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Originally Posted by Plato the Greek
I don't know anything about music or harmonicas, and this may sound incredibly ignorant, but I assume harmonicas are 'made' in different 'keys'? Are they? Phil?
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If you'll allow me to interlope in Phil's absence, then yes, they are. Sort of.
Theer are two types of harmonica -
Chromatic - which has all the notes including semitones. These can play in any key, as you can use sharps and flats to fit the key.
Diatonic - These have a more limited number of notes, basically just the simple notes of one particular key, like your Do Re Mi stuff. So if the song is in the key of A, then you need to be playing a Harmonica in the key of A. This is why you see Harmonica players with either their pockets, or special cases stuffed full of moothies, as they have to choose the right one for the song.
This arrangement is further complicated when playing blues harmonica (blues harp, as it's known) as to get get the characteristic 'flattened notes of the blues scale, you need to use a different harp from the key of the piece. Typically if the song is in A, you would need to use a D harp, to achieve the necessary 'blue' notes, with the second hole, drawn, becoming the root note of A. This 'blues harp' is usually used in 'rock' music too.
Hope this helps...