Find Harmonica teachers

Which harmonica should you take lessons for?

The harmonic, mechanically, is a rather straightforward instrument to play and is easy to start playing as a beginner. However, it takes far more time and practice to complete a full song with a harmonica and to remember where the different chords are on the harmonica. There are actually two different types of harmonica: chromatic and diatonic harmonicas. Usually, lessons are for diatonic harmonicas but you can find lessons for chromatic ones as well. The chromatic harmonica is more complicated and can play at all 12 octaves, it has a sliding button to accomplish this. You can play all the keys but it is harder to master and isn’t usually taught to complete beginners. A diatonic harmonica is set to one key but this makes it far easy to play, if you play with multiple other harmonica players, you can all have set keys to create harmony. So if you have a little experience and you value your flexibility, maybe you should look for chromatic lessons whereas complete beginners should look for diatonic lessons. There are other types of harmonica but they are rarely used

How to learn the harmonica?

First, you have to find the right harmonica for the job, this is easier said than done. There are many different brands and specifications for the harmonica. Once you pick a brand and things that you absolutely need from a harmonica you’ll be fine. You don’t need the perfect instrument as a beginner. From there, you have to learn how to play a single note! There are many resources online outlining the methods, tips and techniques to play, you can also sign up for music lessons or go to a school. If you want to self-teach, YouTube videos can be very useful and there are also free online courses that will help you get past the beginning phases.

How do harmonica lessons work?

Harmonica lessons vary from teacher to teacher. This is what gives tutoring all of its potential as you can find a perfectly suited teacher for your needs. Lessons have a general structure but this can all be changed and customized by you when you discuss lesson plans with your tutor. A “standard” roadmap begins with an introduction to the instrument and the most fundamental basics of playing, this includes hand placement and techniques for creating your first notes. As you progress and become more confident in your abilities, your teacher will expand the lessons to include theory, playing songs and providing exercises to do at home. Throughout the entire process, instructors will provide advice, motivation and constructive criticism. Most importantly, your tutor will make sure lessons work for you.

Why take lessons with a private tutor?

Harmonica lessons, and music lessons in general, are better when there is a personal touch. You don’t want to learn music from a wide range of teachers at the same time, bouncing between different methods, methodologies, mindsets and even personalities. A private tutor provides a personalised learning experience for you that can flex and change as you continue to learn together. They’ll learn your strengths, weaknesses, mannerisms, likes and dislikes. You’ll learn how they like to teach, what they are willing to work with and the environment that they provide. Simply the focused attention is very helpful especially when compared to a busy and crowded traditional school environment. You can ask questions whenever and the teacher is never distracted by other questions or bored school students.

How to find high-quality harmonica lessons

On Superprof it is as easy as a simple search to find a reasonably priced tutor, all our harmonica tutors start from a reasonable and this can be up for negotiation. If your local tutors are out of budget or you can’t find one that looks good to you, you can use Superprof’s location filter to look further afield. You can also book a tutor online, widening the search to ensure you’ll find an excellent tutor. It’s not uncommon to get the first lesson free either so you can worry less about pricing and focus more on learning!