most harp players DON'T do this, but they should!

In this video, I will help you get your properly harmonica set up.
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[@HarmonicaRevolution]

To improve your bending, WATCH THIS: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKG8Zoehhserias

[@nacoran]

That's basically how I do it, but you kind of got them a little bent. Guys like Zajac say that you want the reed to go through the slot as evenly as possible. It's more important when you are setting them up for OBs. For Special 20s/Rockets if you are working on more than one harp getting a set of Turbolids can be useful. Since they snap on they can make testing them quicker and a bit more airtight than just holding the cover plates in place (and less likely to catch mustache hairs!)

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

@@nacoran cool, I didn’t know about the turbo lids, that’s neat. I used to have a mustache, and man, I didn’t look forward to this process 🤣

[@lynnglidewell7367]

I've removed the nails from Marine Band harmonicas without issue.When replacing the covers use a slight bit of tack glue on each nail and reassemble. Works fine.

[@lilyrosegarden6080]

Looooove this video! Very interesting and fun!

[@TooPunkToBeAPodcast]

Man this is such a great explanation thanks!

[@alananthony1960]

Thanks Jonah! Always appreciated.

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Glad I can help! ✌️

[@R3LI2UI]

Wow! Great info Jonah, Thank You!

[@markpigliavento2951]

That's a very helpful video, thanks for posting this.

[@riseup4473]

I’d seen this done before and didn’t get it. You’ve cleared it all up for me. THANK YOU!!!

[@keithcastleberry3993]

Awesome! I understand!

[@OneLiveWire]

very useful video! I have had plenty of luck adjusting my Marine Band harps by just popping the plates off and pressing the nails back in when resetting the plates

[@kaylag7425]

Nice video thanks

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Thanks for watching, I hope it helps!

[@Amir__MB]

Jonah: Thank you very much for this video. I'm a beginner, I was sure my technique was bad, but after "gapping" two holes (1 and 10) - my special20 now sounds amazing. Thank you!!!

[@hamishlovesit4731]

Thank you Jonah , very helpful and something not often covered by the other internet instructors 😎 Have a great day dude ✊

[@jeemalsoknownasjimhawkins1294]

Jonah: Fantastic video! I just signed up for your Harp Trainer course and will start using it today. I have found your videos to be truly inspiring and I would urge everyone who seriously wants to learn how to play harmonica to consider checking it out. Cheers!

[@ninocrudele]

life saver, that was the problem! , subscribed!, and I am going to follow your training , thank you!!! 👍

[@ArcadioJacobino]

This is brilliant - thanks. I've made a couple of mistakes with instruments over the years (luckily few, and inexpensively) so it's great to get some distilled knowledge while sending off for my first harp, most likely a Special 20. Cheers.

[@sepultura7771]

Your one of my favorite Harmonica teachers on the Internet,I love your fun awesome personality I wish you’d cater more towards intermediate instead of beginners personally But it’s all good,whatever you choose to do,I’ll happily watch your videos

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Thanks! Honestly, I want to, but in full disclosure, I’m dealing with a vocal injury right now. It’s acid reflux related larynx injury, which is taking time to get better… so I have to limit talking and harp playing is not a thing for me at the moment until I heal more…which may take 1-2 more months, if I’m lucky. So, I’ve just been coving topics I can easily talk though, but I do plan on having more intermediate/advanced lessons when I can.

[@sepultura7771]

@@HarmonicaRevolution that really sucks man, and I know with your passion for the harmonica it makes it twice as hard I can totally relate after getting carpal tunnel syndrome after getting into a big piano phase, but you just have to believe things will work out for the best

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

@@sepultura7771 thanks. It will get better, it’s a problem that creeps up every few years. I’m in this for the long haul anyways, so it will be okay. I can still play guitar, so it’s not even like I’ve stopped making music, but it is impacting everything else in my life right now…everything pretty much requires talking, so it’s been tough to say the least, but it’s slowly improving every day.

