Friedrich Ludwig Buschmann is often cited as the inventor of the harmonica in 1821, but other inventors developed similar instruments at the same time. In 1829, Charles Wheatstone developed a mouth-organ under the name "Aeolina" (inspired by

4860-487: The Greek tetrachords. The gamut was the series of pitches from which all the Medieval "scales" (or modes , strictly) notionally derive, and it may be thought of as constructed in a certain way from diatonic tetrachords. The origin of the word gamut is explained in the article Guidonian hand ; here the word is used in one of the available senses: the all-encompassing gamut as described by Guido d'Arezzo (which includes all of

4968-448: The Latin word genus , plural genera ) of a lyre. These three tunings were called diatonic , chromatic , and enharmonic , and the sequences of four notes that they produced were called tetrachords ("four strings"). A diatonic tetrachord comprised, in descending order, two whole tones and a semitone, such as A G F E (roughly). In the chromatic tetrachord the second string of the lyre

5076-496: The No. 261, also blow only, has two reeds per hole, tuned an octave apart (all these designations refer to products of M. Hohner). The chord harmonica has up to 48 chords: major , seventh , minor , augmented and diminished for ensemble playing. It is laid out in four-note clusters, each sounding a different chord on inhaling or exhaling. Typically each hole has two reeds for each note, tuned to one octave of each other. Less expensive models often have only one reed per note. Quite

5184-573: The United States, tremolo harmonica uses the Richter tuning, developed in Germany. In 1913, Shōgo Kawaguchi ( 川口章吾 ), known in Japan as the "Father of the harmonica", devised an alternate tuning, which is more suited to playing Japanese folk tunes. This tuning is also suited to local music throughout East Asia, and harmonicas using the tuning became popular in the region. Initial diatonic harmonica tunings were major key only. In 1931, Hiderō Satō ( 佐藤秀廊 ) announced

5292-410: The United States. By the 1920s, the diatonic harmonica had largely reached its modern form. Other types followed soon thereafter, including the various tremolo and octave harmonicas. By the late 19th century, harmonica production was a big business, having evolved into mass production. New designs were still developed in the 20th century, including the chromatic harmonica, first made by Hohner in 1924,

5400-656: The United States. Its music rapidly became popular, and the country became an enormous market for Hohner's goods. US president Abraham Lincoln carried a harmonica in his pocket, and harmonicas provided solace to soldiers on both the Union and Confederate sides of the American Civil War . Frontiersmen Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid played the instrument, and it became a fixture of the American musical landscape. Harmonicas were heard on

5508-508: The amplitude of one. In addition to the 19 notes readily available on the diatonic harmonica, players can play other notes by adjusting their embouchure and forcing the reed to resonate at a different pitch. This technique is called bending , a term possibly borrowed from guitarists, who literally bend a string to subtly change the pitch. Bending also creates the glissandos characteristic of much blues harp and country harmonica playing. Bends are essential for most blues and rock harmonica due to

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5616-439: The attention of classical musicians during the 1930s. American Larry Adler was one of the first harmonica players to perform major works written for the instrument by the composers Ralph Vaughan Williams , Malcolm Arnold , Darius Milhaud , and Arthur Benjamin . Harmonicas were scarce in the United States during World War II . Wood and metal materials for harmonicas were in short supply because of military demand. Furthermore,

5724-429: The bars that follow are entirely diatonic, using notes only within the scale of E major. The passage is intended to convey the god Wotan putting his daughter Brünnhilde into a deep sleep. Notes which do not belong to the key [those "that lie within the major 2nds" of the diatonic scale] are called chromatic notes. In modern usage, the meanings of the terms diatonic note/tone and chromatic note/tone vary according to

5832-657: The basic notes on the instrument would mean playing in a specific mode for each position. For example the Mixolydian mode (root note is the second draw or third blow), produces a major dominant seventh key that is frequently used by blues players because it contains the harmonically rich dominant seventh note, while the Dorian mode (root note is four draw) produces a minor dominant seventh key. Harmonica players (especially blues players) have developed terminology around different "positions," which can be confusing to other musicians, for example

