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How to play harmonica
Contributed by: Black
  • 1. What is the standard tuning of a diatonic harmonica called?
A) Richter
B) Chromatic
C) Pentatonic
D) Tremolo
  • 2. What is 'bending' on a harmonica?
A) Polishing the covers
B) Cleaning the reeds
C) Altering the pitch of a note
D) Straightening the comb
  • 3. Which harmonica key is best for playing blues in E?
A) D
B) C
C) G
D) A
  • 4. What is the term for playing single notes clearly on a harmonica?
A) Chording
B) Embouchure
C) Trilling
D) Vibrato
  • 5. What is a draw note?
A) A high-pitched note
B) A slide
C) Breathing in
D) Breathing out
  • 6. What part of the harmonica vibrates to produce sound?
A) Screws
B) Reeds
C) Cover plates
D) Comb
  • 7. What is the most common type of harmonica for beginners?
A) Orchestral
B) Tremolo
C) Chromatic
D) Diatonic
  • 8. What is the purpose of the comb?
A) Supports the reeds and channels air
B) Amplifies the sound
C) Protects the reeds
D) Adds resonance
  • 9. What is tongue blocking?
A) Sticking your tongue out while playing
B) Using the tongue for vibrato
C) Using the tongue to isolate notes
D) Blocking the air holes with a finger
  • 10. What is a 'chord' on a harmonica?
A) Playing a single, sustained note
B) A high-pitched note
C) Playing multiple notes at the same time
D) A sequence of notes
  • 11. Which playing style is known for using complex chords and melodies?
A) Second Position
B) First Position
C) Third Position
D) Straight Harp
  • 12. What is the purpose of the cover plates?
A) Amplify the sound
B) Protect the reeds and shape the sound
C) Hold the harmonica together
D) Provide a place to grip
  • 13. Which is a common way to clean a harmonica?
A) Tapping it gently on a surface
B) Using compressed air
C) Washing it with soap and water
D) Boiling it
  • 14. What is 'vibrato' on a harmonica?
A) A loud, forceful sound
B) A deep, resonant tone
C) A fast series of notes
D) A subtle wavering in the pitch
  • 15. What is the basic function of a chromatic harmonica's slide?
A) To add vibrato
B) To control volume
C) To access semitones
D) To change keys
  • 16. What is the term for the 'home' key when playing straight harp?
A) First Position
B) Second Position
C) Third Position
D) Fourth Position
  • 17. What's a common harmonica technique used to create a 'wah-wah' sound?
A) Overblowing
B) Hand effects
C) Bending
D) Tongue blocking
  • 18. What is 'overblowing' and 'overdrawing'?
A) Ways to increase volume
B) Breathing exercises
C) Techniques to play notes outside the diatonic scale
D) Methods for cleaning the harmonica
  • 19. How many holes does a standard 10-hole diatonic harmonica have?
A) 8
B) 10
C) 12
D) 14
  • 20. What is cross harp (second position) commonly used for?
A) Country
B) Classical
C) Folk
D) Blues
  • 21. What is a harmonica rack used for?
A) Cleaning harmonicas
B) Amplifying the harmonica's sound
C) Storing multiple harmonicas
D) Holding the harmonica while playing another instrument
  • 22. What is the primary difference between a tremolo and a standard diatonic harmonica?
A) Tremolos only play chords
B) Tremolos are made of plastic
C) Tremolos have a slide
D) Tremolos have two reeds per note, slightly out of tune
  • 23. What harmonica key should you use for playing along to a song in the key of G using cross harp?
A) D
B) C
C) G
D) A
  • 24. Which is a good practice for beginners to improve their embouchure?
A) Play chords loudly
B) Overblow frequently
C) Play fast runs
D) Isolate single notes
  • 25. What is the 'root' note in first position?
A) The name of the key of the harmonica.
B) The highest note on the harmonica.
C) A note you can't bend.
D) The lowest note on the harmonica.
  • 26. What does 'diatonic' mean in the context of harmonicas?
A) Made of plastic
B) Containing only notes of a major scale
C) Containing all 12 notes of the chromatic scale
D) Specifically for playing blues music
  • 27. What is the function of gapping reeds?
A) Cleaning the reeds
B) Polishing the reeds
C) Replacing the reeds
D) Adjusting the reed spacing for optimal response
  • 28. What should you do if your harmonica reeds become unresponsive or 'dead'?
A) Oil the reeds
B) Boil the harmonica
C) Throw it away
D) Clean and/or gap the reeds
  • 29. What key is a 'low' harmonica?
A) Plays lower notes than a standard harmonica of the same key
B) Requires more air to play.
C) Only plays minor scales.
D) Made of a cheaper metal.
  • 30. What is the 12-bar blues progression?
A) A bending technique
B) A common chord progression used in blues music
C) A harmonica tuning method
D) A type of harmonica
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