The truth is, that like any other musical instrument, to really master the harmonica, or "mouth harp", takes years of practice.
There are 2 basic kinds of harmonica : chromatic, and diatonic. In our show we use a 10 hole diatonic harmonica, the kind used for playing « blues ».
The harmonica was perfected in Germany in the 1830s, and hasn't changed since. Rural American folk musicians have been playing it since the mid 19th C. It has been a favorite among Afro-American musicians because of its portability, low cost, and capacity to produce a wide variety of sounds. Blues mouth harp master Sonny Terry has recorded a tune called « Fox Chase » in which one actually hears the events of the entire hunt.
In his « Crow Jane Blues », we have
an example of Sonny alternately playing harmonica and singing, which is
what Valerie does in " Joe's Song".