5940-521: The bass harmonica, and the chord harmonica. In the 21st century, radical new designs have been developed and are still being introduced into the market, such as the Suzuki Overdrive, Hohner XB-40, and the ill-fated Harrison B-Radical. Diatonic harmonicas were designed primarily for playing German and other European folk music and have succeeded well in those styles. Over time, the basic design and tuning proved adaptable to other types of music such as

6048-420: The blues, country , old-time and more. The harmonica was a success almost from the very start of production, and while the center of the harmonica business has shifted from Germany, the output of the various harmonica manufacturers is still very high. Major companies are now found in Germany ( Seydel and Hohner – the dominant manufacturer in the world), South Korea ( Miwha , Dabell ), Japan ( Suzuki , Tombo –

6156-461: The conventional "diatonic" selections from twelve pitch classes. It is possible to generalise this selection principle even beyond the domain of pitch. The diatonic idea has been applied in analysis of some traditional African rhythms , for example. Some selection or other is made from an underlying superset of metrical beats , to produce a "diatonic" rhythmic "scale" embedded in an underlying metrical "matrix". Some of these selections are diatonic in

6264-502: The country, "diatonic harmonica" may mean either the tremolo harmonica (in East Asia) or blues harp (in Europe and North America). Other diatonic harmonicas include octave harmonicas. Here is the note layout for a standard diatonic in the key of G major: Each hole is the same interval (here, a perfect fifth ) from its key of C counterpart; on the diatonic scale, a G is a perfect fifth from C. The interval between keys can be used to find

6372-421: The deceptive cadence, which involves the substitution of another diatonic chord for the expected diatonic goal harmony.  ... In the major mode a substitute chromatic consonance often proves to be a triad which has been taken from the parallel minor mode. This process ["assimilation"]...is called mixture of mode or simply mixture ....Four consonant triads from the minor mode may replace their counterparts in

6480-503: The degree of this problem. An even more serious problem with wooden combs, especially in chromatic harmonicas (with their thin dividers between chambers), is that, as the combs expand and shrink over time, cracks can form in the combs, because the comb is held immobile by nails, resulting in disabling leakage. Serious players devote significant effort to restoring wood combs and sealing leaks. Some players used to soak wooden-combed harmonicas ( diatonics , without wind-savers) in water to cause

6588-499: The descending form of the melodic minor ), but not the old ecclesiastical church modes , most of which included both versions of the "variable" note B ♮ /B ♭ . There are specific applications in the music of the Common Practice Period , and later music that shares its core features. Most, but not all writers, accept the natural minor as diatonic. As for other forms of the minor: Some other meanings of

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6696-471: The development of a minor key harmonica. There are two types of minor key tunings, "natural minor" suitable for folk and contemporary music, and Latin American music, and the "harmonic minor" suitable for some famous Japanese pieces. The harmonica started to gain popularity in Hong Kong in the 1930s. Individual tremolo harmonica players from China moved to Hong Kong and established numerous harmonica organizations such as The Chinese Y.M.C.A. Harmonica Orchestra,

6804-527: The diatonic interval C–F (a perfect fourth) sounds the same as its enharmonic equivalent—the chromatic interval C–E ♯ (an augmented third). However, in the majority of other tunings (such as 19-tone and 31-tone equal temperament), there is a difference in tuning between notes that are enharmonically equivalent in 12-tone equal temperament. In systems based on a cycle of fifths , such as Pythagorean tuning and meantone temperament , these intervals are labelled diatonic or chromatic intervals. Under

6912-515: The exclusive use to prevent confusion. Chromatic scale on C: full octave ascending and descending A chromatic scale consists of an ascending or descending sequence of pitches, always proceeding by semitones . Such a sequence of pitches is produced, for example, by playing all the black and white keys of a piano in order. The structure of a chromatic scale is therefore uniform throughout—unlike major and minor scales, which have tones and semitones in particular arrangements (and an augmented second, in

7020-468: The expanding popularity of the harmonica was a New York-based radio program called the Hohner Harmony Hour , which taught listeners how to play. Listeners could play along with the program to increase their proficiency. The radio program gained wide popularity after the unveiling of the 1925 White House Christmas tree, which was adorned with fifty harmonicas. The harmonica's versatility brought it to

