It might not be a classical instrument but the harmonica’s versatility makes it a vital part of many musical genres. Its distinctive sound can add emotion and vibrancy to any song and, without it, the blues would struggle to maintain its unique identity. But, if you’re a harmonica player, do you need an instrument in a certain key to play the blues?
You can play the blues with any key of the harmonica. The blues scale consists of only six notes, meaning you can use any of the 10 harmonicas in the major diatonic scale. Furthermore, the blues often use the key of F or C, which is coincidentally the easiest type of harmonica to play. For this reason, the harmonica and the blues go hand-in-hand with each other.
In this article, I’ll go over which key of harmonica you should use to play the blues. I’ll also talk about how you can tell which key of harmonica you should use…just in case you’re unsure…as well as explain which key of harmonica is the best for beginners to learn. If you’re ready to dive into the world of harmonica keys, let’s get started!
What Key Should A Blues Harmonica Be In?
As long as you’re playing solo, you can play the blues on any type of harmonica, regardless of what key it’s in. However, if you’re just starting out, it may be helpful to start with a harmonica in the key of C. This will make it easier to find the right notes and get a feel for how the blues scale works.
The reason that the key doesn’t matter when you’re playing the blues is that the blues scale is based on the minor pentatonic scale, which is the same scale used in many rock, jazz, and country music tunes. The minor pentatonic scale is made up of five notes (6 counting the octave), which are the root note, the flat third, fourth, fifth, and the flattened seventh. It would look like this in the key of C:
As long as you can find these six notes, you can play the blues in any key without worrying about your harmonica. However, if you want to play the blues with other musicians, you’ll likely have to play in a specific key. Fortunately, though, many blues songs are already written in the key of C (or can easily be transposed to C…or any key for that matter,) so you can likely make do with your beginner harmonica.
You could also get by with a harmonica in F since that key shares all but one of the notes with the C minor pentatonic scale, the C, F, G, and Bb will fit either harmonica…the Eb is the only outlier.
How Do I Know What Key Of Harmonica To Use For The Blues?
The key of harmonica you should use for a blues song is determined by the key of the song. The key of the song will determine which notes you’ll play and, without the right harmonica, you’ll struggle to seamlessly land on the right notes. If you’re not sure what key the song is in, you can use these tips to figure it out:
- Look at the key signature – If you have the sheet music, take a look at the key signature. This is a series of sharps or flats at the beginning of a song that indicates which notes will be sharp or flat for the rest of the song. If there are NO sharps or flats, you’re likely playing in the key of C.
- Identify the root note – The root note is the note from which a chord is built. This can sometimes the first note of the song but it is better to check the last note, since some music likes to start on notes other than the root. If there are chord symbols on the music, check the last chord…as this is usually the key you need to play in.
- Listen to the tonality – This will take a little more practice but once you’ve developed an ear for music, you’ll be able to hear the key based on the tonality of a song. Many harmonica players will learn to play by ear.
- Just ask – if you are playing with another person or a group, just ask them what key they are playing in. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard veteran musicians sit down to play together and one ask or volunteer the info…”okay, in “C” guys!”
Once you know the key of the song, you can then pick a harmonic tuned to that key. You’ll find many beginner blues songs in the key of C or F, so these are two keys of harmonica you may want to pick up.
What Key Of Harmonica Should A Beginner Start With?
If you’re new to the harmonica, you’ll likely start learning the instrument by playing in the key of C. Most harmonica teachers choose this key for a few good reasons:
- Standardization – The most obvious reason why beginners usually start in the key of C is that this key is considered the “standard” harmonica key. Since it’s the most commonly used, a lot of popular songs are written in the key of C. This makes it easier for beginners, as they can play along with popular songs and learn as they go.
- Simplification – It’s much easier for beginners to learn in the key of C because the key lacks any sharps or flats. This means novice harmonica players can learn to bend notes without any major complications. Additionally, harmonicas in the key of C are laid out in a way so that every note intuitively follows the next.
- Musical Variety – The key of C is one of the most widely used keys across popular modern genres. Rock, country, folk, and even pop music all use the key of C, meaning you’re more likely to play in this key than any other.
As you slowly master the instrument, you can then experiment with other keys of harmonicas to add unique tones, emotions, and color to your music.
Final Thoughts
Harmonicas might come in a wide range of keys but, for the most part, you’ll only need the key of C. The blues are written according to the blues scale, of which there are many tunes written in the key of C. For this reason, you can safely practice on your own or with others with just a single harmonica.