[@mikereckhaus1139]

Amazing! I'm by no means an experienced player, thouh bendings work fine on 3 of my 4 harps. But with my D Hohner golden melody I just couldn't get clean bends. I thought it's about my technique, but after adjusting the reeds, it works like a charm. Thanks Jonah!

[@PepperoniePlays]

This video will help me a lot, I bought a kongsheng and it arrived this week, the 2 blow sounds a bit scratchy everytime I start playing, after a few seconds it sounds normal. Probably something wrong with the reeds, now that I know how they should look like I'll be fixing it! Thanks a lot!

[@Alf_4]

i think the marine band uses nails because it's not sealed and the swelling will cause the screw threads to damage the comb

[@milanvrolijks]

Great And for a jonah. I think I have to clean my new harmonica. My old one got a little out of tune and I really want to take that one apart to see what's wrong. It was not a very good harmonica any way but still

[@lolwhittingham]

Thanks for this useful video, i found it quite helpful. I don't understand the reason for the '1' thumbs down so ive canceled it out by clicking on a thumbs up.

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

thanks! Some people are just jerks on the internet, it's okay, I've accepted it. I can't tell you how many nasty and personally attacking comments I've had on here in the past though...seems weird when I'm giving away knowledge for free, you know?

[@lolwhittingham]

Well exactly my thoughts too, do they know how much time it takes you to do a vid ? and all for 'our' benefits. You've had 159 views on this ,and only 20 have bothered to say thank you (clicking)... well mate, there are a lot of us now that are better players thanks to these tut's. Hopefully if they read this they may have a think . don't want to sound too patronizing ,but thanks.@@HarmonicaRevolution

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

@@lolwhittingham Well, thanks! It's really okay though, I'm glad I'm helping people, even if they don't engage, but it's more fun when they do! It's on my end too, and this week, I was testing not asking for a like, just to see what happens... and I got my answer. I treat every video like a new experiment, so eventually I can be making effective and helpful videos and gain more traction in the harmonica teaching space, even if it takes a few years. Those likes do help, but keeping people watching helps much more, and I'm getting better every week.

[@javierf55]

I almost got drunk the first time the needle of the chromatic tuner went down... Still working on it but I'm getting it closer.

[@janstrhal7520]

Hello, thanks to your advice - manual, how to improve my harp I totally devalvaced my favourite harp. I have touched two tongues very slightly and harp have stopped play any more. Thank you very much :))))). If i only knew that the tongues are so sensitive and had to been set up very very very precisely - i have nevere been touched them!!!!! Thank you again!

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Honestly, unless the reeds snapped (which it sounds like they didn’t) or turned to the side (unlikely), I’m sure you can fix it. This practice is commonly known between harmonica players, I’m sorry you had trouble with it, but I bet it could be reversed. As an example, if you pushed the reeds too far, you can push them back up, and I talked about that (using the screwdriver). I have adjusted over 50 harps and never had an issue, but obviously, you are adjusting tiny thin strips of metal, you need to have a light touch.

[@mathieugallant2878]

You can buy Marine bands ( classics ) if you're willing to buy custom combs (Like those from Andrew Zajac ) and drill the threading in the comb and put some screws in it ( With the right tools ). Just so you know thats a possibility if you have Classic Marine bands :) Had 2 Custom Marine bands that were Nails before switched to Screws and they were my favorites. Nice video by the way ;)

[@stompinsteve6066]

Be very carefull as it's so easy to make the harp unplayable. I always make gap adjustments at the reed base (never at the tip) since doing it this way I haven't lost a single harp. BTW I'm enjoying your channel content which is like a breath of fresh air compared to others! ATB Steve

[@bloodshotgaming7]

Now i can bend 123 but 4 is difficult, and 2 and 3 normal is sound slightly mix with bend 😢

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Have you had a harmonica that has needed adjustment?

[@marlinguidegun1657]

Yes, but it was the Marine Band type. I did manage to get the nails off, but as I recall there was also a different "spike" feature that I had to deal with and that made reassembly difficult. I'd stick to harps with screws.