7128-480: The frequent change of key and use of chromatic intervals in the work. (The Prophetiae belonged to an experimental musical movement of the time, called musica reservata ). This usage comes from a renewed interest in the Greek genera , especially its chromatic tetrachord, notably by the influential theorist Nicola Vicentino in his treatise on ancient and modern practice, 1555. Medieval theorists defined scales in terms of

7236-399: The harmonic minor scale is not considered diatonic. Forte lists the chromatic intervals in major and natural minor as the augmented unison, diminished octave, augmented fifth, diminished fourth, augmented third, diminished sixth, diminished third, augmented sixth, minor second, major seventh, major second, minor seventh, doubly diminished fifth, and doubly augmented fourth. Additionally,

7344-404: The harmonic minor scale is considered diatonic. Pythagorean diatonic and chromatic interval: E ♮ -F ♮ and E ♮ -E ♯ In cases where intervals are enharmonically equivalent, there is no difference in tuning (and therefore in sound) between them. For example, in 12-tone equal temperament and its multiples, the notes F and E ♯ represent the same pitch, so

7452-414: The harmonic minor). Some instruments, such as the violin , can play any scale; others, such as the glockenspiel , are restricted to the scale to which they are tuned. Among this latter class, some instruments, such as the piano, are always tuned to a chromatic scale, and can be played in any key, while others are restricted to a diatonic scale, and therefore to a particular key. Some instruments, such as

7560-475: The harmonica in jug bands , of which the Memphis Jug Band is the most famous. But the harmonica still represented a toy instrument in those years and was associated with the poor. It is also during those years that musicians started experimenting with new techniques such as tongue-blocking, hand effects and the most important innovation of all, the second position, or cross-harp. A significant contributor to

7668-416: The harmonica more economical to mass-produce and more sanitary. Though the plastic reeds in these harmonicas produced a less distinctive (and, to many ears, inferior) sound than their metallic counterparts, Magnus harmonicas and several imitators soon became commonplace, particularly among children. The patent for the plastic comb was awarded to William Kratt of Wm. Kratt Company in 1952. During World War II,

7776-680: The harmonica. Two types of cover plates are used: traditional open designs of stamped metal or plastic, which are simply there to be held; and enclosed designs (such as the Hohner Meisterklasse and Super 64, Suzuki Promaster and SCX), which offer a louder tonal quality. From these two basic types, a few modern designs have been created, such as the Hohner CBH-2016 chromatic and the Suzuki Overdrive diatonic, which have complex covers that allow for specific functions not usually available in

7884-471: The hole in the mouthpiece to the selected reed-plate, though one design—the "Machino-Tone"—controlled airflow by means of a lever-operated flap on the rear of the instrument. Also, a "hands-free" modification to the Hohner 270 (12-hole) lets the player shift the tones by moving the mouthpiece up and down with the lips, leaving the hands free to play another instrument. While the Richter-tuned 10-hole chromatic

7992-547: The instrument while performing on another instrument with their hands (e.g., an acoustic guitar) often use an accessory called a neck rack or harmonica holder to position the instrument in front of their mouth. A harmonica holder clamps the harmonica between two metal brackets, which are attached to a curved loop of metal that rests on the shoulders. The original harmonica racks were made from wire or coat hangers. Models of harmonica racks vary widely by quality and ease of use, and experimenting with more than one model of harmonica rack

8100-433: The intervals for an ascending octave (the seven intervals separating the eight notes A–B–C–D–E–F–G–A) from the gamut: The white keys are the modern analog of the gamut. In its most strict definition, therefore, a diatonic scale is one that may be derived from the pitches represented in successive white keys of the piano (or a transposition thereof). This would include the major scale , and the natural minor scale (same as

8208-442: The label chromatic or diatonic for an interval may depend on context. For instance, in C major, the interval C–E ♭ could be considered a chromatic interval because it does not appear in the prevailing diatonic key; conversely, in C minor it would be diatonic . This usage is still subject to the categorization of scales above, e.g. in the B ♮ –E ♭ example above, classification would still depend on whether

