Posted by Jim (212.164.1.170) on July 02, 2000 at 12:12:04:
In Reply to: brand spankin' new in San Francisco posted by LeeSF on July 02, 2000 at 01:13:53:
: Okay, so I'm going to buy myself a harmonica -- most likely the Lee Oskar diatonic in C -- and take lessons. Any suggestions on good teachers or reputable stores in the San Francisco/Bay Area? Thanks. Much appreciated. L:
If this is your first harmonica, get something that looks good to you (they don't last that long anyway) has ten holes in it (the most versatile and widely used) and doesn't cost more than $20.00 retail. I learned to play by accident. No, I'm not kidding. At one time I had a job that required me to drive for four to five hours per day on a fairly empty highway. I bought a harmonica to pass the time (no radio out there) while driving. I had learned about six or eight songs by just sitting in the truck and tooting on the harmonica. I even made a list of the few songs that I knew so that I could practice them without repeating. Then one day I picked up the harmonica and played a song and looked at the list to "check it off" and realized that it wasn't on the list. Well, it didn't take me too long to realize that the harmonica, at least at the leel that I was palying it at, was sort of like whistleing. You just do it without thinking about it. Now don't know if this will work for you, but it did for me and I
have had fun with it for some thirty years now, just tooting away to myself. So enjoy!