[@cincinnatipedalsteel4347]

What size screws hold the cover plate on! I either lost one or they are all not the same because I found a 6th screw that was bigger than the others on my table but it doesn’t fit the holes.

[@chickenman7252]

Lol I tried this and pushed everything too far. Im new to playing my E harmonica so how do I know when its perfect.? I know I improved the 3 hole a lot at least, but Im not sure how it should feel.

[@danef.6226]

So every time you buy a new harmonica, do you recommend making it a habit to open it up right away to check the gapping?

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

For me, only if there are problems (usually with bending)

[@danef.6226]

@@HarmonicaRevolution Thank you!

[@scottcycleguitarist]

Wrong info given out at 2:16. You absolutely can take the plates off of a standard marine Band harp.

[@pl566]

Do you have a recommendation for customized harmonicas?

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

I don’t, but I suggest you go over to the modern blues harmonica Facebook group and search. That’s where all the customizers hang out.

[@OnceTheyNamedMeiWasnt]

Hi Johan, great vid as always. Quick q: thinking of purchasing the harp trainer to improve my scales etc. I presume the individual owns it once purchased; i.e. they have ongoing, unlimited access in the future and it's not time-limited? Is that right? Thanks

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

That’s correct! 👍

[@OnceTheyNamedMeiWasnt]

@@HarmonicaRevolution nice one. Thanks for getting back to me. And keep up the amazing work.

[@benakib7642]

❤❤❤❤

[@TheRashad40]

Question do u think A flat harmonica is forgotten about like folks don't like it

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Harmonica follows what guitarists use. Ab is kinda awkward on guitar.

[@rolfr6662]

Thanks Jonah! Was that an “ out of the box “Pentaharp?

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Yeah, unfortunately. Again, I wouldn’t assume all are like this, but mine was.

[@rolfr6662]

@@HarmonicaRevolutionThe repair was successful👍For me I’m just content to have 4,5,6 overblows out of the box. I am amazed at guys like Jason and Howard that can configure a 1 overblow. Your channel is professional in nature and has a broad scope for consumers. Congrats and best wishes for continued success.

[@sepultura7771]

I love the Golden Melody but it always gives me problems, I have a key of B where the 3 draw and 4 draw get real airy when I try to bend, I’ve been playing for a while so I know my technique and embouchure is good, how do I know I just don’t need to break this particular Harmonica in, because when I look at the reeds they look fine and not excessively gappy

[@sepultura7771]

Is it like the reed should be at a certain exact height, or is more of a feel thing for different harmonicas

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

@@sepultura7771 breaking harmonicas in is not a thing. You may want to check the blow reed gaps. On a deep bend, it’s actually the blow reed working, so see if it’s leaky. Sometimes, you just get a dud. I have a Manji I can’t improve. Gaps look good but it’s just hard to play.

[@studogable]

@@HarmonicaRevolution interesting. I've ALWAYS heard that there's a breaking-in period for a new harp, but I've always been able to do the bends I needed right out of the box. Maybe that says more about my (lack of) bend technique than it does the harps - I've always thought I bent to more of a quarter-tone than an actual half-step down on the scale, and I've never worked though it with a music teacher or anything.

[@lawrencehubbell9397]

@@studogable The Bend it Better online tuning tool can let you work that out yourself.

[@rexdiamond]

Since the reeds have a bit of spring memory, I always plink the reed after gapping and then re-gap as needed.

[@ER-me1ii]

I find bending pretty easy. But I still suck.

[@sagehopkins1]

This video exemplifies why you are one of the premiere teachers on KZbin today! Generally I hate the whole concept of this "pentaharp" because Hohner Yeah needs just focus on doing what they're good at which is producing consistency in the homonicas they already make and not dumbing down harmonica so people don't need to learn how to bend.

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Thanks! and I kind of agree, but my thoughts on it are complicated. I will put out a video on it sometime soon!

[@duanewoodbury8314]

That paper looks to thick Use a recept from walmart

[@Eckus]

Or you have a harmonica that is completely out of tune because you scratched the reeds with your sharp screwdriver!!!