8316-493: The layout of a piano or mallet instrument, with the natural notes of a C diatonic scale in the lower reed plate and the sharps and flats in the upper reed plate in groups of two and three holes with gaps in between like the black keys of a piano. Another version has one "sharp" reed directly above its "natural" on the lower plate, with the same number of reeds on both plates (therefore including E ♯ and B ♯ ). Horn harmonicas are available in several pitch ranges, with

8424-428: The left hand in the third bar. By contrast, the remaining bars are highly chromatic, using all the notes available to convey a sense of growing intensity as the music builds towards its expressive climax. A further example may be found in this extract from act 3 of Richard Wagner 's opera Die Walküre . The first four bars harmonize a descending chromatic scale with a rich, intoxicating chord progression. In contrast,

8532-468: The lowest pitched starting two octaves below middle C and the highest beginning on middle C itself; they usually cover a two- or three-octave range. They are chromatic instruments and are usually played in an East Asian harmonica orchestra instead of the " push-button " chromatic harmonica that is more common in the European and American tradition. Their reeds are often larger, and the enclosing "horn" gives them

8640-635: The major mode. These we call chromatic triads by mixture . The words diatonic and chromatic are also applied inconsistently to harmony : However, Instrumental compositions of the late Renaissance and early Baroque periods also began experimenting with the expressive possibilities of contrasting diatonic passages of music with chromatic ones. Here, for example is part of the Virginal Piece ‘His Humour’ by Giles Farnaby . (The title ‘Humour’ should be interpreted as meaning ‘mood’, here.) The first four bars are largely diatonic. These are followed by

8748-426: The major third, the nearby interval (a diminished fourth in the case of a major third) is generally less consonant. If the tritone is assumed diatonic, the classification of written intervals on this definition is not significantly different from the "drawn from the same diatonic scale" definition above as long as the harmonic minor and ascending melodic minor scale variants are not included. By chromatic linear chord

8856-433: The manufacturer of the popular Lee Oskar harmonica, and Yamaha also made harmonicas until the 1970s), China (Huang, Easttop, Johnson, Leo Shi, Swan, AXL), and Brazil (Hering, Bends). The United States had two significant harmonica manufacturers, and both were based in Union, New Jersey . One was Magnus Harmonica Corporation , whose founder Finn Magnus is credited with the development of plastic harmonica reeds. The other

8964-468: The meaning of the term diatonic scale . Generally – not universally – a note is understood as diatonic in a context if it belongs to the diatonic scale that is used in that context; otherwise it is chromatic. The term chromatic inflection (alternatively spelt inflexion ) is used in two senses: The term chromatic progression is used in three senses: The term diatonic progression is used in two senses: Traditionally, and in all uses discussed above,

9072-499: The minor). Chromatic most often refers to structures derived from the chromatic scale in 12-tone equal temperament , which consists of all semitones . Historically, however, it had other senses, referring in Ancient Greek music theory to a particular tuning of the tetrachord , and to a rhythmic notational convention in mensural music of the 14th to 16th centuries. In ancient Greece there were three standard tunings (known by

9180-479: The modern meaning of chromatic , but the sense survives in the current term coloratura . The term chromatic began to approach its modern usage in the 16th century. For instance Orlando Lasso 's Prophetiae Sibyllarum opens with a prologue proclaiming, "these chromatic songs, heard in modulation, are those in which the mysteries of the Sibyls are sung, intrepidly," which here takes its modern meaning referring to

9288-419: The modes). The intervals from one note to the next in this Medieval gamut are all tones or semitones , recurring in a certain pattern with five tones (T) and two semitones (S) in any given octave . The semitones are separated as much as they can be, between alternating groups of three tones and two tones. Here are the intervals for a string of ascending notes (starting with F) from the gamut: And here are

9396-412: The most notable example being the " wolf fifth " (which is actually a diminished sixth ) that occurs when 12-note-per-octave keyboards are tuned to meantone temperaments whose fifths are flatter than those in 12-tone equal temperament. In a generalized meantone temperament, chromatic semitones (E–E ♯ ) are smaller than or equal to diatonic semitones (E–F) in size, With consonant intervals such as

