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If you have ever listened to the music of Larry Adler (on the
soundtrack of the British movie Genevieve, for example), Stevie
Wonder, or Toots Thielemans, then you have heard three of the most
respected chromatic harmonica players in the world. These three
completely different performers demonstrate the range and versatility of
the chromatic harmonica. A new generation of chromatic
players such as Brendan Power (Riverdance) have pushed the
boundaries even further.
 The chromatic harmonica is larger than a diatonic harmonica and
normally comes with more holes (12 or 16 are common). It has a slide button on one side; by pushing
the button you can play all the half-step notes (sharps and flats)
between the
primary scale notes. Within its range, it is
capable of producing the same notes as a piano -- white and black
keys. This allows the player to play in any key using one harmonica.
Consequently, it is an extremely versatile
melodic instrument, preferred by musicians in styles that change key frequently, such as jazz or classical.
The drawback to the chromatic instrument is that it is heavier and
more expensive than a diatonic with the same range (12 notes per octave instead
of 7 means a lot more reeds!). In addition, the mechanical slide
mechanism that allows the player to access chromatic (sharps and flats) notes makes these
instruments less airtight. The widest variety of chromatic models are
produced by Hohner. |