9504-617: The normally silent reed, the opening reed (for instance, the blow reed while the player is drawing). The basic parts of the harmonica are the comb, reed plates, and cover plates. The comb is the main body of the instrument, which, when assembled with the reed plates, forms air chambers for the reeds. The term "comb" may originate from the similarity between this part of a harmonica and a hair comb. Harmonica combs were traditionally made from wood, but now are also made from plastic ( ABS ) or metal (including titanium for high-end instruments). Some modern and experimental comb designs are complex in

9612-458: The note layout of any standard diatonic. The distinguishing feature of the tremolo-tuned harmonica is that it has two reeds per note, with one slightly sharp and the other slightly flat. This provides a unique wavering or warbling sound created by the two reeds being slightly out of tune with each other and the difference in their subsequent waveforms interacting with each other (its beat ). The East Asian version, which can produce all 12 semitones,

9720-608: The perceived difference in tone generated by the vacuum tubes . Players perceive tubes as having a "warmer" tone and a more "natural" overdrive sound. Many amplifiers designed for electric guitar are also used by harmonica players, such as the Kalamazoo Model Two , Fender Bassman , and the Danelectro Commando . Some expensive handmade boutique amplifiers are built from the ground up with characteristics that are optimal for amplified harmonica. Harmonica players who play

9828-459: The phrase "diatonic to" as a synonym for "belonging to". Therefore a chord is not said to be "diatonic" in isolation, but can be said to be "diatonic to" a particular key if its notes belong to the underlying diatonic scale of the key. The chromatic expansion of tonality which characterizes much of nineteenth century music is illustrated in miniature by the substitution of a chromatic harmony for an expected diatonic harmony. This technique resembles

9936-445: The plane of the slot, it responds more easily to air flowing in the direction that initially would push it into the slot, i.e., as a closing reed. This difference in response to air direction makes it possible to include both a blow reed and a draw reed in the same air chamber and to play them separately without relying on flaps of plastic or leather (valves, wind-savers) to block the nonplaying reed. An important technique in performance

10044-450: The primary harmonica manufacturers were based in Germany and Japan, the enemies of the United States and the Allied forces in the war. During this time, Finn Haakon Magnus, a Danish-American factory worker and entrepreneur, developed and perfected the molded plastic harmonica. The plastic harmonica used molded plastic combs and far fewer pieces than traditional metal or wood harmonicas, which made

10152-458: The reed plate, but they may also be welded or screwed in place. Reeds fixed on the inner side of the reed plate (within the comb's air chamber) respond to blowing, while those fixed on the outer side respond to suction. Most harmonicas are constructed with the reed plates screwed or bolted to the comb or each other. A few brands still use the traditional method of nailing the reed plates to the comb. Some experimental and rare harmonicas also have had

10260-461: The reed plates can greatly affect tone and playability. The main advantage of a particular comb material over another one is its durability. In particular, a wooden comb can absorb moisture from the player's breath and contact with the tongue. This can cause the comb to expand slightly, making the instrument uncomfortable to play, and to then contract, potentially compromising air tightness. Various types of wood and treatments have been devised to reduce

10368-479: The reed plates held in place by tension, such as the WWII-era all-American models. If the plates are bolted to the comb, the reed plates can be replaced individually. This is useful because the reeds eventually go out of tune through normal use, and certain notes of the scale can fail more quickly than others. A notable exception to the traditional reed plate design is the all-plastic harmonicas designed by Finn Magnus in

10476-503: The same notes because its tuning is closer to the note layout of a typical East Asian tremolo harmonica or the Polyphonias. The pitch pipe is a simple specialty harmonica that provides a reference pitch to singers and other instruments. The only difference between some early pitch-pipes and harmonicas is the name of the instrument, which reflected the maker's target audience. Chromatic pitch pipes, which are used by singers and choirs, give

10584-558: The slang terminology for the most common positions (1st being 'straight', 2nd being 'cross', 3rd being 'slant', etc.). Another technique, seldom used to its full potential, is altering the size of the mouth cavity to emphasize certain natural overtones . When this technique is employed while playing chords, care must be taken in overtone selection as the overtones stemming from the non-root pitch can cause extreme dissonance. Harmonica players who amplify their instrument with microphones and tube amplifiers, such as blues harp players, also have

10692-495: The soulful sounds the instrument can bring out. The "wail" of the blues harp typically requires bending. In the 1970s, Howard Levy developed the over bending technique (also known as "overblowing" and "overdrawing".) Over Bending , combined with bending, allowed players to play the entire chromatic scale. In addition to playing the diatonic harmonica in its original key, it is also possible to play it in other keys by playing in other "positions" using different keynotes. Using just

10800-415: The term diatonic has been confined to the domain of pitch, and in a fairly restricted way. Exactly which scales (and even which modes of those scales) should count as diatonic is unsettled, as shown above. But the broad selection principle itself is not disputed, at least as a theoretical convenience. The selection of pitch classes can be generalised to encompass formation of non-traditional scales . Or

10908-433: The term diatonic scale take the extension to harmonic and melodic minor even further, to be even more inclusive. In general, diatonic is most often used inclusively with respect to music that restricts itself to standard uses of traditional major and minor scales. When discussing music that uses a larger variety of scales and modes (including much jazz, rock, and some tonal 20th-century concert music), writers often adopt

11016-605: The tight overlapping of hexachordal segments – some as small as an isolated coniuncta – to produce successive or closely adjacent semitones did not necessarily compromise their diatonic status. The tenor of Willaert's so-called chromatic duo is entirely diatonic in its progressions (Bent, 1984), as are Lowinsky's examples of 'secret chromatic art' (Lowinsky, 1946) and indeed almost the entire repertory. True chromatic progressions (e.g. F–F ♯ –G) are occasionally allowed in theory (Marchetto, GerbertS [ sic ], iii, 82–3) and prescribed in manuscript sources. Except where

11124-454: The traditional design. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, harmonicas not uncommonly had special features on the covers, such as bells , which could be rung by pushing a button. Wind-savers are one-way valves made from thin strips of plastic, knit paper, leather, or Teflon glued to the reed plate. They are typically found in chromatic harmonicas, chord harmonicas, and many octave-tuned harmonicas. Wind-savers are used when two reeds share

11232-489: The way that they direct the air. Dispute exists among players about whether comb material affects the tone of a harmonica. Those saying no argue that unlike the soundboard of a piano or the top piece of a violin or guitar, a harmonica's comb is neither large enough nor able to vibrate freely enough to substantially augment or change the sound. Among those saying yes are those who are convinced by their ears. Few dispute that comb surface smoothness and air tightness when mated with

11340-605: Was Wm. Kratt Company, which, founded by German-American William Jacob "Bill" Kratt Sr., originally made pitch pipes and later, in 1952, secured a patent for combs made of plastic. Both companies ceased harmonica production. The only recent American contender in the harmonica market was Harrison Harmonicas, which folded in July 2011. It was announced soon thereafter that the rights to the Harrison design had been sold to another company to finish production of orders already placed. In October 2012, it

11448-401: Was a former member of the " Borrah Minevitch Harmonica Rascals " the " Cappy Barra Harmonica Gentlemen " " The Harmonica Boys " and last " The Harmonica Ripples ". Leo Friedman was a former " Borrah Minevitch Harmonica Rascals " and performed in the movie " Topman " in 1943 when " Sammy Ross " had replaced " Johnny Puleo ". This article on a United States band or other musical ensemble

11556-396: Was lowered from G to G ♭ , so that the two lower intervals in the tetrachord were semitones, making the pitches A G ♭ F E. In the enharmonic tetrachord the second string of the lyre was lowered further to G [REDACTED] , so that the two lower interval in the tetrachord were quarter tones , making the pitches A G [REDACTED] F [REDACTED] E (where F [REDACTED]

11664-563: Was revealed that a Beloit, Wisconsin , investment corporation, R&R Opportunities, had bought the assets of Harrison Harmonicas and that a feasibility study was under way to assess the possibilities of continued production of the Harrison B-Radical harmonica. Recently, responding to increasingly demanding performance techniques, the market for high-quality instruments has grown. Some time before Hohner began manufacturing harmonicas in 1857, he shipped some to relatives who had emigrated to

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